Musetta

We will be traveling from Costa Brava (either Begur or Lloret de Mar) to San Sebastian in mid-August and are trying to determine the best means of transportation. We will have 10 people (6 yrs to 80 yrs).

We will have rental cars in Costa Brava. Do we ideally need cars in San Sebastian?
One idea was to drive from Costa Brava back to Barcelona & drop off the rental cars, then take the train to SS. Is that a solid plan?
We are open to other options such as train from Costa Brava to SS (dropping off car in open-jaw arrangement), flying etc.

Probably less keen on driving 6+ hours to SS, but I suppose that is possible as well (espeically if you think there is a rewarding mid-point excursion).

Thank you, in advance, for your feedback.

PalenQ

Unless you get the few daily direct trains (which take about 5.5 hours) at 7:30 am or 15:30 other connections will take about 7 hours by train with one change of train.

A fairly long train ride for young and old -especially if not into getting to the 7:30 am train or 15:30 train which gets in about 11 pm.

I would keep the cars and drive.

If trains check www.renfe.com - Spanish Railways site for info and booking your own tickets -earlier the better price often. For lots on trains check www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

michelhuebeli

If the ride of almost six hours seems a bit much, especially since the train leaves (ALVIA 530) at 07:30, consider taking that one as far a Zaragoza-Delicias, get off (at 09:31), stash your bags at the Consignas service, and check out the town.

Then carry on with the train (ALVIA 534) that leaves at 17:29 and gets into San Sebastian at 21:10.

That's just in time to find the hotel, freshen up, and head on out for dinner which, as you probably know, doesn't get served until after 10PM anyway.

Just make sure that you book the tickets accordingly.

StCirq

You do NOT want a car IN San Sebatián. Do what michelhuebeli suggests. It will be a zoo in August.

PalenQ

I was suggestion that rather than drive back to Barcelona for the train just drive to Donostia (S S) and return the car there -perhaps at the main train station area on the edge of the town center - but cars in Donostia are a boondoggle.

Zaragoza is a fine fine town but marshaling a diverse group like that on one train may be daunting enough - but only the 7:30 am train and 15:30 again go direct - one leaves inconveniently early to get the group down to station (5 am reveille) and the latter gets in at 11 pm- meaning you would not get to your hotel or whatever before midnight-time for dessert I guess!

kja

For a ride that long, I'd FAR rather be on a train than in a car -- in a train, I can move around, but I can't do that in a car. And for the driver, MUCH more relaxing to be on a train! JMO....

heart2travel

We made the same journey in 2015. There were 6 of us. We had 4 adults and 2 teenagers. We had a lovely drive on the French side of the Pyrenees stopping for one very nice and relaxing night. We returned the car to the airport in SS and grabbed a van to transport us to the apartment we rented. I don't know how much time you have but it was a really fun journey.
We stayed in the Begur in the Costa Brava. LOVELY!!!

Robert2016

With such a large group, and if you didn't want to go by rail, you can consider a private transfer. The cost should be somewhere around 120€/person based on 10 people.

You can weigh that against the cost of:

1. Driving - fuel, cost of the rental car, tolls.

2. Taking the train from Barcelona - currently 58,30€ Preferente Class, Promo Rate-no dining car.

3. Flying-Iberia/Vueling - one direct flight to SS departing at 06h50 - $79 to $478/person, depending on availability.

kimhe

No need for a car in very walkable San Sebastián, and excellent public transportation in the area.

Many good advices here, and you could also take a 1h 15 mins low cost flight to Bilbao (at least 8 flights/day, 30-50€), and then a taxi van (about 380€ for 10) or direct bus to San Sebastián in 70 mins (160€ for 10 people).
http://airportstaxitransfers.com/tra...-San-Sebastian

And in mid August you'll hit the Aste Nagusia/Semana Grande/Big week summer festival (August 12-19):
https://tourism.euskadi.eus/en/agend...aa30-12375/en/
http://www.euskoguide.com/basque-cul...semana-grande/

PalenQ

If yous want to take a nice short day trip by train to France from Donostia then hop the tiny EuskoTren - a narrow-gauge local train that trundles to Henday, France - going at times right down the streets of Basque towns - not a tourist train but locals using it mainly- but once in Hendaye it terminates at the Hendaye main train station and you can easily take trains to St-Jean-de-Luz or Biarritz or other spiffy French seaside resorts.

EuskoTren also goes west to Bilboa (though buses I think are quicker) - just show up and buy dirt-cheap tickets.

https://translate.google.com/transla...os&prev=search

HappyTrvlr

We drove the opposite direction along the French side of the Pyrenees, stopping a couple of nights en route. Beautiful vistas. Turn in car at SS airport, taxi to SsSs. Two beautiful places!

ekscrunchy

You do NOT have to eat dinner at 10pm in San Sebastian.

PalenQ

No 11 pm will just fine!

kimhe

<head on out for dinner which, as you probably know, doesn't get served until after 10PM anyway.>

Most restaurants open at 8pm, and by 9-9.30 pm most of them will be quite crowded. You need reservations for many of the best restaurants in San Sebastián almost any day of the week.

And in San Sebastián classic La Cepa the kitchen is open all day. http://www.barlacepa.com/es/index.php