Starting June 1, the Madrid Metro will introduce direct bank card payment at turnstiles, a system that will allow access to the metro without the need to purchase a transit card in advance. The measure aims to speed up passenger flow and reduce wait times on the network used daily by over 2.5 million riders.
The new system was presented at the Feria de Madrid station on Line 8, one of the locations where the equipment was tested. According to the Community of Madrid, direct card payment will be available starting June 1 and will work with credit or debit cards, both physical cards and those integrated into mobile phones or smartwatches with contactless technology.
The rollout comes in a year featuring several major events in Spain’s capital, including Pope Leo XIV’s visit, scheduled for June 6–9, and the Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix, which will take place in September.
1,249 turnstiles equipped
The system will be available on 1,249 devices across the Metro Madrid network. Of these, 470 are already smart turnstiles, and in stations with older models, at least two turnstiles will allow for direct card payment. Additionally, each station will have at least one device ready to validate transit passes via QR codes.
Jorge Rodrigo, the Madrid Regional Government’s advisor for Housing, Transportation, and Infrastructure, explained that the new solution will allow direct entry into the metro without first using the Tarjeta de Transporte Público, the public transit card used in the Madrid region.
According to the official, the system “will improve the user experience by reducing wait times, facilitating access, and preventing crowding in station lobbies and at ticket machines, especially on days of high demand.”
Single-ride ticket temporarily reduced to EUR 1.5
To encourage use of the system in the first few weeks, single-ride tickets purchased through this method will temporarily have a reduced flat rate of EUR 1.5.
In the first phase, direct card payment will be available only for the purchase of single-trip tickets. The system will remain compatible with the current public transit card and with other tickets issued by the Madrid Regional Transport Consortium, the institution that coordinates metropolitan public transit.
The project is funded by European NextGenerationEU funds and is part of the digitization of public transport access in the Madrid region. For passengers, the main advantage will be the ability to enter the metro directly with a contactless bank card, without stopping at ticket machines or ticket counters—a model already in use in several major urban transport networks across Europe.
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