How to travel from Madrid to Bilbao
4.9
4.6Travel Information from Madrid to Bilbao
 Distance | 322 km |
|---|---|
 Available travel modes | Train, coach or flight |
 Ticket price range | €16 - €39 |
 Cheapest mode | Train • €16 • 4 h 40 min |
 Fastest mode | Flight • €39 • 1 h |
 Popular travel companies | Alsa, Air Europa or Renfe ALVIA |
Travel 322 km by train, coach or flight to Bilbao from Madrid. The most popular travel providers which serve this trip are Alsa, Air Europa or Renfe ALVIA among others. Travellers can even take a direct coach, flight or train from Madrid to Bilbao.
Travel optionsfrom Madrid to Bilbao
How to get from Madrid to Bilbao by train, bus or flight.
Our recommendation
The best way to travel from Madrid to Bilbao is by taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.
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IB441ux7161ux7157Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, flight, and ferry .
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All travel companies: All Airlines, Train and Coach Companies from Madrid to Bilbao
Travel from Madrid to Bilbao on Renfe, Air Europa and Alsa travel with Omio. When comparing timetables and tickets, we will also show you other options with multiple connections or other travel modes if they’re available.
Renfe is a Spanish train company that operates throughout the country including trains from Madrid to Bilbao. It offers a wide range of services, including high-speed AVE trains, regional trains, and night trains. The AVE trains are the fastest and most comfortable way to travel, with speeds of up to 300 km/h. Regional trains are slower but offer more stops and are ideal for shorter trips. Night trains are a great way to save money and time, as they allow you to travel overnight and arrive at your destination in the morning. Renfe offers several types of tickets, including single tickets, return tickets, and season tickets. Onboard facilities include comfortable seating, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and power outlets. The most popular routes for Renfe are Madrid-Barcelona, Madrid-Seville, and Madrid-Valencia. These routes offer travelers the chance to explore some of Spain's most beautiful cities in comfort and style.
Alsa is the main travel operator in Spain, a subsidiary of the UK travel operator National Express. Alsa offers a wide variety of national and international routes and transports more than 300 million passengers every year. Apart from the Standard fare, Alsa provides ticket types like Minimum, Reduced and Flexible fares on select routes for those looking to save money on travel journeys. While most travellers don’t mind travelling on normal travel with basic services like toilets, free WiFi, footrests and onboard entertainment, some others may want to check out Alsa’s deluxe travel like the Alsa Supra, Alsa Eurobus and Alsa Premium, which provide more luxurious amenities on specific routes.
Air Europa is Spain's 3rd most popular airline with flights around Europe and the rest of the world and a choice between Economy or Business fares for your travel between Madrid and Bilbao.
FAQs: Travel from Madrid to Bilbao
There are 3 ways to get from Madrid to Bilbao: train, coach or flight.
The cheapest way to get from Madrid to Bilbao is by taking a train with average ticket prices of €16 compared to other travel options to Bilbao:
Taking a train costs €11 less than taking a coach, which average ticket prices of €27.
Taking a train costs €24 less than taking a flight, which average ticket prices of €39.
The fastest way to get to Bilbao from Madrid is by flight with an average travel time of 1 h.
Other travel options to Bilbao take longer:
Coach takes 3 h 55 min on average.
Train takes on average 4 h 40 min.
The Madrid to Bilbao distance is approximately 322 km.
The average frequency per day from Madrid to Bilbao is:
- Around 25 coaches per day.
- 15 flights a day.
- Around 2 trains per day.
However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your trip between Madrid and Bilbao as scheduled services by train, coach or flight can vary by season or day of the week.
These are the most popular departure and arrival points when travelling from Madrid to Bilbao:
- Most travellers take a coach from Madrid, Estación Sur de Autobuses to Bilbao, Estación de Autobuses.
- Most travellers catch their flight from Madrid Barajas Airport and arrive in Bilbao Airport.
- Most travellers take a train from Madrid Chamartín to Bilbao-Abando.
The following travel companies offer services from Madrid to Bilbao:
- Alsa, Alsa Supra, FlixBus or Empresa Municipal de Transportes can take you to Bilbao by coach. If searching for a good deal on coaches, you can find tickets for Alsa from Madrid to Bilbao for €27.
- Travel with Air Europa, Iberia, Air Nostrum or Vueling Airlines to go to Bilbao by plane. For a good deal on tickets, you can find Air Europa Madrid to Bilbao tickets on Omio for €39.
- Travel with Renfe ALVIA or Renfe Viajeros to go to Bilbao by train. For a good deal on tickets, you can find Renfe ALVIA Madrid to Bilbao tickets on Omio for €16.
Yes, there are direct services available from Madrid to Bilbao with the following travel companies:
- Direct coach available with Alsa 24 direct coaches per day.
- Direct flight available with 7 direct flights per day.
- 2 direct trains per day with Renfe ALVIA or Renfe Viajeros.
Direct services tend to save you time and add more convenience in getting you to Bilbao as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking your tickets between Madrid and Bilbao.
Travelling from Madrid to Bilbao: related information
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