Bilbobus

Bilbobus

File:Bilbobuslogo.svg
250px
Service type	bus service
Operator	BioBide
Website	Bilbobus

Bilbobus is the name for metropolitan bus services in Bilbao.

The service is owned by the city council of Bilbao. Operations will be transferred to Veolia Transport, the company that won the contract in May 2008. The buses can be distinguished by their red colour and large white lettering, and there are 28 major lines serving the city, with eight smaller lines connecting the town centre with neighborhoods with narrow streets where normal buses can't drive. Plus eight night lines, called Gautxori.

Bilbobus has recently won a European Union prize for service excellence. It is part of a wider transport network operated by the Basque government, recent additions to which include the Metro Bilbao underground and the EuskoTran tram line. They join the Renfe, EuskoTren and FEVE train services and are heavily integrated by means of the Creditrans card to provide ease of movement in the city.

The company's branding takes the Basque language name for the city, Bilbo.

Lines

File:Bilbobus Mercedes (Hispano Habit).jpg

Bilbobus in the neighbourhood of Txurdinaga.

File:Arenal Bilbobus 56.jpg

Line 56 bus, the most used line.

The following is a list of the lines operated by Bilbobus, taken from their website:

• 01 Arangoiti - Plaza Biribila
• 03 Plaza Biribila - Otxarkoaga
• 10 Elorrieta - Plaza Biribila
• 11 Deustu - Atxuri
• 13 San Inazio - Txurdinaga
• 18 San Inazio - Zorrotza
• 22 Sarrikue - Atxuri
• 26 Uribarri - Termibus
• 27 Arabella - Betolatza
• 30 Txurdinaga - Miribilla
• 34 Otxarkoaga - Santutxu
• 38 Otxarkoaga - Termibus
• 40 Santutxu - Plaza Biribila
• 43 Garaizar - Santutxu
• 48 Santutxu - Lezeaga
• 50 Buia - Plaza Biribila
• 56 La Peña - Jesusen Bihotza
• 57 Miribilla - Ospitalea
• 58 Mintegitxueta - Atxuri
• 62 Termibus - Arabella
• 71 Miribilla - San Inazio
• 72 Larraskitu - Castaños/Gazteleku
• 75 San Adrián - Atxuri
• 76 Artatzu/Xalbador - Moyúa
• 77 Peñascal - Larreagaburu
• 80 Altamira - Termibus
• 85 Zazpi Landa - Atxuri
• 88 Kastrexana - Indautxu

Microbus lines (Auzobus)

• A1: Asunción - Plaza Biribila
• A2: Solokoetxe - Plaza Biribila
• A3: Olabeaga - Moyua
• A4: Zorrotzaurre - Deustu
• A5: Prim - Plaza Biribila
• A6: Arangoiti - Plaza San Pedro
• A8: San Justo - Ametzola

Night lines (Gautxori)

• G1: Arabella - Moyua
• G2: Otxarkoaga - Plaza Biribila
• G3: Larraskitu/Errekalde - Plaza Biribila
• G4: La Peña - Plaza Biribila
• G5: San Adrian/Miribilla - Plaza Biribila
• G6: Altamira/Zorrotza - Plaza Biribila
• G7: Larreagaburu - Plaza Biribila
• G8: Arangoiti - Plaza Biribila

Ridership

Ridership
Year	Passengers
1995	32,495,855
1996	29,593,660
1997	26,840,889
1998	23,146,360
1999	22,622,032
2000	22,729,418
2001	23,277,373
2002	23,146,360
2003	24,092,925
2004	25,517,892
2005	26,086,405
2006	27,264,583
2007	27,704,658
2008	26,004,174
2009	25,754,504
2010	25,424,770
2011	26,578,761

After the inauguration of Metro Bilbao in 1995, the number of passengers transported by Bilbobus fell from 32 million to around 29 million. The underground's extension to the neighborhood of Santutxu in 1997, accelerated the decline in ridership, and it fell below 23 million in 1999. Some lines were suppressed, and the number of bus units used was lowered.

A reorganization of lines, and an improvement of the service have led to an increase of the ridership. The number of passengers has risen around 3 to 4 per cent yearly, and is expected to reach more than 28 million in 2008, its highest level in ten years.

Busiest lines in 2007

• Peñascal - Larreagaburu: 2,008,969 passengers
• La Peña - Jesusen Bihotza: 1,959,000 passengers
• Otxarkoaga - Plaza Biribila: 1,789,088 passengers
• Txurdinaga - Miribilla: 1,681,512 passengers
• San Inazio - Txurdinaga: 1,673,612 passengers

Tickets

Passengers are typically recommended to use a Creditrans travelcard. Available in denominations of 5, 10 or 15 euros, they permit ease of travel and the cost of tickets is discounted. The ticket is validated each time you board the bus at a flat rate cost of 55 cents. The Creditrans is also valid on trains, metro and BizkaiBus bus services, which extend wider out of the city centre into all of Biscay. The Creditrans is available at most underground stations, tram stops, kiosks and tobacconists.

Tickets are also available on board at a flat rate of 1.15 euro.

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons

• Bilbao bus service in real time with Google Maps