How to get from Bilbao airport to the city centre

Summary: all options at a glance

The airport is in Loiu, about 12 km from central Bilbao.

Bizkaibus A3247: the airport bus

Bizkaibus line A3247 Bilbao - Airport leaves from the arrivals level. In the other direction, buses from Bilbao drop off at the departures level.

• Price: €5 for a single ticket, sold by the driver. The customer service desk in arrivals also sells tickets and tops up Barik cards.
• Frequency: every 15 minutes. Departures from the airport at :10, :25, :40 and :55 past each hour.
• First and last bus: 6:10 am to 11:40 pm.
• Stops in Bilbao: Alameda Recalde 11, Plaza Moyua (Hacienda stop) and Gran Vía 79, ending at the Bilbao Intermodal bus station.
• With a Barik card: if you will use public transport in Bizkaia on other days, a Barik card with stored value (Creditrans) makes trips cheaper. One anonymous Barik works for up to 10 people travelling together, validating within 3 minutes.

Journey time depends on traffic: Bizkaibus does not publish it. By car, outside rush hour, the trip takes around 15 minutes.

Taxi: Aena's guide prices

The rank is on the arrivals level. The service is run by Asociación Auto Taxis Femade. Aena publishes these approximate fares from the airport:

These are guide prices: the final amount is set by the meter, depending on the address and the traffic. To book, Femade has a website (taxiaeropuertobilbao.com) and phone line (+34 944 800 909).

Heading to San Sebastián or Vitoria?

Direct buses leave from the airport itself without going through Bilbao: Lurraldebus to San Sebastián (with an optional stop in Zarautz) and Autobuses La Unión to Vitoria. A taxi to San Sebastián costs around €185-201, so the bus is almost always the better deal. We explain it in the San Sebastián airport guide.

Pre-booked private transfer

With a service such as Welcome Pickups you book before you travel: the driver tracks your flight and meets you at arrivals, with a fixed price paid in advance. According to the company, the price is equivalent to a taxi from the rank.

It is not worth it if you travel light and land in daytime: the A3247 runs every 15 minutes for €5. It is worth it if you land after 11:40 pm, travel with young children or lots of luggage, or are staying outside the centre, in Getxo or on the coast.

Which option suits you

• Solo or as a couple, in daytime: Bizkaibus A3247. Get off at Moyua for the Ensanche district or the Guggenheim, a short walk away.
• Landing after 11:40 pm or before 6:10 am: no bus. Taxi or pre-booked transfer.
• Family with suitcases: taxi. For about €27 it drops you at the door, not much more than five bus tickets.
• Group of 5 or more: large taxi or a transfer with a larger vehicle, booked in advance.
• Going to San Sebastián: Lurraldebus direct bus from the airport.