Arriving in San Sebastian
Unless you come by car at dusk, your first view of San Sebastian might not be quite the one shown above (the city is just visible on the left, circling the bay), but ones like it are the image many people take home with them.
Tucked away in a corner in the north of Spain, away from the crowds, San Sebastian is in fact remarkably easy to reach, no matter how you come, as the information below shows...
By air
You can fly to San Sebastian airport (19 km from the city) from Madrid or Barcelona. From the airport you can take a taxi (around €24), a school transfer (€44). A bus (€1.30) runs every 30 minutes.
Alternatively you can fly to Bilbao, an hour away (96 km), with flights from London, Frankfurt, Paris, Brussels, Milan, Geneva, etc. From Bilbao airport you can get to San Sebastian by taxi (around €100) or bus, with a service every hour from linking Bilbao and San Sebastian. To get to the bus station in Bilbao you can take a taxi or 2 buses.
A third option is Biarritz airport (50 km away), with flights from Paris and London-Stansted. A bus and a train link Biarritz and San Sebastian. From the airport to either station you can take a taxi or a bus, the train station being closer to the airport and less expensive.
By coach
San Sebastian is a one-hour trip from Bilbao, Pamplona and Biarritz. There are regular, daily departures to and from Madrid (5 h) and Barcelona (6 h), as well as coach services to and from many European cities.
By train
San Sebastian is on the Paris-Madrid route, with the TGV connecting us with Paris in under 6 hours, and services to all of Spain's major cities. There are regular local trains from Hendaye, on the French border, 20 km away.
By boat
There is a weekly ferry service running between Portsmouth and Bilbao, with Tuesday and Saturday sailings.
By car
Parking in the centre of San Sebastian can be difficult and parking time is generally restricted and charged. Cars do not have access to the old part and pedestrian streets.
The school has two parking spaces available for rent.
Meeting and transfer service
These prices are for arrivals and departures between 08:00 and 22:00. Outside this time there will be an increase of 25%.
- Bilbao airport: €118 (1 person); €75 (2 people, per person); €54 (3 people, per person)
- Biarritz airport: €90 (1 person); €60 (2); €40 (3)
- San Sebastian airport: €54 (1 person); €32 (2); €27 (3)
- Irun-Hendaya train station: €54 (1 person); €32 (2); €27 (3)
Prices given are for 2008.
Spanish in San Sebastian
Further information
Lacunza International House San Sebastian, Mundaiz 8,
20012 San Sebastian, Spain
Tel: +34 943 32 66 80 | Fax: +34 943 32 68 22
www.lacunza.com | info@lacunza.com
Spanish in Spain
Spanish in Barcelona | Cordoba | Madrid | Mallorca | San Sebastian | Seville | Vejer
IH Spain comprises the International House Spanish language schools in Barcelona,
Cordoba, Madrid, Palma de Mallorca, Seville, San Sebastian and
Vejer de la Frontera, Spain.
www.ihspain.com