Bilboa to Roncesvalles

Hi, Paul,
I have some of the information you need, but not all.

The airport bus from Bilbao to downtown takes about 45 minutes, runs every 15 or 20 minutes and costs around a euro (this is based on my experience walking the Camino del Norte last year, but I assume things haven't changed too much). What I don't know is if that bus takes you directly to the bus station.

We took the euskotren, the modern tram, from the casco viejo to the bus station. Very fast (I'd say no more than 10 or 15 minutes) and again about a euro, I think.

For buses between Bilbao and Pamplona, check out the http://www.movelia.es website. Schedules may vary depending on whether you arrive on a week day or weekend, but plugging in a weekday deprture for next week I saw that for buses leaving after your plane arrival you can choose between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. buses to Pamplona. Takes 2 hours and costs 12.85 euro. But with a 3:30 p.m. arrival in Bilbao, you won't make it to Roncesvalles the same day. So you could choose either to spend the night in Bilbao and go to Pamplona the next day to arrive in time for the 6 pm bus, or make it to Pamplona your first day and spend the next day there till the bus. I've spent time in both cities and like them both very much. You will be walking back through Pamplona on the Camino, so it just depends on your preferences. Good luck with the plans. Laurie