Travel options
from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid

You can get from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid by train, bus or flight.

Our recommendation

To get from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid on Sep 28 we recommend taking a bus because it’s the best combination of price and speed.

10:00AMSan Sebastián / Donostia, Federico García Lorca5h15 03:15PMMadrid, Aeropuerto Barajas T4
0 changes
$471One-way
Cheapest
10:00AMSan Sebastián / Donostia, Federico García Lorca5h15 03:15PMMadrid, Aeropuerto Barajas T4
0 changes
$471One-way
Other options
01:00PMSan Sebastián / Donostia, Federico García Lorca5h45 06:45PMMadrid, Aeropuerto Barajas T4
0 changes
$471One-way
04:00PMSan Sebastián / Donostia, Federico García Lorca5h45 09:45PMMadrid, Aeropuerto Barajas T4
0 changes
$471One-way
08:45AMSan Sebastián / Donostia, Federico García Lorca6h15 03:00PMMadrid, Aeropuerto Barajas T4
0 changes
$471One-way

Find all the dates and times for this journey by train, bus, and flight, .

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COMPARE Prices for trains, buses and flights

Mon
Sep 27
$56Renfe
$47Alsa
$222Vueling
Tue
Sep 28
$56Renfe
Find prices
$119Iberia
Wed
Sep 29
$56Renfe
$47Alsa
$143Vueling
Thu
Sep 30
$61Renfe
$47Alsa
$182Iberia
Fri
Oct 1
$61Renfe
$47Alsa
$234Vueling
Sat
Oct 2
$61Renfe
$47Alsa
$94Iberia
Sun
Oct 3
$60Renfe
$47Alsa
$119Iberia
Mon
Oct 4
$61Renfe
$47Alsa
$119Iberia
Tue
Oct 5
$56Renfe
$47Alsa
$94Iberia
Wed
Oct 6
$42Renfe
$47Alsa
$97Vueling
Thu
Oct 7
$61Renfe
$47Alsa
$146Iberia
Fri
Oct 8
$61Renfe
$47Alsa
$321Vueling
Sat
Oct 9
$61Renfe
$47Alsa
$70Iberia
Sun
Oct 10
$61Renfe
$47Alsa
$114Vueling
Mon
Oct 11
$61Renfe
$47Alsa
$94Iberia
Tue
Oct 12
$37Renfe
Find prices
$236Vueling
Wed
Oct 13
$35Renfe
$47Alsa
$119Vueling
Thu
Oct 14
$42Renfe
Find prices
$82Vueling
Fri
Oct 15
$61Renfe
$47Alsa
$119Iberia
Sat
Oct 16
$28Renfe
$47Alsa
$58Iberia
Sun
Oct 17
$60Renfe
$47Alsa
$119Iberia

Travel Information between Donostia-San Sebastian and Madrid

distanceDistance218 miles (352 km)
modeAvailable travel modesFlight, bus or train
priceTicket price range$47 - $87
cheapestCheapest modeBus • $47 (€38) • 5 h 15 min
fastestFastest modeFlight • $87 (€70) • 1 h
carriersPopular travel companiesIberia, Alsa or Renfe

Travel 218 miles (352 km) by flight, bus or train between Donostia-San Sebastian and Madrid. If speed is a priority, then a flight is the best option with an average duration of 1 h; whereas, if saving money is more important, then a bus is the best option with prices starting as low as $47 (€38). The most popular travel companies which serve this route are Iberia, Alsa or Renfe among others. Travelers can even take a direct flight, bus or train from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid.

How to Travel from San Sebastian to Madrid

Getting from San Sebastian in the north to the Spanish capital is easy, with direct daily bus, train and plane routes between the two cities. Flying is easily the quickest way to reach Madrid, at around 1 hour 15 minutes, although buses and trains will complete the journey in approximately 5 hours, so they are excellent budget options.

Trains from San Sebastian to Madrid | Buses from San Sebastian to Madrid | Flights from San Sebastian to Madrid

San Sebastian to Madrid Travel Comparison

Average Price

Travel Time

Cheapest Time to Book

buses

€36

5:10 h

1 Day Ahead

trains

€49

4:56 h

1 Week Ahead

flight

€273

1:15 h

2 Months Ahead


What is the best way to travel from San Sebastian to Madrid?

Cheapest way to travel from San Sebastian to Madrid


cheap

Taking the bus is the cheapest way to travel from San Sebastian to Madrid. Alsa is the main bus company in Spain and operates all the buses from San Sebastian to Madrid. Alsa buses take at least 5:10 h to travel from San Sebastian to Madrid and depart 19 times per day with the first leaving San Sebastian at 12:30 a.m. Most Alsa buses depart from San Sebastian Donostia bus station and arrive at Madrid's Intercambiador Avenida de America bus station.


Fastest way to travel from San Sebastian to Madrid


fast

Flying is the fastest way to travel from San Sebastian to Madrid. Taking a flight is still at least an hour faster than traveling from San Sebastian to Madrid by train or bus even when travel time to and from Madrid and San Sebastian's airports is taken into consideration. Flights traveling from San Sebastian to Madrid depart from San Sebastian airport and arrive at Madrid's Barajas airport after 1:15 h of flight time. Iberia is the main airline that offers direct flights from San Sebastian to Madrid, with around 5 direct flights departing per day.


Most popular way to travel from San Sebastian to Madrid


popular

Taking the bus is the most popular way to travel from San Sebastian to Madrid. While buses and trains take approximately the same amount of time to travel from San Sebastian to Madrid, buses are €13 cheaper on average. Alternatively, while flights are approximately an hour faster than buses when travel time to and from San Sebastian and Madrid's airports is considered, flights are also €237 more expensive on average.


How to get from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid

The Best Way According to our Users

If you want to travel from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid there are several options available to you. For this route, however, 56,59% of our customers choose the bus as their preferred method of transportation. Nowadays, traveling by bus is a relaxing and entertaining experience. Most bus companies offer different on-board services; ranging from "welcome drinks" to free wi-fi or personal entertainment. For this reason, the bus is often chosen as the best way to get from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid. Bus companies normally offer comfortable journeys for reasonable prices, and if you choose to travel on a night bus you can even save the money of one night in a hotel. For that reason, the bus is most likely the cheapest way to get to your destination.

Search on Omio to find cheap tickets from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid. It’s easy to find the most attractive prices and choose your preferred route for your journey. Book on web or app, and travel with your mobile ticket —without the stress of printing your ticket.


Travel Tips

Travel from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid
Travel to Madrid easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid.
FAQs
How do I travel from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid?

There are 3 ways to get from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid: flight, bus or train.

What is the cheapest way to travel between Donostia-San Sebastian and Madrid?

The cheapest way to get from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid is by taking a bus. You can find average ticket prices around $47 (€38) compared to other travel options to Madrid:

Taking a bus is about $40 (€32) less than taking a flight, which costs on average $87 (€70) for this journey.

A bus is $14 (€11) less than a train for this journey with tickets for a train from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid costing on average $61 (€49).

What is the quickest way to get from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid?

The fastest way from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid is by flight with an average journey time of 1 h.

There are alternative travel options to Madrid that can usually take longer:

In comparison, going by bus can take 5 h 15 min   on average.

In comparison, taking a train requires on average 5 h 24 min   of travel time.

How far is Madrid from Donostia-San Sebastian?

The distance from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid is approximately 218 miles (352 km).

How many scheduled departures are there a day from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid?

The average frequency per day from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid is:

  • 1 bus per day.

However, we recommend checking specific travel dates for your trip to Madrid from Donostia-San Sebastian as scheduled services by flight, bus or train can vary by season or day of the week.

When traveling to Madrid from Donostia-San Sebastian, what are the departure and arrival points in Donostia-San Sebastian and Madrid?

These are the most popular departure and arrival points from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid:

  • Flights from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid most often leave from San Sebastian and arrive in Madrid Barajas Airport.
  • Buses mostly leave from San Sebastián / Donostia, Federico García Lorca and tend to arrive in Madrid, Estación Sur/Gare routière Méndez Alvaro - 83.
Which travel companies can take me from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid?

Omio works with many trusted partners that can help you travel the best way from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid:

  • You can take a flight from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid with Iberia. Cheap tickets can be found for $87 (€70) with Iberia from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid.
  • You can travel from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid by bus with Alsa. You can find cheap tickets on Omio for $47 (€38) with Alsa from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid.
  • You can take a train from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid with Renfe. Cheap tickets can be found for $61 (€49) with Renfe from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid.
Is there a direct service to Madrid from Donostia-San Sebastian?

Yes, there are direct routes from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid with the following travel companies:

  • You can find 1 direct bus per day to take to Madrid with Alsa.

Direct services to Madrid tend to save you time and add more convenience as you won't need to transfer at another stop in between, so it's worth paying attention to before booking tickets for your journey.

What other popular destinations should I add to my itinerary for my trip from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid?
Looking to extend your trip from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid? Many Omio customers who go from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid usually extend their vacation to explore other popular destinations like Barcelona, Valencia or Sevilla. If you're looking to explore Barcelona, Valencia or Sevilla from Madrid, let Omio find you the best connections available at an affordable price.
How early should I book tickets from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid online for the best deals?

Before traveling from Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid, it’s good to know what ticket you can buy and how much it will cost in the next 7 days:

  • A plane ticket is costing on average $87 (€70) one way for this route.
  • A bus ticket costs $47 (€38) one way on average for this route.
  • A train ticket costs $61 (€49) one way on average for this trip.

But we recommend booking Donostia-San Sebastian to Madrid tickets online a few months before your planned travel date to score the best deals and save money on your trip.