News - San Sebastian Tourism

Donostia / San Sebastián Strengthens Its Presence at International Tourism Fairs

Details: 2025 Mar 12

The Low-Emission Zone is now up and running in Donostia / San Sebastián city centre

Low-Emission Zone - Donostia / San Sebastián

Pursuant to EU guidelines and in compliance with Law 7/2021 of 20 May stipulating that all locations with populations exceeding 50,000 must establish a low-emission zone, the city of Donostia / San Sebastián has now set the conditions for access to the Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) or "Isuri Gutxiko Eremua (IGE)" in Basque.

The LEZ is composed exclusively of the city centre: the area highlighted in green on the map.

The LEZ may be used by all vehicles which meet the environmental requisites. Checks are made by cameras reading car registrations, and it is therefore NOT necessary to show the sticker on the car.

If the vehicle meet the environmental requisites

VEHICLE REGISTERED IN SPAIN

You can check whether the vehicle meets the requisites HERE.

VEHICLE REGISTERED ABROAD

The following foreign vehicles will be entitled to access during the first phase (2025 – 2027):

Cars and vans (petrol and diesel) registered after 01-01-2006.
Buses, coaches and trucks:
- Petrol: registered after 01-10-2001
- Diesel: registered after 01-10-2006
Motor bikes and mopeds registered after 01-01-2004.

IMPORTANT: : Any foreign vehicles meeting these registration requirements may enter the LEZ zone, but visitors must have made a statement of compliance before entering the zone, at this link

They must furnish the following data:

Owner of the vehicle
Type of vehicle
Registration
Date of registration
Type of fuel
Technical data sheet
For owners of a vehicle over 30 years old or holders of a European card, the relevant documentation.

If the vehicle does not meet the environmental requisites

Vous ne pourrez pas accéder à la ZFE, c'est-à-dire au centre-ville, mais vous pourrez en revanche garer votre véhicule tout près du centre. Voici les options possibles :

Paying car parks:

Kursaal (car park facing the beach in the Gros district)
Txofre (car park 5 minutes from the beach in the Gros district)
Plaza Cataluña (car park 5 minutes from the beach in the Gros district)
Atotxa car park (in the city centre)
Estación car park (in the city centre)
Pío XII car park (10 minutes on foot from the city centre in the Amara district)
Arcco car park (15 minutes on foot from the city centre in the Amara district, Nº 26 bus)
Ondarreta car park (close to Ondarreta beach, Antiguo district)
Zuatzu car park (45 minutes on foot from Ondarreta beach)

Dissuasive car parks (free car parks):

Illunbe (Bus 28)
Igara (Bus 5)

FAQs

Can't I go to Donostia by car now?

YES, YOU CAN USE YOUR CAR IN DONOSTIA CITY CENTRE. The only difference is that, if your car meets the environmental requisites, you can drive around the city centre (LEZ zone) and, if not, you will have to use the car parks close to the city centre.

What about foreign vehicles?

The only difference in this case is that before they can enter the LEZ zone they will have to make a statement of compliance compliance so that the surveillance cameras know they have authorisation to enter it. www.donostia.eus/ataria/en/web/ige/foreing-vehicles

What if my car does not meet the environmental requisites, or was registered before 2006?

YOU WILL HAVE TO USE THE CAR PARKS CLOSE TO THE CITY CENTRE..

Paying car parks:

Kursaal (car park facing the beach in the Gros district)
Txofre (car park 5 minutes from the beach in the Gros district)
Plaza Cataluña (car park 5 minutes from the beach in the Gros district)
Atotxa car park (in the city centre)
Estación car park (in the city centre)
Pío XII car park (10 minutes on foot from the city centre in the Amara district)
Arcco car park (15 minutes on foot from the city centre in the Amara district, Nº 26 bus)
Ondarreta car park (close to Ondarreta beach, Antiguo district)
Zuatzu car park (45 minutes on foot from Ondarreta beach)

Dissuasive car parks (free car parks):

Illunbe (Bus 28)
Igara (Bus 5)

Is it enough for my car to show the environment-friendly sticker?

NO. Checks are made by cameras which read vehicle registrations, and so the sticker on the car serves no purpose.

IF THE VEHICLE IS REGISTERED IN SPAIN AND MEETS THE REQUISITES, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. You can check whether the vehicle has an environment-friendly sticker HERE.

IF A VEHICLE IS REGISTERED ABROAD, IT HAS TO MAKE THE STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE, to notify its registration and its technical data: www.donostia.eus/ataria/en/web/ige/foreing-vehicles