To spot the Line 3 (Bilbao Metro) station, look for a futuristic, bright, tunnel-shaped space with silver curved walls, glowing blue signs, and sleek staircases leading up from the platforms on either side of the train tracks.
Welcome to the state-of-the-art Line 3 of the Bilbao Metro! If you’re feeling a little like you’ve stepped onto a spaceship, you’re not too far off-most of the stations here were designed by the world-famous architect Norman Foster. His signature style is all over the smooth curves, clean lines, and smart lighting you see around you. Now, if only we could convince him to install a chocolate vending machine at every platform!
But back to our trains. The Line 3 isn’t just a pretty face. It was inaugurated on April 8, 2017, with a fanfare that echoed across the north of Bilbao-literally connecting neighborhoods like Ocharcoaga, Churdínaga, Zurbaran, and Uribarri before winding its way to the stations of Matiko and Kukullaga. Imagine being able to zip from the quiet hillsides of San Antonio in Echévarri right into the bustling Casco Viejo in just a handful of minutes. Suddenly, that last-minute dash for pintxos in the Old Town became a lot more possible!
There’s some clever engineering going on under your feet. Line 3 shares every inch of its track with Euskotren’s suburban lines-E1, E3, and E4-bringing together travelers from as far as San Sebastián and Bermeo. This blending of routes means that people coming from seaside towns, garden suburbs, and even industrial hubs all converge here, in the heart of Bilbao, making the city feel like one big, buzzing neighborhood.
It wasn’t always this smooth, you know. The early plans for Line 3 started buzzing around back in 2007. At first, the line was supposed to snake through just six stations-then, with some classic Basque determination, they added Matiko to make seven. There were debates, reroutes, and a few head scratches about whether to link more neighborhoods or not. The first groundbreaking didn’t even come until 2009, and more than a few politicians probably lost some hair over the delays (or maybe that’s just metro stress).
One dramatic moment-picture this-was the start of the great Artxanda tunnel: nearly two kilometers of rock and soil had to be conquered to make way for the trains. And while that was underway, old stations like Loruri-Ciudad Jardín were closed down, and the beloved Zazpikaleak/Casco Viejo station was demolished and rebuilt into a glittering, modern hub.
Now, this is more than just functional steel and concrete. The design isn’t just about looking cool-Foster’s “cavern” stations, with rounded ceilings and hidden lighting, actually make the underground feel bright and welcoming. Each stop has become a little world of its own, joining residents, students, and the odd flustered tourist searching for a map.
Speaking of trains, keep your eyes peeled for those sleek CAF class 900 and 950 models that glide through here; sometimes they’ve got four cars, sometimes three, but always with smart screens, good lighting, and even onboard toilets. These beauties not only ferry more than 70,000 people daily, but they do it using less energy, and with enough doors that you’re never squashed like a sardine in a can-unless, of course, you’re traveling at rush hour, when a sense of humor might be your best carry-on.
And get this: the journey from a hillside like Otxarkoaga down into Casco Viejo takes barely five minutes-about enough time to listen to a single song, unless you’re into prog rock epics! The core of the action is the Zazpikaleak/Casco Viejo station, where you can transfer between Line 1, Line 2, and tram services-a true crossroads that’s drawn more energy and life into Casco Viejo than a Saturday night party.
Looking to the future, urban dreamers are planning to stretch Line 3 west to the airport-imagine being able to hop onto a train at Matiko and arrive at your gate at La Paloma terminal in only seven minutes. You might just make your flight even if you’re a last-minute packer.
So next time you ride, whether you’re heading for the seaside, a Basque festival, or just back home, remember: you’re gliding through one of the region’s most ambitious pieces of public art and engineering-a living, rumbling, people-moving vein at the heart of Bilbao. And don’t worry, this is the only subway in Spain where you’re guaranteed not to meet a mole. Or at least not a very big one.
Wondering about the rolling stock, operator and service or the architecture? Feel free to discuss it further in the chat section below.
