Madrid Metro is to enable gate access using contactless bank card payments across its 303 stations, removing the need for a Public Transport Card. The scheme, launching on 1 June for single-journey tickets at a promotional fare of €1.50, is intended to speed up throughput at barriers and encourage modal uptake.
Unveiled at Feria de Madrid station on Line 8, the programme has required investment of more than €6.6 million and will be available at 1,249 ticket gates. Of these, 470 are already smart gates, while at the remaining stations at least two gates will support the new payment method, alongside QR code validation capability.
Regional transport councillor Jorge Rodrigo said the initiative will ease access for occasional users, particularly tourists, amid strong demand linked to major events such as the Papal visit in June and the Formula 1 Grand Prix in September.
The system will be interoperable with existing CRTM fare products and is expected to benefit around 210,000 daily single-ticket users. Funded with European resources, the rollout forms part of a wider digitalisation strategy including mobile season tickets and the planned introduction of an account-based ticketing (ABT) back office by 2027.