TheBilbao metro (Spanish:Metro de Bilbao,Basque:Bilboko metroa) is arapid transit system serving the city ofBilbao and the region ofGreater Bilbao. Lines 1 and 2 have a "Y" shape, as they transit both banks of the riverIbaizabal and then combine to form one line that ends in the south ofBilbao. Line 3 has a "V" shape connecting the municipality ofEtxebarri with the Bilbao neighbourhood of Matiko; the apex of the "V" isZazpikaleak/Casco Viejo station, where all three current lines meet. The metro is connected with theBilbao tram,Bilboko Aldiriak (commuter rail services),Euskotren Trena (commuter rail services),Feve (commuter rail services, regional and long-distance trains),Renfe long-distance trains, andBilbao's bus station (Bilbao Intermodal). All three lines usemetre gauge.

Bilbao metro
Abando station has the usual design for cavern stations.
Overview
Native name	Metro de Bilbao (Spanish) Bilboko metroa (Basque)
Locale	Greater Bilbao,Basque Country,Spain
Transit type	Rapid transit
Number of lines	3
Number of stations	48[a]
Annual ridership	100.3 million (2024)[3]
Website	Metro Bilbao L3 - Euskotren
Operation
Began operation	11 November 1995; 29 years ago (1995-11-11)
Operator(s)	Metro Bilbao Euskotren
Technical
System length	51 km (31.7 mi)[b]
No. of tracks	2 (mostly) 1 (Urduliz–Plentzia)
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)metre gauge
Electrification	1,500 V DCoverhead catenary
System map Show static map Legend Plentzia Urduliz Sopela Larrabasterra Berango Ibarbengoa Kabiezes Bidezabal Santurtzi Algorta Peñota Aiboa Portugalete Neguri Abatxolo Gobela Sestao Areeta Urbinaga Lamiako Bagatza Leioa Barakaldo Astrabudua Ansio Erandio Gurutzeta/Cruces Lutxana San Ignazio Sarriko Deustu Santimami/ San Mamés Indautxu Moyua Matiko Abando Uribarri Zazpikaleak/ Casco Viejo Santutxu Zurbaranbarri Basarrate Txurdinaga Bolueta Otxarkoaga Etxebarri Kukullaga Ariz Basauri This diagram: view talk edit Show route diagram

As of 2021^[update], the Metro operates on 51 kilometers (32 mi) ofroute, with 48 stations. It is the third-busiest metro in Spain, after theMadrid andBarcelona metro systems.^{[citation needed]}

The system was inaugurated in 1995, partially taking over a suburban railway line operated byEuskotren, first opened in 1887.^[4] A second line was added in 2002, running together withline 1 within Bilbao, and then serving towns along the left bank of theIbaizabal-Nervion estuary.^[5]Line 3, operated byEuskotren, opened in 2017.^[6] Unlike the first two lines, which form an isolated system, line 3 is operated jointly with theEuskotren Trena commuter railway network.^[7][8]

The main station of the network isZazpikaleak/Casco Viejo, the only one in which all three lines meet.^[9] Sinceline 3 is operated as part of the widerEuskotren Trena network, the station is also the main hub forEuskotren's commuter railway services in Bilbao. Other important interchange stations areAbando (connections toCercanías andFeve commuter railway lines andRenfe's long distance services) andSantimami/San Mamés^[10] (connections toCercanías and themain bus terminal).Urbinaga station online 2 was built as a future interchange station with twoCercanías commuter rail lines. However, as of 2021^[update], the commuter rail station is not yet built, having been postponed several times.^[11]

Additionally, theBilbao tram has stops near theSantimami/San Mamés,Abando andZazpikaleak/Casco Viejo stations. Besides this, most stations have several bus connections.^{[citation needed]}

• Bolueta
  • Euskotren TRAM: Line A.
  • Bizkaibus: Lines A2610, A3613, A3622, A3932.
  • Bilbobus: Line 30 (only Sundays until 3:00 PM) and line 40.
• Basarrate
  • Bilbobus: Lines 13, 34, 40, 43, 48 lines and G7 night line.
• Casco Viejo/Zazpikaleak (Old Town)
  • Euskotren TRAIN: Lines E1 (Amara-Donostia), E3 (Lezama) and E4 (Bermeo)
  • Euskotren TRAM: Line A (Bolueta - La Casilla)
  • Bilbobus: Lines 11, 22, 62, A9 lines and, G4 and G8 night lines.
• Abando
  • Renfe Cercanías: Lines C-1 (Santurtzi), C-2 (Muskiz), C-3 (Orduña/Llodio) and C-4 (Balmaseda)
  • Renfe Long and Medium Distance: Long distance (Madrid, Barcelona, Miranda de Ebro)
  • Euskotren TRAM: Line A (La Casilla - Bolueta)
  • Renfe Cercanías AM : R-3f (Bilbao-Concordia / Santander), R-3b (Bilbao-Concordia / Carranza) and T-1 (Transacantábrico)
  • Bizkaibus : Lines A2314, A2322, A2324, A3115, A3122, A3136, A3137, A3144, A3151, A3223, A3336, A3340, A3514, A3515, A3911, A3912, A3917 and A3925.
  • Bilbobus : Lines 01, 03, 10, 28, 30, 40, 56, 58, 62, 71, 72, 75, 77, 85, A1, A2, A5, A7, A9 lines and G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, G6, G7 and G8 night lines (Gautxori)
• San Mames
  • Renfe Cercanías : Lines C-1 (Bilbao-Abando / Santurtzi) and C-2 (Bilbao-Abando / Muskiz).
  • Euskotren Tranbia : Line A (La Casilla - Bolueta).
  • Bilbao Intermodal (central long-distance bus station).
• San Ignazio
  • Bilbobus: Lines 10, 13, 18 and 71.
• Lutxana
  • Euskotren Trena (TRAIN): Shuttle line E3a (Lutxana - Sondika)

In addition, most other stations have connections to different bus lines.

The first proposal for building a metro system inBilbao was made in the 1920s. The network was planned to have two lines connectingAtxuri station with the westernmost parts of the city (at the time), each running via a different route.Banco Español de Crédito, which was to have backed the project financially, withdrew in 1925; rendering the project infeasible.^[12] The proposal for a metro system was definitively abandoned after thecivil war.^{[citation needed]}

In 1971 the government ofBiscay, the Bilbao City Council and the Commerce Bureau created a commission to evaluate the transportation needs ofGreater Bilbao. In 1974, the Spanish government pledged to give financial support to a metro project.^[13]

In 1976, theBiscay Transport Consortium was created.^[14] Two years later, in 1977, three proposals were made to build a metro line by 1985. Of these proposals, the first one was almost identical to the current network.^[15] The project for the construction of a metro was approved in 1977. However, many objections were raised against it, which together with disagreements between different institutions put the project on hold.^[15]

In 1983 theBasque Government approved a plan for transportation on the right bank of theEstuary of Bilbao, but its execution was delayed. The document was rewritten in 1985, and in 1987 the plan to build and fund the metro was approved.^[15]

A metro system was deemed to be the best way to improve congestion problems in the evolving and regenerating city. The design for the underground stations was awarded to the architectsSir Norman Foster and partners in 1988 following an open competition.^[16]

The construction of the first line involved converting to rapid transit standardsEuskotren's existing suburban railway line betweenSan Inazio andPlentzia. The first works started in late 1988, with the existingErandio station being put underground.^[16] In the city itself, a new tunnel was built betweenSan Inazio andCasco Viejo. The centralMoyúa square was closed to pedestrians from 1990^[16] to 1997^{[citation needed]} due to construction activity. The works were especially complicated in the neighborhoods ofDeusto andSan Inazio, where thecut and cover tunnel excavation slightly damaged some buildings, was very noisy, and caused severe traffic disruptions. This method of excavation contrasted with thetunnel-boring machines used elsewhere in the city.^[15]

The first stretch ofline 1 was opened on 11 November 1995, with 23 stations betweenCasco Viejo andPlentzia.^[17] The tracks outside Bilbao were previously part ofEuskotren's Bilbao-Plentzia line, with parts of the alignment dating from 1887.^[4]

By 5 July 1997 the total number of stations was 27 asSantutxu,Basarrate andBolueta joinedGobela which had opened the previous year.^[18]

After the conversion of the Bilbao-Plentzia railway into a rapid transit line, twolevel crossings remained. The works to remove the first, in the Maidagan neighborhood ofGetxo, lasted from 2010^[19] to 2012.^[20] The other remaining level crossing, located inUrduliz, was removed between 2015 and 2017; the works involved the construction of a new undergroundstation in Urduliz.^[21] In 2020,Ibarbengoa station opened to the public. It was built in 2012, at the same time as the Maidagan level crossing was put underground, but the opening was delayed until itspark and ride facilities were built.^[22]

The first line, which runs north of the estuary, was later joined by asecond line serving the southern bank of the river. It shares tracks with line 1 within Bilbao, splitting at San Ignazio, from where it runs to Santurtzi. The first five stations (Gurutzeta/Cruces,Ansio,Barakaldo,Bagatza andUrbinaga) opened on 13 April 2002.^[23] The line was extended northwards toSestao and eastwards toEtxebarri (Etxebarri is also served by line 1) in early 2005.^[24] To the north,Portugalete andAbatxolo opened in 2007;^[25] followed byPeñota andSanturtzi in 2009.^[26] Two more stations were added to the south in 2011:Ariz in February^[27] andBasauri in November.^[28] The final extension took place in 2014, with the opening ofKabiezes as the northern terminus of the line.^[29]

Following the commencement of works in the middle of 2009, it was inaugurated on 8 April 2017. It cost 279 million euros, significantly more than the original 153 million euro budget.^[30] and was expected to transport 71,000 people according to Bilbao council. The third line has a length of 5,885 metres and has one station inEtxebarri: Kukullaga-Etxebarri, and six stations inBilbao: Otxarkoaga, Txurdinaga, Zurbaranbarri, Zazpikaleak/Casco Viejo, Uribarri and Matiko.^[31]

The construction of a new depot inOrtuella was proposed in 2010.^[32] Together with the construction of the depot, a new station could be built, extending line 2 from Kabiezes. Further extensions to the line have been tentatively discarded.^[33]

Line 1 might be extended eastwards to Sarratu, inBasauri.^[34] This station will provide an interchange with theEuskotren Trena suburban rail network. The station will be built together withline 5 of the metro, originally proposed as an extension of line 1, but which will ultimately be built as an extension of line 3. Consequently, Sarratu will become the eastern terminus of line 1.^[35]

There are plans to extend line 3 to theairport, taking advantage of the double-tracked tunnel built underMount Artxanda opened in 2017. The first phase would involve rebuildingSondika station in order to allow trains on theTxorierri line to travel betweenMatiko andLezama without the need to reverse.^[36] In a second phase, a new underground branch would be built under the runway from Sondika to the airport terminal.^[37]

The preliminary layout of the future Line 4 (Moyúa/Rekalde) was presented on 25 January 2008. The preliminary layout suggests that Moyúa Station, which gives service to Line 1 and Line 2, will connect withRekalde with two intermediate stations:Zabalburu (which has asuburban rail station) and Irala. There have been discussions about the ramifications of whether to connect with either Moyúa Station orBilbao Abando Station, this is due to the fact that Rekalde did not have a Metro connection. Line 3 was planned to connect Rekalde with the rest of the city, but the final plan moved the line in another direction.^[38]

The plan to add Rekalde to Line 3 was halted, and the route completely altered. This change was criticised, especially by people from Rekalde.^[39] In 2009 a new layout for a new line (Line 4) was considered; this new line would connect Rekalde with Moyúa and the latter station withDeusto, taking advantage of the rail tracks of Euskotren Trena, that are in that zone. Matiko Station would be connected too. The line would then have the Plaza Euskadi Station ("Euskadi Square Station") after Moyúa and then cross the river toDeusto (Deusto Station) and a new station in theUniversity of Deusto campus (Unibersitatea), to then reach Matiko (Line 3).^[40][41]

The preliminary layout for line 5 was also presented on 25 January 2008. This new line would connectEtxebarri withGaldakao, with a total of five stations (Etxebarri, Aperribai, Galdakao, Galdakao Hospital and Usansolo).^[42] Later on, another station was proposed for the Bengoetxe neighborhood of Galdakao.^[43] In 2010, at the time of the tendering of the project, the opening of the line was planned for 2016. Sarratu was proposed as the new western terminus of the line, providing an interchange with line 1 and theEuskotren Trena network.^[44] The construction of the line was repeatedly delayed due to a lack of funds, in 2017 the opening of the line was expected to occur no earlier than 2026.^[45]

In 2018, a proposal was made to convert the existing Euskotren railway line between Usansolo and Etxebarri to metro standards.^[46] In early 2019, the new project for the line was presented. It would involve moving the existing Euskotren line to a new underground alignment between Sarratu and Usansolo, serving as ade facto extension ofline 3.^[47] Five new stations were planned: Sarratu, Aperribai, Bengoetxe, Galdakao and Galdakao Hospital.^[48] In late 2022, the works for the first three sections of the line, between Sarratu and Galdakao Hospital, were tendered for 240 million euro.^[49] The works for the third section had to be retendered in March 2023 due to errors in the original budget.^[50] As of early 2022, the opening of the line from Sarratu to Galdakao is planned for 2027, while the whole line (including its connection with the Euskotren mainline) is expected to open by 2029.^[51]

In 2022, it was announced that a tunnel under the estuary will connect both banks in 2028, incorporating a shuttle train that will connect theAreeta (Line 1) andSestao (Line 2) stations in four minutes.^[52] Work on the tunnel is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2024, with a planned investment of 450 million euros.^[53]

The Metro Bilbao network is divided into the following fare zones:

• Zone 1  (Bilbao), fromBolueta (main line for L1 and L2) toSan Inazio (main line for L1 and L2), inclusive.
• Zone 2  (Upper Nervion),Etxebarri andAriz (main line for L1 and L2).
• Zone 2  (Right Bank of the river), fromLutxana (Line 1) toBerango (Line 1), inclusive.
• Zone 2  (Left Bank of the river), fromGurutzeta/Cruces (Line 2) toKabiezes (Line 2), inclusive.
• Zone 3  (Uribe Kosta), fromLarrabasterra (Line 1) toPlentzia (Line 1), inclusive.

Metro Bilbao offered special cards that are personal and cannot be transferred, replaced byBarik cards on 2017, with a time limit of 5 years since the date of issue.^[54] They can be obtained at any of the customer service offices of Metro Bilbao (located in the stations of Ansio, Casco Viejo, San Inazio and Areeta).

• Carnet Kidea Socio (Kidea Member Card): For use with monthly tickets and Super 50 tickets.
• Carnet Gaztea Joven (Youth Gaztea Card): For use with the youth ticket, monthly ticket and Super 50 tickets.
• Carnet Hirukotrans (Hirukotrans Card): For use with the Hirukotrans ticket.
• Carnet Gizatrans (Gizatrans Card): For use with Gizatrans ticket.
• Carnet Gizatrans para familia numerosa (Gizatrans card for large families): For use with Gizatrans ticket for large families.

The ticket system is closed, which means that validation of the ticket is required when entering the station and again when exiting.

There are different types of tickets, each of which has a different fare (updated as 2009):^[55]

• Occasional ticket: One-way ticket. Can be transferred.Fares: 1 Zone: 1,40€; 2 Zones: 1,50€; 3 Zones: 1,60€
• Round-trip ticket: Valid for two trips (going and coming back). Can be transferred.Fares: 1 Zone: 2,80€; 2 Zones: 3€; 3 Zones: 3,20€
• Billete Día (Day Ticket): Unlimited trips the same day of the expedition of the ticket. Can be transferred.Fare: 4€ (valid in all zones).
• Billete colectivo (Groupal ticket): Valid for one trip or round trip, to be made on a specific date. Only for groups of 20 people or more.Fare: Variable.

In 2017^[56] the following tikets was replaced by theBarik cards:

• Billete Mensual (Month Ticket): Unlimited trips in 30 days. Personal and cannot be transferred. A "Carnet Joven" (Youth Card), "Carnet de Socio del Metro" (Metro Honorary Member Card) or "Carnet Plus" (Plus Card) is required to obtain this ticket.Fare: 1 Zone: 29,40€; 2 Zones: 35€; 3 Zones: 40,70€
• Ticket Joven (Youth Ticket): Unlimited trips in 12 months. Personal and cannot be transferred. To obtain one is needed to have less than 26 years and a Youth Card.Fares: 1 Zone: 188€; 2 Zones: 221€; 3 Zones: 255€
• Super 50: Valid for 50 trips, to be made in 30 days. Personal and cannot be transferred. A "Carnet Joven" (Youth Card), "Carnet de Socio del Metro" (Metro Honorary Member Card) or "Carnet Plus" (Plus Card) is required to obtain this ticket.Fares: 1 Zone: 24,50€; 2 Zones: 29€; 3 Zones: 32,50€

• Combined ticket with Renfe (Uria): Valid for 10 trips. Can be transferred. Can be obtained inAbando Station andSan Mames Station. The Uria ticket can be used in the following stations: Metro Bilbao: Zone A.Cercanías:Bilbao-Abando,Zabalburu Station,Ametzola Station,Autonomía Station,San Mamés Station,Olabeaga Station,Zorrotza Station,Miribilla Station andLa Peña Station. The change between Renfe and Metro should be of 20 minutes or less.Fare: 9,65€.
• Combined ticket with Euskotren Trena. Valid for 10 trips, monthly or annual. Valid in the stations ofCasco Viejo andBolueta. The change between Euskotren Trena and Metro should be of 15 minutes or less.

• Creditrans. Valid for as many trips as the money charge (pre-paid) of the card supports. Can be transferred and used several times in the same trip. Creditrans is a pre-paid card that can be used in Metro Bilbao, Euskotren Trena, thetram,FEVE,Bilbobus,Bizkaibus,Artxanda Funicular,Vizcaya Bridge, Lujua's Bus, Etxebarri Bus and Sopelbus.Fares: 1 Zone: 0,69€; 2 Zones: 0,83€; 3 Zones: 0,93€. Creditrans is the most popular and most used ticket system on Metro Bilbao and some other transportation systems.^[57]
• Gizatrans (only valid for people older than 65 or some kind of physical disadvantage). Personal and cannot be transferred. It can be used in the same places as Creditrans with the exceptions of Sopelbus,FEVE andVizcaya Bridge.Price (of a single Gizatrans card): 3€. Fares (for Metro Bilbao): 0,27€ (valid in all zones).^[58]
• Hirukotrans (big families). Personal and cannot be transferred. To obtain one is needed to have a Hirukotrans Card. Only available for big families.

Creditrans, Gizatrans and Hirukotrans will no longer be issued after 31 March 2013 as they have been replaced by theBarik electronic card. Any old Creditrans with a credit on them can be used until the end of 2013.

The Metro network works from 6:00 am until 11:00 pm from Monday to Thursday, and until 2:00 am on Friday and days before festive days. There is an all night service from Saturday to Sunday, with trains each 15 minutes on the main lines and with a 30-minute frequency on the other lines. During June, July, August and September, the no-interruptions night service also works on Fridays. During "Bilbao's Great Week", there are special services every night.

During weekdays, there is a frequency of 2.5 minutes on Zone A, 5 minutes on Zone B.0, B.1 y B.2 and 18 minutes on Zone C during most of the day.

The Bilbao metro is the third-busiest in Spain. The highest ridership was achieved in 2024, when 100.3 million trips were made on the metro.^[59] There were significant increases in ridership in 2002 and 2007 due to the enlargement of the network.^{[citation needed]} The busiest stations areZazpikaleak/Casco Viejo,Santimami/San Mamés,Abando,Moyua andIndautxu; all in Bilbao, with a ridership of more than 5 million in 2022.^[1] Zazpikaleak/Casco Viejo became the busiest station with the opening of line 3 in 2017.^[60]

Access to the metro is provided byfosteritos, glass structures affectionately named after the architect who designed them,Norman Foster. These modern-looking tunnels stand attractive alongside the modern and innovative interior of the stations.

Large caverns of a 160m² cross section were dug for stations, creating large open spaces, as opposed to the traditional sets of linked tunnels. For example, the ticket line is in the same space as the trains, for this purpose steel structures called 'mezzanines' have been built over the tracks. Trains are fully accessible by lifts and escalators. Materials such assteel andconcrete have been used throughout.

Sarriko station won the 1998Brunel Award for Railway Design. It is noticeably different from the rest of the stations in the network: in place of the standardfosterito, a vast glazed atrium pours natural light into the entire station, and the long, unbroken escalator ride to the ticket hall from street level gives a dramatic sense of character to the station.

Away from the main structures, the design company Akaba created the seating systems for the Metro, which subsequently won the Spanish National Industrial Design Prize from the Ministry of Science and Technology in November 2000. A distinctive signage system was created byOtl Aicher, which are responsible for the eye-catching masts bearing the Metrologo. The principal colours used are of white lettering on a red background for key information and black lettering for secondary details.The logo and the signage use Aicher'sRotis font.

Metro Bilbao uses500,550, and600 series trains, built byCAF. The company uses 24 trains of the first series, 13 of the second and 9 of the third. All vehicles are maintained and parked inSopelana andAriz.

The first 16 vehicles, which carry the numbers UT 501 to 516, were delivered by CAF andABB in November 1995. Inside each car 2+2 seats are arranged respectively vis-à-vis in the colors of the Corporate design – red and grey. A set of 4 cars is72.12-metre (236 ft7+3⁄8 in) long,3.85-metre (12 ft7+5⁄8 in) high and2.80-metre (9 ft2+1⁄4 in) wide. This is especially wide for a train that usesnarrow gauge, for example vehicles of the large profileBerlin U-Bahn are only2.65-meter (8 ft8+3⁄8 in) wide, and they use thenormal gauge of1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in).^{[relevant? –discuss]}

The metro, like the commuter railroads in the region, is electrified at1,500 V DC viaoverhead catenary. Each train has sixteen 180kilowatt motors; together that yields 2880 kilowatts per train unit. The maximum speed is 80 kilometers per hour. A train can carry 712 people, with 144 seated and 568 standing (based upon six passengers standing per square meter).

The number of trains was increased after a renewed order in 1996, to a total of 24 trains with the numbers UT 517 until 524. For the newly constructed line 2, thirteen new trains were ordered from CAF andAdtranz (now parent company of ABB). These new series UT-550 trains were delivered in October 2001. This series offers improvements in energy efficiency and to theair-conditioning systems. These trains are able to climb the deep line 2 tunnel under the river.

Since 1998automatic train protection, andautomatic train operation are used. The latter implies that the train drivers must press solely a button, and the remainder of the train operation is done through the computer. This is to be seen as an initial stage for an entirely computer-controlled system.

The line shares rolling stock with the rest of theEuskotren Trena network. Currently,900^[64] and950 series trains are used.^[65]

• List of metro systems
• San Sebastián Metro

• Official website
• L3 | Euskotren