Madrid will face widespread traffic disruption this Saturday as demonstrations, sports events, processions, a film shoot and Shakira’s concert bring road closures across the city. Drivers should expect detours and sudden blockages, with up to 40 EMT bus lines affected between 9:30 and 16:00.
Central streets including Cibeles, Alcalá, Gran Vía, Princesa and plaza de la Moncloa will see the first wave of closures. Demonstrations are scheduled to run from 9:30 to 15:00. At the same time, Sol, Alcalá, Sevilla, Canalejas, Carrera de San Jerónimo, Cánovas del Castillo, paseo del Prado, Emperador Carlos V and paseo de Santa María de la Cabeza will face closures from 9:30 to 13:30. The city council says closures will not last for the full period on every street, but drivers should expect sudden blockages and police to move barriers as needed. Several reports identify the "II Marcha por la Dignidad" as the basic source of gridlock. The rally supports Ceuta and Melilla, and its organizers are also calling for early elections. El Confidencial reports that up to 40 EMT bus lines will be affected, with route changes and detours expected from 9:30 to 16:00.
Later in the day, Puerta del Sol will see another protest. The Sindicato de Inquilinas e Inquilinos de Madrid will march over the eviction of Maricarmen, passing the Ayuntamiento and ending at the Congreso. The exact reopening times for the streets are unclear, and evening traffic could be disrupted for anyone crossing the city center.
Barajas will also be affected. The district’s duathlon will close Playa de Riazor, Simún, Barquillas, Playa de Barlovento, Solano, Mistral and nearby streets from 8:00 to 15:30. Bus routes will change, and EMT urges riders to check for last-minute updates before leaving home. Telemadrid and El Confidencial both report that the march and its closures will affect nearby routes. Cibeles, Gran Vía and Moncloa could see additional blockages, with police moving cordons without warning.
Religious processions will bring further road closures. The Beata Mariana de Jesús procession will disrupt Puebla, Valverde, San Onofre, Fuencarral, Infantas, Hortaleza, Hernán Cortés, plazas de Santa Bárbara and San Ildefonso, and Colón from 9:30 to 16:00. Bus line 002 will take a new route. In Puente de Vallecas, the Virgen de la Merced parade will close Esteban Carros, Cooperativa Eléctrica, Ronda Sur and avenida de Joaquín Garrigues Walker from 11:00 to 12:30, affecting lines 24, 102, 103, 111 and 180. Later, streets in Barajas will close for the Cristo de la Expiración procession from 18:45 to 22:15. Concejal Tomás Serrano Guío, Canal de Suez, Gonzalo de Céspedes, avenida General and avenida de Logroño will all be affected. Bus lines 101, 105, 112, 115 and 166 will be rerouted.
After dark, a film crew will occupy a lane of Juan Bravo between Núñez de Balboa and Velázquez in Salamanca from 20:00 Saturday until 1:00 Sunday. Short, rolling closures of up to three minutes will also affect Juan Bravo, Velázquez and nearby Núñez de Balboa.
Villaverde is preparing for Shakira’s concert. Laguna Dalga, between avenida Real de Pinto and San Erasmo, and Laguna de Cameros will be off-limits during the show. The city will run a free shuttle to Legazpi and Atocha from 23:00 to 2:00 to help fans leave the area. The city advises drivers to avoid the venue if possible.
Madrid officials urge residents and visitors to use public transport and check traffic and EMT bus alerts before setting out, especially if their route crosses an affected area. The city has faced similar disruption during major sporting events, as detailed in an earlier traffic breakdown. ABC also reports planned maintenance works on Metro Line 6, with partial closures scheduled for the weekends of September 26-27 and October 3-4, adding pressure to public transport.
