MOTORISTS in Madrid have been warned to expect around two weeks of major disruption as the city prepares for the historic visit of Pope Leo XIV.
Organisers will introduce extensive road closures across the centre, particularly between Plaza de Cibeles and the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
Mayor of Madrid, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, admitted that ‘we’re all going to be affected.’ He urged residents to minimise car use.
Preliminary works and partial closures are already beginning this week.
From June 3 and June 4 onwards, the pressure will intensify sharply.
They will progressively seal off key areas such as Plaza de Cibeles and Plaza de Lima, opposite the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, before imposing full closures later on.
READ MORE: Pedro Sanchez to visit Pope Leo at the Vatican this month before historic papal visit to Spain
At Plaza de Cibeles, one of the city’s busiest traffic hubs, preparations for the papal mass are already underway.
Construction and staging work are occupying lanes and gradually reducing traffic flow.
Authorities expect to completely close the square from 4 June, forcing vehicles to divert around the area.
Just over a kilometre away, authorities will fully shut Plaza de Lima from 3 June, cutting off access around the Bernabeu.
Officials say the most difficult days will be June 6 and June 7.
Organisers expect large-scale religious events, including a youth vigil and a mass, to attract huge crowds.
Total attendance could reach more than 1.5 million people.
Traffic across the city centre could become extremely restricted or impossible in practice.
READ MORE: Pope Leo’s first trip to Spain as pontiff confirmed – here’s where he will visit
Despite the disruption, the Paseo de la Castellana and Recoletos corridor will remain partially open where possible.
The city council is advising drivers to avoid central Madrid entirely and instead use the M-30 ring road.
Traffic apps are being updated in real time to reflect closures and congestion. Residents in affected areas will still be able to access their homes.
To ease pressure on the network, Madrid’s city council announced that EMT buses and the Bicimad bike service will be free between June 3 and June 9.
Officials are strongly encouraging employers to allow remote working or flexible hours.
To manage the influx of visitors, the city is setting up large park-and-ride facilities.
These will be at locations including IFEMA, Valdebebas, Ciudad Universitaria, Casa de Campo, the Caja Magica and the Planetario area, with shuttle buses transporting people into the centre.
In addition, the city will open 33 municipal sports centres across 15 districts for overnight stays, aiming to prevent mass camping near central landmarks.
The scale of the security and logistics operation is equally significant.
They will deploy more than 4,000 police officers and 1,000 medical staff across the city, alongside multiple first aid posts.
They will install over 1,000 portable toilets and 1,000 waste containers to handle the expected crowds.
Officials say they have designed the entire operation to handle far higher numbers than they currently expect.
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