How to 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.