What is the best and fastest way to get from Barcelona to San Sebastian. We may or may not rent a car once there to drive from San Sebastian to Bilbao and to other Spanish Basque towns.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4037 posts
Vueling flies several non-stops a day from Barcelona to Bilbao, which is the area's major airport (and also has a dramatic highway connection to the city centre, crossing directly over the Guggenheim Museum.) Prices are very low if purchased far enough in advance, although there will be extra charges so you should read the website thoroughly. www.vueling.com. For alternatives, check www.skyscanner.com
From Bilbao to San Sebastian there are a couple of buses daily and a rather trolly-like train connection.
Posted by
OP
Woodland Hills, California, USA
3 posts
Thanks for the information. We'll look into that. Have to see how long it will take when including the time to get to the airport and wait time there.
Posted by
OP
Woodland Hills, California, USA
3 posts
Thanks for the information. We'll look into that. Have to see how long it will take when including the time to get to the airport and wait time there.
Posted by
Bainbridge Island
3095 posts
The direct Alvia train from Barcelona to San Sebastián takes 5.5 hours and Promo fares are as low as €19.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Take the train. It's going to take a while to get out to El Prat and go through the drill, call it three hours. Figure a bit less than an hour for the flight, another hour to get off the mesa and down to the Bilbao bus station (but there might be one that leaves from the airport?) and an hour and a bit to get to San Sebastian. Six hours, no matter how you cut it with a lot of luggage humping. Forget a Bilbao to San Sebastian train, it goes all the way down to the headwaters of the Ebro past Vitoria where you change to head back north. That could be four hours at least.
Posted by
Ottawa
233 posts
When we were there last (2008), we took the Veuling flight to Bilbao and when we exited the terminal the San Sebastion bus was waiting. As Ed said it is about an hour to the San Sebastian bus terminal.
Posted by
Florida, USA
12172 posts
If you end up driving, check out Olite (near Pamplona). There's a great little castle there.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7330 posts
Our 2 cents worth: We're going in the opposite direction next month, from the Basque Country to Barcelona. After checking Vueling flights both from San Sebastian and from Bilbao to Barcelona, the Bilbao departure was much, much cheaper, although there was a direct San Sebastian option. The flight itself is really quick, although there are time issues with airport security, check-in, etc., but we opted for that rather than driving or taking a train. Enjoy!