BoooOOOoooming BILBAO!!!

Train / Metro / Tramway

During las decade and currently, the city of Bilbao is living an historical mobility infraestructure booming. This thread is only a briefing of hundreds of projets of Bilbao. Thanks to SSC Bilbao forumer AdemA: without you this thread would be impossible. :)

This information in spanish at Spain and Basque Country SSC forums: 1 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=6193404) and 2 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=276896).

Currently Bilbao metro train network is managed by 5 different companies: Metro Bilbao (city center and right & left banks), Cercanías RENFE (city center, South-East area and left bank), FEVE (city center and South-West area), Euskotren (East area and North valley area), and Euskotran (city center tramway).

Bilbao City Center current railway-tramway infraestructure:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/xpagola/bilbao_plano_transporte_hoy.jpg

Bilbao City Center railway-tramway infraestructure in 2015:

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/xpagola/bilbao_plano_transporte_manana.jpg


OK! Let's start! ;)


Metro Bilbao
http://www.iespana.es/VivirenBilbao/varios/img/metrobilbao_2.gif
http://www.metrobilbao.net

Opened in 1995, Norman Foster architect's Metro construction is expected to finish in 2010. Nowadays the main part of the metro is opened. It has 2 lines. First one from right bank to city center (Plentzia-Etxebarri) and it links residential and turistic areas. The second one goes from left bank to city center (last km's under construction) and it links important residential areas (left bank has more than 250.000 inhabitants), malls (recently opened Megapark, larguest North Spain mall), Bilbao Port, or the Trade Fair (Bilbao Exhibition Center).

The Metro Bilbao networks offers 2 min's frequency at the city center and at rush hour. :)

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/borji_taz1/MetroBilbaofuturo.jpg

Interesting threads about Metro Bilbao:

- Metro Bilbao. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=271994)
- L2 extension. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=146664)
- Mamariaga People Mover. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=5924489&postcount=20)
- L1 / L2 extension. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=137205)
- Urdurliz new station. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=247529)
- Ibarbengoa new station. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=247529)
- Maidagan operation. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=247529)



Cercanias Renfe
http://www.mataro.org/campanyes/soleret/imatges/cercanias-renfe.gif
http://www.renfe.es

Cercanias RENFE links the city center with Bilbao outskirts and influence area cities (Muskiz and Orduña). It has 3 lines: first one from the left bank to the city center (from Santurtzi to Bilbao), second one from the North-West area to the Bilbao center (from Muskiz to Bilbao), and third one, from South area to city center (from Orduña to Bilbao).

Opening of Metro Bilbao second line has take off a lot of Cercanias RENFE clients. In addition, due to the Bilbao influence area's Castro Urdiales city's population boom, local authorities has request a railway extension from Muskiz. So, new operations are expected at left bank to re-organize Cercanias RENFE C1 and C2 (at the next map, C2 is marked as C3) lines.

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/924/ampliacionesrenfe3nh.jpg

At C3 line area, new neighbourhoods are built at South Bilbao and Cercanias RENFE has opened new stations: Miribilla and La Peña.

Miribilla station construction (thanks to EL CORREO newspaper):

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3010/estacionmiribillagrafico20ab.jpg

Some interesting threads about Cercanias RENFE in Bilbao:

- C2 enlargment from Muskiz to Castro Urdiales. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=145108&page=5&pp=20)
- New Miribilla station. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=183274)
- Cercanías RENFE official thread. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=156267)

Nowadays, RENFE (spanish national railway company) uses its C1 line for goods transportation from Bilbao Port. To avoid it, new goods transportation exclusive underground railway line is under construcción. It's knowed as "Variante Sur Ferrovaria".

http://img302.imageshack.us/img302/1913/variantesurferroviaria5ey.jpg

Interesting thread about VSF:

- Variante Sur Ferroviaria. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=132199)



FEVE
http://www.brillastur.com/images/logo12.gif
http://www.feve.es

FEVE has the objetive to offer 7 min's frequency trains inside Bilbao City Center. Next years, an important underground train line construction will started with a couple of new subway stations.

http://img481.imageshack.us/img481/5330/remodelacionfeve9gk.jpg

Some interesting threads about FEVE in Bilbao:

- Underground Train Operation. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=201222&highlight=feve+basurto)
- FEVE official thread. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=156267)



Euskotren
http://www.achilles.com/NR/rdonlyres/2EE2CC46-943C-449D-BD5F-64DE9CB0BEA6/0/euskotren_logo.gif
http://www.euskotren.es

Euskotren has two main lines at Bilbao city and its influence area. The first one links Bilbao with Central and West Bizkaia county, whose main city is Durango. The other line links the city center with the North area valley (Txorierri), where important infraestructures are located: hi-tech enterprises, international airport...

Next years Euskotren will change its entrance to Bilbao, linking important West area neighbourhoods, and offering subway service (knowed as "Metro Line 3").

In orange and blue, current Euskotren lines to Durango and Txorierri, respectively, today. Coloured in green, tramway conection. And coloured in red, new metro line:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b138/borji_taz5/Metro%20Nuevo/nuevas_actuacionesmetrobilbao0019.jpg

In addition, recently opened Calatrava architect's Bilbao International Aiport will have a railway conection with Bilbao Center. Euskotren authorities are designing a new Bilbao-Txorierri area railway line.

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/9249/nuevaredeuskotren4nu.jpg

Durango is an other booming city at Bilbao influence area. Zaha Hadid architect has designed the new Euskotren headquarters at this city and other five skyscrapers designed by other famous architects will be built in the area.

http://img456.imageshack.us/img456/7220/179mx.jpg

The underground Durango city center's Zaha Hadid architect's future Euskotren station:

http://www.arkitera.com/proje/euskotren/images/b04.jpg

Interesting threads about Euskotren in Bilbao:

- Euskotren and Euskotran official thread. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=244409)
- Metro Linea 3. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=5924432&postcount=93)
- Bilbao International Airport railway conection. (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b209/xpagola/tren_aeropuerto.jpg)
- Durango operation and Euskotren new headquarters. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=169128&page=9&pp=20&highlight=durango)



Euskotran
http://www.industri-sl.com/images/clientes/euskotran.gif
http://www.euskotran.es

Some years ago openned Bilbao tramway has nowadays only a line across Bilbao center. Next years three new lines are going to be built: Rekalde tramway (South Bilbao), knowed as "Anillo Tranviario (Tramway Ring)"; Atxuri-Etxebarri tramway (over present Euskotren railway) will be built after "Metro Line 3" construction; and finally Sestao-Zamudio tramway, knowed as Txorierri Tramway, will link left bank, larguest university campus, and Txorierri Valley.

Sestao-Zamudio tramway's Ibaizabal-Nervion river bridge, according to EL CORREO newspaper:

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/9195/tranvialeioapuente7yd.jpg

Local authorities has suggest other tramway lines (one to link Megapark mall's shops and other one on the Nervion left bank), but nowadays there isn't any serious project about them.

http://img394.imageshack.us/img394/2397/ampliacioneseuskotran4mf.jpg

Interesting threads about Euskotran in Bilbao:

- Official Euskotran thread. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=244409)
- "Anillo Tranviario" (Tramway Ring). (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=120236&page=1&pp=20)
- Sestao-Zamudio tramway. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=247563)
- Nervion left bank tramway. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=147523)
- Megapark tramway. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=225114)



Other railway projects

High Speed Train

In 2010 Bilbao it's goingo to be linked by High Speed Train. Local authorities has not defined High Speed Train's terminus station location.

There are three possible locations:

Coloured in pink, High Speed Train approved new railway line. In red, current RENFE railway line; in blue, possible access to current bus terminus station of San Mames; and coloured in orange, the access to current Bilbao's main station, Abando.

http://img332.imageshack.us/img332/3342/accesotavbilbao1sz.jpg



Basauri railway re-organization

http://www.bilbaoria2000.org/ria2000/mapasZonas/19/basauri.jpg

Map translation:

LAPATZA: New RENFE goods transportation terminus.
ARIZ: FEVE goods transportation terminus elimination.
POZOKOETXE: RENFE goods transportation terminus elimination.
And finally: New FEVE-Euskotren conection area and new goods transportation terminus.



Ametzola operation

Largue goods transportation terminus was located at Ametzola until final 90's. Hard urbanistic operation has change the area and nowadays Cercanías RENFE and FEVE railway lines are underground.

This is an Ametzola view today:

http://www.bilbaoria2000.org/ria2000/imagenesZonas/2/amezola_02.jpg

And at finish of the urbanistic operation, Ametzola will be like it:

http://www.bilbaoria2000.org/ria2000/imagenesZonas/2/amezola_01.jpg

Interesting threads about railways in Bilbao:

- High Speed Train Abando Station Project. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=6135718#post6135718)
- Ametzola Operation. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=199506&highlight=proyecto+amezola)
- Basque High Speed Train Network official thread. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=299551)

Roads, Bilbao Port and Airport, Bridges...

Road Network

http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/9744/carreteras2rw.jpg

Lamiako Tunnel under Ibazabal-Nervion river (thanks to EL CORREO newspaper):

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/3228/slamiakografico2yi.jpg

Coloured in black, new Supersur Motorway:

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/6146/supersur8qb.jpg

Interesting threads about new projects:

- "Supersur" South-West Bilbao Motorway. (http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/6146/supersur8qb.jpg)
- North-East Bilbao Motorway. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=4903513&postcount=346)
- Ballonti Area. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=5269931&postcount=37)
- Lamiako Tunnel under Ibaizabal-Nervion river. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=279864)



New Bridges

http://img390.imageshack.us/img390/782/puentes0rp.jpg

Interesting threads about new bridges in Bilbao:

- Lutxana Gyratory Bridge. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=267892)
- Sestao Drawbridge. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=5768673&postcount=164)
- Galindo Bridge. (http://img302.imageshack.us/img302/5122/puente2pd.jpg)



New Ports

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/7696/puertos5nw.jpg

Getxo Marina and Cruises Port:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rebax/Atraque.jpg

Interesting threads about new ports in Bilbao:

- Bilbao Port extension. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=6165764&postcount=131)
- Cruise Port of Getxo. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=6165723#post6165723)
- Plentzia Marina. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=6165775&postcount=132)
- Bermeo Marina. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=6110084&postcount=22)
- Santurtzi Marina. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=4095329&postcount=26)



International Airport

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/5338/aeropuertos0an.jpg

Interesting thread about Bilbao International Airport:

- Calatrava architect's Bilbao International Airport enlargement. (http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=5821023#post5821023)

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/2953/aeropuerto9av.jpg

I just scrolled through it and it looks good. right now i havent got time, but ill def. read it - it looks very interesting.

Bilbao has earned it!!

I was in Bilbao last summer, and was very impressed by what's being planned and built right now. Also so the plans of Zaha Hadid at one of Bilbao's metro stations (Atxuri), I was heavily impressed. Keep up the good work!

Great thread Xabi!!!

very complete and informative thanks, among other things, to all the enclosed links. in other words impressive.. :cheers:

I was in Bilbao last summer, and was very impressed by what's being planned and built right now. Also so the plans of Zaha Hadid at one of Bilbao's metro stations (Atxuri), I was heavily impressed. Keep up the good work!
Same. The city really is heading the right way! :applause:

Wonderful projects!!
:eek:
Eskerrik asko, Xabi.
:wink2:

Bilbao's public rail transport system is impressive for a city of its size, but it lacks coordination among the different companies. Good work is being done to arrange this problem, though, but there's still a lot to do.

Thanks, Xabi, great thread!

Impressive!

Thread about Bilbao Metro by AdemA: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=429391

:bow:

Very nice...I hope the best for Bilbao!

very very nice! :) ;)

Very beautiful metro system!
:drool:

Wow, the station looks beautiful!

But why are there so many companies running the network?
Do you need to buy 2 tickets if you e.g. use Cercanias Renfe and Metro Bilbao?

Truely stunning projects. Adelante Bilbao!

But why are there so many companies running the network?

According to spanish laws, wide route railways are managed by Spanish Government company RENFE (Cercanias is a metropolitan railway operator of RENFE). Narrow route railways that exceed autonnomous community borders are managed by Spanish Government's FEVE, and those that operate into the autonnomous comunity (Basque Country in this case) are managed by Basque Government's company Euskotren.

The Biscay Transport Authority, composed by Basque Gonvernment, Biscay County Government... rules the Bilbao Metro.

That's the reason to have so many companies. Of course, management of whole network is more problematic and to develop great projects is more difficult than having only one company.

In addition, according to Spanish State decentralization, autonnomous community government could probably manage Cercanias RENFE. Spanish Government has do it in Catalonia and has promised it for the Basque Country.

Do you need to buy 2 tickets if you e.g. use Cercanias Renfe and Metro Bilbao?

All the public transport companies (railway, tramway, buses, funiculars...) but Cercanias RENFE are part of Biscay Transport Authority's combinated ticket "Creditrans" wich allows you to use any company paying with the same ticket (with important discounts on single ticket price and at changing between operators).

Thread about Bilbao Metro by AdemA: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=429391

I have updated this thread with a lot of Bilbao Metro photos. Don't forget to visit it! ;)

Video about Bilbao's projects. There is more than mobility infraestructures (and Guggenheim Museum) in Bilbao:

Zc8G_N1ydhQ

:)

for a city of this size to have an infrastcture of that magnitude is amazing!!! cool!!!

WOW!

Bilbao, the fascinating transformation

pO7FbKIRHuA

3 minutes documentary about the transformation of Bilbao, its transportation system and architecture.

great project

Lines 4 and 5 are under study right now. The 4th line would have 3 kilometres and the 5th line 8 kilometres.

A map made by a user at Wikipedia:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Mapa_red_completo_metrobilbao.svg/479px-Mapa_red_completo_metrobilbao.svg.png