Real Madrid unveils Bernabéu Metro station modernisation plan

Real Madrid has announced plans to modernise the Santiago Bernabéu Metro station as part of the redevelopment of its stadium.

The LaLiga club and the Community of Madrid are collaborating on the project, which is designed to increase its capacity to cater for a higher number of passengers, especially on match days, to ensure universal accessibility and to improve the areas around the stadium.

The partners said that as well as adapting the station to the latest technologies, the design of the station – which has served 2.3m passengers over the last year – will also incorporate Real Madrid-related immersive theming.

Work will commence on the project before the end of 2023.

Florentino Pérez, Real Madrid’s president, said: “It enables us to work alongside each other on the future renovation and expansion of a Metro station that is iconic in our city and very close to us all. Real Madrid and the Community of Madrid will be proud of a new station which will be modern, accessible for everyone and equipped with the latest technology.

“It will be a station connected to the high-speed railway and the airport, connected to the Santiago Bernabéu, which will become the gateway for millions of people from all corners of the world to a place that has become an avant-garde icon and a reference point for leisure and entertainment in Madrid and in Europe.”

The Santiago Bernabéu redevelopment project is expected to be completed next year, with the costs having increased beyond the originally intended budget to between €800m and €900m. The most notable enhancements during the project, which began in 2020, include the installation of a retractable pitch, a retractable roof and a steel surround skin that is capable of projecting imagery and illuminating the venue.

Pérez added: “This whole project forms part of the transformation, both of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium and of the area immediately surrounding the stadium itself. This transformation will seek to improve the current facilities and services and, naturally, to enhance the quality of life of the neighbours and residents of the area, becoming more accessible, more inclusive and more liveable.”

Isabel Díaz Ayuso, president of the Community of Madrid, said: “This Santiago Bernabéu Metro station has to be up to the standards of one of the best stadiums in the world. We want it to be a more modern station, to have a greater capacity and to be better equipped. This project is also designed for people with reduced mobility.”