Brittany Ferries · Galicia
Ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao
The longest of the four direct crossings to Spain: up to 36 hours and two nights on the Galicia. It also lands you closer to France and the Mediterranean than any other Spanish ferry port, which is the whole reason to pick it.
Portsmouth to Bilbao ferry timetable
Two return sailings a week from April to November 2026, dropping to one a week over the winter. The two southbound departures are not the same length: Thursday is a three-hour-longer crossing than Sunday.
| Direction | Departs | Arrives | Time at sea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth → Bilbao | Thursday 19:00 | Saturday 08:00 | 36 hours |
| Portsmouth → Bilbao | Sunday 22:00 | Tuesday 08:00 | 33 hours |
| Bilbao → Portsmouth | Tuesday 13:00 | Wednesday 20:45 | 32h 45m |
| Bilbao → Portsmouth | Saturday 13:00 | Sunday 17:30 | 29h 30m |
Times are local at each port, from the Brittany Ferries schedule for April to November 2026, and the crossing figures above already account for Spain being an hour ahead. Winter sailings are reduced, so confirm your dates when you book. Every northbound departure is on our Spain to the UK page.
Pick the Sunday sailing if the length bothers you
Thursday leaves at 19:00 and Sunday at 22:00, both arriving at 08:00. That three-hour difference in departure time is three extra hours at sea on the Thursday. If you would rather be on board for less time, the Sunday sailing is the shorter of the two for the same arrival. If you would rather have an evening on the ship before you sleep, take the Thursday.
What 36 hours actually looks like
This is the longest way to reach Spain by sea from the UK, and the shape of it matters more than the total. You get two nights on board and one complete day at sea, with nothing but Atlantic outside.
| When | Thursday sailing |
|---|---|
| Thu evening | Check in by 18:15 at the latest. Sail at 19:00, dinner on board as you leave the Solent |
| Thu night | Down the Channel. Most people sleep through it |
| Friday | The full day. Open Atlantic and the Bay of Biscay, land out of sight for most of it |
| Fri night | Second night, closing on the Basque coast |
| Sat 08:00 | Dock at Zierbena, 21 km short of Bilbao itself |
The Sunday sailing is the same shape with Monday as the day at sea, minus the evening on board.
The longest crossing is also the best one for wildlife
More hours over deep water means a better chance of seeing something, and this is the longest crossing of the four. Brittany Ferries puts free guides from the marine conservation charity ORCA on deck through the summer, and on this route you have an entire day to use them rather than a single morning. What else fills the hours.
The thing to know before you book: Bilbao is not where the ferry lands
The terminal is at Muelle A-3, Zierbena, out on the Abra bay where the river meets the sea. It is about 13 miles (21 km) from central Bilbao, 15 to 30 minutes by road depending on traffic.
If you have a car this barely registers. If you are a foot passenger it changes your arrival completely, and plenty of pages describe the port as walkable from the city. It is not.
Getting into Bilbao
- Direct buses run from the port to central Bilbao
- Or train to Santurtzi station, then bus 33
- Taxi is around 15 minutes in light traffic
- Full options in our port to city centre guide
Parking at the terminal
- P1, next to the terminal, open 24 hours, around £11 (€13) per 24 hours
- P2, smaller and further, 08:00 to 20:00 only, around £8 (€9)
- Sailings leave at 13:00, so P2’s closing time can catch you out
- Pre-bookable through the port website
Terminal facilities, the full address and driving directions are in the Bilbao ferry port guide.
Cabins on a two-night crossing
Accommodation is compulsory rather than an upgrade, because the crossing is overnight. On this route you pay for it twice, and it is the biggest single variable in what you spend.
The options
- Reserved lounge seat, 43 of them on board
- 4-berth inside cabin
- 4-berth cabin with window and TV
- 2-berth Club cabin with video on demand
- 2-berth Commodore Suite with C-Club lounge access
- Pet-friendly and wheelchair-accessible cabins, limited numbers
What to weigh up
- 36 hours in a reserved seat is a very long time. Price the inside cabin first
- Cabins are priced per cabin, not per head, so fill the one you book
- 341 cabins for 1,015 passengers means the specialist grades are a small share
- A window is worth more here than on any other route, because of the length
- Accessible and pet cabins sell out first
What actually moves the total is explained in our guide to the cheapest crossing. Fares change constantly, so check live prices for your own dates rather than working from a published table.
Crossing the Bay of Biscay
The route runs the length of the French Atlantic coast and across Biscay to the Basque Country. More time at sea means more exposure to whatever the weather is doing, and Biscay earns its reputation in winter. A summer crossing is often calm. If you are prone to seasickness, take something before you feel unwell rather than after.
Sea conditions for your sailing
This is the longest crossing of the four, so you spend more time exposed than on any other route. Check the forecast across the full two nights rather than just the departure.
On board the Galicia
The Galicia was the first of the three E-Flexer ships Brittany Ferries brought in to modernise the Spanish routes, entering service in 2021. She is the one that is not LNG-powered: the Salamanca and Santoña run on liquefied natural gas, while the Galicia uses an exhaust gas cleaning system. In practice she is marginally noisier under way. Inside, the difference is barely noticeable.
Eating and drinking
- Azul, the a la carte restaurant
- Taberna de Tapas
- Plaza Mayor bar
- C-Club lounge, for Commodore Suite and 2-berth Club passengers
- Duty-free shopping
For the middle day
- Indoor children’s play area
- Interactive digital games area
- Travel and Sea exhibition with hands-on displays
- Sun deck with sports equipment
- Open deck for whale and dolphin watching
Interiors and food lean Spanish rather than French, which is the deliberate contrast with the Pont-Aven. There is no pool on the E-Flexer ships, which is worth knowing if you are travelling with children and weighing this against the Plymouth route.
36 hours is a very long time in a kennel
Dogs cannot travel in the car on any Spanish route. On the longest crossing of the four, the difference between a kennel and a pet-friendly cabin is larger than on any other sailing, and pet cabins are limited. Our guide to sailing with a dog covers the rules, the kennels and the paperwork that changed in April 2026.
Full specifications and a live position tracker are on the Galicia page.
Leaving from Portsmouth
Check in at least 45 minutes before departure, or 90 minutes with a pet. The M275 runs directly into the port: from London take the M3 or A3, from the Midlands the A34 onto the M3, from the west the M27 to junction 12.
Motorhomes cannot use the port car park
The height barrier is 2.1 metres, or 6 ft 11 in. If you are leaving a motorhome or a high-top van behind while you sail, you need an alternative, and it is worth arranging before the day. Options are in our Portsmouth ferry port guide.
Bilbao or Santander?
Both Spanish ports are on the Cantabrian coast about 100 km apart, but they point you in different directions once you drive off.
Bilbao suits you if
- You are heading for Barcelona, around six hours by road
- You want southern France, 90 minutes to two hours to the border
- You are going to the Mediterranean costas or Alicante, 496 miles
- You want a city break at the arrival end, with the Guggenheim and the Casco Viejo
Santander suits you if
- You are heading for Madrid, Segovia or central Spain
- You are driving on to Portugal, four to five hours away
- You want the shortest crossing: Plymouth to Santander is 20h 30m and one night
- You want to dock in the middle of a city rather than 21 km outside one
This route carried 74,000 passengers over the last twelve months, ten per cent more than the year before, so it is growing. Travelling from Ireland instead? Rosslare to Bilbao reaches the same port without the landbridge. Compare all four on the UK to Spain ferry routes page.
Common questions
How long is the ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao?
36 hours on the Thursday sailing and 33 hours on the Sunday, accounting for the hour’s time difference. Northbound is shorter: 29h 30m on Saturday and 32h 45m on Tuesday.
How far is the ferry port from Bilbao?
About 13 miles (21 km). The terminal is at Zierbena on the Abra bay, not in the city. Allow 15 to 30 minutes by road, and plan a transfer if you are a foot passenger.
Which ship is it?
The Galicia, on both sailings, throughout 2026.
Does it run in winter?
Yes, but reduced to one return sailing a week from November to March. Two a week from April to November.
Is there a pool?
No. The Pont-Aven on the Plymouth route is the only ship sailing to Spain with an indoor pool.
Do I need a passport?
Yes, for every passenger including children. Spain requires your passport to have been issued within the last ten years and to remain valid for at least three months beyond your departure from the EU.
Check dates and fares
Brittany Ferries, Portsmouth to Bilbao, twice weekly April to November.
Book your tickets →Brittany Ferries Bilbao terminal: Muelle A-3, Zierbena 48508, Bizkaia
