Lutxana–Sondika line

The Lutxana–Sondika line (Basque: Lutxana-Sondika trenbidea, Spanish: Ferrocarril Lutxana-Sondika) is a single-track branchline in Biscay, Basque Country, Spain. Owned by Euskal Trenbide Sarea, it runs from Lutxana to Sondika, connecting line 1 of the Bilbao metro with the Txorierri line. It is a remnant of the former Lutxana–Mungia line, which was partially closed in May 1975.

Lutxana–Sondika line
View of Lutxana station
Overview
Status	Active
Owner	Euskal Trenbide Sarea
Locale	Biscay, Basque Country, Spain
Termini	Lutxana Sondika
Stations	3
History
Opened	1 May 1893
Technical
Line length	4.3 km (2.7 mi)
Number of tracks	Single
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
Electrification	1,500 V DC overhead catenary
Signalling	LZB
Route map Legend 16.242 Mungia 15.080 Atxuri 13.856 Zabalondo/Laukariz 9.853 Artebakarra 7.857 Aiartza 7.018 Aburto 6.810 Gastañaga 5.730 Elotxelerri Txorierri line to Lezama and Matiko 4.619 Sondika (former) Sondika 3.165 Zangroiz 2.554 Asua 1.376 Arriagas Line 1 (Bilbao metro) to Plentzia 0.000 Lutxana Line 1 (Bilbao metro) to Etxebarri This diagram: view talk edit

History

Early years

On 10 March 1891, the government granted Manuel Lecanda the concession for building a railway between Lutxana (a neighborhood of Erandio) and Mungia. The Lutxana terminus served as an interchange with the Bilbao–Plentzia railway (nowadays part of line 1 of the metro). Works started on 14 May that year. The first phase, corresponding to the stretch between Lutxana and Artebakarra, opened on 1 May 1893. The second phase, between Artebakarra and Mungia, opened on 9 July 1894.^[1] The first trains left at 5:30 and the last ones at 23:15, with the trip taking 45 minutes.^[2]

In 1908, the Bilbao-Lezama line was rerouted through a new alignment which included a connection to Sondika station on the Lutxana–Mungia line. Trains started running through the new connection on 23 July 1909.^[3] An extension from Mungia to Bermeo was studied, but wasn't carried out due to the high costs involved.^[4] In 1947 the railway was amalgamated into the new company Ferrocarriles y Transportes Suburbanos. The line was electrified in phases between 1949 and 1950.^[5]

Partial closure and decline

Part of the line was in close proximity to Bilbao Airport. Due to the lengthening of the runway, the line was closed between 10 June 1966 and 1 March 1967. A new alignment was built, with the Gastañaga halt being closed as a result. The variant included a new stop at Elotxelerri, distinct from a nearby stop of the same name on the Txorierri line. The new alignment was short lived, as on 11 May 1975 the line was closed between Sondika and Mungia due to another expansion of the airport.^[5]

The line was taken over by FEVE in 1977 and Euskotren in 1982. Passenger traffic on the line declined during the 1980s due to the closure of factories [es] along the line.^[5] Starting on 1 January 1997, service between Lutxana and Sondika was suspended due to low demand.^[6]

Current developments

The line was reopened to passenger traffic in 2015. During the construction of metro line 3, the old tunnel through Artxanda was closed. As a result, trains on the Txorierri line had to be provisionally rerouted from Lutxana to Lezama from November 2015 to April 2017.^[7] After the opening of line 3 in April 2017, train service on the Txorierri line was completely restored, with its trains running through the new tunnel and the metro line.^[8] However, a limited service from Lutxana to Sondika was kept, on a provisional basis at first.^[6]

As of 2022, Euskotren is planning to build a new depot on the line, which would by used by trains running on line 3 of the metro.^[9]

Service

E3a line
Overview
Service type	Commuter rail
Current operator(s)	Euskotren
Route
Termini	Lutxana Sondika
Stops	Zangroiz
Line(s) used	Lutxana-Sondika
Technical
Rolling stock	Euskotren 950 series

The only service operating on the Lutxana–Sondika line is Euskotren Trena line E3a. Operated by Euskotren, it provides an hourly service from Lutxana to Sondika with an intermediate stop at Zangroiz. The shuttle only runs on weekdays.^[10]

The current shuttle service started running in April 2017, together with the restoration of the Txorierri line service via the new Artxanda tunnel and line 3 into Bilbao.^[8] During the previous two years, trains had run from Sondika to Lutxana to provide a connection to the metro.

The operator's initial plans were to stop passenger traffic on the Lutxana-Sondika line after the opening of line 3.^[11] However, as the connection between Sondika and Lutxana would have been lost otherwise, an hourly service from Lutxana to Sondika was kept. The service ran on a provisional basis for six months, after which its continuation would be evaluated.^[6]

References

1. Peris Torner, Juan (19 April 2012). "Ferrocarril de Luchana a Munguía (Suburbanos de Bilbao)". Spanish Railway (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
2. ""Tardaba 45 minutos en llegar a Lutxana"". El Correo (in Spanish). 29 October 2007. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
3. Peris Torner, Juan (21 March 2012). "Ferrocarril de Bilbao a Lezama (Suburbanos de Bilbao)". Spanish Railway (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
4. Olaizola Elordi, Juanjo (2005). El ferrocarril de Amorebieta a Bermeo (PDF) (in Spanish and Basque). EuskoTren. p. 37. ISBN 8492062975. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
5. Olaizola, Juanjo (11 May 2015). "El ferrocarril de Lutxana a Mungia". Historias del tren (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2022.
6. Gude, E. (30 March 2017). "La línea entre Lutxana y Sondika «en pruebas» abrirá de lunes a viernes". El Correo. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
7. "Euskotren pone en marcha la conexión entre Ola y Sondika". Deia (in Spanish). 21 December 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
8. Domínguez, José (9 March 2018). "La Línea 3 del metro aumenta un 20% los viajeros en la red de Euskotren en el Txorierri". El Correo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 16 May 2018. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
9. Izaguirre, Txema (18 April 2022). "El proyecto de las cocheras de Erandio para la línea del Txorierri estará listo este año". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2022.
10. "Horario lanzadera" (PDF). Euskotren (in Spanish and Basque). Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
11. Sánchez de Luna, Íñigo (22 February 2017). "Erandio reclama a Euskotren mantener su conexión ferroviaria con Sondika". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 June 2022.

External links

• Media related to Lutxana–Sondika line at Wikimedia Commons
• Geographic data related to Euskotren Trena E3a line at OpenStreetMap