How To Get Around Bilbao

When you visit Bilbao, you will probably have many plans that you want to make possible each day. You will probably want to head out for some shopping or make plans to experience the nightlife that the city has to offer. There are many ways to get around this beautiful city, and you will be able to see all that its main attractions with ease when you know how to get around Bilbao.

If you have arrived in Bilbao via the Bilbao airport, there are many easy ways to get into the rest of the city from here. The first thing that you need to do, however, is to get your luggage stored safely and securely. When you place your luggage in secure storage in Bilbao, you will be free to enjoy the rest of your trip without worries. It's so much easier navigating a foreign city when you're not burdened by your possessions.

How to get around Bilbao by train

The train network in this city is very simple. You will have access to three lines that leave from the center of the city to head out to other neighborhoods when you are in Bilbao. One of the stops is in Casco Viejo, and the other two head out to other locations at the edges of town. The train network is not very large but it does serve an important purpose to get people out of the city to other locations as needed.

The metro is often used to head to the beach or to visit adjacent cities to Bilbao. You can easily pick up an affordable metro ticket, and the station options that you will have access to at the edges of the city are very helpful if you have day trips planned outside the city center. There is a night service for the metro, which can make it your best bet if you leave the city and end up coming back too late for other methods of transportation. It's also a great option when you choose to visit some of the unmissable things to do at night in Bilbao and need to get back to your hotel at the end of the evening.

When you use the train, you will probably want to be heading out of the city for some adventures in Basque country. If you have plans to head out of the city, the Metro Bilbao will take you away from the city center toward other parts of the surrounding area.

Train trips will not really help you to get to around the city proper, but it is one of the best choices if you are planning to leave the city. The tram is a much better option for train-like travel in and around Bilbao. If you want to avoid the use of the bus or you want to avoid some of the walking necessary to get from place to place, the Bilbao tram is your best bet.

While not actually a train station system, the tram is easy to access, and it is located near most of the best places to visit in the city. The tram is the most common choice for people who want to be able to save their feet a bit of mileage and for the needs of those that want to head to areas outside the center.

How to get around Bilbao by bus

The bus is one of the easiest ways to save yourself some walking and to get from A to B with ease in Bilbao. This city offers you access to two different bus lines, one run by Bilobus and another by Bizkaibus. Most of the areas near the city center will be easier to access when using the tram, however.

The tram is run by Euskotren and offers you access to the central line that runs through the heart of the city. There are stops at the Guggenheim Museum, the Ribera Market, and the Gran Via. Most of the most interesting places in the city from fine arts museum locations to Old Town can be accessed via the tram.

The tram is very affordable, and it will be your best bet if you want to save some time traveling around to see the various Basque cultural sites in the city. The Bilbao tram is convenient, will not break the bank, and you will have an easy time hopping from tram station to tram station as needed.

If you are worried about the cost of the tram, you can pick up The Bilbao Bizkaia Card. This card offers you unlimited tram trips, and you can readily get to all parts of the city with the benefit of this card. Every place from the Plaza Nueva to the funicular railway is accessible via the tram. This is your best option for affordable transportation, and it will help you to avoid the use of a car or other more expensive modes of transportation.

Head to Old Town for some traditional Basque cuisine and then jump back on the Bilbao tram to go see places like the Museo de Bellas Artes. This is one of the best ways to balance your transportation needs with exploring on foot. A combination of tram transportation and covering ground on foot can make your travel around the city very simple.

How to get around Bilbao by Car

Car travel is very difficult in this city. Like most old cities in the Basque Country, Bilbao was designed to be walked through. You will have no luck getting to places like the Guggenheim Museum in a car, and most of Old Town will be completely inaccessible to you if you are trying to park. The city center is easily accessed on foot, and you will walk farther when you have to park a car and walk to the places that you want to see.

Paying for a car can be a big waste of money when you are in Bilbao because it doesn't get you any closer to the action than public transportation will. Parking at your hotel might even be hard with a car on your hands. Even ridesharing and taxis are limited here.

Traveling by tram is much easier in this area than a car ever will be. Public transport is really limited within the oldest parts of the city and even the bus station locations are not numerous in the oldest and most enjoyable areas. Plan to use your feet in these parts of the city and avoid the waste of money that a car would be.

If you are going to be leaving the city to see the green hills and the charming streets of other towns and villages, you will want to use a train station stop, or you could use a car as well. There are park and ride centers around the city when you get away from the Old Town area, and this can be a great choice if you want to use a car for a brief time during one day of your trip.

If you do need a taxi, there are four unique taxi services that operate in the city. They will likely not be able to come to you in the oldest part of town, but if you head out of Old Town, you should be able to catch a taxi and ride most of the way back to your hotel or to another site of interest.

This is the least common use of public transport that people access when in the city, but you might have some luck with it when you are heading from the Bilbao Airport to the main bus station or to other locations that are on the fringes of the city. The city center is not a friendly place for taxis, but they do have their uses.

Can I get around Bilbao on foot?

Walking is one of the best ways to get around this city. You will love that you have the chance to see so much of Basque Country when you are on foot. This city is very easy to walk through, and you will have no trouble enjoying access to places like the Guggenheim Museum, the Casco Viejo, and much more. You will miss walking across the historic bridges and through the historic squares if you do not walk around this lovely city. Even if you only take a day to walk most of the older parts of the city, you will enjoy all of the sites that you want to see so much more. Some of the best shopping in Bilbao is in the Old Town, so let your feet guide you from store to store.

Walking can get you much farther in this city than the bus station or the Bilbao tram in some cases. There are many parts of the city that are only navigable on foot. This is one of the key blessings of European cities and it can save you a lot of money and time to be able to walk from place to place. There are so many tourist attractions in this city that are best enjoyed when you see them at your own pace.

The city centre, with all of its charms, is the perfect place to explore this way. If you choose to stay in this part of the city, you will be able to walk to your exciting adventure each day. There are things that are hiding around every corner in this city when you are on foot. You will find that almost everything in the city centre can be reached on foot and this can be your main method of transportation during your stay.

Navigating Bilbao is Easy

Bilbao is one of the easiest cities in Europe to navigate, and you can see almost anything that you want on foot in this lovely city. There is a bus station or a tram station location conveniently here and there throughout the city if you need them. The only times that you will want to buy a train station ticket is if you are going to leave the city. You might want to head to the beach or to other places outside the city and this is a great way to do so.

The Basque Country is easy to move through, and most of the cities are like Bilbao. If you choose to stay in the city center, you will probably never have to pay for any kind of public transport at all. Most of what you will want to see here can be easily accessed on foot. Bilbao is large enough that you might not want to walk everywhere, but you can easily skip a bit of walking by adding in some tram travel and bus travel to break things up.

Thankfully, if you do need to use public transport, it is very affordable here. Tickets might be as little as one euro. Prices vary for all kinds of public transportation, and you can get repeated use cards for some of the more common forms of travel like the tram. The bus will also offer you a frequent user card if you feel that you need one.

Conclusion

Bilbao is one of the nicest cities in Spain to visit. You will be able to enjoy this city for a reasonable price, and there are so many ways to get around that you won't have to struggle to see and do the things that you want to experience. There are many really nice places to visit that are free, and there are many amazing museums and other attractions to fill your days.

When you are planning to visit Bilbao, you will need to make sure to put your luggage into secure storage. Once your bags are secured, you can have fun in this scenic port city without worries about your possessions.