Metro lines and stops continue to grow in our geography and, after their debut over 100 years ago in both Madrid as in Barcelonathe truth is that this option mobility It is increasingly promoted because it is efficient, more environmentally friendly and, sometimes, as the most comfortable route for residents of medium and large cities. Although those of the two mentioned cities are the most famous and legendary, the advantages of the metro have motivated other Spanish cities to launch their own underground or light transport networks. In fact, last year the use of public transport in the peninsula increased significantly, touching 4.37 billion travelersthe metro being one of the most used means.
The Madrid Metro holds the title of the oldest and largest suburb in the country. It was inaugurated in 1919 for the king Alfonso XIIIbeing the first Spanish city to have this means of transport. Having passed its 100 years of history, the Madrid metro currently has 13 lines, more than 300 stops and almost 300 kilometers of tracks. This network positions it as the fifth network in the world in terms of number of stations and the eighth in terms of extension. Five years after the arrival of the metro in Madrid, 1924Barcelona inaugurated its own metropolitan rail network, becoming the second Spanish city to have this service. The authorities of Barcelona wanted to celebrate this anniversary in style and for a whole year there were organized tributes, winks, exhibitions and other types of activities in memory of the travelers who crowd into their cars every day when traveling in a metro that is barely 100 years old.
He centenary of the Catalan capital’s metro marks in a certain way a century of urban, social and technological transformations. Although it initially had only four stations and a length of just over two kilometers, the Barcelona network today has 8 lines, 189 stations and 170 kilometers of track. The specific history of this network is divided into several stages: from the first sections like the Grand Métro and the Transversale (1920-1935), through the brakes caused by the Civil War (1936-1950) and a period of growth and municipalization (1951-1967), to the great expansion (1968-1982) and the metro of a world capital (1983-1999). In addition, since the 1990s, TMB has promoted the transformation of the network, installing elements such as elevators, tactile sidewalks and visual and audible signage, which means that today more than 90% of stations are accessible.
As part of its centenary, guided tours were even organized in places inaccessible to the general public, such as the “ghost stations”. One of them is the train station Gaudíbuilt in 1968 but never inaugurated due to its extreme proximity to the bus stop. Holy Family. Another historic station that has reopened its doors to tours is Emailwhich was operational between 1934 and 1972 as part of the Grand Métro, but which ceased to be used when the current line 4 was extended until Barcelona. These tours are scheduled at dawn, as it involves traveling the tracks with service stopped due to lack of direct access from the street.
But, apart from Madrid and Barcelona, in which other cities does a metro exist and when were they inaugurated? Well, there are several and the first to follow in the footsteps of Madrid and Barcelona was Valencethird city to have a metro line and which did so in 1988. Its network today has 146 stations (including 38 underground) and approximately 162 kilometers of track. He followed Bilbao in 1997, which currently has 49 stations spread over two train lines and more than 45 kilometers of railway tracks. The Bilbao metro is also connected to the Cercanías network in the area. After Valencia and Bilbao, in the 21st century, several cities have joined the list, including Palma de Mallorcawhich inaugurated its metropolis in 2007, becoming the fifth Spanish city to offer this service. The Balearic Metro has two lines, 16 stations and a length of 15.55 kilometers of track. Seville It put its metro into service in 2009, with a single 18-kilometer line spread across 22 stations.
Afterwards Malaga In 2014, with two lines and 17 stations, it joined a network that corresponds to its commuter, medium-distance and high-speed trains. Finally, the most recent city to integrate the metro is Grenade in 2017, with a light rail consisting of a single 18-kilometer line that crosses the city from north to south and has 26 stops. In addition to these, Alicante It also has a tramway inaugurated in 2007, which runs in the north of the province.
From London to Buenos Aires
At a global level, the history of the urban metro, such as that of Madrid or Barcelona, dates back more than a century, marking a stage of innovation and technological advancement in terms of mobility. The world’s first metro was Londonalso known as the Tube, whose inauguration dates back to January 10, 1863, when the first steam locomotives began to circulate in its tunnels. This pioneering system transformed mobility in the city and is today one of the most important, with 408 kilometers spread over 11 active lines. It was followed by the Tunnel of Istanbulinaugurated in 1875, which became the first metro in continental Europe. Although it is only 573 meters long, it has operated without interruption and remains crucial for urban travel.
Other emblematic systems were added in the following decades, such as the Chicago “L” in 1892, iconic for its journey above high metal structures. In 1896, the circular metro was inaugurated. Glasgow and metro line 1 Budapestthe latter being the first metro in the world with an emblematic line, which earned it world heritage status in 2002. The Métropolitaine de Pariswith its characteristic wrought iron entrances designed in the Art Nouveau style, inaugurated in 1900. The U-Bahn of Berlin (1902), the metro new York (1904) and the metro Buenos Aires (1913), the first metro in Latin America and the oldest in Spanish-speaking countries, completes the list of global pioneers. In this chronology of transport with a certain history, that of Madrid is the tenth oldest metro in the world, a pioneer transport which has been followed, to date, by seven other Spanish cities.
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