TBM Starts Madrid Metro Line 11 Central Section Between Plaza Elíptica and Conde de Casal

Madrid Metro has launched tunnel boring machine operations for the Line 11 extension's central section between Plaza Elíptica and Conde de Casal stations. The €880m figure widely cited for Line 11 refers to the separate northern extension programme; the reported contract for this central section is approximately €517.7m.

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 central-section works encompass tunnelling, station construction and systems installation; available project documentation for this section does not include a rolling stock procurement component.

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.