Practical · Transport

Getting around Bilbao

The city is small enough to cross on foot, but the metro, tram and river paths make museum-hopping straightforward once you know the shape of the network.

The river and the bridge crossing central Bilbao

On foot

Most of the museums are within a comfortable walk of one another. The riverside promenade links the Guggenheim area to the centre, and the old town is a short step across the river. A pair of comfortable shoes will serve you better than any timetable, because the best of Bilbao is between the destinations rather than at them.

Metro

The metro is fast, clean and easy to read. It connects the centre with the estuary and the stadium district, which makes it useful for the archaeological and maritime museums. Stations are clearly signed and lift-equipped.

Tram

The tram follows the river through the modern city and stops close to several museums. It is slower than the metro but more scenic, and it is a pleasant way to link the riverside institutions with the centre.

Bus and rail

Local buses fill the gaps in the network, and regional rail serves the towns along the estuary. For day trips beyond the city, the main rail stations sit close to the river.

Cycling and scooters

Bilbao has a public bicycle scheme and marked riverside lanes. The terrain is mostly gentle along the water, though the hills of the old town are best left to pedestrians.

Putting it together

Choose a cluster for each day and let transport carry you between clusters rather than between individual museums. Combine this page with the opening rhythm page so that travel and timing work together, and with the accessibility guide if access matters. Getting around Bilbao, in the end, is less about vehicles than about pacing.

Ways to link the clusters

If you are short of time, use the tram to join the riverside museums to the centre, then walk across the river into the old town. If you have a full day, do the reverse: begin early in the Casco Viejo while it is quiet, then cross to the riverbank for the afternoon. Either way, the city is small enough that you will spend more time looking than travelling.

Keep an eye on the weather, because the best of Bilbao is outdoors. The promenade, the bridges and the river paths are as much a part of the museum day as the galleries themselves. A light waterproof is more useful here than an umbrella, and comfortable shoes matter more than any timetable when the streets of the old town begin to rise.