CTB (the Bizkaia Transport Consortium) has set up a helpline on nº 94 685 50 00 for people seeking information on matters concerned with the use of the Barik contactless card and public transport in the province.

This number (with local area code 94) has been incorporated this week into the public information services provided by CTB from its customer information office at the San Mames intermodal station, in line with a mandate from the General Assembly of Bizkaia.

The contracts offered by most telephone operators now offer free calls to landlines, so this service will mean big savings for callers. The CTB information switchboard received around 11,000 calls in 2015.

The new 94 685 50 00 service will coexist with the earlier 901 123 123 helpline for several months as the old number is phased out gradually, leaving only the local number.

On its first day of availability the app, which can be found in the Google PlayStore, obtained a total of 2414 downloads. Users who have installed the app, which lets them top up their Barik contactless cards from a smartphone running on Android 4 or higher, made 6758 queries and carried out 572 top-up operations (563 for the Barik purse card and 9 for monthly passes). The total amount paid out in these operations was €5607.20.

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As from Monday 29 February you can top up your Barik card via a smartphone. To begin with the CTB app will be available via the Google PlayStore, and will be for NFC-enabled phones running on Android 4.0 or higher. It will be extended to other operating systems at a later date. http://www.ctb.eus/sites/default/files/Barik2016Cast.mp4

Approval has also been given for the Bilbao Bizkaia Card tourist ticket to be used as from 1 March on Euskotren rail lines in Bizkaia and on the funicular railway in Larreineta.

The CTB has also agreed to invite bids for two new contracts to continue the work to eliminate the level crossing and transfer the line underground in Urduliz and build a new station below ground. The go-ahead has also been given for the project for signposting, furnishings and the technical office at Urduliz station.

CTB’s Barik contactless card for public transport in Bizkaia was used for 120,065,100 journeys last year. It now accounts for around 73% of all public transport journeys in the province.
Barik cards were also used on 73,895 journeys on the tramway system in Vitoria.

This scheme, promoted jointly by the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, the Basque Government, Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao Bizkaia [the Bilbao-Bizkaia Water Board], Consorcio de Transportes de Bizkaia [the Bizkaia Transport Consortium], Metro Bilbao and Grupo Eroski, proposes simple ideas and practical actions for changing people’s life habits in regard to water, energy, mobility, purchasing and waste management, and fosters the engagement of schools and families at home.

A standout point among the issues approved by the General Board of CTB in its meeting today was the approval of the organisation's budget for the coming year. In all, CTB is to have €200,002,884 at its disposal to enable it to meet its various obligations as a local organisation. Approval was also granted for the budget allocation for Metro Bilbao S.A., which is to be €74.5 million.

Initially, the app will work only with smartphones that run on Android 4.0 or higher and use NFC technology, though it will later be extended to other operating systems. As from Wednesday 9 December Barik cards can also be topped up online

The winners of the raffle of three mobile phones among the participants in the “Recharge the Barik with your NFC mobile” pilot project, held last 27 November at the CTB’s offices before a public notary, are the following:
- Mikel Santamaría Guerrero
- Marta Gonzalo Moja
- Mª Eugenia Moro Abascal.
The prizes will be presented to the winners next Friday 4 December at the CTB’s offices.

Having concluded this first phase of the pilot project, the CTB has decided to continue it, maintaining the Barik card consultation and recharge service with NFC mobile telephones operative.

The CTB has practically completed the reforms and adaptation works of the Mamariga shaft, the access to the Metro Bilbao Santurtzi station that was closed on 14th June due to an accidental fire that affected its interior. The opening has taken place one month and a half before the initially scheduled date.
The total cost of the repairs has been calculated at 1,375,000 euros, which will be covered almost in their entirety by the insurance company.