San Sebastián to Bilbao by train

Prices explained

Prices explained

At Rail Europe we believe in price transparency. We use real data from Rail Europe searches to estimate the cheapest fares you should be able to find for your journey.

The cheapest price is the lowest fare we've ever found for this journey. These prices can usually be found by searching when booking opens but they vary due to availability, which depends on factors like the day of the week or time of year.

More popular journeys include 30 day advance and 7 day advance prices. These are updated every two weeks using prices we've found by searching exactly 7 or 30 days from the most recent Thursday (we picked Thursday because this is when average prices are usually found).

30 day and 7 day prices fluctuate based on demand and availability at the time of search. For example, the 7-day price in summer is likely to be more expensive than the same journey in winter.

Prices are sourced in GBP and converted to other currencies using the daily market exchange rate.

We're always seeking to improve how price-checking works, and we welcome feedback on how we can make it better.

More advice about how to find the cheapest tickets can be found in our infographic.

  1. Cheapest Price $14.35
  2. 30 day advance $30.06
  3. 7 day advance $32.11
Trustpilot logo 89% based on 52,371 reviews
  • First train
    08:57
  • Last train
    16:33
  • Avg changes
    1
  • Fastest journey
    3hr 59m
  • Distance
    77 kilometres
  • Trains per day
    4
  • Avg. journey time
    4hr 19m
  • Train operators

Travelling from San Sebastián to Bilbao by train

Fast trains from San Sebastián to Bilbao take around 3 hours and 59 minutes, covering a distance of approximately 77 kilometres. There are frequent services on the rail route between San Sebastián and Bilbao.

1. Are there direct trains from San Sebastián to Bilbao?

Journeys between San Sebastián and Bilbao usually involve one change of train.

We usually find around 4 departures on the route from San Sebastián to Bilbao every weekday that leave enough time to change trains without waiting around for longer than necessary.

There are typically fewer departures at weekends, when we found around 3 departures.

2. How long is the train journey from San Sebastián to Bilbao?

The San Sebastián to Bilbao train travel time is normally about 3 hours and 59 minutes, whatever time you make the journey.

3. What are the San Sebastián to Bilbao train times and schedule?

On weekdays the earliest train to Bilbao is usually scheduled to depart San Sebastián around 08:57 and the last train is around 16:33. This is the same at the weekend.

What's the San Sebastián to Bilbao train price?

The earlier you book the better, and the cheapest tickets we've found for trains from San Sebastián to Bilbao are $14.35.

Trains departing 30 days in advance will cost around $30 while booking 7 days in advance the price is around $32. Booking on the day of travel is likely to be more expensive, so it is worth booking in advance if you can to save money.

When to book San Sebastián to Bilbao train tickets?

Trains in Spain usually open for booking around 4 months in advance. If booking is not yet open for your dates then you can set a booking alert to receive an email on the day that the cheapest tickets are released for your journey from San Sebastián to Bilbao by train.

Help with booking alerts

Which train companies operate between San Sebastián and Bilbao?

More than one train company operates on the route from San Sebastián to Bilbao, so you’ll be travelling with one or more of the following rail operators:

  • Alvia
  • Intercity
  • Media Distancia
  • REG.EXP.
  • Regional Express
  • Trenhotel

You can check which train you’ll be travelling on by looking for the train name in search results.

Bilbao to San Sebastián by train

Other journeys to Bilbao-Abando View all journeys to Bilbao-Abando

Buy train and bus tickets for UK and Europe - the easy way

  • Easy, fast and cheap
  • Pay in EUR, GBP, USD or CAD
  • Cheaper UK tickets with Pricehack

Blog posts featuring San Sebastián or Bilbao

Booking fees on hold

Booking fees put on hold at Rail Europe until end of year

Raise a glass to Spain opening up again in its wine regions

Get a true taste of Spain by visiting its vineyards by train. With some stunning Spanish cycling routes adding to the country’s most beautiful bouquet.

European Capitals of Culture

European Capitals of Culture - some of our favourites to visit by train.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe to receive top tips, train news and travel inspiration straight to your inbox

By continuing to browse this website, you agree to the use of cookies from Rail Europe and third parties to provide you with products and services suited to your interests. To learn more and customise cookie settings, see our cookie policy.

Child and youth passengers

The definition of "Child" and "Youth" varies by country and operator. This is why we ask for the age of young passengers.

Sometimes children below a certain age can travel without a seat for free. If you want to guarantee a seat for child passengers, enter '6' as the age of the child.

Read more about child and youth passenger ages. See also youth discounts and railcards.