There are about 20 buses per day from Bilbao to Santander, journey time about 90 minutes. Single ticket €6.71, return €12.75 (December 2009).
Bilman Bus offers daily bus services from Valencia, Alicante, Cartagena, and Murcia.
For more information see the Santander Bus Station (estación de Autobuses de Santander) with timetables from and to all destinations available.
By train
RENFE operates daily trains from Madrid and Alicante to Santander with stops in the main cities on the way (Palencia, Valladolid, and Ávila). Trains leave from Madrid Chamartin Station at 7:40 AM Mon to Fri, 1:30 PM, and 6:05 PM daily. The trip from Madrid takes about 5-6 hours (~€35).
Feve offers daily train services from Bilbao and Asturia to Santander.
By ferry
You may also wish to take a ferry from Plymouth, England. The journey time is approximately 24 hours each way, and is an interesting journey, although you may wish to resist having a large meal too soon after departure from Plymouth if you are unused to sea travel as the Cantabrian Sea can be extremely rough.
Britanny Ferries operates two sailings a week from the UK to Santander from mid-March to October, on Wednesdays from Portsmouth and on Sundays from Plymouth, average sailing time hours. Operated by the modern MV Pont Aven . From November until around December 20th and from Mid-February until March only the Plymouth - Santander service is operated with MS Bretagne , journey time 24 hrs. There is no service from around December 20th until mid-February.
By car
From France
Santander is 150 ml (246 km) from Biarritz, 272 ml (437 km) from Bordeaux, 327 ml (537
