Madrid Metro Embraces Contactless Payments for Single Tickets
Madrid, June 1st – Madrid Metro has officially launched direct payment with bank cards across its entire network of 303 stations, starting today, Monday, June 1st. This new system allows passengers to use physical debit, credit, or prepaid cards, as well as those integrated into mobile phones or smartwatches with contactless technology, to pay for single tickets without the need for a prior Public Transport Card (TTP).
The initiative, presented by Jorge Rodrigo, Regional Minister of Housing, Transport and Infrastructure of the Community of Madrid; Juan Pablo Vivas, General Director of Mastercard Spain; and Ignacio Vázquez, CEO of Metro, was unveiled at the Feria de Madrid station on Line 8, a key location for the system’s testing phase.
Incentivizing Use with a Reduced Fare
To encourage adoption, single tickets paid for with this new method will temporarily have a reduced, flat price of 1.50 euros. This is a notable incentive, as the usual price for these tickets ranges from 1.50 to 2 euros depending on the journey, excluding special discounts like those for large families.
“We want Madrid citizens to have the opportunity to access transport systems in the fastest and most accessible ways,” stated Rodrigo. He emphasized that this will be “perfect for occasional users, especially visitors and tourists, and for any other Madrid citizen who doesn’t have time to top up their transport pass or multi-card at a specific moment.”
Strategic Timing for Major Events
The implementation of this system is strategically timed to coincide with significant events in Madrid. It precedes the visit of Pope Leo XIV, scheduled from June 6th to 9th, which is expected to draw a large influx of tourists to the capital. Additionally, it will be in place before the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix, set to take place in September.
Investment and Broader Modernization Efforts
The Community of Madrid has invested over 6.6 million euros in this new system, which aims to benefit the approximately 210,000 people who purchase single tickets daily. It will remain fully compatible with all existing titles of the Regional Transport Consortium of Madrid (CRTM).
All stations will be equipped with devices capable of validating transport tickets via QR codes, expanding access options and adapting the system to the evolving digital habits of travelers. The system will be operational at 1,249 turnstiles across the network. Of these, 470 are already intelligent, and in stations with older models, at least two turnstiles will support this new payment method, with one also enabled for QR code reading.
Madrid Joins Global Cities in Contactless Transit
With this move, Madrid aligns itself with other major global cities that have successfully implemented contactless payment technology in public transport, such as New York, Sydney, London, Milan, and Amsterdam. Mastercard has been a key partner in these implementations, facilitating EMV contactless payments.
“Being able to tap on the Madrid Metro is a very significant advance that will transform the travel experience in the capital,” highlighted Juan Pablo Vivas, General Director of Mastercard Spain. He added that by simplifying access to the Metro network, which complements existing systems on EMT buses, interurban buses, and Renfe Cercanías, it not only improves “the daily experience of Madrid citizens” but also makes Madrid “an even more attractive and accessible destination for tourists, in addition to contributing to sustainability and boosting spending in the local economy, benefiting everyone.”
International examples underscore the benefits: user satisfaction rates of 86% to 98% in Sydney; 22 million contactless transactions in the first six months in the Netherlands, where 42% of users cited service speed as a key factor; direct cost savings in the London Metro, with fare collection costs dropping from 14% to 9%; and a reduction of 1,800 tons of CO2 emissions per year in Amsterdam.
Future Payment Innovations
This initiative, funded by European funds from the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Mechanism, builds upon existing contactless payment systems already in place on capital buses and interurban buses. It also complements other modernization efforts by the metropolitan company, such as the mobile transport pass, available for Android 9.0 or higher since mid-January and soon to be extended to iPhone users.
Looking ahead to 2027, the introduction of Account-Based Ticketing (ABT) is planned. This system will eliminate physical tickets, managing journeys and fares in the cloud and associating them with a digital user account. Last year, the virtual transport card was introduced, allowing users to have their ticket on their mobile, albeit without a physical format.
