Metro
Bilbao's metro, with its stylish fosteritos that rise out the street floor, named after their author, the British architect Sir Norman Foster, is the fastest way to get around the city - and beyond, all the way to the beaches. The metro network is divided in 3 zones and the ticket price depends on how many zones your journey will cross.
Metro line 2 leaves you 200 metres from BEC's main entrance (Ansio, north entrance). If you prefer the bus, Line A3136 (Bilbao-Barakaldo-Santurtzi) will also drop you at Ansio (54 min. from Abando).
Both metro lines 1 and 2 pass by San Mamés Stadium (San Mamés), at an easy 5 stops from BEC metro stop Ansio.
Metro
06:00-23:00 (every 6/10 min. at peak times/on Sunday and holidays)
06:00-02:00 (Fridays and days before holidays)
06:00-all night long (Saturdays)
Bus
05:30-00:30 (every 30 min.)05:30-00:30 (every 30 min. on Sundays and holidays)
Barik Card
Bilbao has a public transport top-up pass called BARIK that offers great savings. If you spend more than a day in Bilbao, it would be very interesting to purchase the pass on arrival. They are sold at Barik vending machines (which are different ones than the regular ticket vending machines!) at all metro stations.
This pre-paid card costs 3 euros and has to be (re)charged befor use. Fares are deducted from the balance on your card every time you travel. Up to 10 people can travel with one and the same pass simultaneously, provided all of them start and finish their journey together and there is enough balance on the card.
Maximum journey time between touch-in and touch-out is two hours, which allows you plenty of transfer opportunities.
Barik Card: 3€
1 zone: 0.48€ (regular fare: 1.70€)
2 zones: 0.57€ (regular fare: 1.90€)
3 zones: 0.62€ (regular fare: 1.95€)
airport bus 1.14€ (regular fare: 3€)
Bilbao Bizkaia Card
24, 48 or 72 hours in Bilbao?
The Bilbao Bizkaia Card gives you unlimited access to most of the the public transport network (metro, tram, Bizkaibus and Bilbobus, and funiculars) in and around the city.
You'd like to discover the old town, Casco Viejo, or to take in Bilbao's amazing architecture? Free walking guided tours are included.
The card can also be used to skip the queues to the city's two most popular attractions: the Guggemheim Museum Bilbao and the Bilbao Museoa.
Discounts are available from a range of partners: restaurants, cultural venues, and others.
Activated on your first entry on the network, the card is personal and non-transferable.
24-hour card -> 10€
48-hour card -> 15€
72-hour card -> 20€
Cycling
Bilbao's city centre has a good network of flat cycling routes.
For cycling enthusiasts, exploring it on wheels in a sustainable way is a breeze.
Rental bikes are available from several companies, most of which also offer guided tours.
If you're staying a little longer, electric bikes are also available 24/7 from 43 Bilbaobizi bike-sharing stations spread across the city.
