For free all day long – this is how public operation on the Basque Country’s newest tram connection started: On 11 April 2023, the tram in the regional capital Vitoria-Gasteiz serves a further 2.58 km to Salburua. The double-track line has its own alignment throughout and is mainly laid as grass track. The line branches off from the existing network at Florida stop and serves five new stops up to the terminus at Salburua. 25 mn EUR was the total investment cost.
The low-floor tramcars run every 15 minutes during the day. There are now these two lines in Vitoria-Gasteiz – without numbering:
Salburua- Ibaiondo
Abetxuko – University
They jointly serve the central section Florida – Honduras and offer here a 7.5 minute interval. Opened in 2008, the Vitoria’s tramway today is an important part of the city’s public transport system and a flagship of a modern, contemporary urban culture. Several extension were opend over the years, see also: https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/tramway-vitoria-gasteiz-opens-its-exention-to-the-university/ . Further extensions are planned; the tender for the award of the detailed project planning for a new line to Zabalgana, branching off from the current Lovaina stop, has just started.
The tram is operated by the Basque regional railway company Euskotren, as is the tram in nearby Bilbao. In Vitoria, there are currently eight five-section low-floor trams built in 2008/9 and seven longer seven-section trams built in 2019/20 in service, all of the Urbos type from the Spanish manufacturer CAF.
The BRT circular line “BEI”, which is operated by electric buses and has a high proportion of its own reserved right-of-way, is supplementing the tram network.
