Bilbao metro
The Bilbao metro (Spanish: Metro de Bilbao, Basque: Bilboko metroa) is a rapid transit system serving the city of Bilbao and the region of Greater Bilbao. Lines 1 and 2 have a "Y" shape, as they transit both banks of the river Ibaizabal and then combine to form one line that ends in the south of Bilbao. Line 3 has a "V" shape connecting the municipality of Etxebarri with the Bilbao neighbourhood of Matiko; the apex of the "V" is Zazpikaleak/Casco Viejo station, where all three current lines meet. The metro is connected with the Bilbao tram, Bilboko Aldiriak (commuter rail services), Euskotren Trena (commuter rail services), Feve (commuter rail services, regional and long-distance trains), Renfe long-distance trains, and Bilbao's bus station (Bilbao Intermodal). All three lines use metre gauge.
| Bilbao metro | |||
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Abando station has the usual design for cavern stations. | |||
| Overview | |||
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| Locale | Greater Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain | ||
| Transit type | Rapid transit | ||
| Number of lines | 3 | ||
| Number of stations | 48 | ||
| Annual ridership | 80.3 million (2022) | ||
| Website | |||
| Operation | |||
| Began operation | 11 November 1995 | ||
| Operator(s) |
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| Technical | |||
| System length | 51 km (31.7 mi) | ||
| No. of tracks |
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| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge | ||
| Electrification | 1,500 V DC overhead catenary | ||
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As of 2021, the Metro operates on 51 kilometers (32 mi) of route, with 48 stations. It is the third-busiest metro in Spain, after the Madrid and Barcelona metro systems.
The system was inaugurated in 1995, partially taking over a suburban railway line operated by Euskotren, first opened in 1887. A second line was added in 2002, running together with line 1 within Bilbao, and then serving towns along the left bank of the Ibaizabal-Nervion estuary. Line 3, operated by Euskotren, opened in 2017. Unlike the first two lines, which form an isolated system, line 3 is operated jointly with the Euskotren Trena commuter railway network.