How to Get to Gaztelugatxe From Bilbao Without a Car in Winter

Winter vs summer: why it’s harder now

In summer, Bizkaibus runs the direct A3517 from Bilbao through Bakio to the Gaztelugatxe stop and on to Bermeo, so you ride straight there. In 2026 that ran from June 6 to August 31, when the A3524 was suspended. The official winter timetable covers September 1 to December 23 and January 2 to June 5, with separate holiday timetables over Christmas.

In winter, two things change:

1. No direct bus. You always change in Bakio or Bermeo.
2. The connecting A3524 shrinks to a minivan. It’s an eight-seat taxi with the Bizkaibus logo, running weekdays only, every two hours. Bizkaia’s provincial government says the same in its Bizkaibus notices: the A3524 runs every two hours, Monday to Friday, with no service on Saturdays or holidays.

The A3524 gets extra services at Easter, which falls outside the November–March window this page covers. Over Christmas it does not run on December 25 or January 1.

Option A: Bus to Bakio + A3524 taxi-bus (best weekday option)

Step 1: Bilbao (Plaza Moyua) → Bakio on line A3518

• Where: The A3518 leaves from Plaza Moyua in central Bilbao. The city has renamed the square Plaza Elíptica (Eliptikoa), which is the name bizkaia.eus uses, while the timetables still call the stop “Moyua Plaza 6”. It’s a short walk from the metro station on the square.
• Frequency (winter 2026): Monday to Friday every hour from 06:30 to 21:30; Saturdays every hour from 06:15 to 22:15; Sundays and holidays every two hours from 08:00 to 22:00.
• Journey time: about 40–50 minutes to Bakio, depending on traffic.
• Get off at: Bentalde in Bakio, where the A3524 starts. The line continues one more stop to San Pelaio (the viewpoint).
• Fare: Bilbao is in fare zone 1 and Bakio in zone 4. A single ticket costs €3.40 paid to the driver. With a Barik card the Creditrans fare is €1.90, and the 40% Barik discount that runs to December 31, 2026 brings it to about €1.14.

Step 2: Bakio (Bentalde) → Gaztelu Begi on the A3524

• Departures from Bakio (Monday to Friday): 06:45, 08:45, 10:45, 12:45, 14:45, 16:45, 18:45.
• Ride time to Gaztelu Begi: roughly 15 minutes.
• The vehicle: a white van or taxi with the Bizkaibus logo and room for eight passengers. It doesn’t look like a bus, so watch for it.
• Fare: €2.00 for a single ticket on the winter timetable.
• Payment: cash only. The provincial government’s Gaztelugatxe page says the van does not take Barik, so carry coins.
• Booking: the scheduled weekday runs need no booking. With only eight seats, though, a busy run can fill up. The phone numbers further down are for the separate 8-seat taxi service.

Step 3: From the stop to the bridge

The Gaztelu Begi stop sits on the BI-3101 coast road near the upper entrance to the protected area. From the upper road, the main path down to the bridge is about 1.2 km of steep descent, followed by the 241 steps up to the hermitage. Visit Biscay estimates about 75 minutes for the 3 km round trip to the islet and back, before photo stops. For a relaxed visit, allow 2 to 2.5 hours between getting off and getting back on.

There are two upper access points, Urizarreta/Eneperi and Ermu. When the main path has been closed for works in the past, the circular route between them stayed open as a viewing walk.

Option B: Train (or bus) to Bermeo + A3524

This is the better option for getting home, because the train back from Bermeo runs far more often than the van.

Euskotren E4: Bilbao → Bermeo

• Where: Line E4 starts at Matiko and stops in central Bilbao at Zazpikaleak (Casco Viejo), among other stations, before heading to Gernika, Mundaka and Bermeo.
• Frequency: recent winter timetables have run weekday trains about every 30 minutes and hourly at weekends and on holidays. Check the current times in the Euskotren app.
• Journey time: about 1 h 20 min from Bilbao to Bermeo.
• Return from Bermeo: on weekdays you rarely wait more than half an hour for a train back; at weekends, plan around an hourly service.
• Fare: pay with a Barik card, which costs less than a single ticket bought at the machine.

Bizkaibus A3527: Bilbao → Bermeo

The A3527 also leaves from Plaza Moyua and runs to Bermeo via Mungia on the motorway. Older listings show weekday departures every 30 minutes, hourly on Saturdays and every two hours on holidays. Bermeo is in zone 4 like Bakio, so the fare is the same as on the A3518. Check the current winter timetable on Bizkaibus.

Bermeo → Gaztelu Begi on the A3524

From the Lamera stop in Bermeo, the van leaves at 07:15, 09:15, 11:15, 13:15, 15:15, 17:15 and 19:15 (Monday to Friday). Gaztelu Begi is about 15 minutes away.

Weekends and holidays: no van, so what now?

On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, the A3524 doesn’t run. Your options:

1. Walk from Bakio. Take the A3518 to Bakio and walk up to Gaztelugatxe. Depending on where you start, it’s about 4–6 km with a steady climb, so allow 1 to 1.5 hours each way before you even reach the descent to the bridge. The official Senda Gaztelugatxe path (Bakio to the Matxitxako lighthouse via Urizarreta) is 5.6 km. It’s lovely but exposed on a wet, windy day. You’ll walk the road shoulder in places, so wear something visible.

2. Book the 8-seat taxi. Bilbao Turismo lists an 8-seat taxi from Bakio or Bermeo for Saturdays, holidays and other times, bookable in advance on 688 899 170 / 662 698 014. Call ahead, and agree the return pickup time and price before you go.

3. Regular taxi. These are estimates; confirm the price with the driver:

• Bakio → Gaztelugatxe: about €12–16 (around 5–10 minutes)
• Bermeo → Gaztelugatxe: about €20–25
• Bilbao → Gaztelugatxe: roughly €45–65. One traveller reported paying about €40 from the entrance back to central Bilbao.

Gaztelugatxe has no taxi rank and mobile coverage can be patchy, so pre-arrange your pickup.

4. Walk from Bermeo? Possible but long: about 8 km, partly on the road via Matxitxako. It’s only for experienced walkers with plenty of daylight.

How to pay: Barik card and contactless

• Barik is Bizkaia’s rechargeable transit card, valid on Bizkaibus, Metro Bilbao and Euskotren. You can buy it at metro station machines and transport offices for a few euros plus a first top-up.
• Why it pays off: until December 31, 2026, Bizkaia takes 40% off Bizkaibus Creditrans fares paid with Barik. The Bilbao–Bakio trip drops from €3.40 in cash to about €1.14, so a return trip covers most of the card’s cost.
• Validate when you board. On Bizkaibus you validate when you get on and again when you get off.
• The van is different: the A3524 takes cash only, so Barik covers just the bus or train leg.
• Bank cards: don’t count on tapping a bank card on the A3518, A3527 or A3524. Carry cash or a topped-up Barik.
• Real-time info: use the Bizkaibus app or website and the Euskotren app. You can also call Bizkaibus on 946 125 555.

Heads-up for 2027: Bizkaia plans to cut its fare zones from five to three and to introduce free transfers. Some local media report the zone change will start on January 31, 2027, while Deia gives January 1, 2027 and says the top Bizkaibus single fare will fall from €4.50 to €2.15. The 40% Barik discount is set to end on December 31, 2026. Fares for January–March trips may change either way, so check before you travel.

Comparison: which way should you go?

Sample itineraries (examples only – verify times)

Weekday plan: bus out, train back

If you miss the ~15:00 van, the next one passes around 17:00, which is close to sunset in late November. You can also walk downhill to Bakio for the hourly A3518, which leaves Bakio at 40 minutes past the hour on weekdays.

Weekend plan: Bakio on foot (or taxi)

On a Saturday the same plan works with hourly buses: the A3518 leaves Bakio at 25 minutes past each hour.

Getting back before dark

Daylight is the main thing to plan around in winter. In Bilbao, sunset is 18:05 on November 1, about 17:45 by November 20, and the earliest of the year is about 17:36 around December 9. It then creeps back to about 17:45 by late December, and later through January. Under cloud on the coast it gets dark earlier.

• Aim to be back up at the road by about 16:30 from November to January.
• The climb back up from the bridge is the hard part. Budget more time for the uphill than for the descent, especially if it’s wet.
• Know your last van. The last A3524 from Bermeo leaves at 19:15 and the last from Bakio at 18:45, both in the dark in winter. Treat the ~17:00 pass as your realistic last option.
• Carry a head torch, a charged phone and cash. Dress for wind and rain.
• Want a calmer schedule? Stay over in Bakio or Bermeo and you can be at the steps before the day-trippers arrive.

Closures, works and tickets: check before you leave

• Weather: access can be restricted during storms and orange or red coastal alerts, and waves can break over the lower path. Check the official Gaztelugatxe page on the morning of your trip.
• Planned repair works: On September 21, 2026, the Basque newspaper Deia reported that the provincial government will repair the walls, parapets and paving of the path up to the hermitage. Deia said the works are expected to take four months, with an investment of about €490,000. As of late October 2026 no start date had been announced. The last major works overran: they began on October 23, 2023 with a planned two months, and Deia reported that access stayed closed for more than four months. That 2023 closure was also announced only days ahead. If the new works fall in your travel window, the islet itself may be shut.
• Tickets: free reservations are required on November 1, December 5–8 and December 30, 2026 only. Daily capacity is capped at 1,462 people, with up to ten tickets per booking. The provincial government advises tourists to avoid December 30, which is reserved for local celebrations. All other winter days are free access with no booking. Details: Gaztelugatxe tickets in winter.

Is a tour easier? Often, yes

If you’re visiting on a weekend, have only one day, or don’t want to juggle a van that runs every two hours against a 17:40 sunset, a small-group tour takes care of the logistics. The main departures include return transport from Bilbao and leave in the morning, so you’re on the rock in good light. Many also add Bermeo, Mundaka or Gernika, which are hard to combine by bus in winter.

From Bilbao: Gaztelugatxe, Mundaka, and Guernica Tour (4.7/5 from 2,491 reviews, from $49) runs six hours, includes the access ticket on controlled days and has you back in Bilbao in the afternoon. If you want Bermeo and a txakoli tasting too, the ten-hour Gaztelugatxe, Bermeo, Mundaka and Gernika tour (4.7/5 from 3,329 reviews, from $66) covers all four stops but returns after dark in winter.

Our picks for the season are in Best Gaztelugatxe tours from Bilbao in winter.

Prefer to drive? It’s about 45 minutes from Bilbao via Mungia and Bakio, and winter parking is far easier than in summer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a bus from Bilbao to Gaztelugatxe in winter?

Not a direct one. From September to early June, take the A3518 to Bakio (or the A3527 or Euskotren E4 to Bermeo), then the A3524 taxi-bus to the Gaztelu Begi stop. The A3524 runs Monday to Friday only.

Where does the bus to Bakio leave from in Bilbao?

The A3518 leaves from Plaza Moyua, which the city has renamed Plaza Elíptica. The timetables still call the stop “Moyua Plaza 6”. It’s next to the metro station on the square.

How long does it take?

Allow about 1 h 15 min to 2 h one way, depending on how well your connections line up. The bus to Bakio takes about 40–50 minutes, the van to Gaztelu Begi about 15 minutes, and the train to Bermeo about 1 h 20 min.

How much does it cost?

In 2026 the Bilbao–Bakio bus costs €3.40 in cash or about €1.14 with Barik, and the A3524 van costs €2.00 in cash. Expect roughly €3.15–5.40 each way per person. Check Bizkaibus before you go, because the Barik discount ends on December 31, 2026 and a zone reform is planned for early 2027.

Can I get there by public transport on a weekend?

Only partly. Buses and trains run to Bakio and Bermeo, but the A3524 van doesn’t run on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. Walk from Bakio, book the 8-seat taxi (688 899 170 / 662 698 014), or take a tour.

Can I walk from Bakio to Gaztelugatxe?

Yes. It’s about 4–6 km uphill, around 1 to 1.5 hours each way, plus the 1.2 km descent to the bridge and the 241 steps. Start early in winter.

Do I need a ticket to visit in winter?

Only on November 1, December 5–8 and December 30, 2026. On every other winter day, access is free with no reservation.

What time should I leave Gaztelugatxe?

Aim to be back at the road by about 16:30 from November to January, since sunset falls between about 17:36 and 18:05. On weekdays the van that passes around 15:00 is the most comfortable return, and the ~17:00 pass is your practical last option.

Related Guides

• Bus from Bilbao to Gaztelugatxe, all year
• How to get to Gaztelugatxe from Bilbao
• Best Gaztelugatxe tours from Bilbao in winter
• Gaztelugatxe tickets in winter

Last checked: October 2026. Bus times and fares are from the official Bizkaibus winter timetable and fare table; check them again before you travel.