The metro contains an extensive range of installations, in some cases auxiliary, yet as a whole, they indicate the high standard of the service.
Escalators are the usual means used by the vast bulk of commuters on entering
and exiting the metro network.
These automatic staircases are reversible, so that, if required by the amount
of traffic, they can change direction.
All the stations of Bilbao underground are accessible for people with impaired
mobility.
The Metro stations have two levels, one is the platform level where commuters
access the trains; the other is a higher level, located above the platforms,
which houses the reception halls, ticket dispensers and guides passengers
towards the two directions that the trains travel. The lifts follow the
same plan.
At street level, there is only one lift per station. These lifts transport
passengers to the distribution halls. They can hold eight people.
In turn, there are two lifts at the distribution halls, one for each platform,
which take the passengers to the relevant platform depending on the direction
they want to travel. These are panoramic lifts with a capacity for eight
people.
The ticket dispensing machines offer touch screens that simplify operations.
They also accept payment by credit cards.
There are also validation machines (access gates) at each station; some
are wider for prams, wheelchairs, luggage, etc.
Extraction ventilation under platforms: Each station has a ventilation
system which basically includes fans, filters and silencers, as well as
conduits under the platforms and regulation gates. The aim is to maintain
appropriate air quality in the stations. There are two fans per station.
Emergency ventilation: The emergency ventilation system allows, in
the event of fire, the correct evacuation of personnel along smoke-free
routes with controlled temperature. It also facilitates the access of fire
fighting personnel to the source of the fire and its extinguishing, as well
as the ventilation of the tunnels if a train has to stop between stations.
Each station on a section has two pump wells, one at each end, although
there are also some wells located strategically at the lower parts of the
section, for example at Elorrieta and Olabeaga.
When the water reaches a certain level, it is pumped to the sewage network.
