An efficient public transport system makes Bilbao an easy city to navigate. These are our tricks and tips for getting around during your stay.
Barik Cards
Buy a barik card if you plan on using public transport a lot while in Bilbao. Essentially it’s Bilbao’s version of an Oyster card and can be used on most forms of public transport within Bizkaia.
You can buy them from the special machines (the smaller one, normally the furthest on the right) inside metro and train stations. The card costs €3, but you don’t get change when you purchase it, so all the rest of the money goes onto the card. For example if you pay with a €10 note, it’s €3 to buy the Barik and the other €7 is put on the card.
The other great thing about Barik cards is that up to 10 people can travel with one card as long as they take the same journey and there’s enough money on the card.
Airport to city centre
If you’re flying into Bilbao, and don’t want to catch a taxi, getting from the airport to the city centre by bus is the easiest and cheapest option. You’ll need to catch the A3247, which goes from the airport to the city centre – check the times below.
A ticket costs €3 and the journey takes about 20 minutes, stopping at Alameda Recalde, twice on Gran Via (the first stop on Gran Via is very close to the metro station at Plaza Moyua) and Bilbao Intermodal (the city’s main bus station).
Check out our guide below to discover more information about Bilbao Airport.
Santander Airport
Another option is to fly into Santander and then get a direct coach from the airport to Bilbao’s main bus station.
It normally costs around €15 per person for a single journey and takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on the time of day and route.
If you’re staying in Bilbao for an extended period of time, we would recommend planning a day trip to the scenic coastal city.
You can use the widget below to check available buses.
Metro Bilbao
Bilbao’s metro system is clean and very efficient, with one main line in the city centre that splits into two separate lines as it goes down different sides of the river. Make sure to study the map carefully and learn the names of the final stops so you don’t go the wrong way.
Bilbao Metro Ticket Prices
Without a Barik card
- One zone: €1.70
- Two zones: €1.90
- Three zones: €1.95
With a Barik card
- One zone: €0.48
- Two zones: €0.57
- Three zones: €0.62
It depends on the station, but from Sunday-Thursday, they tend to close around 23:15 and on Fridays at 02:00. On Saturdays, the metro runs all night.
Check the metro’s website or download the app to figure out where you need to go.
Read our full in-depth guide to navigating Bilbao’s metro system.
Buses
There are two types of buses. Red buses (Bilbobus*) are inner-city, while green buses (Bizkaibus) will take you to various locations around the province of Bizkaia.
Bilbao’s main bus station is called Bilbao Intermodal. It’s in the neighbourhood of San Mames, just a short walk from Athletic Club’s stadium.
Download their respective apps to check the different routes and timetables: Bilbobus & Bizkaibus
Tram
Bilbao has a tram system, called ‘Tranbia’, which is comprised of one line with 16 stops. It mostly follows the river as it winds through the city centre.
As with buses and the metro, you can use a Barik card to get on and off the tram.
Trains
Bilbao is serviced by two main train networks: Euskotren and Renfe Cercanias.
Renfe Cercanias has four commuter lines – C1 to C4. Lines 1 through to 3 start at the Abando Railway Station in the heart of Bilbao, while C4 begins at Bilbao Concordia Station, which is adjacent to Abando Station.
Cercanias does have some stops in Bilbao city centre, but its main purpose is to provide means of transport to satellite towns and other neighbourhoods in Greater Bilbao and Bizkaia.
Abando Station also contains a stunning, massive-scale, stained glass window on its upper platform deck.
Take a look at Renfe Cercanias’ app and website to check routes and timetables.
You can use your barik card on all Renfe stops within Bizkaia, make sure to tap in and out as you use the trains.
Euskotren is a railway network that traverses all of Euskadi (the Basque Country in Spain).
These trains are a great option if you’re looking to get out of Bilbao and explore other parts of the Basque Country, especially Bizkaia.
Lines E1 and E4 are the ones that take in Bilbao and Bizkaia. Euskotren’s main central station in Bilbao is located in Casco Viejo at the Plaza de San Nicolas, sharing an entrance there with the Casco Viejo metro station.
Consult Euskotren’s website and app for further information about routes and timetables.
Your Barik card can be used on the entire Euskotren network inside the Basque Country.
If you’re coming into Bilbao from a different part of Spain, you’ll most likely stop off at Abando or Concordia.
Bicycles
Bilbaobizi offers you the chance to rent bikes for an hour using their app. Membership is yearly, costing €20.20 for Bilbao residents and €25.25 for non-residents. There are 43 stations with bikes across Bilbao. If you want to go for a ride outside of Bilbao, you can also hire bicycles via Bizkaibizi, a similar scheme to Bilbaobizi but encompassing the entire province.
Bicycle paths in the city and surrounding region are known as “bidegorris” (red paths). They’re a great way to explore Bilbao and the rest of Bizkaia. Click the following link to find a map below detailing different bidegorris throughout the province.
