We arrived in Madrid sometime in the mid-morning. Arriving in the airport was smooth, and as our Covid-related paperwork were in order, we were let in, and we picked up our bags and headed to the metro. Some time later, we found our hotel, dropped our bags, and the first thing we did was visit the metro. Yes, close by is an ancient metro station, that is not used anymore, and now functions as a museum, the Estación de Chamberí.
This station is one of the eight original metro stations of Madrid's Line 1. Later on, as the trains became longer and the system was being modernised, this station was decided to be closed, as it is quite in the middle of two other metro stations that are relatively close to each other, and modernising it wasn't too economical. The station is located on a curve, and because trains were becoming longer, the station's curve would need to be widened in order to prolong the length of the station for further use. So instead it was closed, and now it operates as a museum.
The station's original tiles and advertisements are still visible and well-preserved. One can visit this defunct station via guided tour, and the lady explained to us the very interesting history of this underground location. It's quite a bit of a time capsule, really, and it was definitely very interesting to briefly go back in time and see how municipal public transportation was like several decades ago. And the funny thing is that every now and then a train does actually pass by - the tracks are still used by the Madrid Metro, so the guided tour gets interrupted every now and then as when the trains are passing, it's hard to hear what people are saying.
