Costa Verde Express
Bilbao ⇄ Santiago de Compostela · 6 days · 5 nights · from €5,000 per person, all-inclusive
The journey
The train that invented the Spanish rail cruise. First run in 1983 as El Transcantábrico — the pioneer of luxury tourist trains in Spain — and relaunched in 2022 as the Costa Verde Express. Six days between Bilbao and Santiago de Compostela: the Guggenheim, Altamira, the Cabrales cheese caves, Oviedo, the fishing villages of the green coast and the end of the Camino. The best value in Spanish luxury rail.
Route: Bilbao · Santander · Santillana del Mar · Llanes · Oviedo · Gijón · Luarca · Ribadeo · Viveiro · Santiago de Compostela
- The original 1983 Spanish train cruise, fully refreshed for its 2022 relaunch
- 24 Gran Clase Suites, each with a private en-suite bathroom
- Four lounge cars including a pub car with bar and dance floor
- Cabrales cheese caves, Altamira, Taramundi and the Playa de las Catedrales
- The most accessible fare in Spanish luxury rail — from €4,770 for 2027
The itinerary
Directions alternate by departure — the mirror itinerary visits the same places in reverse. See the calendar for each date’s direction.
Bilbao — Santander
Board at Bilbao's historic La Concordia station; panoramic tour including the Guggenheim, then west to Santander for dinner at a noted restaurant.
Santillana del Mar — Altamira — Llanes
The medieval village of Santillana del Mar and the Altamira Neocave; lunch on board to the Asturian seaside town of Llanes.
Arenas de Cabrales — Picos de Europa
Into the mountains for the Cabrales cheese cave-museum; afternoon in Llanes and on toward Oviedo.
Oviedo — Gijón — Luarca
The pre-Romanesque capital of Asturias and seafront Gijón; evening in the white fishing town of Luarca.
Taramundi — Ribadeo — Viveiro
The Oscos ethnographic villages and knife-makers of Taramundi; the Playa de las Catedrales; overnight by the ría of Viveiro.
Ferrol — Santiago de Compostela
Final morning on board to Ferrol, then Santiago de Compostela — journey ends mid-afternoon by the cathedral.
Your cabin
Gran Clase Suite
Beds: Matrimonial double 1.35 × 1.80 m
Convertible day/night layout; private en-suite bathroom with shower; minibar, safe, climate control.
In pictures
Upcoming departures
2026 fares from €5,000 per person double occupancy (€9,000 single); 2027 from €4,770 with 10% early-booking savings using code 2027SPAIN. A 15% deposit holds your suite; balance due 35 days before departure.
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Costa Verde Express FAQs
Is the Costa Verde Express the old Transcantábrico?
Yes — it is the original El Transcantábrico Clásico of 1983, Spain's first tourist train cruise, refreshed and relaunched in 2022 under its new name.
What does it cost?
2026 departures are €5,000 per person in a double Gran Clase Suite (€9,000 single). 2027 departures are from €4,770 per person using early-booking code 2027SPAIN — the most accessible fare in Spanish luxury rail.
How is it different from the Gran Lujo?
Same coastline, two levels of luxury: the Gran Lujo has half the guests in suites twice the size over 8 days; the Costa Verde Express distills the route into 6 days at roughly half the fare, with smaller Gran Clase Suites.
When does it run?
Remaining 2026 departures run September–October; the 2027 season runs May to October, plus short 3-day mini-cruises from Oviedo in July and August 2027.
Considering the alternatives? Compare with Transcantábrico Gran Lujo or Al Ándalus, or see all three side by side.