On 28th November 2024, the Spanish government, the Basque regional government, and Spanish state railway Renfe signed an agreement that transfers responsibility for commuter transport in Bilbao and San Sebastián from the central government to that of the Basque Country from 1st January 2025. The Basque government will thus be responsible for the management of five commuter lines operated by Renfe, which carried around 23 million passengers in 2023. These include three lines in Bilbao with a gauge of 1,668 mm and the C1 line Irún – San Sebastián – Tolosa – Brínkola as well as the metre-gauge C4f line from Bilbao to Balmaseda. The transfer requires the approval of the Spanish cabinet. The Basque government plans to expand the network and improve it both quantitatively and qualitatively. Renfe has committed to replacing the 25 oldest trains in its 44-vehicle commuter fleet over the next three years. The Spanish government has committed to investing over €400 million in the Basque region as part of infrastructure manager Adif's ten-year investment programme.
