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PTG Tours · Escorted tour

The Railways Around Bilbao

Seven nights in Bilbao exploring Basque railways, funiculars, and coastal trains.

Illustration of The Railways Around Bilbao

PTG Tours' eight-day escorted tour bases you for seven nights in central Bilbao, the modern capital of the Basque Country in Spain. The hotel is close to the Old Town, local metro, tram, and railway, making the city's attractions immediately accessible. Each day combines organized experiences led by a tour manager with free time to explore. You will ride Euskotren metre-gauge branch lines to the fishing port of Bermeo and the resort city of San Sebastian, travel on a working steam train at the Basque Railway Museum near Azpeitia, ascend three funiculars including the 1912 Monte Igueldo (considered Spain's best-preserved), take a guided tour over the top of the famous Vizcaya Transporter Bridge, and cruise both the Bilbao River to its mouth and along the Basque coast past Mundaka and Izaro Island. Most meals, accommodation, all rail journeys, and a local transport pass are included. The tour suits repeat rail travellers drawn to heritage branches and working steam, couples seeking a manageable week in one location, and history enthusiasts interested in industrial heritage and early twentieth-century engineering.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure is published: 15 October 2026 at £1,450.
  • Hotel accommodation is listed as TBC (to be confirmed); the main hotel and alternative are named in the booking terms but not in the itinerary itself.
  • Single supplements are substantial: £220 for the alternative hotel or £520 for the main hotel, considerably above half the base price.
  • The optional Miranda de Ebro rail trip on Day 7 requires advance sign-up with the Tour Manager; it is not included in the standard itinerary.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Bilbao

    Arrival in Bilbao

    Flights from Bristol (13:20) and Gatwick (09:40) direct to Bilbao, then coach transfer to the city-centre hotel. Overland by rail from St Pancras is also available, departing the day before with a night en-route in Hendaye. From Manchester, fly out the day before and back the day after, or via Madrid on the main tour days.

  2. Day 2overnight: Bilbao

    Vizcaya Transporter Bridge and Artxanda Funicular

    Metro to the suburbs to visit the Vizcaya Transporter Bridge, crossing the river on the gondola and taking a guided tour across the top of the bridge (reached by lift). Welcome lunch in a restaurant overlooking the bridge, then a ride on the Artxanda Funicular (opened 1915) for park views over the city.

  3. Day 3overnight: Bilbao

    Bilbao river cruise and Old Town

    Short tram ride to the pier for a two-hour cruise from the city centre to the river mouth and back, passing the Guggenheim Museum and Bilbao FC's stadium and sailing under the Vizcaya bridge. Lunch break, then a guided walk around the Old Town.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Bilbao

    Basque Railway Museum, Azpeitia steam train and Larreineta Cable Car

    Coach to the Basque Railway Museum at Azpeitia (narrow-gauge locomotives, carriages, trams, an ex-London Transport trolleybus and an operational steam crane), then a steam-hauled train along the 5km line to Lasao station and back. Lunch in a local restaurant, then return to Bilbao via the Larreineta Cable Car, rising to 400m for views over the city.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Bilbao

    Bermeo by train and coastal cruise

    Train along the Euskotren metre-gauge branch line to the fishing port of Bermeo, then a boat cruise towards Ogono, passing Mundaka, Laida beach, Laga Beach, the Caves of Ogono and Izaro Island, ending at Elantxobe before returning to Bermeo. Free time to explore Bermeo, including its old port and the option to visit the Ercilla Tower fishermen's museum. Return to Bilbao by train in the late afternoon.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Bilbao

    San Sebastian by train

    Euskotren train from just outside the hotel to San Sebastian (Donostia), travelling through open countryside and narrow river valleys alongside the River Deba. Free time to explore the resort city's bay and beach, with the option to ride the Monte Igueldo Funicular (running since 1912, considered the best-preserved funicular in Spain) for a viewpoint over the city. Return to Bilbao by train.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Bilbao

    Free day in Bilbao / optional Miranda de Ebro rail trip

    A free day to explore Bilbao's museums, art galleries and tram/metro/rail network. An optional morning trip on the RENFE broad-gauge line to Miranda de Ebro and back, over the mountains south of Bilbao, is led by the Tour Manager for anyone wishing one last scenic rail journey. Farewell dinner in the evening.

  8. Day 8

    Return to the UK

    Return to the UK by air from Bilbao airport. Overland and sea return options also available.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Guided tour across the top of the Vizcaya Transporter Bridge via lift, then a ride on the Artxanda Funicular, opened in 1915.
  • Day 4Steam-hauled train along the 5 km line from the Basque Railway Museum at Azpeitia to Lasao and back, with museum access to narrow-gauge locomotives and heritage trams.
  • Day 5Euskotren metre-gauge branch line to the fishing port of Bermeo, followed by a coastal boat cruise past Mundaka, Laida Beach, the Caves of Ogono, and Izaro Island.
  • Day 6Euskotren train to San Sebastian through open countryside and narrow river valleys alongside the River Deba, with the option to ride the Monte Igueldo Funicular.

Included

  • All travel and excursions as outlined in the itinerary
  • Good quality en-suite accommodation
  • Meals as shown in the itinerary (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
  • Services of our tour manager
  • Transport pass for the Bilbao area (tram)

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. PTG Tours includes rides on the Euskotren metre-gauge lines to Bermeo and San Sebastian, a RENFE broad-gauge line to Miranda de Ebro (optional on Day 7), a steam train at the Basque Railway Museum, three funiculars, and local metro and tram passes.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. A PTG Tours manager escorts the entire holiday from Bilbao, leading activities such as the Vizcaya Bridge tour and optional Miranda de Ebro rail excursion.
What is included in the price?
All travel and excursions in the itinerary, good-quality en-suite accommodation, meals as shown (breakfast, lunch, and dinner on specified days), the tour manager's services, and a local transport pass for Bilbao area trams.
How do I get to Bilbao?
PTG offers flights from London Gatwick (09:40), Bristol (13:20), or Manchester, or overland travel by Eurostar and TGV from London St Pancras (departing the day before, with one night in Hendaye).
How much walking is involved?
The tour is moderately active, with some walking from railway stations to cruise piers, funiculars, and around the Old Town. Walking intensity is typical of city and industrial heritage visits.
When does the tour run?
The published departure is 15 October 2026.

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