Thank you sounds perfect will look it up and hopefully get it pre booked. Another question we are hoping to use a bus with bikes the following day to Burgos where we plan to start /pick up the camino, wondered if you had any experience with the bus system.
I have used ALSA several times, once with my bike.
Use the ALSA english website
www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/home
You will need your passport number to complete the booking, and you will be given the option to book a bike at extra cost after you choose bus service. I only had to book onw bike; not sure how it works for two.
This what ASA say:
'Bicycles, surfboards and skis require a supplement on top of the ticket price, amounting to 5 euro on short journeys and 10 euro on long journeys.
'On international routes, the transport of bicycles is only allowed on the Spain-Morocco route, with advance booking and payment required.
Because of limited available space, a total of four items, between bicycles and surf boards, are admitted per bus (one per ticket). These must be prepared for travelling without causing damage to other baggage or packages, and it is obligatory for them to be packaged in some type of box or bag prepared for their transport.
You can buy your ticket through the web page along with bicycle transport, indicating the box available for it in step 3 of the purchase process. The bicycle transport tickets must be purchased one by one, with it being impossible to mark this box when 2 or more seats have been selected.
If there is no space for more bicycles in the chosen departure time, the box of trip selection with bicycle will not be available.
Passengers taking a bicycle or surfboard must be present for boarding with their ticket at least 15 minutes prior to departure'
I take this to mean that you will have book each passenger/bike combination separately.
I paid by PayPal with no problems, and I had no problems printing the PDF tickets. U seem to recall some people have had problems with credit card payments, possibly because the forename/ surnames in Spain are a bit different to our conventions.
ALSA insist that the bike is either boxed or bagged, with the front wheel removed and the handlebars turned sideways.
I used a CTC bike bag from Wiggle, but I think really stout black plastic bags plus duck tape would be ok.
I did not remove my front wheel but the driver let me on, although he was not too happy about it. Don't risk it.
The bus station at Santander is just 5 mins from Pension Angelines, and is opposite the train station. Departures are from the basement, so it is easier if you allow plenty of time and do the dismantleing and bagging-up after identifying the correct departure bay.
The bus schedule is tight and there is not much time to get the loading done.
Burgos is wonderful city, one of my favourite places.
Enjoy it.
Mike C