Bilbao’s municipal government approved plans Wednesday to construct a new public elevator in the Santutxu neighborhood, aiming to improve accessibility for residents navigating the city’s steep terrain. The project, alongside a separate elevator planned for the Irala district, represents a combined investment of €2.3 million.
The new elevator will serve the Sagarminaga area of Santutxu, connecting Cocherito de Bilbao street with the pedestrian zone, bridging a height difference of over five meters. City officials say the installation will create a safe and continuous accessible route, benefiting the entire neighborhood.
Bilbao has been actively expanding its network of accessibility infrastructure for decades. The city’s first elevator was built in Solokoetxe in 1935, followed by installations in Begoña and La Salve. A free public elevator opened in Betolaza in 2007. As of February 2026, Bilbao boasts 82 such accessibility features, including 77 elevators, 13 sections of escalators across three locations, and seven sections of ramps at two locations, in addition to privately owned elevators.
The planned Sagarminaga elevator will be a panoramic, vertical lift integrated into the existing staircase structure. This project follows the recent completion of a new public elevator connecting the Fika and Iturribide streets in Santutxu, which became operational in October 2025. That elevator, costing nearly €972,477.23, addresses a 9.81-meter descent and has a capacity for 13 people.
Another recently completed elevator, serving the Masustegi neighborhood, began operating on February 24, 2026. The Masustegi elevator addresses the challenges posed by the area’s significant slopes and numerous staircases.
