If you’re planning to make a trip to Bilbao from overseas, you’re most likely going to travel into Bilbao Airport.
Bilbao Airport, also known as Bilbao-Loiu Airport, is an International airport that has a number of flights from all over Europe each day.
It’s located just 9 kilometres north of the city centre, making it really easy to get to and from. In this article we’ll run through the best options to get to the centre of Bilbao from the airport and vice versa.
Bilbao Airport to Bilbao centre by bus
The easiest and cheapest way to get from Bilbao Airport to the centre of Bilbao is by bus.
The A3247 is a direct bus service from the Airport which has four different stops in the centre of Bilbao, ending at the main bus station near the San Mames Stadium.
You can check out all of the stops on the map here, but these are:
- Alameda Recalde 14
- Gran Vía 46 (Sota)
- Gran Vía 74
- Bilbao Intermodal (bus station)
The bus is located on the far right hand side of Bilbao Airport as you come out of the arrivals terminal.
The buses are run by a company called Bizkaia Bizkaibus and they have manned (not always) ticket office next to the stop.
Price: The fare is €3 per person, one way. Departures: From Bilbao Airport to Bilbao. Buses run from 06:00 - 00:00. From 06:00 - 07:40 every 20 minutes (at :00, :20 and :40). From 7:40 - 19:40 every 15 minutes (at: 10, : 25, :40 and : 55) and from 19:40 - 00:00 every 20 minutes (at: 00, :20 and :40). From Bilbao centre to Bilbao Airport. Buses run from 05:00 - 22:00. From 05:00 - 08:00 every 20 minutes (at: 00, :20 and :40). From 08:00 - 18:00 every 15 minutes (at: 00, :15, :30 and :45) and from 18:00 - 22:00 every 20 minutes (at: 00, :20 and :40).
You can find out more information on the Bizkaibus website here.
Check out our separate guide if you’re looking to get from Bilbao airport to San Sebastian here.
Bilbao Airport to Bilbao centre by taxi
Whilst the bus is the cheapest way to make the journey from Bilbao Airport to Bilbao, depending on where you’re staying in the city, there may not be a bus stop conveniently located for you.
In that case, the easiest way to get to Bilbao is by taxi.
There’s a taxi rank outside the main arrivals terminal where you can quickly and easily get a cab.
In the earlier or later hours of the day, you may have to wait a little, but otherwise there should be a few taxi drivers waiting there for a job. If not, you can call one on (+34) 944 800 909.
Price: The taxi ride to the centre of Bilbao will cost you around €24-€30 depending on exactly where you’re going. To Getxo, this will be around €28-€33.
The taxi ride should take around 15 minutes.
Bilbao Airport to Bilbao centre by car
If you’re planning to hire a for your stay in the Basque Country, then hiring a car from Bilbao Airport to make your way to the centre of Bilbao makes sense.
All the major car hire companies offer car rentals from Bilbao Airport and have pick up locations on site.
Once you have your hire car, you can take the autopista (motorway) directly to the centre of the city. The journey should take just 15 minutes.
Like any big city, it can be quite stressful driving and finding a parking space in the centre of Bilbao. If you´re taking a hire car, I’d recommend a hotel with parking, otherwise, expect to pay around €15-€20 per 24 hours for parking.
