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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. |
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