I'm playing with some flight options for starting my camino in October. From Vancouver, Canada, I can fly to Bilbao for the same price as into Madrid or Barcelona. I could do a rest day to recover from jetlag/time change, visit the Guggenheim (closed on Mondays) and then bus/train to Pamplona and St. Jean.
I haven't seen many people consider flying to Bilbao, and wonder why. Is there any disadvantage I haven't thought of?
Thanks for your comments.
- Clare
The travel options from Bilbao are somewhat complicated due to border crossing. Nothing difficult but if you don't know where to look it can be like swimming uphill.
1600 Bilbao
1601 This section discusses transportation Services in Bilbao.
Index 1600
1602 Bilbao
1603 Bilbao Airport
1604 Getting Around in Bilbao
1605 Bilbao Bus Station
1606 Bilbao Train Station
1607 Bilbao Train Service
1608 Destinations from Bilbao
1650 Bilbao to Saint Jean Pied de Port
1602
Bilbao
Bilbao
http://www.bilbao.net/cs/Satellite?pagename=Bilbaonet/Page/BIO_preHome
Bizkaia
http://www.bizkaia.net/Home/ca_index.asp
1603
Bilbao Airport
Bilbao Airport (BIO)
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Bilbao/en/Home.html
1604
Getting Around in Bilbao
Bizkaia bus service connects from Airport to Termibus bus station. The schedule is found on the Termibus website.
Termibus is co-located with San Mames station.
Bizkaia bus provides urban bus service in Bilbao Metropolitan Area including Bilbao Airport.
http://www.bizkaia.net/home2/Temas/DetalleTema.asp?Tem_Codigo=195&idioma=CA&bnetmobile=0&dpto_biz=&codpath_biz=|195
Bilbobus provides urban bus service to Bilbao.
http://www.bilbao.net/cs/Satellite?cid=1279132680834&language=en&pagename=Bilbaonet/Page/BIO_detallePagina
Bilbao has three commuter train networks. Metro, Cercanius and Euskotren.
Bilbao Metro
http://www.metrobilbao.net/
Bilbao Renfe Cercanius
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/cercanias/bilbao/index.html
Euskotren
http://www.euskotren.es/
1605
Bilbao Bus Station
Termibus Bus Station
http://www.termibus.es/index.php?idi=es
1606
Bilbao Train Station
The Renfe station is Estación de Abando Indalecio Prieto.
The Renfe FEVE station is Abando Concordia and is located adjacent to the Renfe Station.
Bilbao has three Cercanius light rail routes that intersect at Abando.
Bilbao Abando Indalecio Prieto Renfe Station
http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/13200/informacion_000034.shtml
Bilbao Abando Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilbao-Abando
1607
Bilbao Train Service
Renfe
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/index.html
Renfe FEVE (Bilbao to Santander and Bilbao to Leon)
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/feve/index.html
Euskotren (Bilbao to Hendaye)
http://www.euskotren.es/
1608
Destinations from Bilbao
Euskotren to Hendaye
Bus to Bayonne, Pamplona, San Sebastian, Burgos, Logroño,
et Alia.
FEVE train to Leon and Santander
Renfe train to anywhere Spain
1650 Bilbao to Saint Jean Pied de Port
Bizkaia buses #A3247 travels from Bilbao airport to Bilbao Termibus where it terminates. Termibus is located in same area as San Mames station.
There are buses twice daily Bilbao Termibus to Place de Basques Bayonne.
There are buses Bilbao Termibus to San Sebastian and San Sebastian to Irun. This might be faster than taking Euskotren.
Take Metro from San Mames to Etxebarri Station or take Euskotren Transvia tram to Atxuri Station.
Euskotren commuter trains travel from Atxuri Station and Etxebarri Station to Hendaia station, co-located with SNCF Gare d'Hendaye France, where Euskotren tracks terminate. A transfer is required at San Sebastian Euskotren Amara station.
SNCF trains (TGV, Intercites, or TER) travel from Gare d'Hendaye to Gare de Bayonne. Trains continue to destinations such as Bordeaux and Toulouse.
SNCF TER trains #62 travel from Gare de Bayonne to SJPdP where it terminates.
ATCRB buses travel from Gare d'Hendaye to Place de Basques Bayonne.
Chronoplus bus #5, 8, B, or N departs from Place de Basques to Gare de Bayonne.
Bizkaia bus
http://www.bizkaia.net/home2/Temas/DetalleTema.asp?Tem_Codigo=195&idioma=CA&bnetmobile=0&dpto_biz=&codpath_biz=|195
Euskotren
http://www.euskotren.es/
SNCF
http://www.sncf.com/en/passengers
Transdev ATCRB
http://www.transports-atcrb.com/
Chronoplus
http://www.chronoplus.eu/