Bilbao tram
The Bilbao tram is a tram system in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. Operated by Euskotren under the brand Euskotren Tranbia, it comprises a single line, inaugurated on 18 December 2002 and last extended on 25 March 2022.
The factor leading its creation was to improve Bilbao's railway network; the tram serves neighbourhoods that do not have metro or Cercanías stations. Also, the line goes through important tourist and cultural spots, like the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. It offers connections with the Bilbao metro, Euskotren Trena and Cercanías Bilbao.
History
The EuskoTran brand was conceived in order to improve the railway services in Bilbao, and to serve neighborhoods and areas unattended by the Bilbao metro or Cercanías Bilbao. It took 15 years of studies and research to contemplate the need of a tram in the city.The construction of the first phase of the line started in May 1999. The first six stops were opened on 18 December 2002 by Juan José Ibarretxe, lehendakari of the Basque Country at the time. Between 2003 and 2004 four new stops were opened.
In 2008 a proposal was made to expand the line with three more stops. The construction of two of the three stops started in 2010. The two stops were inaugurated on 25 April 2012.
On 25 March 2022, the line was extended from Atxuri to Bolueta using the former Euskotren Trena alignment between Kukullaga and Atxuri; disused since 2019 when all train services where rerouted through line 3 of the metro.
System
Station design
The whole line has sixteen stations. The tram stops have low platforms, and in some stations regular sidewalks are used instead. With the exception of Bilbao-Atxuri station, all stops and stations are un-staffed and have automated ticket machines for ticket sales. Once bought, the ticket must be validated on the validation machine located next to the ticket machine. The floors of the stations are virtually level with those of the trams, so this allows wheelchairs, prams, pushchairs and the elderly to board the tram easily with no steps.Lines
The network comprises a single line, formerly called Line A, running from Atxuri to in La Casilla. On weekdays, the first departure from Atxuri is at 5:58 and from La Casilla at 6:26. Trams run every 10 minutes during most of the day, and less frequently early in the morning and late in the night. The last departure from Atxuri is at 22:58 and from La Casilla at 23:26. Weekend service has longer headways and shorter hours of operation.The first part of the line, from Atxuri to Pío Baroja and again from Sabino Arana to La Casilla runs on the street. From Pío Baroja to Euskalduna, the tram goes through green track.