Tram systems in Vitoria-Gasteiz
Vitoria-Gasteiz is the capital of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain. Its historic centre occupies a hill and retains a distinctive almond-shaped medieval street plan, surrounded by the commercial centre and more recent residential neighbourhoods. The city is also known for its parks and Green Belt, with walking, cycling and public transport playing an important role in urban mobility.
Public transport in Vitoria-Gasteiz combines a modern tram network with urban buses operated by TUVISA. The bus network includes the BEI electric bus service, which follows a peripheral circular route and complements the tramway’s connections through the city centre. Regional and longer-distance buses serve the bus station in the north of the city, where passengers can interchange with trams and urban buses.
The tram network consists of two lines: Ibaiondo–Salburua and Abetxuko–Unibertsitatea. These connect residential districts in the north and east with the city centre and the university area to the south. Both lines share the central section between Honduras and Florida, providing a common corridor through the centre before separating onto their outer branches.
Vitoria-Gasteiz currently has 2 tram lines. Further information is available in the Lines tab.
The tram network is operated by Euskotren, the Basque Government’s public transport operator. TUVISA, the municipal bus company, operates the city’s urban buses, including the BEI service.
Useful official links:
Vitoria-Gasteiz’s tramway history began with proposals that were never built. In 1901, Enrique Castroviejo put forward a scheme for an urban tramway, but it did not enter service. The city therefore had no historic tram network preceding the modern system.
Plans for a modern tramway emerged during the 1990s, although initial opposition and a lack of political agreement delayed progress. The project subsequently gained support, leading to the construction of a network connecting the city centre with residential districts to the north.
Passenger services began on 23 December 2008, with the first line linking Ibaiondo and Angulema. This established the central section through the city centre and the northwestern branch serving Lakua.
A second branch opened on 10 July 2009, providing a service from Angulema towards Abetxuko, initially terminating at the stop now known as Kañabenta. The two routes shared the section between Angulema and Honduras before separating towards their northern termini. On 7 September 2012, the Abetxuko branch was extended further into the neighbourhood, bringing the tramway closer to its residential centre.
On 15 February 2020, the network expanded southwards from Angulema to Unibertsitatea, serving the university campus. The approximately 1.4-kilometre extension added three stops: Florida, Hegoalde and Unibertsitatea. Its construction included widening the Las Trianas bridge to accommodate the tramway.
The opening also marked the introduction of longer trams, increasing passenger capacity as the network developed. Initially, services from Ibaiondo continued to Unibertsitatea, while those from Abetxuko terminated at Florida.
The eastern extension to Salburua opened to passengers on 11 April 2023. Branching from Florida, it added approximately 2.5 kilometres of track and five stops, extending tram services into the growing residential district.
The associated reorganisation established the present pair of routes: Ibaiondo–Salburua and Abetxuko–Unibertsitatea. These retain a shared central section between Honduras and Florida, linking the northern branches with destinations to the east and south of the city.
Vitoria-Gasteiz currently has 2 tram lines, which are listed below.
| Line | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Line 1 runs between Ibaiondo and Salburua via Lakua, the city centre and Florida. |
| 2 | Line 2 runs between Abetxuko and Unibertsitatea via Arriaga, the city centre and Florida. |
Vitoria-Gasteiz’s tramway uses 1,000 mm metre-gauge track, electrified at 750 V DC through overhead wires. The network operates at street level, combining reserved tram corridors with sections integrated into the city’s streets.
Most of the network is double track, although short single-track sections run through Abetxuko and along Calle Nieves Cano on the university branch. These sections accommodate the tramway within more restricted street space.
The two lines share the central corridor between Honduras and Florida, with branches towards Ibaiondo and Abetxuko in the north and towards Salburua and Unibertsitatea at the opposite end. Stops provide accessible boarding, with a mixture of side and island platforms.
The network’s depot, maintenance workshops and control centre are located at Ibaiondo. These facilities support the daily operation, servicing and storage of the tram fleet.
The fleet consists of articulated trams built by CAF, with fully low-floor interiors. Two vehicle lengths are used: shorter five-section trams and longer seven-section trams providing additional capacity. The current fleet comprises 16 vehicles, split between nine five-section units and seven longer units.
The 500 series comprises the original five-section vehicles, approximately 31 metres long. These bidirectional trams have driving cabs at both ends and doors on both sides, allowing them to serve different platform arrangements and reverse at terminal stops.
The 600 series comprises seven-section trams approximately 44 metres long, with capacity for around 400 passengers. Introduced from 2020 alongside the university extension, these longer vehicles increased capacity as the network expanded.
Construction is under way on an extension serving Zabalgana, in the west of Vitoria-Gasteiz. The new route will connect with the existing network at Lovaina and follow a common section towards Avenida de Zabalgana, where it will divide into branches serving Aldaia and Mariturri. The western extension will add approximately 5.5 kilometres of route, improving connections between the city centre and the residential districts of San Martín and Zabalgana.
Work began on the Aldaia branch in summer 2026. Opening is planned for 2029, although a precise passenger-service commencement date has not been confirmed. The planned service would provide a tram every 15 minutes on each branch, combining to offer a service every 7½ minutes along the common section.
The same expansion programme includes a short extension beyond Salburua towards new tram depots at Betoño, with an additional passenger stop planned on Cuenca del Deba. Together with the Zabalgana routes, this brings the overall programme to approximately 6.3 kilometres of new track and 11 additional stops.
The Betoño depots will complement the existing facilities at Ibaiondo and support operation of the enlarged network. Their completion is required before the Zabalgana service can begin.