Renting a bike for the Camino de Santiago raises the same questions every time: what paperwork do I need, where do I collect the bike, what do I do with it when I reach Santiago, and should I go electric or not. This guide gathers the answers we give every day by email and WhatsApp. Everything here is how Bicigrino works, with 2026 prices, so you can compare it with any other Camino de Santiago bike rental before you decide.
Camino bike rental in one minute
- One-way rental. We deliver the bike to the start of your route and you return it in Santiago de Compostela.
- Price: from €345 for a gravel bike or mountain bike and from €495 for an e-bike. The minimum rate is the 7-day one. VAT, rack, panniers and delivery are included.
- Documents: no passport, ID card or driving licence. You book and pay online.
- Deposit: €200 per bike, refunded after the return.
- Insurance: optional breakdown assistance, Bicigrino Asistencia Total.
- Lead time: book at least 10 days before you start.
How bike rental on the Camino works
Almost nobody rides the Camino in a loop, so a normal bike hire shop is no use: you would have to take the bike back to where you started. Camino rental is one-way. You choose a bike and a start date on our booking calendar, we prepare the bike at our base in Santiago and ship it to your starting point, and at the end you simply leave it in Santiago. The price already includes both journeys of the bike.
That is also why the rate has a floor. You can ride for four days or for fourteen, but the minimum charge is the 7-day rate, because the logistics cost the same whether your trip is short or long.
Which bikes can you rent, and what they cost
We run a fleet of close to 200 bikes from Cannondale, Mondraker and Focus, plus the AMFLOW carbon e-MTB. What we guarantee is the category and the size, not a specific model. These are the 2026 prices for 7 days:
| Bike | Type | From (7 days) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannondale Topstone | Gravel bike, aluminium frame, carbon fork | €345 | Riders who already ride gravel and want speed on tracks and tarmac |
| Cannondale Trail SL2 | Hardtail mountain bike, 12-speed | €345 | Riding the original Camino path under your own power |
| E-MTB front suspension (Mondraker / Focus) | Bosch motor, 750 Wh battery | €495 | Pedal assistance at the lowest price |
| Cannondale Moterra Neo 3 | Full-suspension e-MTB, 750 Wh battery | €595 | Comfort on rough ground; our most rented bike |
| AMFLOW Carbon PL | Carbon e-MTB, DJI Avinox motor, 800 Wh | €895 | Riders who want the lightest, most advanced e-bike (no rack, so luggage travels separately) |
Each extra day adds between €5 and €15, so a 10-day rental of a gravel or mountain bike is €385 and a 14-day one is €425. The day-by-day scale for every bike, up to 30 days, is on our rates page.
Sizes run from S to XL and cover riders from about 160 cm to 196 cm. The booking page shows the height range for each size.
What the rental includes
- Rear rack and two waterproof roll-top panniers of 20 litres each (except on the AMFLOW)
- Combination lock and GPS tracking on the bike
- Pump, tool kit, spare chain links and a chain tool
- Gel saddle cover and a small frame bag for your phone
- Dual pedals: flat on one side, SPD clip-in on the other
- The charger, on e-bikes
- The pilgrim credential you need for the Compostela
- Delivery to your starting point and collection in Santiago
Not included: a helmet (for hygiene and fit, bring your own or buy one at the pick-up shop) and lights. If you prefer your own saddle or pedals, tell us in writing after booking and we send the bike without them.
Documents: what you need to rent
Less than most people expect. We do not ask for a passport, an ID card or a driving licence. The booking is made and paid online, and the deposit is paid through a separate link. When you collect the bike there is no voucher to print: your name and booking number are enough.
E-bikes need no licence either. A pedal-assist bike with a 250 W motor that cuts out at 25 km/h is legally a bicycle in Spain and Portugal, so there is no registration and no motor insurance. You will want your passport for the trip itself, of course, and the pilgrim credential for the Compostela, which we hand over with the bike. The full checklist is in what documents you need to rent a bike on the Camino.
The deposit: €200, and how you get it back
Every bike carries a €200 deposit, paid by card through the website. Its only job is to secure the return of the bike. We are not fussy at inspection and we do not charge for the small marks of normal use. The refund goes back to the same card between 1 and 10 days after you return the bike. In a group, each rider can pay their own deposit.
Insurance and what happens if something breaks
If something goes wrong on the road, you write to our WhatsApp, which is answered 24 hours a day. We find the nearest workshop to where you are, speak to them and arrange the repair. We have partner workshops in the main cities along the routes.
Who pays depends on whether you added Bicigrino Asistencia Total. With it, we cover the taxi to the workshop, labour and parts for breakdowns and punctures, and a replacement bike if yours cannot be fixed. A replacement has to travel from Santiago, so it can take a day or two. Without it, we still pay for any failure caused by maintenance, but the taxi and damage from use are yours.
Be clear about the limits: this is assistance for the bike, not insurance for the rider. It does not cover theft, misuse or personal accidents, so keep your own travel insurance and never leave the bike unattended and unlocked. More detail in is it safe to cycle the Camino alone, and what happens if something breaks.
Where to pick up your bike
We deliver to any city in Spain and Portugal, and to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France. We prefer to hand bikes over at a partner bike shop, where a mechanic checks the bike after transport and adjusts saddle and handlebars for you. Where there is no shop, or on a public holiday, we deliver to your hotel instead.
The most common starting points:
- Camino Francés: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Roncesvalles, Pamplona, Burgos, León, Astorga and Ponferrada
- Camino Portugués: Lisbon and Porto
- Camino del Norte: Irún, Bilbao, Santander and Gijón
- Vía de la Plata: Seville
Two things to plan around. Some pick-up points carry a small supplement per bike, which the booking page shows before you pay. And bike shops close on Sundays, and many on Saturdays, so we do not deliver on Sundays. If you want to start riding on a Sunday, book a hotel in the starting city for the night before and we send the bike there. The shop, opening notes and supplement for each city are in where to pick up and drop off your rental bike.
Returning the bike in Santiago
You return the bike at the Hospedería San Martín Pinario, Plaza de la Inmaculada 3, a few steps from the cathedral. Reception is open 24 hours a day. There is no appointment and no inspection while you wait: you hand the bike over and go and enjoy Santiago.
If your route ends somewhere else, such as Finisterre, Muxía or a city off the Camino, we agree a return point with you in advance. Returns away from our network can carry a collection supplement.
E-bike or regular bike?
The honest answer depends on your legs and on the route. A fit cyclist who rides regularly will enjoy the Camino Francés on a mountain bike. If you ride little, travel with someone much stronger than you, or simply want to arrive each afternoon with energy left to see the town, take the e-bike. On an e-bike you still pedal every kilometre; the motor only takes the part that was too much.
When a customer asks us which e-bike to choose, we recommend the full-suspension one. It weighs about 25 kg, but the rear suspension filters the rough tracks and your back notices it after several days in the saddle. With a 750 Wh battery a normal Camino stage is well within range. You charge the bike each night by plugging the charger straight into it, and the accommodation along the Camino is used to this.
The full comparison, with prices and a table, is in E-bike vs regular bike for the Camino de Santiago. Worried about the pilgrim certificate? We explain what the rule really says in Can you get the Compostela on an e-bike?
Booking, lead times and cancellation
- Book at least 10 days ahead. All bikes leave from Santiago, and the booking is what sets the transport in motion. The lead time is the same for every pick-up point.
- Avoid May and September if you can. They are the busiest months on the Camino. July and August have the longest days, and with an early start you ride the stage before the heat.
- Cancellation: full refund more than 30 days before the start, 50% between 29 and 15 days, no refund with less than 15 days. Full details are in our terms and conditions.
- Changes to an existing booking are handled by email at caminosantiagobike@gmail.com. Quote your booking number.
We can also move your luggage. Stage-to-stage transfers run through partner companies, and we ship bags directly from your starting point to Santiago ourselves. See luggage transport on the Camino.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rent a bike for the Camino de Santiago?
From €345 for a gravel bike or a hardtail mountain bike and from €495 for an e-bike, 2026 season. That is the 7-day rate, with VAT, rack, panniers and delivery to your starting point included. Longer rentals add between €5 and €15 per extra day.
What documents do I need to rent a bike for the Camino?
None beyond your booking. We do not ask for a passport, an ID card or a driving licence. You book and pay online, pay the €200 deposit through its own link, and collect the bike by giving your name and booking number.
Do I need a driving licence for an e-bike in Spain?
No. A pedal-assist e-bike (250 W motor that cuts out at 25 km/h) is legally a bicycle in Spain and in Portugal, so no licence, registration or motor insurance is required.
Is there a deposit?
Yes, €200 per bike, paid online before the trip. It is refunded in full between 1 and 10 days after you return the bike in good condition. Small marks from normal use are not penalised.
Can I pick the bike up in one city and return it in Santiago?
Yes, that is the standard service. We deliver the bike to the start of your route, anywhere in Spain or Portugal and also in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and you leave it in Santiago de Compostela when you arrive.
Where do I return the bike in Santiago?
At the Hospedería San Martín Pinario, Plaza de la Inmaculada 3, right beside the cathedral. Reception is open 24 hours a day, you do not need an appointment and nobody inspects the bike while you wait.
Is there a minimum rental period?
There is a minimum rate, not a minimum use. You can ride for three or four days, but the 7-day rate always applies because the price includes delivering the bike to the start and collecting it at the end.
Does the rental include insurance?
Assistance cover is optional. Bicigrino Asistencia Total covers mechanical breakdowns and punctures (labour and parts), the taxi to the nearest workshop and a replacement bike if yours cannot be repaired. It does not cover theft, misuse or personal accidents.
Is a helmet included?
No. For hygiene and fit reasons we do not rent helmets; bring your own or buy one at the pick-up shop. Lights are not included either. Panniers, rack, lock, pump, tool kit and a gel saddle cover are.
How far in advance should I book?
At least 10 days before your start date. All our bikes are prepared at our base in Santiago and shipped to your starting point, so we cannot serve last-minute bookings. For May to September, book as early as you can.
Can I get the Compostela if I ride a rental e-bike?
The Pilgrim’s Office asks cyclists for the last 200 km into Santiago with a stamped credential, and its written rule does not mention electric bikes. We include the pilgrim credential with every rental.
Ready to book your Camino bike?
Check the rates, choose your bike and dates on the booking calendar, and plan your stages for free with our Camino bike route planner. If you are riding in the 2027 Holy Year, book during 2026 with the code BICIGRINO2027 and get 10% off. See why 2027 bikes and beds are already filling up. Questions first? WhatsApp us on +34 627 92 82 13. We answer in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.
