Estación Príncipe Pío, Madrid
Príncipe Pío is a transport interchange on the western edge of central Madrid, below the Royal Palace and next to the river Manzanares. Metro, Cercanías trains, city buses and regional buses meet here, in and around the buildings of the former Estación del Norte, which also hold a shopping centre and a theatre. This post explains what runs from Príncipe Pío in 2026, what the old station is used for today, and what is within walking distance.
What the interchange connects
The regional transport consortium (CRTM) describes Príncipe Pío as the interchange that links the regional buses entering Madrid along the A-5 Extremadura road with the Metro and the city buses. Long-distance coaches also use it. The lines listed by the consortium in October 2026 are:
- Metro: line 6 (Circular), line 10 and the Ramal (R), a short shuttle between Príncipe Pío and Ópera
- Cercanías: C-7 and C-10, both of which also call at Atocha and Chamartín
- City buses (EMT): among others 25, 33, 39, 41, 46, 62, 75, 138, C1 and C2, plus several night lines from Plaza de Cibeles
- Regional buses: the 500-series lines towards Alcorcón, Móstoles, Villaviciosa de Odón and Navalcarnero, and the night lines N501 to N504
In October 2026 the consortium lists most of the daytime regional lines with Cuatro Vientos as their Madrid terminus, while the night lines still start at Príncipe Pío. Passengers heading for the south-west of the region should check the stop on the consortium’s website before travelling.
Timetables and fares in 2026
According to the city’s tourist board, the Metro runs from 6am to 1:30am. During 2026, night-time modernisation works mean that line 6 stops at 11:00 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday, with a free replacement bus. A single Metro ticket costs €1.50 for up to five stations and €2.00 for ten stations or more, and a ten-trip ticket valid on the Metro and EMT buses costs €7.30; these fares are valid until 31 December 2026. Tickets are loaded onto a Tarjeta Multi card, which costs €2.50.
Cercanías trains start between 5am and 6am and stop at around midnight. The lowest single fare, for one or two zones, is €1.70. Príncipe Pío is one of the Cercanías stations with free Wi-Fi.
From Estación del Norte to interchange
The station was built as the Estación del Norte, at the foot of the hill of Príncipe Pío, from which it takes its present name. It was designed by the French engineers Biarez, Grasset and Ouliac in the 19th century and, according to the company that now runs the head building, began operating in 1861. The head building facing Cuesta de San Vicente was added in 1928.
The last train left the old terminal building in 1993, an express to Galicia, and the building then stayed closed for 27 years. The Príncipe Pío shopping centre opened in the historic station building in 2004, next to today’s interchange.
Shopping centre and theatre
The Centro Comercial Príncipe Pío, at Paseo de la Florida, 2, has shops, restaurants and a cinema. The tourist board gives these opening hours in 2026: shops from 10:00 to 22:00 Monday to Saturday and from 11:00 to 22:00 on Sundays; restaurants from 8:00 until 01:30 Monday to Thursday and until 02:00 from Friday to Sunday.
The 1928 head building reopened as La Estación, a 7,000 m² culture and entertainment venue at Cuesta de San Vicente, 44. Its main hall is called Gran Teatro CaixaBank Príncipe Pío for theatre and cabaret and Warner Music Station for concerts. The building is protected in its entirety, and the restoration kept the imperial staircase, two old lifts, nine original lamps and a small authorities’ room in the basement. The ticket office opens two hours before each performance.
What is within walking distance
- San Antonio de la Florida Chapel: frescoes by Goya, who has been buried here since 1919. Entrance is free; it opens Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30am to 8pm, with shorter hours in summer.
- Campo del Moro: the gardens below the Royal Palace. Admission is free; the gate on Cuesta de San Vicente opens from 10 am to 8 pm between April and September and from 10 am to 6 pm between October and March.
- Casa de Campo: Madrid’s largest public park, covering 1535.52 hectares, with free entry.
- Madrid Río: the riverside park along the Manzanares, about five minutes from the shopping centre.
For students
Students living in the south-west of the region, or studying there, are likely to change at Príncipe Pío often: one of the regional lines listed by the consortium runs past the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Alcorcón. Line 6 is a circular line, and the C-7 and C-10 trains reach Atocha and Chamartín for long-distance trains. More about living and studying in the city is on the Madrid city page and in the list of schools in Spain.
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