Bilbao to Santander distance
Bilbao and Santander are 75.2 km (46.7 mi) apart in a straight line and 101 km (62.8 mi) apart by road: about 1 hr 20 min of driving without stops, mostly on the A-8 and the BI-10. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing and where every figure comes from.
By the Mapsfera Team
- By road
- 101 km (62.8 mi)
- Driving time
- 1 hr 20 min
- Straight line
- 75.2 km (46.7 mi)
- Driving route
- Straight line
- Straight-line midpoint
- Halfway by road
Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection centered on the midpoint. Route: FOSSGIS OSRM with data © OpenStreetMap contributors, calculated on October 31, 2026; simplified line.
The figures
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Straight line | 75.2 km (46.7 mi) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 101 km (62.8 mi) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 1 hr 20 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +34% 1.34 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 75 km/h (46 mph) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 287° (west) leaving Bilbao toward Santander |
| Midpoint | 43.3641° N, 3.3660° W near Liendo (Cantabria) |
| Halfway by road | Near Liendo (Cantabria) 50.5 km from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Elevation | Bilbao: 7 m (23 ft) · Santander: 5 m (16 ft) IGN (Spain) |
| Population | Bilbao: 351,124 · Santander: 175,425 INE population register, January 1, 2025 |
Bilbao to Santander by road
The fastest driving route is 101 km (62.8 mi) long and takes about 1 hr 20 min without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on the A-8 (60.0 km), the BI-10 (19.6 km), and the S-10 (14.0 km).
It goes through 2 autonomous communities: the Basque Country (24.1 km) and Cantabria (76.8 km). That’s an average of 75 km/h (46 mph), and at under two hours you can do it without stopping. The time is OSRM’s estimate with OpenStreetMap data: no traffic and speeds somewhat below the limits, so real trips can differ.
Straight-line distance and bearing
In a straight line, the shortest distance over the Earth’s surface, Bilbao and Santander are 75.2 km (46.7 mi) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 34% longer: for every 100 km in a straight line you drive 134. That’s a big detour: the fastest route strays quite far from the straight line. Of the 40 Spanish pairs in this series, it ranks 7th for detour (the average is 24%).
From Bilbao, Santander lies to the west (bearing 287°), and from Santander, Bilbao lies to the east.
Halfway between Bilbao and Santander
Halfway along the straight line, 37.6 km (23.3 mi) from each city, is the point 43.3641° N, 3.3660° W. It falls near Liendo (Cantabria, pop. 1,218), 3.5 km away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Castro Urdiales (Cantabria, pop. 33,450), 12.2 km away.
By road, the halfway point is 50.5 km (31.4 mi) from each city, near Liendo (Cantabria, pop. 1,218), 1.6 km away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Castro Urdiales (Cantabria, pop. 33,450), 12.8 km away. The two midpoints almost coincide (2.0 km apart), because the road doesn’t stray far from the straight line.
The two cities
Bilbao and Santander sit at almost the same elevation: 7 m (23 ft) and 5 m (16 ft).
Bilbao has 351,124 people and Santander 175,425 people (INE population register, January 1, 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many kilometers is it from Bilbao to Santander?
75.2 km (46.7 mi) in a straight line and 101 km (62.8 mi) by road on the fastest route (mostly on the A-8 and the BI-10).
How long is the drive from Bilbao to Santander?
About 1 hr 20 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data.
Where is the halfway point between Bilbao and Santander?
In a straight line, near Liendo (Cantabria). By road, 50.5 km from each city, near Liendo (Cantabria).
Which direction is Santander from Bilbao?
West: the straight line leaves Bilbao on a bearing of 287° (0° is north and 90° is east).
Measure it yourself on the map
The same two cities, already set up in the tools: move the points, get the route by bike or on foot and download the map.
- Distance between two points Measure the distance between any two places or points on the map, in miles or kilometers.
- Straight line vs driving distance Compare the as-the-crow-flies distance with the real driving distance and see how much the road adds.
- Halfway point Find the exact halfway point between two places and see it on the map, ready to share.
More distances from Bilbao
All distancesMore distances from Santander
Sources
- Driving route: FOSSGIS OSRM, car profile (calculated on October 31, 2026) · FOSSGIS e.V.
- Roads, streets and places · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Straight line, bearings and midpoint (geodesics on the WGS84 ellipsoid) · GeographicLib (C. F. F. Karney)
- Location and elevation of Spanish cities (gazetteer and DEM) · Instituto Geográfico Nacional (CC BY 4.0)
- Population register, January 1, 2025 · INE (Spain)
- Places near the midpoints: Mapsfera gazetteer (GeoNames, INE, IGN and Census) · Mapsfera
- Time zones (timezone-boundary-builder outlines and the IANA database) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
- Map: provinces (IGN), states (US Census Bureau) and countries (Natural Earth) · IGN, Census and Natural Earth
- Methodology