Madrid confirms its low-cost approach. (Rapid Transit: Madrid).

Madrid Metro continues to expand on schedule and at low cost. On April 11, the Spanish capital celebrated the opening of its new MetroSur line together with an extension of Line 10.

MADRID has the fourth largest metro in Europe and it expanded further last month when Madrid Metro opened Metrosur, a 40.5km circular line in the south of the city, plus an 8.2km extension of Line 10 which connects the new line to the rest of the network.

Despite the importance of the occasion, the opening of Metrosur and its vital connection was a relatively low-key affair, dictated by the fact that local elections are taking place this month and it was felt that the presence of King Juan Cabs may have had too much of an impact politically.

However, there is no doubt that the new lines extend the range of metro services massively throughout the city. Metrosur serves the the suburbs of Alcorcon, Leganes, Fuenlabrada, Getafe, and Mostoles, covering a population of just under one million. It has 29 stations, including six which interchange with the suburban rail network operated by Spanish National Railways (Renfe). The new circular line was built at a cost of [euro]1.55 billion, while the Line 10 extension linking Casa de Campo to Puerta del Sur, including three intermediate stations, was completed at a cost of [euro]500 million.

Madrid Metro's president, Mr Manuel Melis, told IRJ in Madrid that construction had gone according to plan, though he admitted that the timescale could have been even shorter than originally planned. He said: "We completed everything on time and within budget In fact, …