If it is your first time traveling to Spain, here is some vital information to facilitate your trip.

First of all, Spain's main Airport is located in Madrid, the capital of Spain. Most international flights arrive at the Madrid airport called "Barajas." Our wedding will take place in Donostia-San Sebastian, north of Madrid. You can get to San Sebastian from Madrid by either flying, taking a bus, or driving. Flying to San Sebastian takes about an hour while driving or taking the bus takes about five hours.

There are two main airports close to San Sebastian: Bilbao's International Airport and Hondarria's Airport, known as San Sebastian's Airport. Bilbao is an hour away from San Sebastian (by car), and Hondarribia is twenty minutes away (by car).

Now that you have the basic information, we will lay out different options when booking your flight.

- Option 1: Booking a flight directly to San Sebastian.

The main advantage of this itinerary is that you will save yourself some time when arriving in Spain, as well as a shorter commute from the Airport to the hotel. However, traveling directly to the San Sebastian airport is more expensive because it is a smaller airport with fewer flights.

- Option 2: Booking a flight directly to Bilbao.

The main advantage of this itinerary is that it is cheaper and more flexible due to more available flights. The main disadvantage is that commuting to San Sebastian by bus/car is longer and more expensive. Nevertheless, we will include more information on prices and logistics of traveling by car/bus in Spain, specifically from the Bilbao Airport to San Sebastian.

***We recommend this itinerary if your main priority is a cheaper and direct flight***

- Option 3: Book a flight directly to Madrid and drive/take a bus to San Sebastian.

This traveling itinerary allows for more flexibility if you want to spend a few days in Madrid. Sometimes flights from Madrid to San Sebastian are cheaper than taking the bus and renting a car. We recommend looking into IBERIA flights to San Sebastian. We will also include more information about available buses and rentals.

*** TIP: In Spain, most cars are not automatic. When renting a car, make sure you keep this in mind. Automatic vehicles will be available, but tend to be more expensive ***

Now that you have made it to Spain, here are some essential tips and information regarding the different options to move around.

Bilbao Airport to San Sebastian

- Taxi/Uber:

It takes about an hour to get to San Sebastian and costs around 150 euros. Taxis are more prevalent in Spain than Ubers and sometimes offer a fixed rate to take you to San Sebastian.

-Bus:

The easiest and cheapest way to get to Donostia from Bilbao Airport (Loiu DO04 AEROPUERTO BILBAO) is by bus. There is a direct bus service departing from the airport, which will take you to the downtown area in just 75 minutes.

The bus stop is right outside the airport on your right, and the name of the bus company is PESA.

Departures: There is one departure per hour from 07:45 to 23:45.

visit to book your ticket: https://www.pesa.net/pesa/horariosBD/ctrl_horarios.php?lang=en

Once you make it to San Sebastian, you can take a taxi/uber to your hotel. If the commute is around 15 to 20 minutes, the price should be around twenty to thirty euros. Public transportation is also available! It is around three euros per person, and if you use Google Maps, it should tell you what buses to take within San Sebastian. The buses in San Sebastian are very safe and accessible. You can pay with card or cash.

*** TIP: You can pre-order Euros from the United States through your bank. You can do this online or in person. Make sure you do this at least a month before you travel***

Madrid Airport to San Sebastian

- Bus: From the Madrid Barajas T4 bus station, you can book a bus directly to the San Sebastian Bus Station. The tickets cost around fifty euros (40 to 52 euros). The trip takes around five hours. Here is a link to book your tickets: Wherever you want to go - Alsa.

Traveling by bus or taxi are both good options. Traveling by bus will save you money, but it requires more trips. On the other hand, taking a cab from the Bilbao Airport to the hotel, if split between two or three people, is around 50 to 70 euros per person, which is not cheap. Still, it gives you the peace of mind that you will get to your hotel without any issues.

If, for whatever reason, you have any unexpected issues or questions when you get to Spain, please make sure to contact us, and we will be happy to help.