Single ALSA coach gets you from OVD T1 to Gijón
From Asturias Airport T1, the ALSA Airport–Gijón Bus runs direct to Gijón without a change in Avilés or Oviedo, which keeps costs lower than a €50–€60 taxi. You board just outside the arrivals hall at the same small set of bays used by the Oviedo ALSA buses, so read the electronic sign for “Gijón” before putting your bag in the hold.
Typical run time sits around 45–50 minutes for the 40‑kilometre trip, but in July–August some riders report an extra 10–15 minutes when traffic backs up at Gijón’s entrances. The timetable is tied to flight banks rather than running every 15 minutes, so you often see clumps of departures around mid‑morning and late afternoon, with thinner service in the middle of the day.
A one‑way ticket usually lands in the €8–€10 range, cheaper than splitting a taxi three ways at roughly €20 per person. You can buy from the driver in cash, via the ALSA app, or at ALSA’s website before you fly, which some backpackers do on €20‑a‑day budgets to lock in the price and avoid fumbling with coins after landing.
First stop is Gijón’s main bus station on Calle Magnus Blikstad, about 900 metres from San Lorenzo beach and within 5–15 minutes’ walk of a cluster of hostels. That makes this route handy if you’re carrying a 60‑litre pack and don’t want to change buses in Oviedo or pay for an extra urban ride across town.
The main catch: if your flight lands after the last direct bus, you may have to ride ALSA to Oviedo and connect, or swallow a late‑night taxi at €55+. Reviewers on Skytrax mention walking straight outside arrivals to find both Oviedo and Gijón buses at two adjacent bays, but signage inside the compact terminal is light, so you often need to step out to check the paper and electronic boards.
Step-by-step: ALSA Airport–Gijón Bus
- 1. Land at Asturias Airport T1 and exit baggage reclaim into arrivals; this takes about 10–15 minutes from touchdown if you have only a cabin bag.
- 2. Walk straight out the main doors and turn toward the marked bus bays, roughly 50–70 metres from the terminal exit.
- 3. Check the bay display and front coach sign for “Gijón” (not “Oviedo”) and confirm the departure time and price, usually €8–€10.
- 4. Buy your ticket from the driver or show your ALSA app booking, then load larger bags into the hold before you board.
- 5. Ride 45–50 minutes to Gijón bus station, adding 10–15 minutes to your mental buffer in summer traffic peaks.
- 6. At Gijón, follow the station exits toward the centre; San Lorenzo beach sits about a 10–15 minute walk, and most hostels are within a 1–2 kilometre radius.
One practical tip: pull the day’s Oviedo and Gijón ALSA timetables to your phone before flying; if the next direct Gijón bus is an hour away but an Oviedo coach leaves in 10 minutes, you can decide in real time whether saving 30–40 minutes is worth an extra local connection.