San Sebastián Metro

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San Sebastián Metro
Euskotren Trena Logo.svg
Vista de la estación de metro de Intxaurrondo.jpg
, 2016.
Overview
Owner
LocaleDonostialdea (greater area of San Sebastián), Gipuzkoa, Spain
Transit type
Number of lines2
Number of stations21
Annual ridership12 million (2018)[1]
Websiteeuskotren.eus/en/tren
Operation
Began operation
Operator(s)Euskotren
Technical
System length29.8 km[citation needed]
Track gauge1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Electrification1,500 V DC overhead catenary

Euskotren operates frequent commuter rail services in the city of San Sebastián and the surrounding Donostialdea area, in the Basque Country, Spain. The infrastructure is gradually being upgraded to rapid transit standards, in order to create the San Sebastián Metro (Spanish: Metro de San Sebastián, Basque: Donostiako metroa). The line is commonly known as Topo (Spanish for 'mole'), due to the large number of tunnels present.[2] As of 2021, the San Sebastián suburban rail services are branded as part of the Euskotren Trena network, with no separate identity.[3][4]

History[]

The meter-gauge line opened on December 5, 1912 between San Sebastián with Irun. It was extended to Hendaye the following year.[5] The network was subsequently owned by FEVE, the Spanish narrow-gauge railway company, until it was transferred to the Basque Government in the 1970s. In the early 1980s, it was integrated into EuskoTren, along with other narrow-gauge lines in the Basque Country.

Since the 2010s, the line has been gradually upgraded towards rapid transit standards. In 2012, together with the opening of a new tunnel between and , it was announced that the line would be renamed to Metro Donostialdea. This branding, however, has since been abandoned.[3] In 2015, a branch was opened from Herrera to . This branch will be part of the new alignment between Herrera and .[6][7]

Future developments[]

A 4.2 km (2.6 mi) underground loop through the city centre was originally planned to open in 2022,[8][9] but is as now (as of 2021) scheduled for 2024.[10] This new tunnel will have three stations: , and ;[11] the last one of which will substitute the current terminus. When the tunnel is completed, the need to reverse at Amara will disappear.[12]

The works on the new - stretch will begin in late 2021, with completion scheduled for 2025.[6] This new alignment will simplify operations by absorbing the Altza branch into the main line. When completed, the line will be double-tracked between and .[citation needed]

Operations[]

There are two numbered lines: E2 and E5. Line E5 runs from to every 15 minutes on weekdays, and every 30 minutes during most of the weekend. Line E2 has two services: one from to , and another one from Lasarte-Oria to Hendaia; each running every 30 minutes during weekdays. The Irun to Lasarte-Oria service is reduced on weekends to a twice-hourly service from Irun to on Saturday afternoons.[13] Additionally, trains running on the call at all the stations between and Amara.[14]

Due to the existence of various overlapping services, headways vary depending on the time of the day and location. Since 2012, with the opening of the new Loiola-Herrera tunnel, there is a train every 7.5 minutes between and .[15] With the opening of the tunnel through the city center, it will be possible to offer regular headways in a longer stretch of the line.[citation needed]

Station list[]

The following table shows regular weekday service patterns. The first trains in the morning and the last in the evening make shorter trips.[13]

Trains stop at stations marked with "●" and don't stop at those marked with"｜":

Station E2 E5 Amara-Altza Location
Lasarte/Oria-Hendaia Lasarte/Oria-Irun
↑ Through-service to/from Matiko or via the Euskotren E1.svg ↑
● ●   Lasarte-Oria
● ●   San Sebastián
● ●  
● ●  
● ● ●
● ● ●
● ● ●
● ● ●
● ● ●
｜ ｜ ●
● ●   Pasaia
● ●   Errenteria
● ●  
● ●  
● ●   Oiartzun
● ｜   Lezo
● ●   Irun
● ●  
● ●  
●    
Hendaia ●     Hendaye

Rolling stock[]

Main article: Euskotren Trena § Rolling stock

The line shares rolling stock with the rest of the Euskotren Trena network. Currently, 900 series trains are used.[16][17] In the past, , 300 and trains were used.[18]

Network map[]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Opening of the new and underground stations, together with the introduction of the Metro Donostialdea brand.

References[]

  1. ^ "El Topo gana en Gipuzkoa un 11,6% de viajeros". El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 19 January 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  2. ^ "El Topo, historia de la línea internacional entre San Sebastián y Hendaya". Vía Libre (in Spanish). 18 January 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b Chico, A. (14 May 2017). "Vuelve el 'Topo' frente al 'Metro'" (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Timetables". Euskotren. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  5. ^ "Ferrocarril Eléctrico de San Sebastián a la frontera (Ferrocarril de San Sebastián a Hendaya- El Topo)". Spanish Railway (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  6. ^ a b Chico, Amaia (1 July 2021). "La variante Altza-Galtzaraborda estará acabada en 2025 y costará 64 millones". El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  7. ^ C., A. (8 August 2017). "Altza, el único ramal suelto de una línea continua". El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  8. ^ "Obras del Topo: El túnel de Miraconcha y el de la Avenida de Zarautz ya son uno". Donostitik (in Spanish). 2 September 2019. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  9. ^ Chico, Amaia (16 January 2020). "Excavada la nueva estación del Topo de Easo". El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  10. ^ Chico, Amaia (5 May 2021). "El Topo avanza hacia su tramo final". El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  11. ^ Alonso, Carolina (11 September 2021). "Finaliza la conexión entre Lugaritz y el nuevo trazado del Topo". Noticias de Gipuzkoa (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  12. ^ "El 'Topo' de Euskotren recupera el lunes la circulación en doble vía en las inmediaciones de Lugaritz de San Sebastián". El Diario (in Spanish). 12 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  13. ^ a b "Timetables - E2 Hendaia / Lasarte-Oria ---- E5 Altza / Amara" (PDF). Euskotren. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  14. ^ "Timetables - E1 Amara / Matiko" (PDF). Euskotren. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Ayer entró en servicio la variante ferroviaria Loyola-Herrera de Metro de Donostialdea". Vía Libre (in Spanish). No. 5 October 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  16. ^ "Arriola ha inaugurado el primer viaje de los nuevos trenes de EuskoTren". euskotren.eus (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  17. ^ "El Topo, historia de la línea internacional entre San Sebastián y Hendaya". Vía Libre (in Spanish). 18 January 2013. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  18. ^ (2001). Bilbo eta Donostia arteko trenaren material motorea / Material motor del ferrocarril de Bilbao a San Sebastián (in Spanish and Basque). Bilbao: Eusko Trenbideak Ferrocarriles Vascos , S.A. pp. 143–145. ISBN 84-920629-3-2.

External links[]

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