About Bilbao Airport
Bilbao Airport was built in 1936 during the Spanish civil war in Bilbao, the most important city of the Basque Country and was used for military purposes for a year. At the end of the civil war, Bilbao Airport was expanded and the damaged areas were repaired and then started to operate civilian flights in 1948. Expansion works were carried out intermittently throughout the 1960s and 70s and in 2000, a new main terminal building was built at Bilbao Airport. In 2011, comprehensive renovation was carried out and the annual passenger average of Bilbao Airport is approaching four million people.
Getting to the City Center from Bilbao Airport
The airport is located 13 kilometers away from the city center in Bilbao, which is situated in the north of Spain and considered as one of the most important cities of the country. Buses, cars, taxi and car rental are among the various transportation alternatives to reach the city center from Bilbao Airport, which is one of the most important transportation hubs for the region, although it is not a very big airport. In Bilbao, if you want to reach the central points in the city center from the airport, you can take advantage of the private shuttle services that serve within the city and you can also benefit from the shuttle service provided by your hotel (if any), or you can even rent a limousine as a more luxurious transfer service. Almost all of these options in the city are comfortable and practical. Moreover, the price of many transportation alternatives other than limousines and private shuttles is very affordable in the city. If you want, you can easily reach from Bilbao Airport to the central places such as San Sebastian, Zarautz, Arrasate and Bergara in the immediate vicinity of the city. In Bilbao, it is possible to reach all of these places that are both in the city center and the surrounding area. At Bilbao Airport, almost all facilities are offered to the passengers to help them experience a comfortable flight experience. Bilbao Airport has a big duty-free shopping store where you can do shopping after security control and the Sibarium Delicatessen where you can eat while you wait for your flight or after your flight. Those who don't want to compromise on comfort can enjoy their time on wide armchairs in the private passenger lounge that has been specially designed at the airport. Here you can read newspapers and magazines while enjoying the tastes specially prepared for you, as well as you can take advantage of the free internet service and carry out your online transactions. Las Lilas shopping store is also available at the airport. Here you can buy various accessories and souvenirs. Derio and Pans & Company are among the places that serve for those who want to taste the delicious food from both Spanish and world cuisines at Bilbao Airport. After getting some snacks here, you can board your plane or you can head for the city center after your flight. In Bilbao, the most economical option among the alternatives you can prefer to reach the city center from the airport is the bus. However, if you want to travel more comfortably and time-independently, you can also rent a car easily from the offices of car rental companies at the airport. If you are planning to travel by car for transportation to the city center from the airport, you can follow the signposts that will take you towards the city center after you leave the airport. Bilbao Airport has available parking spaces special for the passengers who want to travel by their car from the airport to the city center. It is possible to go from Bilbao Airport to the city center and other major central points around the city by taking the buses that wait the passengers in front of the airport terminal building. The buses that you can prefer to travel from Bilbao Airport to the central places run between 06:15 and 00:00 at the airport. The buses to the airport from the city center are available between 05:25 and 21:55 if you want to travel by these buses. The buses in both directions depart every 30 minutes and they are one of the most economical option in Bilbao to reach the airport from the city center as well as you can get to the city center from the airport. The amount you need to pay to get on a bus is 1.40 Euros. Bus ticket costs only 0.57 Euro for the passengers over 65. You can also take the buses to reach San Sebastian and Zarautz areas from the airport. The buses running on this route depart every hour. The buses on this route run between 07:45 and 23:45 on weekdays (except holidays) and they run between 06:45 and 23:34 in the weekend and on holidays. Ticket price per passenger to get on the buses running on this route is 16.45 Euros for San Sebastian and 14.25 Euros for Zarautz. The third bus route departing from the airport is the route on Arrasate, Bergara and Eibar. The buses departing from the airport on this route first leave at 07:15. The last bus from Arrasate to the airport departs from the airport at 21:15. Ticket price you need to pay to take the advantage of this route is 11.90 Euros between Arrasate and Bilbao Airport. It costs 10.30 Euros from the airport to Bergara and 7.85 Euros from the airport to Eibar. You can reach Bilbao city center, which is 13 kilometers away from the airport, in about 20 minutes by driving through the N-637 highway. The highways in Bilbao are very well-maintained and tidy as they are in many other cities of Europe. Therefore, traveling by your cars in the city is extremely comfortable and enjoyable. However, if you don't know much about the city and the roads, it is advisable to get navigation before leaving the airport. In this way you can easily find your way around the city without having any difficulty. As another alternative, you can also reach the city center in 10-15 minutes by taking one of the taxis waiting at the terminal gates of Bilbao Airport. Taking a taxi in Bilbao is known as one of the best options for the visitors who have come to the city for the first time. You don't have a chance to bargain with the taxi driver in Bilbao, yet the taxi fare you need to pay does not cost that much for transportation to the city center. You need to pay taxi fare in Euros in Bilbao. For this reason, it would be a good idea to exchange your money into Euros at the airport if you haven't taken some with you. Taxi drivers may also accept payment in US Dollars; however, you may have to pay a little more compared to paying in Euro due to the exchange rate differences. If you want to get information before your journey to the city on the phone, you can contact airport taxis by calling 944 448 888. If this is your first visit to Bilbao, you can book your seat in one of the private shuttle services to make your transportation in the city much easier. Majority of these shuttle services, which pick their passengers up in front of the airport terminal, are provided by the hotels in the city. Before your journey to the airport, you can contact your hotel to get detailed information about the times and fees of shuttle services (if any) and make a reservation in advance. Renting a car in Bilbao is one of the most frequently preferred options for transportation between the airport and the city center, just as in many other cities. Driving in Bilbao is also very enjoyable thanks to the well-organized routes of the city and the smooth traffic in the city. If you book a car before arriving in Bilbao, you can complete car rental procedures much more easily compared to renting a car upon your arrival in the city. In the city, Europcar, AVIS, Hertz and Sixt are among the companies you can rent a car to take the road. You can also rent a car from Enterprise in the city after completing the short procedures. Please make sure you have a valid driver's license with you if you are planning to rent a car in Bilbao. Limousine and other luxury vehicles are also at the service of Bilbao passengers. This option is usually preferred by the travelers coming to the city for business trips, as well as by those who don't want to drive a car. There are not many options for renting luxury cars and limousines in the city, but you can make online reservation by contacting the companies providing this service and enjoy the luxury of these vehicles waiting for you in front of the airport terminal. Some hotels in the city also provide luxury car and limousine service to their guests. While planning your travel, you can get in touch with your hotel in advance to get information about luxury car or limousine transfer, and you can easily make your reservation if they provide such a service. By this means, you can get the car you have booked with or without a driver ready at the gate when you arrive at Bilbao Airport.Bus
Car
Taxi
Private Shuttle Services
Rent a car
Limousine
Getting to Bilbao Airport from the City Center
Among the alternatives you can prefer to reach the airport from Bilbao city center are very easy and comfortable transportation options, especially buses and taxis. In Bilbao, if you want, you can also rent a car to get to the airport from the city center; in this way, you can also explore the surrounding area while driving the car between the city center and the airport.
The airport is only 13 kilometers away from Bilbao city center. Thanks to its close location to the center of the city, the prices of transportation alternatives between the airport and the city center are not too high. However, if you want to travel by a much more economical means of transportation, you can take the buses departing from the city center and from other places in the immediate vicinity of Bilbao.
If comfort and speed are your priorities instead of affordable prices for transportation, taking a taxi or the shuttle services provided by hotels would be a much more accurate decision in this sense. Renting a car in Bilbao is a great option that allows you to arrive at the airport from the city center as well as to explore the different parts of the city around Bilbao.
You just need to have a valid driver's license to rent a car in the city. It is also possible to reach many points in and around Bilbao by your own car. However, if you are going to drive the car, you will find it extremely helpful in the city to travel with a local guide or with the help of a navigator to get directions properly. You can also easily get a taxi at many points in the city center and take the advantage of taking a taxi on your journey to the airport.
Taxis in the city run with the taximeter system and generally there is no chance to bargain with the driver over taxi fare. However, the distances within the city are very close to each other. So, the taxi fare you need to pay is not very high.
Bus
Bilbao city center is 13 kilometers away from Bilbao Airport. The first alternative you can prefer is to take a bus, which is also the most economical transportation option in the city. You can reach the airport from Bilbao city center by bus for approximately 1.40 Euros.
If you want to get to the airport from the nearby places such as San Sebastian, Zarautz, Arrasate, Bergara and Eibar, you can consider transportation by bus as the first among your alternatives.
It is possible to reach the airport by taking the advantage of the buses running from early morning until night, even if their departure times vary during weekdays, weekends and holidays. The frequency of bus services varies depending on passenger density; the buses depart from Bilbao city center every 30 minutes and usually depart hourly from other central places in the city.
You can pay for the ticket in the bus and you need to make sure you have Euros with you. Although it is possible to pay for taxi in dollars, only euro is accepted for bus transportation.
Taxi
You can also get to the airport from Bilbao city center by taxi. Moreover, taxis are one of the most preferred options in the city. Taxi stands out as the most convenient alternative in airport transportation, especially for foreign tourists visiting the city for the first time. The fact that the airport is located 13 kilometers away from the city center makes it possible for taxis to stand out as a generally affordable option.
You can also prefer to take a taxi as a shared car if there are other passengers going to the airport from the hotel where you stay in the city, and so you can decrease the taxi fare. However, please keep in mind that taxi drivers may charge a little more for taxi service if you want to take advantage of this option.
Rent a car
Among transportation alternatives, renting a car in and around Bilbao is a popular option preferred by passengers. In the city, there are the offices of a number of international car rental companies, mainly AVIS, Europcar and Hertz. You can choose the car you want by visiting one of these offices and you can continue your journey by the car you have rented in only a few minutes. If you book your car online, you can save time and choose from more rental car options.
Private Shuttle Services
One of the most comfortable and practical transportation option is the shuttle services provided by large hotels in the city. You can make a reservation in advance to take the advantage of the "pick-up" from the hotel and arrive at the airport terminal building in about 15 minutes. If your hotel does not provide such a service, you can also take advantage of the services provided by private shuttle companies. However, the taxis in the city are generally more economical and practical compared to shuttle services. Even so, if you are traveling with a crowded group, private shuttle services can be considered both as a comfortable and an economical option.
Limousine and Luxury Cars
You will have a chance to get to the airport from Bilbao city center by taking advantage of the luxury cars offered by limousine companies. Luxury cars and limousines serving in Bilbao can be provided by the hotels as well as other private companies providing this service independently. The fees for these vehicles are generally higher than taxis and public transportation such as bus. If you want to reach Bilbao Airport by luxury transfer vehicles, you can contact your hotel to make a reservation and you can reach the airport by the luxury car, which is almost as fast as taxi, by getting on the car in front of the hotel where you stay.
Airport Information
The airport is located 13 kilometers away from the city center in Bilbao, which is situated in the north of Spain and considered as one of the most important cities of the country. Bilbao Airport, which is one of the most important transportation hubs for the region in which Bilbao and its surroundings are located, has lounges specially designed for the passengers in the city, a big duty-free and other shopping stores where you can enjoy your time by doing shopping, and the restaurants where you can taste delicious Spanish cuisine and the delicacies from different parts of Europe.
There is also a private passenger lounge among the services and privileges you can take advantage of at Bilbao Airport. Here you can read your magazines and newspapers while relaxing in the extremely comfortable area provided for you, as well as you can enjoy the special food and beverage service prepared for you.
There are also special charging stations where you can charge your electronic devices and ATMs where you can make money transfers by carrying out your simple banking transactions in the airport terminal building.
You can also benefit from the baby care rooms specially designed for the parents traveling with children at Bilbao Airport. You can follow the signs at the airport or get information from the airport staff, especially if you want to take advantage of these rooms which make travels easier for families with young children. If you want to spend your time by looking at the books and magazines while waiting for your flight, you can find and buy Spanish and English publications at the airport's kiosks. You can also benefit from the city and country guides that you can find at the airport, as well as you can find out about Bilbao and other cities of Spain.
Sibarium Delicatessen, Derio Cafe and Pans & Company are among the places you can prefer to eat or drink at Bilbao Airport.
If you want to do shopping and buy some souvenirs, you can also take a glance at Las Lilas, which is one of the stores you can visit at the airport.
