Line 12 | |
---|---|
Overview | |
Other name(s) | MetroSur |
Native name | Línea 12 |
Owner | CRTM |
Locale | Community of Madrid |
Stations | 28 |
Website | www |
Service | |
Type | Rapid transit |
System | Madrid Metro |
Operator(s) | CRTM |
History | |
Opened | 11 April 2003 |
Technical | |
Line length | 40.6 km (25.2 mi) |
Character | circle line, underground rail |
Track gauge | 1,445 mm (4 ft 8+7⁄8 in) |
Line 12, also known as MetroSur (Spanish for "MetroSouth"), is a line of the Madrid Metro inaugurated on 11 April 2003.[1] Line 12 is a circle line that is not in the city of Madrid, but links five suburban towns southwest of the city, serving around one million people. The towns linked by Line 12 are Alcorcón, Leganés, Getafe, Fuenlabrada and Móstoles. Despite parts of the line running through uninhabited territory, there are no above-ground sections in an effort to facilitate future urban development. At a total length of 40.6 km (25.2 mi), it is the longest line in the network and even more extensive than Lines 9 and 10 with their appendages to the north and south. Despite this, Line 12 accumulated only about 32 million trips in 2018, down from 34.8 million in the previous year,[2] making it the only line to lose users in that time and the third least used after the yet-to-be-completed Line 11 and the airport connection Line 8. This decrease was mainly caused by renovation works necessitating the temporary closure of sections of the line.[3]
The line only interchanges with the rest of the Madrid Metro at one station, with a connection to Line 10 at Puerta del Sur. There are plans to extend Line 3 to provide a further interchange station at El Casar.
MetroSur is one of the longest tunnels in the world. At the time of its opening it was the second longest fully underground subway in Europe. As of 2024 it remains the longest subway tunnel in the European Union.