Bilbao Airport Transfer Guide (2026) - All Options & Tips
Plan your Bilbao arrival stress-free with reliable airport transfer options. Explore top-rated hotels and restaurants after a smooth journey into the city.
Airport transfers
Trains, buses, and shuttles from the airport, compared in one place.
Helpful Tips
Get a Barik card for smooth travel across Bilbao's metro, tram, and Bizkaibus network with discounted fares on every ride.
The metro runs frequently between the city center and the beach at Plentzia, making it the easiest way to reach the coast without a car.
Bilbao's EuskoTran tram line runs along the river through the city center, connecting Atxuri station to the Guggenheim Museum area.
From Bilbao Airport, the Bizkaibus A3247 line connects directly to the city center and is significantly cheaper than a taxi.
Common Scams to Avoid
Unlicensed taxi touts may approach arriving passengers inside or just outside the terminal offering rides to central Bilbao at inflated rates. Official taxis at Bilbao Airport are identifiable by their white bodywork with a red diagonal stripe and are available from the designated rank outside arrivals, always use the official rank rather than accepting a solicited ride. This is a common issue at Spanish airports generally, not unique to Bilbao.
Some taxi drivers may avoid using the meter for the airport-to-city-center trip, instead quoting a flat fare that exceeds the metered rate. Bilbao's official taxis are required to run the meter, though legitimate regulated supplements for airport pickups do apply, confirm the meter is running at the start of the journey and be aware that the airport supplement is a normal, posted charge rather than an attempt to overcharge.
Currency exchange counters inside the terminal typically offer significantly worse rates than banks or ATMs in the city center, with wide spreads and sometimes additional commission fees that are not immediately obvious. This is standard practice at virtually all European airports rather than a Bilbao-specific issue, withdrawing euros from an airport ATM using a low-fee travel card generally provides a far better rate.