Getting to Bilbao for the football

Bilbao is one of the easy ones. You can fly direct from Manchester and London to Bilbao Airport (BIO), 12 km north of the centre, then take the Bizkaibus A3247 (about €3, about 20 minutes) into town (Euskoguide). San Mames has its own metro station on Lines 1 and 2, right outside. Away fans in European ties sit in the southeast corner upper tier, roughly 2,500 tickets, entering through Gate 19 (Football Ground Guide).

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

Bilbao has direct UK flights, so most fans fly point to point into BIO and take the Bizkaibus in. The cheaper alternatives skip the direct fare and fly into a nearby gateway, Santander or Biarritz, then coach the last leg into Bilbao's Termibus, which sits directly across from San Mames. Here are the ways there and roughly what each costs and takes.

Costs are estimates and swing with dates and how early you book. The Santander and Biarritz gateways are the play when direct BIO fares spike, or when the Manchester service is not flying on your date.

Getting into Bilbao: airport and main station

Bilbao Airport (BIO, Loiu) is about 12 km north of the centre, and there is no metro or train link, so the two realistic options are the Bizkaibus A3247 bus or a taxi (Euskoguide).

The Bizkaibus A3247 runs from the airport into the city in about 20 minutes for around €3, paid to the driver with contactless accepted. It goes roughly every 15 to 30 minutes depending on the time of day, from about 06:15 to midnight airport-to-city and 05:15 to 22:00 city-to-airport. In town it stops at Alameda Recalde, twice on Gran Via, and finishes at the main intermodal bus station (Termibus), which sits directly across from San Mames (Euskoguide).

A taxi from the airport takes about 15 minutes and costs roughly €25 to €35. Radio Taxi Bilbao is +34 944 448 888 (Euskoguide).

Arriving by train, the main station is Bilbao-Abando (Plaza Circular 2), central and a short walk from the Casco Viejo. Renfe runs long-distance Alvia services here, including to Madrid; the fastest Madrid trains take about 4h35, typically around 5 hours, with a couple of services a day (Bilbao Turismo). Abando is on Metro Lines 1 and 2 (station Abando) and next to the Bilbao tram, so onward travel to the stadium or your hotel is easy (Wikipedia).

Getting out to San Mames

The metro station San Mames (Lines 1 and 2, signed Santimami/San Mames) is directly outside the stadium and is the simplest way in. From Moyua in the centre it is about a 5-minute ride (Athletic Club).

The Bilbao tram also stops at San Mames; from Abando the tram journey is roughly 12 minutes (Athletic Club). Bilbobus and Bizkaibus lines 28, A3411, A3414 and A3915 stop near the stadium, and the Termibus regional bus station is directly across the road from San Mames (Athletic Club).

The stadium is walkable from almost anywhere in central Bilbao, roughly half an hour on foot from the old town (Athletic Club).

The match ticket does not double as a transport ticket, so you still need a Barik card or a paper single for the metro, tram or bus (CTB).

Away fans in European matches are housed in the southeast corner, upper (second) tier, an allocation of about 2,500, around 5% of capacity. Gate 19 is the designated away entrance (Football Ground Guide).

Getting around the city

Bilbao's metro, tram, Bilbobus, Bizkaibus, Euskotren and Renfe Cercanias all share the rechargeable Barik smartcard. The card costs €3, which is non-refundable, and needs a minimum €5 top-up on first purchase (CTB).

Metro fares are zonal across the 3-zone network. With a Barik card a single zone-1 metro trip is around €0.95, rising to about €1.13 for 2 zones and €1.25 for 3 zones; a paper single is nearer €1.60. Fares were updated in March 2026, so confirm current prices at ctb.eus.

The Barik card also works on the Artxanda funicular and the Bizkaia (Vizcaya) transporter bridge, both worth a look on a non-match day (CTB).

Where visiting fans stay

Most away fans base themselves in the Casco Viejo (Old Town) or the Abando/Gran Via area around the main station, both central, walkable and metro-connected to the stadium (Football Ground Guide).

For staying right by the ground, options near San Mames include San Mames Ostatua (2-star, budget) and the 4-star NH Collection Villa de Bilbao about a 5-minute walk away (Football Ground Guide).

Where to drink

Beer is cheap by UK standards. A zurito (small beer) that comes with pintxos runs about €1.50 to €2, and a caña or larger glass sits around €3 to €5 in busier spots (Bea Adventurous).

• Bar Aterpe (Juan Antonio Zunzunegui Etorbidea 10). Busy, less touristy matchday bar just steps from San Mames, serving Estrella and pintxos like tortilla and croquetas (Scotsman).
• Ein Prosit (Licenciado Poza 48). Popular with football fans before and after games, German beers, Basque ciders and food like bratwurst and currywurst. It sits on the bar-heavy Poza/Pozas street near the ground (Scotsman).
• Pozas (Licenciado Poza) street. The main pre-match strip a few minutes from the stadium, lined with bars that fill with home and away fans on matchday. Easy walking, good atmosphere, sensible prices.
• Plaza Nueva, Casco Viejo. Around a dozen pintxo bars under the arcades, including Gure Toki and the historic Victor Montes. This is the txikiteo (bar hop) heartland; locals descend from about 7pm (Lonely Planet).
• Café Bar Bilbao (Plaza Nueva 6). A classic, mosaic-tiled bar that is friendly to visitors, good for a stand-up beer and a plate of gildas or tortilla.
• Calle Somera and Calle Santa Maria, Casco Viejo. The younger, livelier lanes for late drinks after the game.

Anywhere to avoid: nowhere off-limits, but keep your wits about the San Francisco neighbourhood (around Cortes and San Francisco streets) late at night, which is rougher than the rest of the centre (Tourism Attractions).

Where to eat

Bilbao is a pintxo city. The move is to graze bar to bar rather than sit for one big meal. Reckon on €3 to €8 a pintxo, more for elaborate seafood, and €25 to €35 a head for a proper crawl with drinks (Hellotickets). Standing at the bar is cheaper than table service.

• Gure Toki (Plaza Nueva 12). Award-winning, inventive pintxos from a family-run bar, a Bilbao must (Hellotickets).
• Bar El Globo (Diputacion Kalea 8). Famous for txangurro gratinado (spider crab), a local favourite and good value (Hellotickets).
• Victor Montes (Plaza Nueva 8). A grand old bar and restaurant, terrace on the square, both quick pintxos and a proper sit-down meal (Hellotickets).
• Café Bar Bilbao (Plaza Nueva 6). Classics done well: bacalao (salt cod), gildas and tortilla (Hellotickets).
• Mercado de la Ribera. The riverside covered market has a run of stalls and bars for a quick, cheap graze away from the crowds.
• Sit-down for a txuleta. For a full meal, the Basque steak (txuleta), a big bone-in rib cooked rare, is the order. Most Casco Viejo taverns and asadors do it.

Dishes to try: bacalao al pil-pil (salt cod in a garlic and oil emulsion), the gilda (anchovy, olive and guindilla pepper on a stick), marmitako (tuna and potato stew), txangurro (spider crab) and, to finish, a slab of txuleta.

What to do

• Guggenheim Museum. Frank Gehry's titanium-clad landmark on the river, the building that put modern Bilbao on the map. Worth it even if you only circle the outside and Jeff Koons's flower-covered Puppy.
• Casco Viejo (Old Town) and Plaza Nueva. The medieval Seven Streets, the cathedral and the arcaded square that anchors the city's eating and drinking.
• Artxanda funicular. A short ride up from the centre to a hillside viewpoint over the whole city and the river. The Barik card works on it.
• Mercado de la Ribera. One of Europe's largest covered markets, right on the river in the old town.
• Museo de Bellas Artes. A strong fine-arts collection in a park near the Guggenheim, a good quieter alternative.
• Bizkaia (Vizcaya) transporter bridge. The UNESCO-listed Puente Colgante at Portugalete, a short ride out, ferries people and cars across the river in a hanging gondola.
• Nervion riverside walk and Zubizuri bridge. An easy stroll linking the Guggenheim, the Calatrava footbridge and the Azkuna Zentroa cultural centre.

Common questions

How do you get from Bilbao Airport to San Mames?

The airport is 12 km north with no rail link. Take the Bizkaibus A3247 into town (about €3, 20 minutes) and get off near the centre, or ride to Termibus, which is directly across from the stadium. From anywhere central, the San Mames metro station on Lines 1 and 2 is right outside the ground (Euskoguide; Athletic Club).

Which airport do you fly to for Athletic Club, and is there a direct flight?

Fly to Bilbao (BIO, Loiu). This is a direct-flight trip, so no hub is needed. easyJet flies direct from Manchester (seasonal), and Vueling flies from Gatwick and Heathrow, with Wizz Air from Luton, all roughly two hours. Around 16 direct UK services run daily (Kayak; FlightsFrom).

Where do away fans sit at San Mames?

Away fans in European matches are in the southeast corner, upper (second) tier, an allocation of about 2,500, around 5% of capacity. The designated away entrance is Gate 19 (Football Ground Guide).

How big is the away allocation?

About 2,500 tickets for European ties, roughly 5% of the 53,331 capacity. It is a modest allocation in a loud, single-club stadium, so expect to be well outnumbered (Football Ground Guide; Wikipedia).

What time should you get to the ground?

The metro is the main artery and gets very busy close to kick-off, so aim to be in the San Mames area 60 to 90 minutes early. That also leaves time for the Pozas bar strip a few minutes from the turnstiles. Gate 19 is the away entrance, so head for the southeast corner (Athletic Club).

Can you drink beer inside the stadium?

Concourses at San Mames sell beer and food, though as across Spanish grounds, alcohol sales and taking drinks to your seat can be restricted on the night. Do most of your drinking in the Pozas bars or the Casco Viejo beforehand and treat the concourse as a backup.

How much is a beer in Bilbao?

Cheap by UK standards. A zurito (small beer) served with pintxos is about €1.50 to €2, and a larger caña sits around €3 to €5 in busier bars. Standing at the bar keeps it cheaper than table service (Bea Adventurous).

Is Bilbao safe for football fans?

Yes. Bilbao and the Basque Country have some of the lowest crime rates in Spain and the city is generally low-risk. Watch for pickpocketing in crowds, on the metro and in the busy Casco Viejo bars on matchday, and be more careful late at night around the San Francisco streets (Cortes and San Francisco) (Tourism Attractions).

Where are the away-friendly areas to drink?

The Pozas (Licenciado Poza) strip near the stadium and Plaza Nueva in the old town are the two hubs, both used to visiting fans. Athletic supporters are known for a good-natured welcome, so there is no need to hide colours, though common sense applies late at night in the San Francisco area (Scotsman).

Does the match ticket include free public transport?

No. Unlike some clubs, Athletic Club does not bundle free metro or bus travel with the match ticket. Buy a Barik smartcard (€3 plus a minimum €5 load) or a paper single, and use the San Mames metro on Lines 1 and 2 (CTB).

How far is San Mames from the city centre?

Very close. The stadium is roughly a half-hour walk from the Casco Viejo and about a 5-minute metro ride from Moyua in the centre. San Mames has its own station directly outside on Lines 1 and 2, and the tram from Abando takes about 12 minutes (Athletic Club).

Where should away fans stay?

Base yourself in the Casco Viejo (Old Town) or the Abando/Gran Via area by the main station, both central and metro-connected to the ground. Right by the stadium, San Mames Ostatua is a budget 2-star and the NH Collection Villa de Bilbao is a 4-star about five minutes' walk away (Football Ground Guide).

What is the capacity of San Mames?

San Mames holds 53,331. It opened on 16 September 2013 and was fully completed in August 2014. The record football attendance is 52,114, set for Athletic Bilbao v Rangers on 17 April 2025 (Wikipedia).