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Madrid 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 $17.36
  2. 30 day advance $27.37
  3. 7 day advance $40.06
Trustpilot logo 89% based on 52,371 reviews
  • First train
    08:00
  • Last train
    16:05
  • Avg changes
    0
  • Fastest journey
    5hr 4m
  • Distance
    323 kilometres
  • Trains per day
    1
  • Avg. journey time
    5hr 13m
  • Train operators

Travelling from Madrid to Bilbao by train

Fast trains from Madrid to Bilbao take around 5 hours and 4 minutes, covering a distance of approximately 323 kilometres. There are frequent services on the rail route between Madrid and Bilbao.

1. Are there direct trains from Madrid to Bilbao?

Direct trains from Madrid to Bilbao have been found.

We usually find around 2 direct trains on the route from Madrid to Bilbao every weekday.

There are typically fewer departures at weekends, when we found at least one departure.

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

The Madrid to Bilbao train travel time is normally about 5 hours and 4 minutes, whatever time you make the journey.

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

On weekdays the earliest direct train to Bilbao is usually scheduled to depart Madrid around 08:00 and the last train is around 16:05. This is the same at the weekend.

What's the Madrid to Bilbao train price?

The earlier you book the better, and the cheapest tickets we've found for trains from Madrid to Bilbao are $17.36.

Trains departing 30 days in advance will cost around $27 while booking 7 days in advance the price is around $40. 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 Madrid 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 Madrid to Bilbao by train.

Help with booking alerts

Which train companies operate between Madrid and Bilbao?

Alvia is the train company that operates on the route from Madrid to Bilbao.

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

Bilbao to Madrid by train

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

Alvia

Direct Alvia trains from Madrid to Bilbao run north from Madrid using a new high-speed line that tunnels under the Sierra de Guadarrama. Trains stay on the high-speed line to Valladolid, capital of Spain's Castilla y León region. Beyond Valladolid, the pace becomes much slower as the train winds around hills and through valleys on the way to the coastal city of Bilbao (known as Bilbo in the Basque language).

If the timings of the direct trains from Madrid to Bilbao do not suit your plans, there are additional options requiring one change of train at either Zaragoza or Miranda de Ebro.

Madrid to Bilbao-Abando

High-speed Alvia trains from Madrid to Bilbao leave from Chamartin station, which is in the northern suburbs of the Spanish capital. Chamartin is well served by Madrid's efficient cercanías (ie. local train) network. In Bilbao, you'll arrive at Abando station - which is a hub for local metro and suburban rail services. The Alvia trains make five stops on the journey from Madrid to Bilbao. If you want a little extra comfort on the train, opt when you book for preferente rather than turista class.

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Blog posts featuring Madrid or Bilbao

Booking fees on hold

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

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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.