Ópera [ˈo.pe.ɾa] is a station on Line 2, Line 5 and Ramal of the Metro de Madrid. It is located in fare Zone A, in the Plaza de Isabel II, in the central district of Madrid. The station provides access to an area with tourist landmarks such as the Teatro Real opera house, the Plaza de Oriente and the Royal Palace. Its name comes from nearby Madrid opera house, the Teatro Real.
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The Ramal ("Spur"; Spanish pronunciation: [raˈmal]) or Línea R (Line R) of the Madrid Metro is a shuttle train connecting the stations of Ópera and Príncipe Pío. It is located in the Centro district of Madrid, Spain. It is currently the only line in the system to be known by a letter instead of a number, and its name refers to its origins as a branch of Line 2. The line consists of 1.092 km (0.679 mi) of wide-profile tunnels, and its stations have 60-metre (200 ft) platforms.
The Ramal starts at Ópera station in the Plaza de Isabel II, passes under the Plaza de Oriente and the gardens of the Royal Palace of Madrid, and ends at Príncipe Pío station. Since the Ramal consists of only two stations, it has only two trains, which pass at the halfway point between the stations. At Ópera, there is only one platform; at Príncipe Pío, there are two platforms, but one is used for train storage. The Ramal uses 4-car CAF Series 3000 trains.
The Royal Palace of Madrid (Spanish: Palacio Real de Madrid) is the official residence of the Spanish royal family and is used primarily for state ceremonies. With over 135,000 m (1,450,000 sq ft) and 3,418 rooms, the Royal Palace of Madrid is the largest royal palace in Europe and one of the largest in the world.
The palace is owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional (English: National Heritage), a public agency of the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes. The palace is on Calle de Bailén ("Bailén Street") in the western part of downtown Madrid, east of the Manzanares River, and is accessible from the Ópera metro station. Felipe VI and the royal family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the Palace of Zarzuela in El Pardo.