Madrid Metro will interrupt service on three lines during August for track improvement works. The Community of Madrid will provide free buses on the affected sections to minimise inconvenience.
The summer of 2026 brings with it scheduled cuts on lines 6, 7 and 9 of Madrid Metro due to track renewal works. The Community of Madrid has announced that the works will begin on 25 July on L9 and will continue until early September on L6, aiming to take advantage of the lower passenger traffic during these dates.
Schedule of cuts on each line
The disruptions begin on Line 9, where the section between Arganda del Rey and Rivas Vaciamadrid will be out of service from 25 July to 13 August. Residents of the southeast metropolitan area will need to use the free substitute buses that will cover that route.
On Line 7, the cut affects the section between Gregorio Marañón and Pitis from 2 to 28 August. This interruption directly impacts users from the districts of Chamberí, Tetuán and Fuencarral-El Pardo, as well as municipalities in the northwest that access the capital via this line.
Line 6 will experience the longest closure: between Argüelles and Ciudad Universitaria from 1 August to 2 September. The affected section serves the Ciudad Universitaria and the Moncloa-Aravaca neighbourhoods, an area with high demand during the academic year but which sees a significant reduction in activity during August.
Free buses and reinforcement of alternatives
In all cases, the Community of Madrid will implement free substitute bus services that will cover exactly the interrupted routes. The buses will maintain the same frequencies as the metro during peak hours, as the subway has assured in a statement. The measure aims to guarantee user mobility at no additional cost.
Additionally, the Cuzco station will remain closed until the end of August due to comprehensive renovation works at the Santiago Bernabéu station, which also affect Line 10. The section between Nuevos Ministerios and Plaza de Castilla will be interrupted until 21 August, taking the opportunity to carry out waterproofing tasks on the infrastructure.
“The Community of Madrid will carry out improvement and track renewal works on several Metro lines in August. Free substitute bus services will be provided on the affected sections,” reported Madrid Metro on its official X account.
For travellers from the Henares Corridor and the southeast metropolitan area, the works on L9 represent an inconvenience, although the free bus service will connect directly with the Rivas Vaciamadrid station, where metro service can be resumed towards the centre. On L7, residents of Valdezarza, Peñagrande and Mirasierra will need to plan their journeys in advance.
A summer of scheduled works
The choice of August is not accidental: passenger demand in those areas drops by up to 40% compared to the annual average, according to data from Madrid Metro. This allows for the works to be carried out with less inconvenience, although the works coincide with the holiday getaway and events such as the Paloma festival in the capital.
Madrid Metro recommends users check the information panels at the stations and the official app to know the service status in real time. The substitute buses will carry the same line number as the affected section and will stop at the nearest stops to each closed station.
For residents in Rivas-Vaciamadrid and Arganda del Rey, the works on L9 serve as a reminder of the need to improve infrastructure dating back to the 1990s. The track renewal includes the replacement of sleepers and rails to reduce vibrations and noise, something that residents have been requesting for years.
On L6, the closure of the university section will hardly affect students, but it will impact workers at the Ciudad Universitaria and patients visiting the Hospital Clínico San Carlos. The free buses will connect Argüelles with Ciudad Universitaria via Avenida de la Memoria, a detour that will extend the journey by about 10 minutes.
Overall, the Community of Madrid assures that the works will conclude on the scheduled dates and that deadlines will not be extended. Residents in the metropolitan area will need to be patient and make use of the free buses, which at least will not incur extra costs for them.
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