Alsa bus bookings in 2024

[mgnswaus]

For those who have been trying to access seat reservations, Alsa bookings are now available until at least, from my experience, the end of May.

 

[arfajajc]

I've been on the Alsa website trying to find a bus from Pamplona to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port which I can book for travel on Tuesday April 16, but can't find any buses scheduled. The search function on their website is a bit glitchy so I've sent them a message asking for help. Several forum members have said there's usually a bus which leaves Pamplona at 12 noon for Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, so hopefully that will be available to book soon.

 

[arfajajc]

Just received the following reply from Alsa (pretty quick!!):

"Dear Ms. Costigan,
In response to your reference query 72753137 , we regret to inform you that currently there is still no information on when this line will begin to operate, we recommend that you contact us in mid-February.
Best regards."

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Here's a tip on using the ALSA site One of its glitches is that after entering Pamplona as your departure point you must enter your destination by spelling "St" or "St." as "Saint". After entering a few letters of that it should find the place for you.

Another glitch is that ALSA doesn't say something like "Schedule not determined yet" but instead says something like "No service" or "Not found".

 

[arfajajc]

Here's a tip on using the ALSA site One of its glitches is that after entering Pamplona as your departure point you must enter your destination by spelling "St" or "St." as "Saint". After entering a few letters of that it should find the place for you.

Another glitch is that ALSA doesn't say something like "Schedule not determined yet" but instead says something like "No service"

I'm now able to actually select "Pamplona" and "Saint Jean Pied De Port" (previously the selection field was greyed out and not working), but when searching dates I get an error message reading (in Spanish):
"We regret to inform you that a temporary error has occurred. We recommend trying again after a few minutes."
Have tried multiple times but no luck, so will leave it for the time being.
Do you know if you need to pre-book a ticket, or can you just show up and pay on the bus?

 

[Tincatinker]

I'm now able to actually select "Pamplona" and "Saint Jean Pied De Port" (previously the selection field was greyed out and not working), but when searching dates I get an error message reading (in Spanish):
"We regret to inform you that a temporary error has occurred. We recommend trying again after a few minutes."
Have tried multiple times but no luck, so will leave it for the time being.
Do you know if you need to pre-book a ticket, or can you just show up and pay on the bus?

Yup, you can do both those things at least. But only when ALSA decide to start running the service and get around to publishing the schedule and open their pre-booking system.

Until that day all you will get is error messages.

I’ve no doubt whatsoever that there is an ALSA employee or at least an ALSA bot somewhere calculating whether there is profit in running two buses a day for May through September and no doubt whatsoever that there are several taxi companies hoping they don’t. Meanwhile, as most pilgrims are aware, the Camino Santiago does not start in Saint Jean pied de Porte

 

[arfajajc]

Yup, you can do both those things at least. But only when ALSA decide to start running the service and get around to publishing the schedule and open their pre-booking system.

Until that day all you will get is error messages.

I’ve no doubt whatsoever that there is an ALSA employee or at least an ALSA bot somewhere calculating whether there is profit in running two buses a day for May through September and no doubt whatsoever that there are several taxi companies hoping they don’t. Meanwhile, as most pilgrims are aware, the Camino Santiago does not start in Saint Jean pied de Porte

I recognise it's somewhat early for me to be trying to book bus tickets to SJPP now, like 100 years in advance ...
Oh well ...
My camino actually starts in New Zealand, but ALSA is hopeless on that route .

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Do you know if you need to pre-book a ticket, or can you just show up and pay on the bus?

The bus leaves from an underground station so you would buy the ticket at a window (or possibly a machine). You might need to get the ticket from the Conda bus line (Alsa is the owner or a part owner of Conda so some Conda business is conducted at the ALSA website). Pre-covid there were as many as four buses a day going to SJPdP so the chances of having seats available then was better than the once a day service since (mentioned in case you see older information on the web).

P.S. I left you a private message. Not bus related.