How to travel from Salamanca to Bilbao, Spain

The distance between Salamanca and Bilbao is around 396km (246 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train and then fly which takes around 3h 40m.

4 routes found

We've found 4 different ways to get from Salamanca to Bilbao by bus, train, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out BilbaoSalamanca if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
1
train
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plane
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Train and Plane

Take the train to Madrid-Chamartin then fly from Madrid (MAD) to Bilbao (BIO).

  • Duration3h 40m
  • Flight time1hr
  • Typical cost
    €105($105)
Operated by

Multiple operators

💰 Cheapest
2
train
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train
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Train

Take the train to Burgos Rosa De Lima and then to Bilbao-Abando.

  • Duration4h 50m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    €44($44)
3
bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Bilbao.

  • Duration5h 45m
  • Departs5 times a day
  • Typical cost
    €45($45)
Operated byALSA+ 1 others
4
car
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Drive

Drive to Bilbao.

  • Duration3h 45m
  • Distance396km (246 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Salamanca and Bilbao

There are several options for getting from Salamanca to Bilbao by bus, train, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the train which costs around €44 ($44) and will take around 4h 50m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train and then fly and arrive in approximately 3h 40m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately €105 ($105).

The distance between Salamanca and Bilbao is around 396km (246 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 340km (212 miles)

It takes around 5h 45m to get from Salamanca and Bilbao by bus. If you are travelling by car it will take around 3h 45m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Salamanca to Bilbao is to take the train and then fly which takes around 3h 40m and will set you back approx €105 ($105).

The cheapest way to travel between Salamanca and Bilbao, if you exclude driving, is to take the train which will typically cost around €44 ($44) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Salamanca and Bilbao. It typically takes around 4h 50m and departs once daily.

There are no direct train services that runs from Salamanca to Bilbao. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Burgos Rosa De Lima. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 4h 50m.

Renfe run train services between Salamanca and Bilbao. Trains depart once daily and will take around 4h 50m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from Salamanca and Bilbao. It typically takes around 5h 45m and departs 5 times a day.

Yes there is a direct bus service that runs between Salamanca and Bilbao with no changeovers required. The bus runs 5 times a day and takes 5h 45m.

ALSA and FlixBus run regular bus services between Salamanca and Bilbao. Buses run 5 times a day and take around 5h 45m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Salamanca to Bilbao. We recommend that you take the train to Madrid-Chamartin then fly from Madrid (MAD) to Bilbao (BIO). instead which will take 3h 40m.

The closest major airport to Bilbao is Bilbao Airport (BIO) (BIO) which is approximately 5km (3 miles) from Bilbao. Vitoria Airport (VIT) (VIT) and Santander Airport (SDR) (SDR) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from Salamanca and Bilbao. The distance is around 396km (246 miles) by road and it will take around 3h 45m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Salamanca to Bilbao is to take the bus which takes, on average, 5h 45m and will usually cost around €45 ($45).

How do I get from Salamanca to Bilbao

Compare travel optionsbetween Salamanca and Bilbao

Transport options from Salamanca to Bilbao
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train and Plane
3h 40m
€105($105)
twice daily569km (353 miles)
Train
4h 50m
€44($44)
once daily470km (292 miles)
Bus
5h 45m
€45($45)
5 times a day422km (262 miles)
Drive
3h 45m
€47($47)
on demand396km (246 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Salamanca and Bilbao

Train operators

Airports near Bilbao

The following major airports near Bilbao offer regular flights to various popular destinations within Spain and internationally.

BIO
Bilbao Airport (BIO)
International Airport
Distance
5km (3 miles) from Bilbao
VIT
Vitoria Airport (VIT)
Domestic Airport
Distance
46km (28 miles) from Bilbao
SDR
Santander Airport (SDR)
Domestic Airport
Distance
74km (46 miles) from Bilbao