The Bilbao Metro stations were designed by Norman Foster and partners, awarded the job in 1988 after an open competition. First works began in late 1988, and the first stretch of Line 1 opened on November 11, 1995 with 23 stations. The Biscay Transport Consortium is the sole shareholder of Metro Bilbao.
Stations were dug as large caverns with a 160 square meter cross section, giving open spaces instead of linked tunnels. Steel mezzanines span over the tracks, and steel and concrete are used throughout. Glass entrances are nicknamed fosteritos after the architect.
Sarriko station won the 1998 Brunel Award for Railway Design. Ridership passed 100 million in 2024, making it the third-busiest metro system in Spain. Line 3, opened on April 8, 2017, is run by Euskotren.
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