Larreineta Cliff Railway

The Larreineta Cliff Railway was built in 1926 to connect the mining neighbourhoods of Larreineta and La Arboleda to the town of Trapagaran, located in the Valley. This required overcoming a 342-metre difference in altitude, which was impossible using conventional railway systems.

Unlike most cliff railways in Europe, which were built to enable tourists to enjoy picturesque landscapes from a summit, the Larreineta funicular was built as a public service to meet the needs of these mining neighbourhoods which, at the time, were home to more than 5,000 people. In addition to catering for passengers, the line was also used to carry goods. The passenger carriages could be easily disassembled to produce a platform on which trucks loaded with a wide range of necessities, such as meat, fish, fruit, wine, etc. could be transported.

Except for the passenger carriages, which were updated in 1985, the Larreineta Cliff Railway preserves its remaining elements from 1926 intact: the two stations, the 1,179-metre route and, above all, the machinery supplied by Fonderie de Berne L. de Roll (Switzerland). The great heritage value of the facilities combines with the environment, resulting in an area marked by intense iron ore mining activities that, since 1865, contributed to the subsequent industrial development of Biscay. From the funicular cars, passengers can see railway-related earthworks, platforms, quarries or dumps that make up an exceptional industrial landscape.