Bilbao Metro

Bilbao Metro — Complete Guide 2026

What is Bilbao Metro? The Fosteritos

Bilbao Metro is the underground rapid transit system serving Bilbao and the Greater Bilbao metropolitan area. It was born as part of the urban transformation that turned Bilbao — a declining industrial city — into a global benchmark for urban regeneration. The so-called Bilbao effect was driven by the 1997 opening of the Guggenheim Museum and the renewal of the Abandoibarra riverside district.

The network's defining feature is the Fosteritos: the station entrances shaped as illuminated glass-tube arches rising from the pavement, designed by British architect Sir Norman Foster. Their transparency, integration with the urban fabric and distinctive form have earned multiple international design awards and, in 2025, heritage protection status from the Basque Government. The metro's logo was designed by German graphic designer Otl Aicher, also known for the Munich 1972 Olympic pictograms.

Bilbao Metro station — the Fosterito glass-tube entrance designed by Sir Norman Foster

History of Bilbao Metro

Plans for a metro in Bilbao date back to the 1920s, when the rapid industrial growth along the Nervión river estuary called for fast mass transit. The project was postponed for decades due to funding shortfalls and political disagreements. It was not until 1977 that the regional government revived the proposal, and formal approval for construction came in 1987.

Works began in 1988 under the direction of Sir Norman Foster's studio, which was responsible for the design of the tunnels and stations. On 11 November 1995, Line 1 was inaugurated with Moyua as the opening station. Gobela and Casco Viejo opened in 1996; Santutxu, Bolueta and Basarrate in 1997, the same year Line 2 began construction. Line 2 opened on 13 April 2002. The last expansion was the Kabiezes station, opened on 28 June 2014, extending Line 2 south into the Left Bank industrial area.

Lines and stations

Bilbao Metro has 2 lines that share the central tunnel under the Bilbao city core. Line 1 runs from the eastern end (Etxebarri) along the northern Getxo coast to Plentzia. Line 2 connects the eastern end (Basauri) with the Left Bank of the Nervión (Kabiezes), with a branch to Mamariga.

Line 1 stations (Etxebarri → Plentzia)

Line 2 exclusive stations (Basauri ↔ Kabiezes + Mamariga branch)

Central stations (Etxebarri–Sarriko) are shared by both lines. Check the official map: metrobilbao.eus.

Inside a Bilbao Metro station

Bilbao Metro fares 2026

Fares are set by the Consorcio de Transportes de Bizkaia (CTB). In March 2026, updated fares came into effect. Prices vary by number of zones and ticket type.

Occasional tickets (without Barik card)

Creditrans fare (with Barik card)

Estimated prices. Barik card requires validation at both entry and exit. Confirm at ctb.eus.

Monthly and annual passes

The Barik card

The Barik card is the rechargeable smart card for all public transport in Bizkaia: Bilbao Metro, Bilbobus, Bizkaibus, Euskotren, Renfe Cercanías and Bilbao Tram. Also valid on the Artxanda Funicular, Ereaga lift, Bizkaia Bridge and bike-sharing services.

• Creditrans Barik (anonymous): up to 10 simultaneous validations — ideal for groups.
• Kide Barik (personalised): monthly passes and large-family discounts. Requires ID and photo.
• Giza Barik (personalised, reduced mobility): disability discounts ≥33%. Certificate required.
• Gazte / Juventud Barik: monthly or annual pass for under-26s in Bizkaia.

Important: validate the Barik card at both entry and exit. Missing tap-out triggers maximum fare. Top up online at barik.net.

Hours and frequency

Getting to Bilbao Airport

Bilbao Metro does not serve Bilbao Airport (BIO) directly. Best option:

1. Metro to San Mamés (L1/L2).
2. Walk to Termibus bus station and take Bizkaibus A3247 to the airport.
3. Journey time: approximately 30–40 minutes by bus.

Taxi from city centre: approximately €25–35, 20–30 minutes.

Accessibility

All stations have lifts and ramps for universal access. Trains have wheelchair spaces, tactile paving and audio announcements. Giza Barik cardholders with ≥33% certified disability qualify for the Gizatrans reduced fare (≈€0.35).

Rules

• No eating, drinking or smoking on the metro system.
• Children under 4: free with proof of age.
• Pets: in a carrier under 8 kg. Guide dogs: unrestricted.
• Escalators: stand right, walk left.
• Priority zones: first and last carriage (elderly, pregnant, wheelchair, pushchairs).
• Validate Barik card at entry AND exit.

Tourist highlights by metro

• Guggenheim Museum — Moyua station, 11 min walk. Frank Gehry's landmark building.
• Casco Viejo (Old Town) — Casco Viejo station. Ribera Market (Europe's largest covered market), Cathedral of Santiago.
• Bilbao Fine Arts Museum — Moyua station, 7 min walk. El Greco, Goya, Zurbarán, Basque art.
• Bizkaia Bridge (Puente Colgante) — Areeta station (L1). UNESCO World Heritage, world's oldest transporter bridge (1893).
• Getxo & Sopelana beaches — Algorta, Sopelana stations (L1). Bay of Biscay, 30 min from city centre.
• Abandoibarra — Abando/San Mamés stations. Regenerated riverfront; Euskalduna Concert Hall, Torre Iberdrola.

Curiosities

• The Fosteritos: Sir Norman Foster's glass-tube station entrances. Heritage-listed by the Basque Government in 2025.
• Ghost station of Ibarbengoa: built in the 1990s between Sopelana and Berango, never opened. Line 1 trains pass through it without stopping — visible from carriages.
• Otl Aicher's logo: German graphic designer Otl Aicher (Munich 1972 Olympics pictograms) created the Metro Bilbao logo — one of his last major projects before his death in 1991.
• The Bilbao effect: term used in urban planning to describe city regeneration via major cultural projects, coined from Bilbao's own transformation in the mid-1990s.

Future expansions

The master plan includes Lines 3, 4 and 5, with new stations in Rekalde, Matiko and Basurto. As of May 2026, no confirmed start date exists for any of these. Line 3 (linking city centre with the airport via Basauri) has been postponed multiple times since the 2000s.

FAQ — Bilbao Metro