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Transferring from Biarritz to San Sebastian - Large Family

In early July, our family of 8 adults, 1 year old and 4 year old will be travelling from south of Pau, FR and dropping our car rentals off at Biarritz airport around 5pm. We need to travel to San Sebastian for the next leg of our trip. It seemed to be the best place to drop off since the drop off fees are ridiculous to take the cars over the border. I'm looking for recommendations on what would be the best way to get us to our hotel. I haven't been having much luck figuring out airport transfers versus bus. Suggestions what might work best, better places to drop the cars (Alamo rental) or some links to further research would be appreciated.

Posted by
16893 posts

There are direct buses from the airport operated by Alsa.es, as well as a few more by Ouibus and Flixbus. They will generally end at the S.S. bus station, near to the Renfe train station there. www.busbud.com can be a helpful search engine.

Posted by
829 posts

I have not been to either of these places, but would it be possible to drop everybody off at the hotel and then have the drivers return to France and return the cars? Then you make the transfer without luggage and in a smaller, presumably more agile group.

Posted by
16893 posts

FYI, Avis (not Alamo) does have an office near the border at the Hendaye, France, train station. But I found this location too expensive and/or cars not available when I booked my rental last year.

Posted by
201 posts

I thought of driving to San Sebastian to drop luggage and some off but we are coming into the Biarritz area around 5pm and its a good 45 minutes drive south and we have 3 cars. I've tried looking into private drivers & haven't found anything reasonable yet. I wish we could drop the cars at Hendaye and take the train but haven't been able to work that out either.

Posted by
201 posts

I looked at dropping the car with Avis at Hendaye ... that would have been perfect but the drop off fees were awful x 3 cars.

Posted by
144 posts

There is an easy bus ride from Biarritz airport to the train station in town. From there it is a short train ride to Hendaye station (still in France), from where you walk about 30 metres (well signed) to the Euskotren station in Spain (Irun?) where you take an absolutely delightful train ride to San Sebastion Amara Station. The last mile is up to you, since you haven't listed your final Hotel destination, but there are plenty of bus and taxi connections from Amara Station.

Happy travels!

Posted by
201 posts

I'll have to look at the train schedule again ... from what i remember ... the train takes you to hendaye and then there was an hour wait for the next train. I've got a 1 & 4 year old with us, so trying to avoid that ... but it might be what we do. The bus schedule from what i saw didn't leave till well after we get there.