City to city

Madrid to Bilbao by train

Madrid-Puerta de Atocha → Abando

Fastest

≈ 4h 30m

Typical

≈ 5h 44m

Direct trains

No

Fewest changes

2

Operators

Renfe Cercanias, RENFE OPERADORA, ALSA, Metro Bilbao

Trains link Madrid (Madrid-Puerta de Atocha) and Bilbao (Abando) in about 4h 30m at best, with at least 2 changes along the way.

How long does the train from Madrid to Bilbao take?

The fastest trains cover Madrid to Bilbao in about 4h 30m; a typical journey takes around 5h 44m.

Is there a direct train from Madrid to Bilbao?

Usually not — expect at least 2 changes on this journey.

Which operators run trains from Madrid to Bilbao?

Renfe Cercanias, RENFE OPERADORA, ALSA, Metro Bilbao.

Legendary routes through Madrid or Bilbao

• AVE Madrid → Barcelona
• AVE Madrid → Seville
• AVE Madrid → Valencia
• AVE Madrid → Málaga

More trains from Madrid

• Madrid → Zaragoza ≈ 1h 35m · direct
• Madrid → Córdoba ≈ 1h 44m · direct
• Madrid → Valencia ≈ 2h 01m · direct
• Madrid → Alicante ≈ 2h 33m
• Madrid → Seville ≈ 2h 39m · direct
• Madrid → Málaga ≈ 2h 59m · direct

All trains from Madrid →

More train routes in Spain.

Journey figures are typical values sampled from public European schedule data — exact times vary by day; always check the operator when booking.