The Council of Ministers has given the green light to an investment of 44 million euros to expand the platforms at the Embajadores and Laguna stations on the C-5 Cercanías Madrid line, aiming to improve capacity and accessibility.
The C-5 Cercanías Madrid line, the busiest in the network with 72 million passengers per year, is preparing for a profound transformation. The Council of Ministers approved a budget of 44 million euros on Tuesday for the renovation of the Embajadores and Laguna stations, two strategic points on the route connecting the southwest of the Community of Madrid with the capital.
The initiative, announced by the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Óscar Puente, includes the expansion of the platforms to accommodate new, higher-capacity trains, as well as improvements in accessibility and safety. This is one of the first visible interventions of the C-5 Modernisation Plan, a comprehensive project endowed with 1.35 billion euros aimed at alleviating the chronic congestion of the line.
With the expansion of the platforms, longer trains will be able to operate, allowing for more passengers to be transported on each service and reducing overcrowding during peak hours. Additionally, the works will include the installation of lifts and ramps to facilitate access for people with reduced mobility, strollers, or bicycles, as well as the renewal of safety systems such as lighting and public address systems.
The C-5 is the backbone of rail transport in the south of Madrid. Each year, nearly three out of ten journeys on Cercanías are made on this line, which has seen a 10% increase in demand over the last three years. Municipalities such as Móstoles, Alcorcón, Leganés, Fuenlabrada, and Humanes rely on it for access to work and educational centres.
The overall modernisation plan, presented last March, aims to increase the line's capacity by 60%. To achieve this, railway signalling will be renewed with the ERTMS Level 2 system, infrastructure will be adapted for the new trains, accessibility will be improved at all stations, and tunnels and underground stations will be modernised. The construction of a new station in Móstoles-El Soto and the reorganisation of track changes between Atocha and Móstoles are also planned to reduce the impact of incidents.
Of the total investment of 1.35 billion, 650 million corresponds to Adif and 700 million to Renfe. The government estimates that over a million people from the southwest of the Community of Madrid will benefit from these improvements. The works at Embajadores and Laguna will be carried out in phases to minimise inconvenience to travellers, although specific timelines for start and completion have not yet been detailed.
The news has been welcomed by regular users of the line, who have been calling for solutions to the congestion and frequent incidents for years. From the Leganés Neighbourhood Association, its spokesperson, María García, positively assessed the investment: “It is a necessary step for a line that bears enormous pressure. We hope that the works will be carried out quickly and with the least possible impact on travellers.”
The Ministry of Transport has emphasised that all actions are aimed at making the line more reliable, increasing its capacity, and allowing for a quicker recovery from any incidents. With the expansion of platforms at Embajadores and Laguna, a tangible first step is being taken towards the modernisation of a key infrastructure for the mobility of thousands of Madrid residents.
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