Meet METRO DE MADRID

METRO DE MADRID is a public passenger rail transport company responsible for operating a network with 294 track kilometres and 303 stations distributed in 12 lines. The Company was founded in 1919 and nowadays serves more than 2,5 million passengers per day in 12 municipalities within the Community of Madrid.

As a key player in urban mobility, Metro de Madrid is committed to:

• Sustainability: Promoting low-emission transport and energy efficiency.
• Innovation: Integrating digital technologies and smart mobility solutions.
• Accessibility: Ensuring inclusive transport for all users.
• Public Service: Providing reliable, safe, and high-quality transportation.

Can you provide an overview of your role and involvement in the DELPHI project?

In the DELPHI project, Metro de Madrid is one of the participants in the Spanish use case, in collaboration with DHL and Koiki. This case explores the use of the metro network for sustainable last-mile delivery in Madrid. This is one of the four pilot demonstrations planned to validate the DELPHI’s digital framework and cross-cutting tools developed.

What challenges does Metro de Madrid face when integrating parcel delivery into its passenger transport system?

At an operational level, Metro de Madrid must carefully balance freight operations with passenger services, ensuring that parcel transport does not interfere the regular metro service, especially during peak hours. For this reason, Metro is planning to use special trains running outside of regular passenger service hours. It is important to coordinate train availability and ensure sufficient space for parcels without compromising passenger capacity, which requires precise planning.

Considering the regulatory and governance framework, Metro de Madrid´s statues must be modified to allow freight transport. Finally, as a public company with high impact in the Society, it is important to maintain a positive passenger experience to build public support.

How can Metro de Madrid coordinate with external logistics operators to ensure full traceability of parcels?

It is important to develop interoperable digital platforms that allow real-time data exchange between Metro’s transport systems and logistics partners upstream and downstream of the process. Also, it is important to establish common data standards and communication protocols to ensure compatibility across systems.

In parallel, it is crucial to define clear Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with Logistics Service Providers, in order to specify the operational procedures, responsibilities, and performance indicators that guarantee efficiency, reliability, and transparency throughout the delivery process. In this context, the DELPHI project helps to develop common optimized digital frameworks for integrated passenger and freight transport systems.

What is Metro de Madrid´s future perspective in relation to the DELPHI topic?

In the context of a growing e-commerce demand, urban mobility has intensified the problems of pollution, noise and daily congestion in Madrid. Last-mile logistics is an important part of total traffic congestion, and it is expected to rise in an exponential way during de next years.

Using Metro de Madrid’s infrastructure for last-mile parcel delivery would help reduce the number of surface delivery vehicles, leading to lower pollutant emissions and urban noise, thus contributing to cleaner and more sustainable mobility. In addition, the use of existing public resources (such as trains and stations) without requiring new infrastructure would improve energy efficiency and minimize environmental impact.

Equally important, this approach would mitigate negative social externalities, particularly traffic congestion, in a large and complex city like Madrid, thereby improving the quality of life for citizens and the overall efficiency of urban mobility.

Anything else you would like to mention or highlight?

The participation of Metro de Madrid in initiatives like the DELPHI project reflects its strategic commitment to becoming a key agent of in the transformation of urban mobility, not only for passengers but also for freight. By exploring innovative logistics models like the proposed in the DELPHI Project, Metro is not only optimizing the use of existing infrastructure but also contributing to the reduction of urban congestion and emissions. This approach aligns with broader European goals for smart and green and enhances the collaboration between public transport operators and private logistics providers, creating synergies that benefit both citizens and the environment.