How to travel from Madrid to Bilbao

Tue, Feb 03
+ Add return
Travel by train, bus, flight with
Alsa
Renfe ALVIA
Air Europa
Alsa Supra
Iberia
1,000+ more
Alsa
Renfe ALVIA
Air Europa
Alsa Supra
Iberia
1,000+ more
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Travel Information

Compare train, bus, and flight for Madrid to Bilbao

Omio recommends booking the bus as it is the most popular option from Madrid to Bilbao among Omio's users. If you are prioritising price take the bus with prices starting from €29. For those with little time consider booking a flight which can get you there in 1h 33m. In case you are seeking to minimise your carbon footprint the train is your best bet as it emits only 0.1 - 0.3kg. The ticket price range depends on the travel mode: a bus costs an average of €29, and a flight costs an average of €42.

Distance: 323 km

Compare bus with

Most popular
Bus
Train
Flight

€51

Average price

Cheapest

€69

Average price

€192

Average price

6h 50m

Average total duration

6h 20m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

5h 48m

Average total duration

5h 18m

Onboard

+

30m

Additional time*

4h 33m

Average total duration

Fastest

1h 33m

Onboard

+

3h 0m

Additional time*

0.3 - 0.8kg

CO2 emissions

0.1 - 0.3kg

CO2 emissions

Lowest

1.0 - 1.9kg

CO2 emissions

Alsa

Most popular bus company

Renfe ALVIA

Most popular train company

Air Europa

Most popular airline

Direct Options

Direct Options

Direct Options

Additional time: Average total travel duration to departure point, security checks and transfers.

Travel options
from Madrid to Bilbao

How to get from Madrid to Bilbao by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

train

The best way to travel from Madrid to Bilbao is by taking a train because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

Renfe ALVIA04187
07:20AM4h47
Madrid Chamartín
12:07PMBilbao-Abando
371One-way
0 transfers

Cheapest

Renfe ALVIA04187
07:20AM4h47
Madrid Chamartín
12:07PMBilbao-Abando
371One-way
0 transfers

Fastest

Air EuropaUX7157
11:00AM1h00
Madrid Barajas Airport
12:00PMBilbao Airport
1621One-way
0 transfers

Other options

Renfe Intercity04687+Renfe ALVIA00438
08:40AM7h13
Madrid Chamartín
03:53PMBilbao-Abando
451One-way
1 transfer
Renfe ALVIA04187 · 00438
07:20AM8h33
Madrid Chamartín
03:53PMBilbao-Abando
451One-way
1 transfer
Renfe Intercity04687 · 00280
08:40AM9h42
Madrid Chamartín
06:22PMBilbao-Abando
451One-way
1 transfer
AlsaNormal
10:00AM4h40
Madrid, Intercambiador de Avenida de América
02:40PMBilbao, Estación de Autobuses
431One-way
0 transfers
AlsaNormal
07:00AM4h50
Madrid, Intercambiador de Avenida de América
11:50AMBilbao, Estación de Autobuses
431One-way
0 transfers
AlsaNormal
11:15AM4h40
Madrid, Terminal de autobuses T4 (Aeropuerto de Madrid)
03:55PMBilbao, Estación de Autobuses
431One-way
0 transfers
IberiaIB1099
11:45AM1h05
Madrid Barajas Airport
12:50PMBilbao Airport
1691One-way
0 transfers
Air EuropaUX9057 · UX7007
07:00PM23h35
Madrid Barajas Airport
06:35PMBilbao Airport
1801One-way
1 transfer
Air EuropaUX9048 · UX7007
03:00PM27h35
Madrid Barajas Airport
06:35PMBilbao Airport
1801One-way
1 transfer

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .

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FAQs: Travel from Madrid to Bilbao

Travel to Bilbao easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Madrid to Bilbao.

FAQs
There are 3 options to travel between Madrid and Bilbao including taking a train, bus, and flight.
The cheapest way to travel from Madrid to Bilbao is a bus with an average price of €29.

This is compared to other travel options from Madrid to Bilbao:

A bus is €0.30 less than a train for this route with tickets for a train from Madrid to Bilbao costing on average €29.

A bus is €13 less than a flight for this route with tickets for a flight from Madrid to Bilbao costing on average €42.

The fastest way to travel from Madrid to Bilbao is by flight with an average journey time of 1h 0m.

Other travel options to Bilbao take longer:

Train takes on average 4h 40m.

Bus takes on average 3h 55m.

The Madrid to Bilbao distance is approximately 323 km.
The average frequency per day from Madrid to Bilbao is:
  • Around 24 buses per day.
  • Around 11 flights per day.
  • Around 2 trains per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your route between Madrid and Bilbao as scheduled services by train, bus, and flight can vary by season or day of the week.

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Madrid to Bilbao:
  • Flights mostly depart from Madrid Barajas Airport and arrive in Bilbao Airport.
  • Trains mostly depart from Madrid Chamartín and arrive in Bilbao-Abando.
  • Buses mostly depart from Madrid, Intercambiador de Avenida de América and arrive in Bilbao, Estación de Autobuses.
If finding a good deal is your main consideration for your trip from Madrid to Bilbao, then we'll help you find the best value travel companies for you:
  • Travel with Renfe ALVIA, Renfe (13), Renfe, Renfe Intercity, Renfe Viajeros to go to Bilbao by train.
  • Travel with Air Europa, Iberia, Air Nostrum , Vueling Airlines, Iberia Express, GetJet Airlines to go to Bilbao by flight.
  • Travel with Alsa, Alsa Supra, BlaBlaCar, Infobus, FlixBus, Empresa Municipal de Transportes to go to Bilbao by bus.
Yes, there are direct services available from Madrid to Bilbao with the following travel companies:
  • 2 direct trains per day with Renfe ALVIA, Renfe Viajeros.
  • 7 direct flights per day with Air Europa, Iberia, Air Nostrum , Iberia Express.
  • 23 direct buses per day with Alsa, Alsa Supra, BlaBlaCar.
Omio customers who travel from Madrid to Bilbao often also extend their vacation to go to Donostia-San Sebastian, Barcelona, Paris, Pamplona, Vitoria-Gasteiz. Omio can help you plan your trip by finding the best connections between Bilbao and these popular destinations at a great price.
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