Hi all,
Traveling for ~ two weeks in September to Spanish Basque Country (entire trip is 3 September - 24 September, incl Madrid stay)
Many challenges booking accommodations (this is my fault - unaware that September is huge w/tourists) but the biggest issue was 'TRAINLINE' - I recommend not using them, after completing the entire one way from Madrid to Bilbao, paid w/CC: nothing registered!!! Took me two days calling bank card, emailing Trainline etc with no answers (to avoid a false charge). Finally called them: appears Trainline's Europe operator is not in London or Edinburgh but a separate division. Anyway the booking did not go through and Trainline finally acknowledged. But be careful when using their website: extremely buggy and problematic.

Anyway, I will go through Renfe, previous posts have complained about when they load the trains. Will travel 1. Madrid-Bilbao (9/7) and 2. San Sebastian-Madrid (9/19)-tried to book the Bilbao one way this morning: apparently trains not loaded yet. After the Trainline experience, I will stick with Renfe.

Have any of you used Renfe and how much in advance do the high-speed (AVE) load? Site says 90 days, but Fodorites/Rick Steves say that's unreliable info.

Do I just have to keep checking back with Renfe? Accommodations, tickets, and car revolve around getting to Bilbao on a certain date, can anyone give me a clue here?

All suggestions welcome!

Thank you!
pepperment

pepperment,
What you're looking for are trains from the Spanish Basque Country, País Vasco, rather than the French Pays Basque.

All the trains from Madrid to Bilbao for September 3, I don't think, have been loaded yet, as I see only 2 direct trains, at 7:15 am and 17:38 pm for Sept. 3. These are the Alvias.
The fares from San Sebastián back to Madrid for September have not yet been loaded on Renfe.

I check everyday for our own trips.
Renfe does what Renfe wants to do and never or rarely sticks to their own 90 day rule except on those high-speed routes where they now have some real competition with the Italian IRYO and the French OUIGO.
For the rest of the routes, they load the fares when they get around to it. I´m on the Renfe site daily, and I do mean daily. We have several upcoming train rides. I've used Renfe well, forever...as long as I can remember.

Last September the fares from San Sebastián to Barcelona, for example, were only loaded less than a week in advance.
It´s just frustrating, but that´s simply the way Renfe is.

There is just no other clue, unfortunately, except to keep checking back daily with Renfe. That's the only thing one can do, as I do.

As an additional info, there´s no high speed trains between Madrid and Bilbao or San Sebastian, do not look for any AVE trains on this route. Bus is another great option, as I like to point out, in case train travel does not suit your needs. Locals tend to use the bus over the train on these two routes, as it offers lots of daily frequencies, modern, cheap, efficient, safe, wifi and toilet equipped buses, and you can also book a VIP route.

Pays Basque may be a bit misleading, as it´s the French term for the French Basque Country.

For trains within the Spanish part of the Basque County, you may check https://www.euskotren.eus/es/tren

As mikelg says, since there isn't a high-speed train on either route, you could consider the Alsa bus, with all the adjectives that he uses to describe them. It's not your American Greyhound.

We may use this option in October, as the trains are slow and few and far between.

Look at your options at www.alsa.com.
The Supra service, Madrid-Bilbao, takes 4 hours, 25 min. from Avenida de América in Madrid with one stop, or non-stop from the airport to Bilbao.
Supra service has leather seats, free Wi-Fi, entertainment system...

https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/faqs...vidual%20seats.

Hi again,
Thanks for the info: so do you take the trains, or settle for a bus (as Mikelg) suggests? Hmmm can't imagine bus being more comfortable or faster. I will also look for photos on internet. 1-way: Madrid to Bilbao 9/7 & San Sebastian to Madrid 9/19. Also re. for Madrid-Bilbao, If transit by train, Carlton is a short walk to rr station. For San Sebastian - Madrid, Airport while convenient to Honoribbia has many moving parts. Thoughts?

Looked into auto europe for car pickup in Bilbao but could not process anything but the mini cars. Europcar?

I did get into San Prudentzia by juggling calendar SUCCESS...all I need now is a hotel after San Prudentizia (for 9/13). Driving to Ainhona the next day. I am thinking in Honoribbia.

Sadly, the reviews of the Parador Honoribbia are bleak, also Hotel Obispo looks fine, except very weak wi-fi (that's troublesome when traveling) and a grand walk from their carpark. Suggestions for Honoribbia accommodation? It's only one night and we can get down to the harbor for a fab seafood lunch as per your tip.

pepperment

For Hondarribia, we are planning to stay at Villa Magalean later this year. To my tastes, it looks like the nicest place in Hondarribia.

ssinny and pepperment,
I know the Villa Magalean and it's a beautiful property right down in town. You can walk to the Hermandad de Pescadores from there for a fantastic seafood meal, one of the best seafood places in the Basque Coast but you MUST reserve.
I didn't mention the Villa Magalean as I thought you were focused on a Parador stay, as you had enjoyed them before.

Yes, you're correct, ssinny, it's the very nicest place in Hondarribia, far more plush than the historic Parador. The 3-star Obispo just doesn't compare with the Villa Magalean, but the rates at the latter are much higher, since the Villa is considered a luxury property.
I just checked their September rates there: 345/night.

pepperment,
Actually, the bus from Madrid to Bilbao is a teeny, tiny bit faster than the current Renfe trains, and the Supra service, what mikelg refers to as the VIP service (as to my link above), is actually as comfortable or more so than the Alvia train, although you don't have the opportunity to move around. But with the bus you simply leave your suitcases underneath or in the belley of the bus and don't have to lift them up to the train and then again to above your seat or try to fit them into small luggage racks at the end of each car.

Alsa Supra service: leather seats with leg rests, catering service with hostesses on board, free Wi-Fi, 2+ 1 seat configuration.

All the Supra buses have WiFi connection, Ociobus channel with video content, VIP room in the stations of Madrid, Ponferrada, Oviedo and León.

I've taken the Alvia train to and from Madrid to Bilbao multiple times, so I do know. Not a newbie. On the Alvia there is no meal served at your seat, but there is a movie shown and a bar trolly that comes by as well as a bar car, and there is a 2-1 seat configuration in the (former) Preferente car, for which you need to buy an Elige Confort ticket.
But again a 4 hour, 43 minute train ride.

But things may change by September with Renfe....who knows?

Check www.renfe.com for tomorrow, June 7, and see the trains and their times.

There is a 7:15 am Alvia direct departure, arriving in Bilbao at 11:59, a ride of 4 hours, 44 minutes.
The afternoon direct train (without train change) doesn't leave Madrid (Chamartín station) until 17:39 and arrives in Bilbao at 22:21, a ride of 4 hours, 43 minutes.

That, unfortunately, is the current train reality.

Hondarribia (not Honoribbia) offers a very good accommodation at the Parador and also at Hotel Obispo (both amazing places to stay), among several others. Parking will be troublesome in all the town, and mostly restricted to residents. There´s no harbour as such, at least not the "ideal" harbour by the seaside and restaurants next to it, and fish will be the preferred option there (for example, at Cofradía de Pescadores, Fishermen´s Brotherhood would be an approximate translation).

Bus is extremely comfortable and no doubt it´s faster than train in these routes, most long distance buses in Spain offer bathroom, amenities, video, wifi, food...Carlton hotel is a jewel in the middle of the city, Bilbao is a very walkable city and distances are quite irrelevant in most cases.

Ainhoa is tiny, you can visit the whole town in half hour, beautiful cemetery by the church and close to Espelette (red peppers), Cambo-Les-Bains, train of Larrun (also spelled La Rhune), Sara, St Jean de Luz, Bayonne-Baiona...Biarritz (IMO) is quite uninteresting, except maybe the market.

As a side comment, come prepared for any kind of weather, this is a rainy, mountainous and very green area, so some raingear will probably be of help.

Want mikelg has told you about the bus service!!

La Hermandad de Pescadores=Cofradía de Pescadores, our favorite place for a seafood meal, especially the fish soup, which is legendary. Repsol Guide, Marcafi guide and Condé Nast recommended.

As mikelg says, not on a harbor but instead in the colorful fishermen´s quarter on Calle Zuloaga, and the very best spot in town, ime, for the freshest of fish specimens. But again, it´s extremely popular so advance reservations are essential.
Closed Mondays.

Maribel: Is this the map you recommend? Will I be able to read it (if I don't speak French)?https://mapscompany.com/products/car...s-occidentales

Another question for the thread: SO MUCH AMAZING ADVICE....have any of you found a convenient way to bring all this with you when you are traveling, as handy reference?

So much good stuff, not sure my 10 days will be enough to visit a quarter of all the fantastic places...

Yes, you can read it.

I'm not sure I understand the question. Do you mean bringing with you all the Fodor's thread advice about your upcoming trip?
I just make a Word (or Pages) document copying all the advice about a given destination and mail it to myself.

Yes, I've created a doc then kept it in my email, but I find it's tough when traveling to review the volume of info, discard the irrelevant, keep what's relevant. Just wondering if there was some snazzy tech way to edit/compress.
So for this thread I will c/p the relevant advice and construct a doc. Time consuming.

Second, AutoEurope and Europcar has been recommended to me, from frequent travelers, including those experienced in Spanish & French Basque. Exploring the debate online, unclear which is best. So, my priority is reliability, price, drop-off convenience (in priority order).
-AutoEurope: a consolidator (which I generally avoid).
-Europcar: don't know much about them.

Overall, this time I want to have a decent selection of economy class/manual: we have been renting the class up from the teeny ones (to ensure our bags fit/a trunk cover). Airport, train station, city center: which is most convenient (we aren't flying internally) to get the best selection and reliability. (Note: in Alsace we rented via Avis during a heatwave and got a car with zero a/c: it was miserable! In Croatia, Sixt was the only rental company available: wow on return it was like dealing with Tony Soprano's poor relations).

Curious what this thread has to say about both, because there are several experienced Basque travelers here.

Thank you.
pepperment

Yes, it's time consuming but for me invaluable, when I have really great tips I've gleaned from here and other sources. I just don't keep the irrelevant. I edit.

I think you'll find that many seasoned Fodorite European travelers, like Stu Dudley and others, have used the very reliable consolidator, Auto Europe for years. I've used them for at least 22 years running, sometimes with 4-8 rentals per year in Europe and have not had a problem. We've also used their sister company, Kemwel.
Just do an advanced search here under the topic "Auto Europe" and searching in the Europe forum to see the many posts about using this consolidator.

Sometimes the rental will be done with Europcar, sometimes with Avis, rarely with Hertz. With Auto Europe one can choose the supplier
We drive a manual, and for our luggage, for a long 4-6 weeks trip, we chose the next size above a compact.
We choose the best price and best location for our needs.

Now that we live here our Spain rentals will be minimal, since we will most often drive our own car within the country.

Again, those here who are experienced, seasoned European travelers, such as stu, ekscrunchy and many others, have used Auto Europe successfully. We have never, ever been given a vehicle without ac. A/C here in a rental car in Spain is a given. ( It's 34 C at my home today.)

We've rented through Auto Europe in the Basque Country regularly, and we visit the Basque Country, now from our home in Madrid, 2-3 times per year. We were there in April (met mikelg in Gernika!), and we're leaving for the Basque Country on both sides, Hegoalde and Iparralde, for our summer vacation in early July, but this time we'll be using our own vehicle.

Just a note to illustrate the Spaniards' frustrations with the loading of fares on Renfe:
residents of Salamanca cannot book (nor can I!!!) Renfe's Alvia trains to Madrid for any date after June 24. They haven't yet gotten around to loading the fares. Just to show you that, unfortunately, Renfe does what Renfe feels like doing.

Thanks for the information!

Disgraceful!

If you are from the US, a really well-priced option is renting your car through Costco. We have rented through Costco on past trips with no issue, and our price for our upcoming Spain trip was significantly less than I can find anywhere else online. I'm sure it has a lot to do with dates and pickup/dropoff locations, but it's worth looking at.