Since Monday, three model 447 vehicles, brought from Gipuzkoa, are operating on the C-3 line connecting Orduña and Bilbao. These trains have a ramp at the central door of the middle carriage instead of stairs to improve accessibility. However, last week Maria Luisa Goikoetxea, a resident of Orduña, warned that the accessibility of the trains does not guarantee the accessibility of the entire service, as they are not adapted to the height of all stations.
The regulations stipulate that the distance between the platform and the train cannot exceed 7.5 centimeters, and the height difference cannot be more than 5 centimeters. The association Fekoor has measured accessibility station by station, creating an accessibility map for the C-3 line for people with reduced mobility.
Stations have been classified into three colors: green for those that are accessible and safe, orange for those that slightly exceed regulations or may cause difficulties, and red for those that are dangerous and inaccessible. In the Orduña-Bilbao direction, the green stations are Orduña, Amurrio, Amurrio Iparralde, Laudio, Areta, Arakaldo, Basauri, Bidebieta-Basauri, Miribilla, and Abando. Arrankudiaga, Arrigorriaga, and La Peña are orange, and Iñarratxu, Salbio, Luiaondo, Laudioko Santa Kurutze, Arbide, Bakiola, Ugao, Abaroa San Miguel, and Ollargan are red.
In the Bilbao-Orduña direction, due to the platform change, the classification differs: Abando, Miribilla, La Peña, Bidebieta-Basauri, Arrigorriaga, Arbide, and Orduña are green. Bakiola, Arrankudiaga, Areta, Laudio, Amurrio Iparralde, and Amurrio are orange, and Ollargan, Abaroa-San Miguel, Basauri, Ugao, Arakaldo, Laudioko Santa Kurutze, Luiaondo, Salbio, and Iñarratxu are red.
“"We recommend that users with mobility problems activate the 'Accessible' option when checking the timetable, to know which service is suitable for their needs, both in terms of the train and the station."
Therefore, the association Fekoor recommends that users with mobility problems consult the timetable on the Renfe website and activate the 'Accessible' option to determine which service is suitable for their needs. For this purpose, Renfe's customer service phone numbers can also be used: 944 879 256 / 912 320 320.
