Do you want to make a trip from San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela?
Really, flying (from Bilbao) is the only sensible option if you want to go direct. Traveling by land will take you around 11 hours by bus or train (slightly faster by private car).
Good places to stop along the way
There is much to see in the 600 km between these two cities. Transport connections are good between all cities along the way (particularly by bus, but often also by trains), therefore, whether you are traveling by car or public transport, it is easy to make stops along the way .
There are two routes that I would suggest for this trip: the coastal route and what I will call the ‘French Way’ route.
Coastal path
Travel along the Atlantic coast and visit the following cities:
- Bilbao headquarters of the Guggenheim museum
- Picos de Europa The most beautiful mountain range in Spain
- Oviedo Taste local cider, the region’s unique Asturian cuisine, and see the 1000-year-old Pre-Romanesque churches
- Playa de las Catedrales Often described as the most beautiful beach in Spain
- A Coruña Home to the Roman lighthouse of Torre de Hércules and a vibrant tapas scene
Route of the French Way
Named after the popular Camino de Santiago route , this path takes you to the cities visited by pilgrims on their way to Santiago:
- Logroño The capital of the Rioja wine region and perhaps the best city in Spain for tapas .
- Burgos Home to one of the most impressive cathedrals in Spain.
- Leon free tapas all year! (Yes really.)
How to get from San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela by plane
There are no direct flights from San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela, but you can get flights from nearby Bilbao to Santiago de Compostela.
How to get from San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela by train
There is a train from San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela, which takes 11 hours and costs between € 20 and € 65. Rail Europe book . This is faster and cheaper than the bus, although with the bus you have the option of traveling overnight (thus saving a lot of time).
How to get from San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela by bus
The bus from San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela lasts between 11 and 13 hours and costs about € 60. The advantage over the train is that you can travel overnight. ALSA book .
How to get from San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela by car
You have two options to drive from San Sebastián to Santiago de Compostela. The most direct but slightly slower (due to the lower roads) takes around eight hours and follows the coast it takes seven and a half hours to cover the 730km journey, spanning Bilbao, Santander and Gijón along the way. Follow the A-8, A-67, E-70, A-6 and AP-9.
Alternatively, take the longer but faster route that passes through Vitoria, Burgos, León and Ponferrada and takes seven hours to cover the 780 km route. Follow the A-1 / AP-1 / Autovia del Norte, A-231, AP-71, A-6 and AP-9.
More information about car rental in Spain .
