How to Leave San Sebastian

The first step in the leaving process is to get to the bus stop at Plaza de Gipuzkoa.  The following is a link to the google map showing where the bus stop is. 

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&dirflg=r&ttype=dep&date=06%2F04%2F11&time=12:53pm&noexp=0&noal=0&sort=def&msa=0&msid=216481242030386915424.0004a4e7479eb1c36fd7e&ll=43.323515,-1.979599&spn=0.004995,0.011737&t=h&z=17

The tricky thing is that there are three bus stations all in a row.  The one for the aiport is the pole in the middle of the block right in front of the big clock on the ground.

Here is what the pole looks like.  The bus is behind it in this picture, but the bus driver left it there to go take a break.  You can't get on until the bus driver gets back and opens the door.

Here is a picture of the clock beside the pole.

Here are more pictures of the front and the back of the bus, just to be PERFECTLY CLEAR:

You pay when you get on.  I don't know if the electronic bus card will work.  The fare is less than 3 euro.  The bus was big and modern with plenty of room for luggage. It was not crowded.  It takes about 30 minutes to get to the airport.  We were on the 11 am  bus to have plenty of time, and in case there was some problem where a bus was delayed. 

There are several stops and turns before the bus gets to the autoway (interstate).  The bus spends about 10 - 15 minutes on the autoway.  After it exits, it is pretty close to the airport.  There is one possible stop (I think) before the airport stop.  The thing that almost surprised us is that the driver will not necessarily stop at the bus stop if no one is waiting to get on, and if nobody has pushed the stop button before getting there.  That is why I have posted the following pictures of the airport bus stop, looking in the direction from which the bus comes. 

It probably won't hurt to mention to the driver before you leave that you want the airport stop, and remind him soon after you get off the autoway.  Ideally, you will see this stop coming up and push the button to alert the driver you want off.

The airport at San Sebastian is nice and small and easy.  You just go to the right when you enter and check in with Iberia.  There is a small place to get a bite to eat.  You can't go through security until a certain time before flight time.  There is only one gate area.  Once you are through security you can't get any food.  You can see the secure area from the unsecure area through glass walls.

You should land in Madrid in terminal T4.  We left the plane onto the tarmac and boarded a bus that takes you to the terminal building.  The bus takes you much closer to the baggage claim instead of the long walk when we left Madrid.  You just need to pay attention and follow the signs to go to baggage.  There is a point where people going to connecting flights will split off.  Look at the screens to see which carosel your bags will come to.  After you get your bags, you will follow the signs to ground tranportation, particularly the one for hotel busses, which looks like this.

You will go past the taxi lanes to the bus lanes, and move to the left.  There is a nearby sign that shows all the hotel shuttles. 

The Axor bus comes about every 30 minutes.  We did not have to call them.  The bus looks like this:

Our  bus went by the T1 and T3 terminals before getting to the hotel.  The  bus arrives at the Axor Barajas, which is next door to the Feria. 

You just get off the bus and walk to the left and up the ramp to go the the Feria.  Of course, the lobby at the Feria gets a bit busy as the 18 or so people get off the bus and head to the desk to get rooms.  We are going to get you a prepaid room, and I will send you the reservation.  Make sure you have this and present it.  They have already charged our credit card, so you should remind them of that when you present the reservation.  Make sure the rate is right on the form they give you to sign.  You will give them the Venture credit card for any additional charges (which you should have none - don't eat the stuff in the minibar).  They will ask you what time you want the shuttle the following day, and you should get the 7 am shuttle.  You HAVE to reserve your seat on this bus.  They have an automated wakeup call system, which we could not use because we couldn't follow the Spanish prompts.  So you will have to figure out how to wake up.  They may be able to set it for you if you call the desk.  The hotel has lots of internet stations, and some vending machines if you want something.

The Axor is very close to a large shopping mall.  To get there, when you leave the hotel go to the right and walk to the first traffic light and turn right.  Then walk straight down this street and go in the door just after you cross the next street (at another traffic light).  It takes about 10 minutes to walk.  There is a grocery store immediately on the left when you enter.  All of the food places are on the top floor, 2 floors above the one you enter.  There are LOTS of places, including McDonalds, subway, a diner, some Spanish places (Pan, etc.).  I'm sure you will find something you like.  Many of the non-Spanish places are open before 8 pm.

Leaving Madrid, you will want to go to the Delta terminal which is in Terminal 1.  It was the first one we stopped at after we left the hotel.  Make sure you are at Terminal 1.  When you get off the bus, you will enter the terminal building and go to the right.  The Delta window is near the end towards the right.  There is sort of a roll-up window that opens when they are working flights.


We did not go upstairs. The monitors should indicate which stations are being used to work the Delta flights. There were two Delta flights leaving at about the same time.  There is a sign that shows which line if for the NY flight, and which is for the Atlanta flight.

Security at this terminal was pretty easy and not busy at our time. You can go ahead and go through security and there is a food counter inside.  Our gate was further down to the right, and there is another checkpoint where they say after you enter this area you can't go back.  Maybe there are less food options after this point. 

We got two meals and a snack on the way back.  The movies weren't any different than when we went, but maybe you will have newer ones.