| Metro Bilbao | |
 | |
| Locale | Bilbao - Greater Bilbao |
|---|---|
| Transit type | Rapid transit |
| Began operation | November 11, 1995 |
| System length | 38. Bilbao, (also Bilbo) in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay (Basque Greater Bilbao (Bilbo Handia Gran Bilbao also known as Metropolitan Bilbao is a Comarca and Metropolitan area of Biscay, Spain. A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 2 km (23. 7 mi) |
| No. of lines | 2 |
| No. of stations | 36 |
| Daily ridership | 300,000 (average weekday in 2007) |
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) |
| Operator(s) | Biscay Transport Consortium (CTB) |
Metro Bilbao is a metro system serving the city of Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain) and its metropolitan area (Greater Bilbao). Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. Population Of the 1133444 people who live in Biscay about 35% live in the capital Bilbao and 88% in its metropolitan area. A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway Bilbao, (also Bilbo) in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay (Basque The Basque Country ( Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community in northern Spain. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Greater Bilbao (Bilbo Handia Gran Bilbao also known as Metropolitan Bilbao is a Comarca and Metropolitan area of Biscay, Spain. It has a metric gauge. A narrow gauge railway (or narrow gauge railroad) is a Railway that has a Track gauge narrower than the of Standard gauge railways
Contents |
History
Precedents
The idea of building a metro system in the city of Bilbao is an old one. Indautxu is a neighbourhood of central Bilbao located between the neighbourhoods of Basurto and Abando. In the 1920s the city's council prepared a project to build a metro system in the neighbourhoods of Abando and San Frantzisko. The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada Abando was the name of an old municipality of Biscay (Spanish Basque Country) that was eventually absorbed by Bilbao. San Francisco is an important neighbourhood of Bilbao, in the Basque Country, and also one of the most degradated Soon after the economic crises and the Spanish Civil War put a definitive end to the project. The Spanish Civil War was a major conflict in Spain that started after an attempted Coup d'état committed by parts of the army against the government of
In 1971 the government of Biscay, the Bilbao City Council and the Commerce Bureau created a commission to evaluate the transportation needs of Greater Bilbao. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Greater Bilbao (Bilbo Handia Gran Bilbao also known as Metropolitan Bilbao is a Comarca and Metropolitan area of Biscay, Spain. In 1976, five years later, the Biscay Transport Consortium (CTB, see Creditrans) was created. Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Creditrans is a Travel card used to travel around the city of Bilbao ( Biscay, Spain) and its metropolitan area. In that same year two proposals were created to start metro service in 1985, the first of them is almost identical to the current network. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar)
A year later a project was created to build the metro, unfortunately lots of allegations were made against it and misunderstanding among different institutions put an end to it.
In 1985 the construction plans were altered and a new project was created. Finally in 1987 the Basque Government approved the plan to build and finance the Bilbao Metro. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) The Basque Country ( Basque Euskadi, Spanish País Vasco) is an autonomous community in northern Spain.
Construction
 Construction works in San Inazio |
 Moyua station, view from the ticket line |
A metro system was deemed to be the best way to improve congestion problems in the evolving and regenerating city. The contract for the underground metro system in Bilbao, Spain was awarded to the architects Sir Norman Foster and partners in 1988 following an open competition. Bilbao, (also Bilbo) in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay (Basque Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Norman Robert Foster Baron Foster of Thames Bank, OM, FRIBA, RDI, (born 1 June 1935) is a British architect whose company Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar)
The same year the first underground station was opened in Erandio, on the existing Bilbao-Plentzia railway. Erandio is a town and Municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. In 1989 construction began in the city center, where the main Moyúa square was closed to pedestrians until 1997. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Moyúa or Elliptic square is a Public square located in the center of Bilbao 's extension in the district of Abando. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar The construction was especially complicated in the neighbourhoods of Deusto and San Inazio, where the cut and cover tunnel excavation damaged some buildings, was very noisy, and caused severe traffic disruptions. Deusto or Deustu is a district of the city of Bilbao, in the Spanish Basque Country on the right bank of the Estuary of Bilbao. Saint Ignatius redirects here for other Saints see Ignatius. Ignatius of Loyola, also known as Íñigo Oñaz López de Loyola A tunnel is an underground passageway The definition of what constitutes a tunnel is not universally agreed upon This method of excavation contrasted with the tunnel-boring machines used elsewhere in the city. A tunnel boring machine ( TBM) is a machine used to excavate Tunnels with a circular cross section through a variety of soil and rock strata.
Line 1
The first part of line one opened on 11 November 1995, with 23 stations between Casco Viejo and Plentzia. This is a list of the stations of the metro system of Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Las Siete Calles or El Casco Viejo in Spanish or Zazpikaleak or Alde Zarra in Basque are different names for the medieval neighbourhood Plentzia ( Basque, Plencia in Spanish) is a town and Municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community The out-of-Bilbao tracks were previously part of Eusko Trenbideak / Ferrocarriles Vascos (EuskoTren) and earlier of FEVE. EuskoTren ( Eusko Trenbideak / Ferrocarriles Vascos &ndash Basque Railways is a Railway company which operates trains on part of the Narrow gauge railway FEVE ( Ferrocarriles Españoles de Vía Estrecha, meaning "Narrow-Gauge Spanish Railways" is a state-owned Spanish Railway company which operates
By July 5, 1997, the total number of stations was 27 as Santutxu, Basarrate and Bolueta joined Gobela which had opened the previous year. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar
Line 2
The first line, which operates north of the River Nervión, was later joined by a second line, which operates south of the river. The River Nervión runs through the city of Bilbao Spain into the Cantabrian Sea ( Bay of Biscay) This is a list of the stations of the metro system of Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. The two lines split at San Inazio, from where the second runs to Portugalete. Construction on stops further to the west are currently underway. The original five stations (Gurutzeta-Cruces, Ansio, Barakaldo, Bagatza and Urbinaga) were opened on 13 April 2002. Events 1111 - Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. 1204 - The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The furthest eastern point is now Etxebarri station, opened along with Sestao on 8 January 2005. Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Line 2 was enlarged with two new stations in Portugalete that were opened in 20 January 2007. Portugalete is a town lying to the west of Bilbao (Bilbo in the province of Biscay in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the North of It competes with the lucrative pre-existing Renfe line from Bilbao to Santurtzi. Cercanías Bilbao is the name of the Commuter rail services in the city of Bilbao, Spain. Santurtzi ( Spanish: Santurce; Basque: Santurtzi) is a port town in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community
Extension plans
Line 2 will reach Santurtzi by 2009 with three new stations and Basauri, at the other end of the network, will be served by two new stations by 2010. Santurtzi ( Spanish: Santurce; Basque: Santurtzi) is a port town in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community Basauri is a major municipality of Biscay, in the Basque Country. At this point the original plan for the metro will be complete, the network will have 41 stations and 44. 5 km (27. 81 miles).
There is a project for a third line that would serve only the city of Bilbao, from Rekalde to Moyua in a north to south layout that would serve neighbourhoods that are currently too far from the metro. Rekalde is the seventh district of Bilbao, Spain. It is divided into the following neighbourhoods Ametzola, Iralabarri, Iturrigorri-Peñascal Moyúa or Elliptic square is a Public square located in the center of Bilbao 's extension in the district of Abando. An eastward extension to Galdakao has been proposed as well. Galdakao is a town and Municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, northern Spain. These plans are currently subject to political debate.
A new airport rail connection will be built (construction starts on june 2008), that will also link the eastern neighbourhoods of Bilbao with the metro, but this will not be a third metro line, instead forming a part of the EuskoTren system. Bilbao Airport is a public Airport located 5 km north of Bilbao, in the municipality of Loiu, in Spain. EuskoTren ( Eusko Trenbideak / Ferrocarriles Vascos &ndash Basque Railways is a Railway company which operates trains on part of the Narrow gauge railway
Design
Access to the metro is provided by 'fosteritos', glass structures affectionately named after the architect. Glass in the common sense refers to a Hard, Brittle, transparent Solid, such as that used for Windows many 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 as steel and concrete have been used throughout. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 Concrete is a construction material composed of Cement (commonly Portland cement) as well as other cementitious materials such as Fly ash and Slag
Sarriko station won the 1998 Brunel Award for Railway Design. It is noticeably different from the rest of the stations in the network: in place of the standard 'fosterito', 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 by Otl Aicher, which are responsible for the eye-catching masts bearing the Metro logo. Otl Aicher, also known as Otto Aicher ( May 13, 1922 - September 1, 1991) was one of the leading German Graphic designers A logo ( Greek el λογότυπος = el-Latn logotypos is a graphical element ( Ideogram, Symbol, Emblem, Icon, Sign) The principal colours used are of white lettering on a red background for key information and black lettering for secondary details.
Lines
Metro Bilbao consists of the following lines: (see also Metro Bilbao Stations)
| Line | Length | Stations | |
| 1 | 29. This is a list of the stations of the metro system of Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. This is a list of the stations of the metro system of Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. 4km (18. 4 miles) | 28 | |
| 2 | 8. This is a list of the stations of the metro system of Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. 8km (5. 5 miles) (*) | 8 (*) | |
| TOTAL | 38. 2km (23. 9 miles) | 36 | |
(*) Line 2 numbers refer only to the line 2 branch (San Inazio-Portugalete), from Etxebarri to San Inazio Lines 1 and 2 share tracks and stations.
Network Map
Operation
The network is divided into three fare zones:
- Zone A, central Bilbao, from Bolueta to San Inazio. Saint Ignatius redirects here for other Saints see Ignatius. Ignatius of Loyola, also known as Íñigo Oñaz López de Loyola
- Zone B, from San Inazio to Berango (Line 1) and Portugalete (Line 2); Etxebarri station (Lines 1/2). Portugalete is a town lying to the west of Bilbao (Bilbo in the province of Biscay in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the North of Etxebarri Doneztebeko Elizatea (Etxebarri Anteiglesia de San Esteban is a town and Municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous
- Zone C, from Berango to Plentzia (Line 1). Plentzia ( Basque, Plencia in Spanish) is a town and Municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community
The ticket system is closed, tickets must be validated on entering and exiting the stations. There are single tickets, ten trip tickets, fifty trip tickets, and monthly passes with discounts for senior and junior citizens. Since 2008 a new ticket called Gizatrans is available for senior citizens. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common This ticket can be used in Metro Bilbao, Bilbobus and BizkaiBus. Bilbobus is the name for metropolitan Bus services in Bilbao, Spain. BizkaiBus is the name for Bus services serving the Province of Biscay, Spain.
The most popular ticket is the Creditrans travelcard, that offers discounts when traveling around Bilbao in the Bilbobus and BizkaiBus buses, the tramway and FEVE trains, among other means of transport in the metropolitan area. Creditrans is a Travel card used to travel around the city of Bilbao ( Biscay, Spain) and its metropolitan area. Bilbobus is the name for metropolitan Bus services in Bilbao, Spain. BizkaiBus is the name for Bus services serving the Province of Biscay, Spain. EuskoTran ("BasqueTram" is the name of the Metre gauge Tramway system in Bilbao, Spain. FEVE ( Ferrocarriles Españoles de Vía Estrecha, meaning "Narrow-Gauge Spanish Railways" is a state-owned Spanish Railway company which operates Around half of the trips in Metro Bilbao are done with the Creditrans ticket.
The system works from 6 AM to 11 PM on workdays and Sundays and to 1:30 AM on Fridays. There is an all night service on Saturday nights, with trains every half hour. This all night service is also available during special occasions such as the Bilbao festivities during the month of August.
Service frequencies during workdays are every 2 minutes in zone A, every 5 minutes in zone B and every 20 minutes in zone C. These frequencies decrease to 5 minutes in zone A and 10 minutes in zone B during off peak hours and Sundays or bank holidays.
Ridership
In 2007 Metro Bilbao was used by almost 86 million people. Since it serves directly about 680,000 people, each citizen travels about 126 times a year. Ridership increases steadily every year, there are some dramatic increases in 1998 and 2002 due to enlargement of the network, ridership is expected to reach 100 million people per year once the network is completed.
Busiest stations in 2007
- Abando - 6,786,616 passengers
- Casco Viejo - 6,554,028 passengers
- Moyua - 6,342,798 passengers
- Indautxu - 6,195,720 passengers
- San Mames - 5,769,908 passengers
Trains
The Metro Bilbao uses presently train types of the series UT-500 and UT-550, built by CAF. Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF is a rail equipment manufacturer based in Beasain in the Basque Country, Spain. The company uses 24 trains of the first series and thirteen of the second. All vehicles are maintained and parked in Sopelana and Ariz. Sopelana ( Sopela in Basque) is a town and Municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country
The first sixteen vehicles which carry the numbers UT 501 to 516 were delivered by CAF and ABB in November 1995. } ABB, formerly Asea Brown Boveri, is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland, operating mainly in the power 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 four cars is altogether 72. 12 meters long, 3. 85 meters high and 2. 80 meters wide. That's specially wide for a train that uses narrow gauge, for example vehicles of the large profile Berlin metro are only 2. A narrow gauge railway (or narrow gauge railroad) is a Railway that has a Track gauge narrower than the of Standard gauge railways The Berlin de U-Bahn (de Untergrundbahn underground railway is a major part of the Public transport system of the German capital Berlin. 65 meters wide, and they use the European normal gauge of 1435 millimeters. The standard gauge (also named the Stephenson gauge after George Stephenson, or Normal gauge) is a widely-used Rail gauge.
The trains use, like the commuter railroads in the region, the overhead tension of 1500 volts and possess altogether sixteen motors of respectively 180 kilowatts; together that yields 2880 kilowatts per train unit. The volt (symbol V) is the SI derived unit of electric Potential difference or Electromotive force. The watt (symbol W) is the SI derived unit of power, equal to one Joule of energy per Second. The maximum speed is 50 mph (80 km/h). A train can carry 712 persons. This statement is based upon 144 seats and 568 standing on the average six persons per square meter. M^2 redirects here For other uses see M². CM2 redirects here
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 higher requirement in the newly constructed line 2, thirteen new trains were ordered to the firms CAF and Adtranz (now mother company of ABB) and they were delivered in October 2001. ADtranz (alternative spelling ADtranz, complete name A BB D aimler Ben' z' Tran sportation) was a German-Swedish rail rolling October 2001: January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - The last delivery contained now the new trains of the series UT-550. This series differs from its predecessor in a higher efficiency, needed to climb the deep line 2 tunnel under the river, and an improved air-conditioning. The term air conditioning refers to the cooling and dehumidification of indoor air for Thermal comfort.
Since 1998 the ATP system is used (automatic train protection), as well as ATO (automatic train operation) installed. Automatic Train Protection (ATP in Great Britain refers to either of two implementations of a Train protection system installed in some Trains in order Automatic train operation (ATO ensures partial or complete automatic Train piloting and driverless functions 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 a system gone completely controlled by the computer
External links
See also
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