Keeping Europe’s Busiest Corridors Spotless: Madrid Metro Deployed Gausium Scrubber 50 Across Its Station Network

Overview

• Customer: Metro de Madrid
• Industry: Public Transportation
• Location: Madrid, Spain
• Products: Gausium Scrubber 50 × 3
• Partner: Darlim (Gausium’s distributor in Spain)

MetroEste (Line 7), Metro de Madrid

The Challenge

Metro de Madrid is the backbone of public transportation in Spain’s capital and one of the largest metro systems in the world. With over 300 stations, nearly 300 kilometers of track, and a record-breaking 736 million passenger trips recorded in 2025, it ranks among the busiest urban rail networks in Europe — behind only Moscow, Paris, London, and Istanbul in ridership.

The sheer volume of daily foot traffic places enormous demands on station cleanliness. Corridors and passageways — the arteries connecting platform areas, entrance halls, and interchange tunnels — accumulate dirt, dust, and debris continuously throughout the day. With trains arriving every three to four minutes during peak hours and stations like Sol welcoming nearly 22 million passengers per year alone, maintaining spotless floors across the network requires cleaning that is both relentless and consistent.

Traditional manual cleaning methods struggled to keep pace with this challenge. Metro de Madrid sought a solution that could deliver measurable improvements in both cleaning results and cost efficiency — without disrupting the flow of millions of daily commuters.

The Solution

Darlim, Gausium’s authorized distributor in Spain, deployed three Gausium Scrubber 50 autonomous cleaning robots across the Metro de Madrid network. The robots were installed in station corridors — the high-footfall passageways where cleaning demand is greatest — marking one of the first deployments of autonomous cleaning technology within Spain’s public transit infrastructure.

Product Featured:

Gausium Scrubber 50 is an AI-powered autonomous floor scrubber that integrates scrubbing, sweeping, and dust mopping in a single compact unit. Equipped with a sensor fusion system combining LiDAR, 3D depth cameras, and RGB cameras, the Scrubber 50 achieves high-accuracy environmental perception and makes real-time navigation decisions — enabling safe, fully autonomous operation alongside pedestrians in crowded public spaces. Its AI-powered Spot Cleaning mode proactively detects waste and stains using onboard cameras, delivering up to four times the efficiency improvement by cleaning only where needed rather than following fixed routes. The Scrubber 50 also features a built-in water recycling filtration system that reduces freshwater consumption by approximately 80%, and supports remote monitoring and scheduling via the Gausium cloud platform.

The compact form factor of the Scrubber 50 makes it particularly well suited for metro station environments, where corridors can vary in width and are shared with continuous streams of commuters. The robots navigate autonomously around passengers, luggage, and station infrastructure, maintaining a safe and unobtrusive presence while delivering thorough floor care throughout operating hours.

Gausium Scrubber 50 cleaning at the Madrid Metro corridors

The Results

The deployment of Gausium Scrubber 50 in Madrid Metro stations has delivered tangible benefits across both operational and quality dimensions:

• Cost Savings: The automation of corridor cleaning has reduced the labor and resource costs associated with maintaining floor hygiene across the network. By handling routine cleaning autonomously, the Scrubber 50 units allow Metro de Madrid to allocate cleaning budgets and personnel more efficiently.
• Improved Cleaning Results: The robots deliver consistent, measurable cleaning quality with every cycle. AI-powered spot detection ensures that stains and debris are addressed promptly, resulting in visibly cleaner corridors throughout the day — even during peak commuter hours.
• Enhanced Station Image: Cleaner stations contribute directly to passenger satisfaction and the overall perception of the Metro de Madrid brand. The visible presence of modern cleaning technology also signals the network’s commitment to innovation and quality of service.
• Sustainable Operations: The Scrubber 50’s water recycling system significantly reduces freshwater consumption, while intelligent path planning minimizes energy use — aligning with Metro de Madrid’s broader environmental and sustainability objectives.

Looking Ahead

The successful deployment at Metro de Madrid demonstrates that autonomous cleaning technology can operate reliably and effectively within one of Europe’s busiest and most demanding transit environments. As the system continues to grow — with extensions to Line 11 and Line 5 currently under construction — and ridership reaches new records year after year, the case for scalable, intelligent cleaning solutions will only strengthen. Darlim and Gausium look forward to supporting Metro de Madrid as it explores expanded deployment opportunities across its extensive station network.

About Darlim

Darlim is a leading Spanish distributor of professional cleaning and hygiene solutions, boasting over 40 years of experience and a steadfast commitment to service excellence and innovation  . With a turnover of around €27 million, a workforce of 85 professionals, more than 6 000 active clients, and four distribution centers—including locations in Madrid, A Coruña, and Porriño—Darlim provides comprehensive solutions ranging from machinery and consumables to technical support, training, and sustainability consulting .

About Gausium

Gausium is a leading company of AI-powered autonomous cleaning solutions with more than 6,500 customers in more than 70 countries and regions. Products and services of Gausium include commercial floor cleaning robots, docking stations, cloud platform and application software, and more in the pipeline. Driven by a vision to lead the intelligent digital transformation of the cleaning and service industry, Gausium offers the world’s most comprehensive portfolio of commercial cleaning robots, empowering individuals to work smarter and lead more fulfilling lives.