San Sebastian funicular

Mount Igeldo has the best views of San Sebastián, this is a fact. From its height of 181 meters you can see the entire Concha Bay, a good part of the city and the surrounding mountains, the Giuzkoan coast to the west and on cloudless days, on the horizon to the east you can see the Biarritz area .

Also up here is the Monte Igeldo amusement park, a very special place for the people of San Sebastian, which will delight the little ones. It is clear that if you visit San Sebastián, you have to visit Monte Igeldo. And the best way to get up here is by funicular.

Where is the Monte Igeldo station located?

The station to climb Mount Igeldo is evidently at the foot of the mountain. Following Ondarreta beach, towards the end, we can choose whether to continue walking along the sea, until we reach Eduardo Chillida’s Peine del Viento, or follow the signs and take the street behind the municipal tennis courts and the Real Club of Tennis where the Funicular square is located.

Once here there is no loss, since it is practically the only building with an entrance to the square and on its façade it says in gold letters on a green background “Funicular Monte Igeldo”.

History of the San Sebastián funicular

The San Sebastián funicular is quite old, it is more than 100 years old! Its inauguration, along with that of the amusement park, was in 1912. Until then the summit was only reachable by road, one with not very good views that still exists and is the one we must take if we want to reach the amusement park by car or bus.

And the funicular, like the park, was built at a time when tourism in San Sebastián was very important. Queen Maria Cristina had spent her summers in the city for many years and with her hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors came to Donosti to enjoy the beaches, the casinos and the wide range of entertainment that included horse and car races, concerts. , ball and tennis championships, traditional sports exhibitions and fireworks, bullfights, regattas of all kinds, and from 1912 the Monte Igeldo amusement park.

Since their construction, both the funicular and the park have been an indispensable part of San Sebastián. All San Sebastian residents have taken it at some point, especially as children, and a visit to the city is not complete without enjoying this centuries-old mode of transport.

Price of the bill

One thing to keep in mind when taking the funicular is that the ticket includes entry to the amusement park. If we go up to the park by car, bus or on foot, we have to pay 2.50 per person.

And the tickets can be round trip or one-way, below are the rates:

• Round trip ticket – Adults: €4.50 / Children (up to 7 years): €2.50
• Single ticket – Adults €3.05 / Children (up to 7 years): €1.50
• Special ticket (animals, suitcases): €2.50
• Groups: groups of 20 or more people, round trip (less on weekends, holidays and August): €3.75
• Disabled: Showing a disability card, round trip: €3.75
• San Sebastián Card: Showing the card at the box office, round trip: €3.75

Funicular schedule

The funicular schedule changes constantly. Depending on the time of year it opens fewer hours, such as in winter, which normally opens from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; or more, like in summer, which opens from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. But even this can vary if it is a weekend or holiday. The best thing is to simply consult their website, which you can access here, or Google, where they continually update the information.