Thanks to the works carried out by Euskal Trenbide Sarea (ETS), a public entity of the Basque Government's Department of Sustainable Mobility, the 'dead end' of Altza will be eliminated, transforming it into a railway variant and significantly improving public transport service.
Susana García Chueca, Minister of Sustainable Mobility, explained the service improvements this morning, traveling on a Euskotren unit through the new underground section connecting Altza and Pasaia. During this first journey on the variant, she was accompanied by Miguel Ángel Páez, Undersecretary of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility, Antonio López, Director of ETS, and Yon Pérez, Director of Euskotren.
Specifically, at the Altza station and the new Pasai Antxo station (which will open on July 18, replacing the current one located above the viaduct dividing the neighborhood), train frequency will be doubled. Thus, the connection to Amara will be offered every 7.5 minutes on weekdays and weekend afternoons (currently every 15 minutes), every 15 minutes on weekend mornings (currently every 30 minutes), and every 30 minutes on Saturday nights (currently every 60 minutes).
García Chueca explained that the new frequencies represent “an important step forward in the objective of the Department of Sustainable Mobility to reduce waiting times in the Gipuzkoa rail service” and that “just as happened until now on the Amara-Herrera section, people living in Pasaia and Altza will no longer have to watch the clock so closely.”
ETS has carried out the works with funds from the Basque Government. Since the completion of the works, Euskotren has been conducting test runs (journeys without passengers) since mid-June to perform all necessary technical checks on both the infrastructure and rolling stock. During this period, significant training has also been provided to over 150 drivers on the characteristics of the new section, its operation, and safety aspects.
To increase the planned frequency, in addition to the effort in staff training, the number of trains has had to be increased. The fleet will consist of 67 units once five new convoys, currently being manufactured by CAF and to be delivered in the coming months, are added. This will give Euskotren greater capacity to meet both regular demand and special services for cultural, festive, and sporting events. Currently, 136 train services operate daily between Altza and Pasaia on weekdays, and with the new variant in operation, this will rise to 274.
On that day, Saturday, Topo trains will make their first stop at the new underground station in Pasaia. This station will completely change the appearance of the Antxo neighborhood, as it will allow for the demolition of the railway viaduct that will no longer be used. In the new public space created above the station, Gure Zumardia square, the Department of Sustainable Mobility, ETS, and Euskotren have organized a day full of train-related activities to welcome the new station and frequencies.
