Politics · Other · 2 hrs ago
Madrid closes Sol Metro station indefinitely amid dispute over protest camp
The Madrid regional government has closed Sol Metro station indefinitely, saying contamination concerns require urgent cleaning and disinfection.
The closure is linked to a camp in Puerta del Sol, where young people have been protesting Spain’s housing crisis.
Regional officials say waste in ventilation shafts has created toxic gases and a biological risk, while Spain’s Transport Ministry says it found no hygiene or safety problems.
Metro unions say they did not request the closure and say they were not given official measurement results.
Cercanías trains, which are run separately from the Metro, continue to stop at Sol.
The regional government says cleaners need access to ventilation shafts from the plaza and has urged the national government to clear the camp, but it has not ordered a removal so far.
The Metro station will remain shut until surface access allows the cleaning work, affecting a station used by more than 300,000 people a day, according to one account.
Madrid closed the Sol Metro station indefinitely on Friday, 16 October, saying it needed urgent cleaning and disinfection.
The regional government linked the closure to contamination in ventilation shafts and demanded that the protest camp in Puerta del Sol be cleared so cleaning crews could reach them.
Cercanías trains continued to stop at Sol, and Spain’s Transport Ministry said it had detected no health or safety problems there.
Metro unions said they had not requested the closure and had not received the official measurements cited by the authorities.
The camp had been in place for 20 nights as young people protested Spain’s housing crisis.
- Who
- The Community of Madrid closed the station. Metro unions disputed the claim that they had requested the closure.
- What
- Sol Metro station was closed indefinitely for cleaning and disinfection. Cercanías service at Sol remained open.
- When
- Friday, 16 October 2026.
- Where
- Sol station and Puerta del Sol in central Madrid, Spain.
- Why
- The regional government said contamination and toxic gases in ventilation areas required urgent cleaning, which it said could only be done from the surface of the plaza.
Community of Madrid
Metro unions
Reason for closure
Community of Madrid
The regional government said reports found toxic gases and biological risk in the station, linked to waste from the camp.
Metro unions
The unions said they had not received official measurement data and had not requested the closure.
Responsibility for the decision
Community of Madrid
Isabel Díaz Ayuso said prevention staff and unions had requested the closure.
Metro unions
The unions said they had no prior notice and were completely distancing themselves from the decision.
Camp clearance
Community of Madrid
The regional government demanded the camp be cleared to allow cleaning crews to access ventilation shafts.
Metro unions
The Spanish government had not ordered the camp’s removal; the Transport Ministry said it had detected no health or safety problems at the station.
Young people camped in Puerta del Sol to protest the housing crisis.
A technical report detected toxic gases in Metro ventilation shafts and access areas, according to El Mundo.
The Community of Madrid closed Sol Metro station indefinitely and demanded that the camp be cleared for cleaning.
Metro unions said they had not requested the closure and had not received the cited measurement results.
- Closure
- Indefinite
- Station
- Sol Metro, Madrid
- Closure date
- 16 October 2026
- Cercanías service
- Remained open at Sol
- Camp duration
- 20 nights
- Union position
- Said they had not requested the closure
3 sources
Los sindicatos desmienten a Ayuso por el cierre del Metro en Sol: "No hemos sido quienes lo hemos solicitado"
Metro cierra indefinidamente la estación de Sol y exige el desalojo de la acampada para acometer una "limpieza urgente"
Ayuso cierra la estación de Sol “hasta nuevo aviso” para obligar a Sánchez a desalojar la acampada
What people are saying
We are going to have to close it. Prevention and the unions requested it.
The unions were not the ones who requested the closure of Sol station.
As a prevention delegate, I woke up to the news in the press about the closure.
Renfe Cercanías Madrid is keeping Sol station open today and available to its users, as no health problems have been detected at its facilities.
Posts on X
‼️La estación de Sol cierra para proceder a la limpieza de los pozos de ventilación debido a la acumulación de residuos provocada por la acampada en el exterior.