Coach Hire to San Fermín in Pamplona
San Fermín runs from 6 to 14 July 2027 in Pamplona. This site does not cover Pamplona as a base, so coach trips start from Donostia / San Sebastián, about 84 km away.
Fixed times in the fiesta
The Chupinazo, fired from the town hall balcony at noon on 6 July, opens the fiestas; they close at midnight on the 14th. Each morning at 08:00 the encierro runs from the Santo Domingo corrals through the Plaza Consistorial, Mercaderes and Estafeta to the bullring. Under-18s may not run, and from 07:15 nobody but runners and people with authorisation may remain on it.
The run from Donostia
Donostia to Pamplona takes about 1 h 25 min by coach on a clear road. To watch an encierro the group must be in place before 07:15, which means leaving Donostia around 05:30. Flying in? Bilbao's airport lies some 160 km off, about two and a half hours by coach.
A coach registered abroad needs an authorisation before entering the Donostia low-emission zone; every foreign vehicle must apply, and the authorisation runs to the end of the first phase in 2027.
Dates and place
- 6-14 July 2027: the fiestas open with the Chupinazo at 12:00 on 6 July and end at midnight on 14 July
- The old town (Casco Antiguo) of Pamplona: the Chupinazo from the balcony of the Casa Consistorial, and the bull-run route through Santo Domingo, the Plaza Consistorial, Mercaderes and Estafeta to the bullring
Closures in Pamplona
For the 2026 fiestas, the old town and its neighbouring central streets were shut to all but authorised traffic from the night of 5 July until the afternoon of the 15th, and an orange-zone parking regime covered much of the city. Late each evening, roads by the Fueros square and the Ciudadela shut for the fireworks. The 2027 bando, published before the fiestas, sets this year's rules.
No coach plan for San Fermín has been published, so the operator confirms a set-down point outside the closed area.
A long day for one driver
EU rules allow at most 9 hours of driving a day and require at least 11 hours of daily rest. A day that starts before dawn for the encierro and ends after the fireworks does not fit one driver. Pick the morning or the evening, or ask the operator about a second driver.
What organisers ask us
Can the coach go into Pamplona's old town?
No. In 2026 the whole old town was closed to all but authorised vehicles for the length of the fiesta. The group walks in from the set-down point.
Is a day trip from Donostia realistic?
Yes, at about 1 h 25 min each way. The limits come from the driver's hours, so pick either the encierro or the evening, not both.
Are the traffic rules on this page for 2027?
No, they are from the 2026 bando. The 2027 bando is published before the fiestas, and the operator plans the stops from it.