A resounding success for Madrid's public transport
The Spanish capital has witnessed an unprecedented phenomenon in the use of public transport. During the days of April 7 and 8, Madrid experienced a true revolution on its streets, where more than 3.6 million travellers seized the opportunity to use the buses of the Municipal Transport Company (EMT) at no cost. This massive increase has set a new record for the year 2026.
Deputy Mayor Inma Sanz presented these impressive figures at a press conference following the Government Board meeting. On Monday the 7th, over 1.78 million passengers were recorded, while on Tuesday the figure exceeded 1.81 million. These numbers not only reflect a significant increase compared to previous days, but also indicate that around half a million of the people who used the service were not regular users.
Not only the buses benefited from the popular pull; the Bicimad system also experienced a notable increase in its use. During these two days, 100,230 trips were made, with almost half carried out by occasional users who do not have a flat rate. This trend highlights how free initiatives can attract new users to the system.
Sanz emphasized that this phenomenon is indicative of the progressive change in mobility habits among Madrid's citizens. The preference for public transport over private vehicles is gaining ground, which is a positive sign for urban sustainability and traffic reduction.
Over time, Madrid has implemented this free strategy on several occasions since its inception following the Filomena storm. Until now, the day with the highest attendance had been during Black Friday on November 28, 2025, when more than 1.94 million used the network. However, these recent days have shown that there is a growing interest from the public towards sustainable and accessible alternatives.
As cities face challenges related to mobility and the environment, initiatives like these are crucial for fostering a more responsible culture among their inhabitants. The massive response to these free days could be just the beginning of a broader transformation in how we move in and out of our cities.
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