Inside the world’s most interesting metro network

Madrid’s metro may not be the oldest (that prize goes to London) or the largest (Shanghai) or the coolest (Copenhagen, no contest) but it is potentially the most interesting. Before you fire off a letter to the editor, let me present my case.

Not only is the Madrid Metro more than a century old, but its 293-kilometre network is a vast underground labyrinth of museums, art installations, literary initiatives, abstract creations and mosaic panels. Across its 13 lines, subterranean sights include an abandoned ghost station, archaeological and palaeontological remains, etchings by Francisco Goya, century-old advertising murals and an exhibition of classic metro trains. Convinced yet? And what if I said a 10-trip pass costs just €6 ($10). Follow my tracks to discover Madrid’s underground treasures.

Vintage advertising at the former Chamberi Station of Madrid.Credit: Adobe

When the first Metro line opened on October 17, 1919, it was a modest 3.5-kilometre route with just eight stations. One of them, Chamberi, was closed in the ’60s due to expansion and lay dormant for decades, like an abandoned toy train set, until a renovation in 2006 transformed into a museum – “Platform zero”.

I board the historic Line 1 (light blue line) at Chamartin, allowing time to enjoy the towering digital waterfall Iguazu by Vicente Paton and Alberto Telleria. While commuters rush past in a blur of activity, I revel in the luxury of time. With three days to explore Madrid before joining APT’s MS Estrela for a Douro River cruise, and with trains arriving every few minutes, I have no timetable to stick to.

Chamberi ghost station.Credit: Getty Images

Artistic elements from the past and present converge: Paco Roca’s mural dedicated to the elderly at Plaza de Castilla station; a neighbourhood panorama at Cuatro Caminos; and quotes from the literary works of Benito Perez Galdos at Rios Rosas.

After a stop at Iglesia, the destination board flickers to show Bilbao as the next station. But there’s something in the shadows between the two – something unmarked on any map.

Cupping my hands against the glass, I catch a fleeting glimpse of the Chamberi ghost station – the tiled, curved ceiling arching above the platform like a frozen wave, the advertising signs from another era, and the eerily deserted platform glowing, as if lit by candles. Then it vanishes, swallowed by the darkness, as our train speeds on.

Later, I enter the time-capsule museum from its street-level entrance on Chamberi Plaza. It’s one of eight underground Metro museums, including the Pacifico Power Plant, Carpetana station with its palaeontological exhibits and the archaeological museum of Los Canos del Peral.

Continuing on Line 1, I arrive at Atocha, Madrid’s oldest station and bustling central railway hub. Here, I come across the memorial to the 193 people who died and more than 2000 who were injured during the terrorist bombings on the station on March 11, 2004.

The tropical forest inside the train station of Atocha. It is the largest railway station in Madrid.Credit: Getty Images

The corridor of names, engraved into a long wall of cobalt blue, is in a quiet hall away from the commuter slipstream. Messages in a dozen languages speak of peace and ending violence, while overhead, the ceiling sparkles with 193 illuminated points.

Beyond this solemn tribute lies an unexpected contrast – a lush, tropical garden housed in an original train shed from 1892. Like something out of Jurassic Park, it fills a section of the station that was abandoned in the 1980s when the railway was upgraded for high-speed trains.

Light streams through the ceiling as I take a seat in a cafe overlooking this urban oasis. Glass of cava in hand, I unfold my pocket map, tracing the spiderweb of routes. Which line will I follow next?

The details

Cruise
APT’s nine-day Douro Delights tour from Madrid to Porto (also operates in reverse) from $7095 a person (flights not included). The itinerary is inclusive of one night’s land accommodation and seven nights onboard the MS Estrela. All meals, a wide range of onboard beverages, Wi-Fi, comprehensive sightseeing tours, Freedom of Choice experiences and Signature Experiences included. See aptouring.com

Train
Metro trains operate from 6am to 1.30am daily. Tickets can be bought from ticket machines within all stations. Route maps indicate stations with lifts and wheelchair accessibility. See metromadrid.es

Metro museums
Entry is free with a Metro ticket, but all must be booked in advance (except for Carpetana). See museosmetromadrid.es

The writer was a guest of APT Touring.