TBM Starts €880m Madrid Metro Line 11 Extension Between Plaza Elíptica-Conde

Madrid Metro has launched tunnel boring machine operations for the Line 11 extension's central section between Plaza Elíptica and Conde de Casal stations, marking the start of excavation work on the €880m infrastructure project in Spain's capital.

The TBM deployment represents a critical phase in Madrid's metro expansion strategy, particularly for improving north-south connectivity across the city's dense urban core. The extension will provide direct links between southern districts and central Madrid, reducing transfer requirements and journey times for passengers currently relying on multiple line connections. This tunnelling approach enables construction beneath heavily built-up areas without significant surface disruption to traffic and commercial activities.

The central section forms part of a broader Line 11 extension programme designed to enhance Madrid's metro network capacity and coverage. Tunnelling operations will create the underground infrastructure necessary for new stations and track installation, with the TBM method chosen for its efficiency in navigating the geological conditions beneath central Madrid. The €880m investment encompasses not only tunnelling work but also station construction, systems installation and rolling stock procurement for the extended line.

Madrid's Line 11 extension joins a series of European metro expansion projects currently under construction, including Barcelona's Line 9 completion and Milan's M4 line development. The project reflects Spanish infrastructure investment priorities focused on sustainable urban transport solutions, with metro extensions offering higher capacity and lower emissions compared to surface transport alternatives.