How to get from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia
On Routavio you can compare the ways from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia by price and travel time.
- 353 km as the crow flies
- Fastest: bus, 5h 25m
- 9 bus departures a day with ALSA
Compare the train, bus and flight options. Then check them for your own date.
At a glance
Fastest
3h 25m
2 transfers
Flight + Bus + Train
€65
Cheapest
5h 25m
direct
Bus
€29
Calculated by Routavio, refreshed 12 Oct 2026
Start with the whole journey.
We compared the ways to travel from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia. The most useful door-to-door route takes 5h 25m by bus with no transfer. The two cities are about 353 km apart in a straight line. The price and operators below come from a real route search.
This fare comes from a search on October 11, 2026 and has not been refreshed since. Run a live search for today's price.
353 km
Which way suits you?
| Transport | Observed fare | Duration and scope | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight | €54Checked Oct 8 | 3h 46m1 transfer | See Flight details |
| Train | €35Reading date not recorded | 6h 30m1 transfer | See Train details |
| Bus | €29Checked Oct 11 | 5h 25mdirect | See Bus details |
- Flight€54Checked Oct 83h 46m · 1 transferSee Flight details
- Train€35Reading date not recorded6h 30m · 1 transferSee Train details
- Bus€29Checked Oct 115h 25m · directSee Bus details
These figures were observed on different days. This table is not a live price ranking for your date.
Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia: cheapest or fastest?
Pick a tab: the legs, the timing and the difference from the others all change with it.
- 1Madrid Barajas → San Sebastián-DonostiabusALSA·5h 25m
The best balance of price and time we found on this route.
Which date should you go?
The amounts on each day are fares seen earlier, not live offers. A day with no figure is one we have not priced, not one without a service.
Departures from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia
ALSA runs 9 scheduled departures a day, the first at 01:45 and the last at 20:30.
| Operator | Departures a day | First | Last |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALSAbus | 9 | 01:45 | 20:30 |
| Renfetrain | 5 | 06:55 | 17:48 |
All departuresALSA
- 01:45
- 09:00
- 10:00
- 11:00
- 13:00
- 15:00
- 18:00
- 19:00
- 20:30
All departuresRenfe
- 06:55
- 09:06
- 12:25
- 14:50
- 17:48
Departure times come from operator timetables and are local time at the origin. Where a row shows no times, the frequency is the operator's own and the timetable is not published to us. Times can change on holidays and at short notice; confirm with the operator before you travel.
Departure and arrival
Ticket prices on this route
What each way of travelling costs, as the operator publishes it. These describe the route rather than a date you pick, and they refresh once a day. Booking opens at our partner Omio.
Omio last refreshed these on Wed, Oct 14
Direct trips Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia, next 5 days
Departure times and prices as Omio last listed them. Every row opens the booking for that trip.
Wed, Oct 14
- 12:25 → 20:23Train · Renfe MD · 7h 58m€49Book
- 13:00 → 19:45Bus · Alsa · 6h 45m€45Book
- 13:15 → 19:45Bus · Alsa · 6h 30m€45Book
- 16:00 → 21:50Bus · BlaBlaCar · 5h 50m€24Book
- 16:15 → 21:45Bus · Alsa · 5h 30m€45Book
- 17:00 → 21:40Bus · BlaBlaCar · 4h 40m€38Book
- 17:15 → 22:40Bus · Alsa · 5h 25m€45Book
- 17:48 → 23:20Train · Renfe ALVIA · 5h 32m€48Book
Thu, Oct 15
- 00:30 → 06:40Bus · Alsa · 6h 10m€45Book
- 06:55 → 12:32Train · Renfe ALVIA · 5h 37m€61Book
- 07:00 → 14:00Bus · Alsa · 7h€38Book
- 07:15 → 14:00Bus · Alsa · 6h 45m€45Book
- 07:50 → 13:20Bus · BlaBlaCar · 5h 30m€41Book
- 08:00 → 12:40Bus · BlaBlaCar · 4h 40m€33Book
- 08:15 → 13:30Bus · Alsa · 5h 15m€55Book
- 09:00 → 15:00Bus · Alsa · 6h€45Book
Fri, Oct 16
- 00:30 → 06:40Bus · Alsa · 6h 10m€45Book
- 05:00 → 09:40Bus · BlaBlaCar · 4h 40m€23Book
- 06:55 → 12:32Train · Renfe ALVIA · 5h 37m€61Book
- 07:00 → 14:00Bus · Alsa · 7h€38Book
- 07:15 → 14:00Bus · Alsa · 6h 45m€45Book
- 08:00 → 13:30Bus · Alsa · 5h 30m€55Book
- 08:15 → 13:30Bus · Alsa · 5h 15m€57Book
- 08:30 → 13:30Bus · BlaBlaCar · 5h€43Book
Sat, Oct 17
- 04:30 → 09:40Bus · BlaBlaCar · 5h 10m€42Book
- 06:55 → 12:32Train · Renfe ALVIA · 5h 37m€54Book
- 08:00 → 13:30Bus · Alsa · 5h 30m€54Book
- 08:15 → 13:30Bus · Alsa · 5h 15m€55Book
- 09:00 → 15:00Bus · Alsa · 6h€45Book
- 09:06 → 16:46Train · Renfe MD · 7h 40m€49Book
- 09:15 → 15:00Bus · Alsa · 5h 45m€45Book
- 10:20 → 15:30Bus · BlaBlaCar · 5h 10m€33Book
Sun, Oct 18
- 00:30 → 06:40Bus · Alsa · 6h 10m€45Book
- 06:55 → 12:32Train · Renfe ALVIA · 5h 37m€61Book
- 07:00 → 14:00Bus · Alsa · 7h€38Book
- 07:15 → 14:00Bus · Alsa · 6h 45m€45Book
- 08:00 → 13:30Bus · Alsa · 5h 30m€60Book
- 08:15 → 13:30Bus · Alsa · 5h 15m€61Book
- 09:00 → 15:00Bus · Alsa · 6h€38Book
- 09:06 → 16:46Train · Renfe MD · 7h 40m€49Book
Times and prices checked on Wed, Oct 14.
Cheapest fare by day, Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia
The lowest fare Omio listed for each day, connections included. Pick a day to see its trips and book.
Train
Fares checked on Tue, Oct 13.
Operators seen on these journeys
IberiaMadrid–Barajas-San Sebastián AirportSee live options and dates →
RenfePasaia-San Sebastián-Donostia, Madrid-Andoain-CentroBook →Regional connectionSan Sebastián Airport-San Sebastián-DonostiaBook →On this route you travel with ALSA, Iberia, Renfe, Regional connection; Routavio does not add a booking fee.
How the trip from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia works
Start with a ALSA bus from Madrid Barajas to San Sebastián-Donostia, about 5h 25m. In total it's roughly €29 over 5h 25m, direct, no transfers.
Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia: common questions
How long does it take to get from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia?
The most useful route takes about 5h 25m by bus, with no transfer.
When is the first bus from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia?
The first bus with ALSA leaves at 01:45 and the last at 20:30, from Madrid Barajas, according to the published timetable.
How many bus departures a day are there from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia?
9 a day with ALSA, between 01:45 and 20:30.
Which station does the bus from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia leave from?
Madrid Barajas with ALSA, according to the published timetable.
When is the first train from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia?
The first train with Renfe leaves at 06:55 and the last at 17:48, according to the published timetable.
How many train departures a day are there from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia?
5 a day with Renfe, between 06:55 and 17:48.
How far is San Sebastián-Donostia from Madrid?
About 353 km in a straight line. The real route on the ground or in the air is longer.
How much does Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia cost?
On the upcoming dates we checked, the cheapest fare ranged from €22 to €35. Run a live search for your own date to see today's price.
Which operators run Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia?
On this route you travel with ALSA, Iberia, Renfe, Regional connection.
Can you get from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia without flying?
Yes. A ground route by bus takes about 4h 20m.
What is the cheapest way to get from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia?
Usually a flexible date, or leaving from a nearby airport. A live search puts every option for your dates side by side.
Can I book directly?
Yes. Routavio sends you straight to the operator or an independent third-party provider. We never add a booking fee. The final fare and availability are confirmed by that provider.
Other ways people search Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia
- how to get from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia
- Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia travel time
- Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia distance
- cheapest way from Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia
- Madrid to San Sebastián-Donostia by bus
Sources and method
Routes are calculated by Routavio's multimodal engine from operator timetables and flight data. Durations come from timetables, and prices are the most recent observation, not a guarantee.
Operators: ALSA
Route calculated: 12 Oct 2026
Prices checked: 11 Oct 2026