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Old September 21st, 2007, 04:26 PM posted to misc.transport.rail.europe,rec.travel.europe
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Default Tickets to San Sebastian via Hendaye and Irun

Had an interesting experience in trying to get to San Sebastian from
Biarritz. Using Renfe's and SNCF's website I ascertained that I could
take a train from Biarritz at 10.27am (where I was staying) to Irun
(the first station in Spain) - a Corail Lunea train from the South of
France as it transpired with 'reclined' 2nd class seats that were a
tad uncomfortable to travel during the day in - reaching Irun at
10.57am, leaving me about 15 minutes to take a local Cercanias train
from Irun to San Sebastian reaching there about 11.30am, as the Renfe
station is a good deal closer to the centre and the beach.The best
laid plans of mice and men....

When I reached Biarritz, I had to queue for a fair bit - the all
singing, all dancing SNCF ticket machines wouldn't sell me a ticket to
Irun, never mind San Sebastian. I had assumed that, as the train I was
catching was heading for Irun from Biarritz, I could perhaps buy a
ticket for there ? (SNCF's website at www.voyages-sncf.com had told me
I could indeed for €5.20, €0.40 more than the €4.80 single it charged
from Biarritz to Hendaye, the last station in France). Indeed, when
the train arrived, it had "IRUN" written on the side of the train in
big letters on the destination boards.

I thought I'd chance my arm with "2 return tickets to San Sebastian
please ?" assuming there would be through ticketting for 2
neighbouring countries ? Apparently not. "You need to take a train to
Hendaye and El Topo (the narrow guage Euskotren from Hendaye to San
Sebastian) from there to Amara".

OK, I though, "2 return (or single) tickets to Irun,
please ?" (figuring 15 minutes would be time enough to buy tickets at
an unlikely to be busy Irun Station.

"No, Sir, there are no trains from here to Irun", the ticket seller,
said, meeting my incredulity. "Well, perhaps, one a day in the summer"

I pulled my Thomas Cook out and showed the cornucopia of trains headed
from Biarritz to Irun, probably 7 or 8 a day, as well as the
noticeboard at the station that showed copious trains to Irun.

"Well, that might be true, but I still can't sell you a ticket for
this train, I can only sell you a ticket to here to Hendaye - perhaps
you can buy a ticket at Hendaye for Irun". Not in 4 minutes (the wait
at the station) I couldn't.

I suppose I could have jumped the fare to Irun, and protested that
SNCF wouldn't sell me a ticket there, but I chickened out and changed
at Hendaye and took the Euskotren from there to Amara and walked into
San Sebastian. Very nice place with a fantastic old town and a lovely
beach, if anyone is tempted....On the way back, the timings on trains
from Hendaye to Biarritz were so shonky - a 4 hour gap after 18.57
until the next train, and the Euskotren arrived 2 minutes before the
Hendaye - Biarritz train departed - that I caught a coach from Hendaye
to Biarritz, that had the added advantage of dropping me in the centre
of the town, and not the station, 3km up a steep hill.

Anyone any ideas why this ridiculous state of affairs exists ? It's
already daft that Renfe can operate from Spain to Hendaye (but not
FROM Hendaye to Spain), and SNCF can operate to Irun but not FROM Irun
to France.