Metro Bilbao

System With about 1 million inhabitants, Bilbao (in Basque also Bilbo) is the largest metropolitan area in the Basque Country (Northern Spain) (including towns like Portugalete, Sestao, Getxo, Barakaldo). The metropolitan area spreads out along both sides of the river Nervión and the Ría de Bilbao, suggesting a Y-shaped metro system. For the railway enthusiast, Bilbao is quite fascinating as it provides several different types of urban railways operated by various companies, though badly integrated with each other as far as fares are concerned. With the opening of metro line L3 in April 2017, Bilbao even has two different metro operators, Metro Bilbao for L1 and L2 and Euskotren for L3: Metro Bilbao (L1/L2) On 11 November 1995, Line 1 opened from Casco Viejo to Plentzia , using existing suburban surface tracks formerly served by the Basque Railways (EuskoTrenbideak) between Lutxana and Plentzia . A new tunnel was built between Lutxana and Casco Viejo (Old Town) through the city centre. Metro Bilbao therefore uses metre-gauge. The second section, Casco Viejo - Bolueta , was taken into service in July 1997. At Bolueta , the Metro line connects directly to EuskoTren's suburban service towards Bermeo and Eibar. Line 1 now starts at Etxebarri , then serves the elevated station at Bolueta (on top of EuskoTren's station), before entering the tunnel through the city centre and crossing the river Nervión twice in a tunnel (between Casco Viejo and Abando and between San Mamés and Deusto ). At San Inazio (a three-track station - two separate tracks with a central platform for inbound line 1 and line 2 trains), the trunk route splits into two branches. Line 1 comes up to the surface and runs along the former suburban line through industrial zones (serving Erandio in a tunnel station). In Areeta (Las Arenas) the line goes underground again for 1 km and after that it runs mainly on an elevated structure through the nice residential area of Getxo ( Algorta also in tunnel) to Bidezabal . North of Bidezabal, a short section was put underground in 2012 to eliminate one of the last level crossings on the old line. Beyond Bidezabal, the environment gets more rural. By April 2017, another short section had been put underground including Urduliz station; from here, the line is single-track and runs down to Plentzia by the sea through nice woodlands. Construction work for Line 2 began in 1997. This line shares tracks with Line 1 between Etxebarri and San Inazio . The first new 5.8 km stretch from San Inazio to Urbinaga opened on 13 April 2002. This line is almost totally underground, just at Urbinaga , an elevated structure was built across the Galindo Valley; at Urbinaga , a transfer station to Renfe's Santurtzi and Muskiz services was planned, but did not materialise. In various stages, Line 2 reached Basauri in 2011 and Kabiezes in mid-2014. Trains for the Bilbao Metro were made by CAF (a company located in the Basque Country), and are equipped with air conditioning, accoustic and visual station announcement. Cars are of the modern walk-through type. Although narrow gauge (1000 mm) is used, trains are still 2.8 m wide. Stations were designed by Norman Foster, with all underground stations being identical (except Sarriko , San Inazio and Ansio - as well as those on the older section between Erandio and Algorta ). All the stations are fully accessible with lifts, and escalators usually are also installed between vestibule and street level, but not down to the platforms (which can be a bit annoying at Abando (Railway Station) where the lift doesn't take you directly to the railway station complex! From the street, most stations are accessed through "Fosteritos", typical glass entrances named after the architect. Casco Viejo station is situated in the mountain and can be accessed almost at grade from the central Plaza Miguel de Unamuno or via a lift from the top of the mountain Begoña. In June 2014, Line 1 runs from Plentzia to Etxebarri (29.5 km), a