How much does it cost?

From £11,525 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $15,568 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Which trains are used?

El Transcantabrico, Spain's oldest and most luxurious train, runs from Bilbao to Ferrol via Carranza, Santander, Cabezón de la Sal, Llanes, Oviedo, Luarca, and Viveiro.

What is the itinerary outline?

The 10-day tour departs London for Bilbao, includes one night in San Sebastian, seven nights aboard the train with daily stops at Bilbao (Guggenheim visit), Santander, Picos de Europa National Park, Asturian coastal villages, and Galician towns, ending with one night in Santiago de Compostela before returning to London.

Is the tour escorted?

Great Rail Journeys describes it as independent, though many days include guided city tours, museum visits, and coach excursions led by tour staff.

What meals are included?

Breakfast and dinner are included daily aboard the train; lunch is included on most days. Optional dining-related excursions such as tapas tours and wine tastings are available at additional cost.

Great Rail Journeys · Luxury train tour

El Transcantábrico, San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela

Great Rail Journeys operates this 10-day journey through northern Spain combining luxury train travel with hotel stays and guided excursions. You depart London, spend one night in San Sebastian, then board El Transcantabrico, a historic luxury train that carries you across unspoilt coastlines and through historic towns for seven nights. Days blend time aboard the train, where meals are served in vintage restaurant cars, with coach excursions to sites like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Altamira Caves with their Upper Paleolithic art, Lake Enol in Picos de Europa National Park, and Playa de Las Catedrales on the Galician coast. You visit the medieval town of Santillana del Mar, guided tours of coastal villages such as Gijon and Luarca, and end in Santiago de Compostela with its historic cathedral. A final night in the Parador de Santiago, one of the world's oldest luxury hotels, concludes the tour before your return flight. This trip suits repeat rail travellers seeking immersive luxury train experiences, history lovers interested in medieval Spain and ancient sites, and food-and-wine enthusiasts who can add optional tastings and wine tours.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £1,530 since 4 Jul, to £11,525.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

The itinerary lists optional excursions (tapas tours, wine tastings, extended stays) available at additional cost beyond the from-price.
Day 0 is the outbound flight; the tour itself begins on Day 1 with arrival in Bilbao; Day 10 includes the return flight.
Great Rail Journeys describes this as an independent tour, though many days include guided visits to cities and attractions.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: San Sebastian
To San Sebastian
Flight from London Gatwick to Bilbao, then transfer to San Sebastian.
Day 2overnight: Onboard (Carranza)
El Transcantabrico
Guided tour and lunch in San Sebastian, coach to Bilbao to board El Transcantabrico, with dinner and entertainment on board overnight in Carranza.
Meals: Dinner
Day 3overnight: Onboard (Santander)
Bilbao, the Guggenheim and Santander
Visit the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, cruise onward for lunch, then a tour of Santander and evening at the Gran Casino de Santander.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4overnight: Onboard (Cabezón de la Sal)
Cantabria and the Hermida Gorge
Coach through the Hermida Gorge to Potes, thermal spa time, visit El Capricho mansion in Comillas, overnight in Cabezón de la Sal.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5railovernight: Onboard (Llanes)
Medieval Spain & the Altamira Caves
Visit medieval Santillana del Mar and the cave of Altamira, then continue by train to Llanes.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6overnight: Onboard (Oviedo)
The Picos de Europa National Park
Coach to Lake Enol and the sanctuary of Covadonga, then a guided tour of Oviedo, capital of Asturias.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7overnight: Onboard (Luarca)
The Asturian Coast
Visit the coastal villages of Gijon and Luarca with guided tours of each.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8overnight: Onboard (Viveiro)
Galicia
Visit Ribadeo and Playa de Las Catedrales beach, then a guided tour of Viveiro.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9overnight: Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Travel to Ferrol, then coach to Santiago de Compostela to tour the historic centre and cathedral before transferring to the Parador hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10
Santiago de Compostela to UK
Free time in Santiago before transferring to the airport for the flight home to London.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Guided walking tour of San Sebastian followed by lunch at a local restaurant, then boarding El Transcantabrico at Bilbao station where the crew welcomes you with a drink.
Day 3Breakfast in the vintage restaurant car, then visit the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao before the train continues to Santander.
Day 4Coach excursion from Unquera through the Hermida Gorge to Potes, visiting the thermal spa at Balneario de la Hermida.
Day 5Explore the perfectly preserved medieval Spanish town of Santillana del Mar and view Upper Paleolithic cave art at Altamira Caves.
Day 6Coach to Picos de Europa National Park to visit Lake Enol and the sanctuary of Covadonga, with lunch aboard the train en route to Oviedo.
Day 8Coach excursion to Playa de Las Catedrales, one of Spain's most photographed beaches, followed by a guided tour of Ribadeo.

Included

7 nights on the El Transcantabrico luxury train
1 night in the Barcelo Costa Vasca, San Sebastian
1 night in the Parador in Santiago de Compostela
Flight from London to Bilbao
Flight from Santiago de Compostela to London

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance

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Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £11,525 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $15,568 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Which trains are used?: El Transcantabrico, Spain's oldest and most luxurious train, runs from Bilbao to Ferrol via Carranza, Santander, Cabezón de la Sal, Llanes, Oviedo, Luarca, and Viveiro.
What is the itinerary outline?: The 10-day tour departs London for Bilbao, includes one night in San Sebastian, seven nights aboard the train with daily stops at Bilbao (Guggenheim visit), Santander, Picos de Europa National Park, Asturian coastal villages, and Galician towns, ending with one night in Santiago de Compostela before returning to London.
Is the tour escorted?: Great Rail Journeys describes it as independent, though many days include guided city tours, museum visits, and coach excursions led by tour staff.
What meals are included?: Breakfast and dinner are included daily aboard the train; lunch is included on most days. Optional dining-related excursions such as tapas tours and wine tastings are available at additional cost.