How to Get to Bilbao from San Sebastian

There are several ways to get from San Sebastián to Bilbao, the most common being by plane, train and bus, but these are not the only options. You can choose to travel by car or, for greater convenience, you may prefer a tour that takes you straight to the best things to do and see in Bilbao and its surroundings, such as a visit to the Game of Thrones Targaryen House or admission to the Guggenheim Museum.

In this post, I will tell you about all the options available for travelling from San Sebastián to Bilbao, including prices, duration and comparisons so that you can decide which alternative suits you best. Let's get started!

Want to avoid the crowds in San Sebastián and visit another highlight of the Basque Country? Sign up for one of the best day trips from San Sebastián: a visit to Bilbao.

During this type of excursion, you will travel from San Sebastián to Bilbao, where you will enjoy a walking tour of the city. You will visit several places of interest, including the 10th-century chapel of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, and learn about Basque mythology and history from an experienced guide. What's more, if you liked Game of Thrones, you should know that winter is here, as this chapel is the site of one of the castles in the series.

At the next stop, recharge your batteries with a hearty lunch as you sample some of Bilbao's best pintxos in the old town. Next, the small group will explore the impressive Bilbao Contemporary Art Museum, which will take your breath away as you tour its art and architecture.

If you decide to visit Bilbao in one day and want to make the most of your time, this type of excursion is the solution.

Details of interest

• Price: from £234 per person.
• Duration: 9-10 hours.
• What this option includes: return transport to your accommodation. Private transport in a minivan. Entrance to the Guggenheim Museum. Entrance to the islet of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Typical lunch. Local guide service in your language.
• Pros: this is an all-inclusive tour of Bilbao's most famous sights, travelling in small groups. This type of tour usually includes lunch with pintxos, the region's signature dish. Finally, don't forget the comfort of private transport with an expert on board.
• Cons: it's perfect for a quick tour of the capital of Vizcaya, however, for those who wish to explore the city in more detail, it may be advisable to choose one of the following options in this article to personalise your itinerary.

Arrive in Bilbao comfortable, relaxed and in style. Imagine avoiding the hassle of finding parking, hailing a taxi or catching the right bus to connect with your places of interest. Now make it a reality with a private transfer from San Sebastián to Bilbao, the service that frees you from all the stress of getting around the Basque Country so you can enjoy your trip from the very first minute.

With this type of service, a driver will pick you up at your accommodation and take you to discover the economic capital of Vizcaya and its surroundings in a modern minivan or car.

This type of transfer operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so it adapts to your schedule no matter what time of year or day of the week you feel like visiting the best towns in Bilbao from San Sebastián.

Details of interest

• Price: from £285 per person.
• Duration: 8-9 hours.
• What this option includes: return transfer from your accommodation, even from San Sebastián Airport (EAS). Bottled water. Driver service around the city.
• Pros: you can organise the itinerary as you wish, the driver will serve as a guide and driver to follow your plan.
• Cons: this type of plan essentially offers only transport services; admission to places of interest, food, an internal guide or any other services are usually excluded.

The fastest route from Bilbao to San Sebastián by car is the AP-8 or Cantábrico motorway. It is a 100-kilometre route that can be covered in approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Another option is to take the Autovía del Norte or A-1 motorway. This route is 130 km long and takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete. Please note that in both cases, tolls of approximately £15 are included.

As for transport, you can choose the taxi service. There is a taxi rank at the airport exit and the waiting time depends on the number of people travelling that day. The taxi service between San Sebastián and Bilbao often costs around €180. You can also choose to hire a car.

Companies such as Basque Motor, SIXT, Europcar and Thrifty have a good reputation, but there is a wide range of options available to suit all tastes.

This way, you will have a means of transport to return to San Sebastián and a car for your excursions from £35 per day!

Useful information

• Price: from £35.
• Duration: 75 minutes.
• What this option may include: car transfer from Donostia to Bilbao.
• Pros: this is a personalised service, whether you choose a taxi or, even better, hire a car, giving you greater control over your time and the destinations you visit.
• Cons: if you choose to hire a car, remember to set aside money for the deposit and fuel, or at least make sure you know where the charging stations are if you choose an electric car.

This is the easiest and cheapest way to get from San Sebastián to Bilbao. First of all, you should know that there are multiple alternatives and two routes, namely:

Via Donostiako Autobus Geltokia to Bilboko Autobus Geltokia

The bus leaves from Donostia Geltokia station, just 1 km from La Concha beach, and takes you directly to Bilbao with one of the following operators:

• Lurralde Bus, better known as Pesa, takes 1 hour and 15 minutes. Just hop on any bus on lines Do01 or Do03 to get to Bilbao. Buses run every hour, and tickets for this route start at £9.
• ALSA bus takes 1 hour and 20 minutes to reach Bilbao and you can catch the bus at the Donostia, Federico García Lorca station. Tickets are available from £6 and depart every 3 hours.
• With FlixBus, you can get to Bilbao on any of its 5 daily routes, which take 1 hour and 25 minutes. Tickets are available from £7. An interesting point is that you can take the bus on the following lines: N155, N156, N703, N716, N743, N1157, 711, 783 and 786 and connect with Bilbao.

Via Donostiako Autobus Geltokia to Ernesto Erkoreka Plaza

• With BizkaiBus, you can take a bus on line A3912 every hour. The journey to Bilbao takes 2 hours and 25 minutes. Tickets cost approximately £2.
• With Lurraldebus Euskotren, you can take a bus on line DB02 every hour, and best of all, the journey takes 50 minutes and you can get a ticket for this route from £2.

As with buses, there are several trains covering this route with different prices, durations and frequencies. Even so, this is one of the most practical options. Let's take a look at the main alternatives:

• Take the SNCF train 18012 from San Sebastián central station to Miranda de Ebro, where you change trains and take the number 438 to Bilbao Abando. The journey takes 4 hours and 15 minutes, tickets cost from £35 and trains run daily.
• With Euskotren from Amara-Donostia central station or any of the stations on the E1 line, you can take the train every hour that will take you via MATIKO-BILBAO to the Old Town of the capital of Vizcaya. The journey takes 2 hours and 30 minutes and you can buy a ticket from £5.
• RENFE trains, similar to their predecessor, run every hour from Amara-Donostia station or any of the stations on the E1 line to Miranda de Ebro, where you change trains to Bilbao Abando. The journey takes at least 6 hours due to transit time. Tickets are available from £8.

Carla's Traveller Tip

A combination of transport such as train and bus often significantly reduces travel time, and you can also take advantage of offers with travel passes.

If you want to travel from San Sebastián to Bilbao and you want to do so by car at the best price, we recommend sharing your transport, as it is the fastest and most convenient option. You may be tempted to take a taxi or find out the train or bus timetables, but these options can be expensive and time-consuming.

Shared transfers from San Sebastián to Bilbao are a good alternative. Companies such as UBER and BlaBlaCar are usually the most popular for this type of service.

The journey will be relaxed and offers many of the advantages of taxis, but at a reasonable price. What's more, the service is available 24 hours a day, you just need to book in advance. If you don't mind sharing a car and only have a travel bag, this is the option for you!

Useful information

• Price: from £7 per person.
• Duration: approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• What this option may include: transport service from a central point in San Sebastián to the main streets of Bilbao.
• Pros: you save time on connections. Prices are competitive. The transfer time is similar to that of a taxi service because passengers are connected via the app according to their proximity to their destination.
• Cons: the amount of luggage is usually limited to one travel bag per person. As these are extra-urban transfers, you must book the service in advance.

Bilbao is 100 kilometres from San Sebastián. The average journey time is 1 hour and 5 minutes, although this varies depending on the type of transport you use.

The fastest way is by car or direct taxi, although there is a bus service that takes 50 minutes.

The best time to visit Bilbao depends on your preferences. Some people prefer to travel when the city receives more visitors because the locals and visitors get along well and some activities are better enjoyed in groups, while others prefer the low season.

So, I'll leave it up to you to decide which time is best. Just take a few things into consideration to help you decide:

• Spring (March to May) brings good weather and many festivals. The average temperature is 16°C.
• The summer months (June to September) bring even more festivals, but also higher prices. June and September are the best months to travel, as this is when most tourists visit Bilbao. At this time of year, the average temperature is 22°C.
• Autumn (October to November) can be wonderful, as you can walk around the city among multicoloured trees, the atmosphere is pleasant and the temperature is cool, around 14°C.
• In winter (December to February), the average temperature is 8°C and the months are usually windy.