The Department of Sustainable Mobility of the Basque Government has announced that the second surface hall at the Anoeta Topo station will be put into service on October 8th. The Minister of Sustainable Mobility, Susana García Chueca, visited the facilities accompanied by the Vice-Minister of Infrastructure and Sustainable Mobility, Miguel Ángel Páez, the Director General of Euskal Trenbide Sarea (ETS), Antonio López, and the Deputy Director General of Euskotren, Yon Pérez. Guided by the construction manager, attendees toured the new hall, where ETS is currently completing the final electrical installations and the extension of the underground platform.
The new hall is undergoing the installation of validators, ticket machines, and testing of the elevators which, along with the stairs, provide access to the platforms. The construction work has been complex due to the need to operate alongside the regular train service. The access hall features a glass facade and a concrete roof that extends as a cantilever over the entrance area to protect users. The exterior cladding consists of large-format tiles with a stone-like appearance, yet fully recyclable and vandal-proof, aligning with the Department of Sustainable Mobility's commitment to promoting the circular economy and reducing maintenance costs.
The new hall will coexist with the old one until Monday, October 12th, inclusive. Starting Tuesday, the old hall will be closed for the preliminary and dismantling work necessary for a thorough renovation. During this new phase of works, the old hall will remain closed, except when the Real Sociedad plays or large public events are organized in the vicinity. In such cases, the old terminal will open two hours before and up to two hours after the event.
In this context, the Minister of Sustainable Mobility, Susana García Chueca, emphasized that "the main objective of this work is to facilitate the flow of people during matches and events, improving the safety and comfort conditions for citizens attending Anoeta." In fact, Anoeta is the second busiest Topo station in terms of users, with nearly 3,000,000 validations last year, "and the new hall has a surface area of 400 square meters, which will be added to the current 380," she recalled.
Topo users attending Real Sociedad matches and major events will have a new way of moving around, activated from the first men's team match on October 11th. Depending on the direction they wish to take the train at the end of the match, they should consider the following: Those wishing to take the Topo towards Hendaia must access the platforms from the new hall's entrance, which will be exclusively reserved for departures towards the east of the territory. Those who want to access trains heading to Lasarte-Oria must use the main entrance of the old hall. Users taking units towards Zumaia will have access from the Gasca side. This dynamic will remain unchanged from now on for all match days and major events like concerts.
Among the work carried out, the ground-level occupation by the new access has been compensated by gaining public spaces in front of vehicular traffic, taking advantage of the reduction in traffic resulting from the commissioning of the Urumea bypass. This has led to a significant urban regeneration effort in the area, common in ETS's works, linked to preserving pedestrian surface area in front of the stadium and promoting active mobility, in addition to rail transport.
To this end, during the initial phases of the work, a complete reorganization of the surrounding roads was necessary, including the old roundabout of Aita Donostia, following traffic guidelines established by the City Council of San Sebastián. This was followed by the diversion of affected services, i.e., electrical, telephone, and water supply pipes located underground, before the construction of the screens (walls) for the new access to the platforms. Following this process, the covering slab was built, and the screens of the old tunnel were demolished without interrupting rail traffic. With the space fully prepared, the construction of the access stairs to the platforms and the building's structure began. Furniture and lighting have also been replaced to enhance safety and cleanliness. In addition to the construction of the structure, tasks have included the extension of the pre-existing platforms, which now have a glazed protection to prevent accidental falls onto the track.
From a railway perspective, this new infrastructure "is in line with the transport revolution that Gipuzkoa will experience with the recent opening of the Altza-Galtzaraborda section and, on November 21st, the Topo's through-line across the center of Donostia," the minister underlined. "Ultimately, it is about building competitive and efficient infrastructure that encourages citizens to use public transport and leave their cars at home," she added.
