Madrid to Bilbao distance
Madrid and Bilbao are 322 km (200 mi) apart in a straight line and 397 km (246 mi) apart by road: about 4 hr 25 min of driving without stops, mostly on the A-1 and the AP-1. Below you’ll find the route map, both halfway points, the bearing and where every figure comes from.
By the Mapsfera Team
- By road
- 397 km (246 mi)
- Driving time
- 4 hr 25 min
- Straight line
- 322 km (200 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 | 322 km (200 mi) geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid |
| By road | 397 km (246 mi) fastest driving route (OSRM) |
| Driving time | 4 hr 25 min no stops, no traffic |
| Road detour | +23% 1.23 times the straight line |
| Average speed | 89 km/h (55 mph) along the route, without stops |
| Bearing | 11° (north) leaving Madrid toward Bilbao |
| Midpoint | 41.8424° N, 3.3162° W near Huerta de Rey (Burgos) |
| Halfway by road | In Quintanilla de la Mata (Burgos) 198 km from each city by road |
| Time difference | None both share the same time |
| Elevation | Madrid: 645 m (2,116 ft) · Bilbao: 7 m (23 ft) IGN (Spain) |
| Population | Madrid: 3,506,730 · Bilbao: 351,124 INE population register, January 1, 2025 |
Madrid to Bilbao by road
The fastest driving route is 397 km (246 mi) long and takes about 4 hr 25 min without stops or traffic. It runs mostly on the A-1 (235 km), the AP-1 (76.1 km), and the AP-68 (68.1 km).
It goes through 3 autonomous communities: the Community of Madrid (97.1 km), Castile and León (224 km), and the Basque Country (75.7 km). That’s an average of 89 km/h (55 mph). Spain’s traffic authority (DGT) recommends a break every two hours or 200 km: with 2 stops of 20 minutes, the trip takes about 5 hr 5 min. 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, Madrid and Bilbao are 322 km (200 mi) apart. That’s the geodesic on the WGS84 ellipsoid, the distance “as the crow flies”.
The road is 23% longer: for every 100 km in a straight line you drive 123. That’s a normal detour between two cities. Of the 40 Spanish pairs in this series, it ranks 15th for detour (the average is 24%).
From Madrid, Bilbao lies to the north (bearing 11°), and from Bilbao, Madrid lies to the south.
Halfway between Madrid and Bilbao
Halfway along the straight line, 161 km (100 mi) from each city, is the point 41.8424° N, 3.3162° W. It falls near Huerta de Rey (Burgos, pop. 889), 2.6 km away. The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Aranda de Duero (Burgos, pop. 33,956), 36.5 km away.
By road, the halfway point is 198 km (123 mi) from each city, in Quintanilla de la Mata (Burgos, pop. 109). The nearest town of 20,000 people or more is Aranda de Duero (Burgos, pop. 33,956), 35.4 km away. The two midpoints are 40.7 km apart: if you want to meet halfway, the one on the road is the useful one.
By plane
No flight time is given: under 500 km (311 miles) in a straight line, time at the airport outweighs time in the air.
The two cities
Madrid sits at 645 m (2,116 ft) and Bilbao at 7 m (23 ft), 638 m (2,093 ft) lower.
Madrid has 3.5 million people and Bilbao 351,124 people (INE population register, January 1, 2025).
Frequently asked questions
How many kilometers is it from Madrid to Bilbao?
322 km (200 mi) in a straight line and 397 km (246 mi) by road on the fastest route (mostly on the A-1 and the AP-1).
How long is the drive from Madrid to Bilbao?
About 4 hr 25 min without stops or traffic, according to OSRM with OpenStreetMap data; with 2 stops of 20 minutes, about 5 hr 5 min.
Where is the halfway point between Madrid and Bilbao?
In a straight line, near Huerta de Rey (Burgos). By road, 198 km from each city, in Quintanilla de la Mata (Burgos).
Which city is higher, Madrid or Bilbao?
Madrid, at 645 m (2,116 ft); Bilbao sits at 7 m (23 ft).
Which direction is Bilbao from Madrid?
North: the straight line leaves Madrid on a bearing of 11° (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 Madrid
All distances- Madrid to Alicante 360 km straight line · 420 km by road · 4 hr 35 min
- Madrid to A Coruña 510 km straight line · 593 km by road · 6 hr 30 min
- Madrid to Granada 360 km straight line · 420 km by road · 4 hr 45 min
- Madrid to Salamanca 177 km straight line · 216 km by road · 2 hr 35 min
- Madrid to Toledo 68.6 km straight line · 74.7 km by road · 1 hr
- Madrid to Valladolid 162 km straight line · 190 km by road · 2 hr 30 min
More distances from Bilbao
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