Metro Ligero de Madrid

A tram on Line ML-1 in 2011.

The Metro Ligero de Madrid is a light rail/tram system in Madrid, Spain. It has three lines with a total of 27.8 km and 36 stations.

Line ML-1

Line ML-1 opened between Pinar de Chamartín and Las Tablas on May 24, 2007, with 5.4 km and 9 stations, 5 of which are underground. Both termini offer connections to lines of the Madrid Metro. The only stations on the surface are Antonio Saura, Álvarez de Villaamil, Palas del Rey, and Las Tablas. The line serves the new neighbourhoods of Sanchinarro and Las Tablas, in the district of Fuencarral.

Stations

• Pinar de Chamartín (interchange to Metro Line 1 and Line 4)
• Fuente de la Mora
• Virgen del Cortijo
• Antonio Saura
• Álvarez de Villaamil
• Blasco Ibáñez
• María Tudor
• Palas del Rey
• Las Tablas (interchange to Metro Line 10)

Line ML-2

A tram on Line ML-2 at Estación de Aravaca, the outer terminus of the line.

Line ML-2 opened between Colonia Jardín and Estación de Avaraca in the neighbourhood of Avaraca, in the western communities of Boadilla del Monte and Pozuelo de Alarcón, on July 27, 2007, with 8.7 km and 13 stations, three of which are underground. The three stations are Colonia Jardín, Somosaguas Sur, and Avenida de Europa. ML-2 also passes by the Complutense University of Madrid. As part of the project, a provision has been made for an extra station at Prado de las Bodegas, which is subject to further development. The station will also provide a connection to a future Metro Ligero line, Line ML-4, going to Estación de Las Rozas.

Stations

• Colonia Jardín (interchange to Metro Line 10 and Metro Ligero Line ML-3)
• Prado de la Vega
• Colonia de los Ángeles
• Prado del Rey
• Somosaguas Sur
• Somosaguas Centro
• Pozuelo Oeste
• Prado de las Bodegas (foundation of station exists)
• Bélgica
• Dos Castillas
• Campus de Somosaguas
• Avenida de Europa
• Berna
• Estación de Avaraca (interchange to Cercanías)

Line ML-3

A tram on Line ML-3.

Line ML-3 opened between Colonia Jardín and Puerta de Boadilla on July 27, 2007, with 13.7 km and 15 stations, 2 of which are underground. The 2 stations are Colonia Jardín and Montepríncipe (which is in an open cut between two separate tunnels). Line ML-3 serves Ciudad de la Imagen, an employment centre with an audiovisual theme, and ends in Boadilla del Monte. The first 50 to 75 metres of track of Line ML-3 are shared by Line ML-2. As with Line ML-2, Line ML-3 serves the western suburbs of Madrid. Both lines are in a special fare zone designated as "Metro Ligero Oeste". Similarly, provisions have been made for three more stations on Line ML-3: Retamares Oeste, Ciudad Financiera Este, and Ciudad Financiera Oeste. All three stations are not scheduled to open until further development takes place.

Stations

• Colonia Jardín (interchange to Metro Line 10 and Metro Ligero Line ML-2)
• Ciudad de la Imagen
• José Isbert
• Ciudad del Cine
• Cocheras
• Retamares
• Retamares Oeste (foundation exists for unopened station)
• Montepríncipe
• Ventorro del Cano
• Prado del Espino
• Ciudad Financiera Este (foundation exists for unopened station)
• Ciudad Financiera Oeste (foundation exists for unopened station)
• Cantabria
• Ferial del Boradilla
• Boadilla Centro
• Nuevo Mundo
• Siglo XXI
• Infante Don Luís
• Puerta de Boadilla

Future projects

• A new Metro Ligero line, Line ML-4, is proposed from the new station Prado de las Bodegas on Line ML-2 to Estación de Las Rozas, with a connection to Cercanías trains. The line would serve the Hospital Puerta de Hierro. Line ML-4 is currently underway. The project will be with 14.3 km and 24 stations.
• A tramway is also underway in the southern suburb of Valdemoro, which would connect the Cercanías railway station and the Hospital Infanta Elena. Both are expected to open by 2011.
• Lines ML-2 and ML-3 are expected to be extended from Colonia Jardín to Aluche by 2020.

Rolling stock

All Metro Ligero lines are equipped with trams of the Citadis 302 model, with 70 low floor trams. As opposed to on the Metro, trams operate on the right. The trams have a maximum speed of 70 km/h and are capable of handling 200 passengers with 54 seats. Currently at a length of 30 m, the trams are designed so that they can be expanded to 45 m in the future.

The Citadis 302 model as used on the Metro Ligero is similarly used on a tramway in the southern suburb of Parla. However, a difference is that the trams used on the Metro Ligero are coloured red and blue, and the trams used in Parla are coloured lime green.

External links

• Official site (Spanish)