Madrid will run free electric shuttle buses and boost public transport for Shakira’s concerts in Villaverde. The city is also introducing new traffic restrictions and special access rules to handle the expected crowds.
Madrid is preparing for a major test of its transport system as the city gets ready to host twelve Shakira concerts at the Iberdrola Music venue in Villaverde. With thousands of fans expected in the southern district, city officials have announced a detailed mobility plan: free shuttle buses, extra metro service, and strict traffic controls.
The concerts are set for September 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 and October 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11. The Villaverde Alto-Casco Histórico area, already known to festival-goers from past Madcool events, will see its main pedestrian entrance on Laguna Dalga street. There are also 52 adapted parking spaces and reserved viewing platforms for people with reduced mobility.
The expected daily attendance for the Shakira concerts is around 57,000 people, according to official city estimates.
To avoid traffic jams and keep access safe, the venue’s general gates will open at noon, but fans can only enter the main floor and stands from 8:00 p.m. Concerts will run from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., followed by a phased exit. The site will close at 1:00 a.m. Moving large crowds out of Villaverde late at night is a key focus of the city’s plan.
The city’s transport company, EMT, will run eight free electric shuttle buses from 11:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., with departures every 7 to 15 minutes. These buses will pick up passengers on Gran Vía de Villaverde, near San Jenaro street, and drop them at Legazpi square and the Atocha transport hub. Metro de Madrid will add extra trains on lines 3 and 12 between midnight and 1:30 a.m., with Villaverde Alto and Los Espartales as the closest stations. Renfe Cercanías will keep regular service at Villaverde Alto (lines C-4a, C-4b, C-5) and San Cristóbal Industrial (line C-3) until 11:45 p.m.
For those thinking of driving, the city has set up a taxi waiting area on San Eustaquio street, a VTC pick-up point on Valle de Tobalina, and a Kiss & Ride quick-stop zone on La Acebeda. But from 3:00 p.m. onwards, traffic restrictions will be in place on several main streets, including Laguna Dalga, Laguna de Cameros, San Eustaquio, Resina, Real de Pinto avenue, and Valle de Tobalina. Access from the M-45 roundabout between Villaverde and Getafe will also be closed. Drivers are urged to avoid the area and use the M-30 or M-40 for longer trips.
According to reports in leading Spanish media, the city will enforce a complete closure of certain access roads, including connections with the M-45 and Real de Pinto, and ban parking on several streets from 3:00 p.m. until the end of each concert day. These measures are part of a broader effort by Madrid authorities to prioritize public transport and reduce congestion in the Villaverde area during the concert series.
Some urban and interurban bus lines nearby may be rerouted because of these closures, but two BiciMad stations on Domingo Párraga and Transversal Sexta will stay open for cyclists. The city’s approach is similar to crowd management seen at other large events, as reported earlier in Madrid’s central districts during busy summer periods.
Madrid’s authorities are making public transport and crowd safety the priority for these concerts, not private cars. With free shuttles and extra metro service, the city is changing how it handles big events in outlying districts. Residents and visitors should plan ahead, expect changes to normal traffic and transit, and leave the car at home.
