Cheapest
Average
The best way to find a cheap train ticket from Madrid to Bilbao is to book your journey as far in advance as possible and to avoid traveling at rush hour.
This is the last train of the day.
Find all the dates and times for this journey
Fastest Journey
4 h 32 m
Average
4 h 37 m
Trains per day
2
Distance
323 km
Of the 2 trains that leave Madrid for Bilbao every day 2 travel direct so it’s quite easy to avoid journeys where you’ll have to change along the way.
Distance | 200 miles (322 km) | |
Average train duration | 4 h 32 min | |
Average train ticket price | $60 (€53) | |
Train frequency | 1 a day | |
Direct train | Yes | |
Train companies | Renfe ALVIA or Renfe |
Trains from Madrid to Bilbao cover the 200 miles (322 km) long route taking on average 4 h 32 min with our travel partners like Renfe ALVIA or Renfe. Normally, there is 1 train operating per day, including direct services available. While the average ticket price for this route costs around $60 (€53), you can find the cheapest train ticket for as low as $42 (€37). Travelers depart most frequently from Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes and arrive in Bilbao-Abando.
For as little as $42 (€37) you can travel by train between Madrid and Bilbao with Renfe. Omio will show you the best deals, schedules and tickets available for this trip.
Renfe is Spain’s national train company operating freight and passenger trains on Spain’s extensive railway network as well as international routes to neighboring France and Portugal. Renfe has a wide range of ticket types to fit your budget like the Basic, Elige and Premium tickets. Renfe also offers discount cards like the Renfe Gold Card and +Renfe Youth Card 50 for qualified travelers. You can use these savings offers and discount cards on Omio when booking your Madrid to Bilbao trip. Renfe has a vast fleet of trains with different levels of comfort, amenities and speed. The Renfe AVE trains run at high speed and serve long-distance routes, Alvia trains combine high-speed and normal speed trains serving domestic routes, Altaria serves domestic routes into southern Spain, Euromed offers domestic routes along the Mediterranean coast, Avant trains serve regional commuter routes and Trenhotel offers night train routes.
Train information from Madrid to Bilbao with Renfe:
Two trains leave Madrid Bilbao daily at different times of the day. These train routes complete the journey between the two cities in an average of approximately 5 hours.
Renfe is the company in charge of making the journey by train Madrid Bilbao: the trains Alvia are the type of train covering the route.
The direct train from Renfe Madrid Bilbao has an average duration of 5 hours and 5 minutes and leaves from Monday to Saturday at 8:00 the first and the second at 16:05. On Sundays this routine is modified and there is only one train available that leaves at 16:05.
The prices for train tickets Madrid Bilbao cost an average of 41.14€.
.From Puerta de Atocha and Chamartín stations most trains leave Madrid Bilbao. The first one is the main one and the most important, as AVE, national and international Long Distance, Medium Distance and Madrid Suburban lines pass through it. Chamartín is located in the neighbourhood of the same name and covers Long and Medium Distance lines.
The Bilbao-Abando train station is in the centre of the city and is where the Madrid Bilbao trains arrive. Here you can take long-distance and medium-distance lines, as well as being the head of the Bilbao Suburban Railway and having tram, Bilbobus and Bizkabus stops at its facilities. The station has services such as parking, cafeteria, restaurant, car rental office and shops. In addition, it is accessible to passengers with reduced mobility.
The rule of buying in advance to save money is not only valid when booking a flight but also for train travel. Train tickets are generally on sale 6 months before the departure date. Some train booking tips from us:
When taking a train from Madrid, you have a couple of train stations you can depart from including Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes, Madrid Chamartín and Madrid Méndez Alvaro. When you arrive in Bilbao, your train can arrive in train stations including Bilbao-Abando and Bilbao-Concordia.
Omio customers traveling this route book their trains from Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes to Bilbao-Abando.
The most popular departure train station with passengers for this journey, called Madrid-Puerta de Atocha-Almudena Grandes, is located 1.4 miles (2.2 km) from the city center of Madrid.
The most popular arrival train station, Bilbao-Abando, is located 0.4 miles (726 m) away from the city center of Bilbao.
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