Infrastructure
The region shows a communication layout well in step with its geographical features, with the main communication axes following the North to South direction up to recent times along the rivers heading to the ocean. So it was with the Way of St. James penetrating in the province via Irun and turning south-west along the Oria River towards the province limits at the tunnel of San Adrian. This stretch was in operation up to 1765 when the King's Highway moved to the western Gipuzkoan Deba Valley. A minor St. James route crossed Gipuzkoa east to west along the coast.
Currently, the main road cutting through Gipuzkoa sticks largely to that pattern, i.e. the N-1 E-5 from Irun to Donostia and on to Altsasu all along the Oria for the most part (gateway to Navarre through the pass of Etxegarate). Also, the major Irun-Madrid railway runs closely clinging to this river up to its very rise on the slopes of Aizkorri (train stop Otzaurte in Zegama). By 1973 engineering works for the Bilbao-Behobia A-8 E-70 motorway had come to an end, with the new road cutting across the valleys east to west and turning into the main axis between Donostia and Bilbao, besides enabling heavy load traffic to access the west and south of Spain (toll applies). Regional railway network Euskotren winds down along the coast from east to west too, while this transport proves impractical for long distance on the grounds of its tortuous layout and its serving small towns. The railway network reaches the border town Hendaia (change to SNCF).
The stretch of the A-15 motorway serving Gipuzkoa and Pamplona opened in 1995 shrouded in controversy after a protest and attack campaign led by ecologists, Basque leftist nationalists and eventually ETA. Troubles came to a halt after a deal was struck about the definitive layout. Later on, in January 2010, following a scheme drawn up by the regional government of Gipuzkoa to improve provisions for the ever increasing road traffic, the Maltzaga-Urbina AP-1 motorway stretch leading to Gasteiz was placed into operation, providing likewise access to the industrial areas of Arrasate and Bergara (gateway to Álava by village Landa). Works for connection between AP-1 and N-1 E-5 are due to conclude in 2010 by means of the highway linking east to west Bergara and Beasain. Arrangements for the road network of Donostia's metropolitan area (2nd ring road and Urnieta's bypass) are well under way and due operational by mid-2010.
A scheme exists for a high-speed rail with an X-type layout and links to the SNCF network in Hendaia (NE), Vitoria (SE), Bilbao (W) and Pamplona (S) (works due finished by 2016). The appointment of works were made, works are in place despite overdue, while the scheme faces opposition from conservationist, leftist and anti-system groups.
The only airport in Gipuzkoa serving just domestic flights is the San Sebastian Airport located in Hondarribia, while the air transportation needs are usually served by the nearby Bilbao and Biarritz airports.
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