Bus Bilbao to Pamplona - September

[asl]

I have been looking to purchase tickets for a bus from Bilbao to Pamplona on Sept. 13. Clearly doing something wrong as I either get no availability that day or only availability at 4AM. The bus to SJPdP departs Pamplona at 12P, so have to arrive in time to catch it.

 

[MARSKA]

https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/bus-schedules?p_p_id=SchedulePortlet_WAR_Alsaportlet&p_p_lifecycle=1&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&_SchedulePortlet_WAR_Alsaportlet_javax.portlet.action=searchJourneysActionSchedules&p_auth=2Sa5yOMb

You could try the link above - it looks as though bus service changes on 9/10/23 with fewer buses / routes. Others know more about this than I do. Hopefully someone will chime in soon.

 

[Kirkie]

You are not doing anything wrong.
I have just succeeded in paying more than I should for a single ticket to Pamplona next week. No return available.
Two phone calls later:
the first, to the bus station in Pamplona. 'Ah yes, we will stop that service soon. Who is taking over? Cuadrabus. No, sorry, no idea how to contact them.'
The second phone call to Cuadrabus. 'Yes, that is correct, we will take over that service. No, sorry, we don't know anything more.'

You have time for the teething troubles to be sorted.
I am just a bit on edge!
By the way, I chose to struggle through in Spanish, too much trouble to see if the agents spoke English...

 

[asl]

You are not doing anything wrong.
I have just succeeded in paying more than I should for a single ticket to Pamplona next week. No return available.
Two phone calls later:
the first, to the bus station in Pamplona. 'Ah yes, we will stop that service soon. Who is taking over? Cuadrabus. No, sorry, no idea how to contact them.'
The second phone call to Cuadrabus. 'Yes, that is correct, we will take over that service. No, sorry, we don't know anything more.'

You have time for the teething troubles to be sorted.
I am just a bit on edge!
By the way, I chose to struggle through in Spanish, too much trouble to see if the agents spoke English...

Whoa! Thank you so much for sharing this update. I'll keep an eye out for info from Cuadrabus website. Had I anticipated transport issues from Bilbao, I would have flown into Pamplona.

 

[Kirkie]

Glad that you posted, actually. A fair number of people use the service and it serves the native population as well as visitors. By the way, my memory of flying into Pamplona a long time ago was that they have very few flights from anywhere. So, I think there is no need to worry. It is usually a normal service bus, and takes under 2 hours. There are other ways, via San Sebastian, but that makes the trip double the time so I would only resort to that if really in extremis!

 

[asl]

Glad that you posted, actually. A fair number of people use the service and it serves the native population as well as visitors. By the way, my memory of flying into Pamplona a long time ago was that they have very few flights from anywhere. So, I think there is no need to worry. It is usually a normal service bus, and takes under 2 hours. There are other ways, via San Sebastian, but that makes the trip double the time so I would only resort to that if really in extremis!

Also looking into taxi / private car service or one-way car rental.

 

[WestKirsty]

Were you trying with Alsa? There's another company - La Union - that have buses between Bilbao and Pamplona. I'm not sure if you were trying them and/or Alsa and what's being taken over my this Cuadrabus. I live in Bilbao but have never heard of them before!

Some companies also don't sell tickets for buses this far in advance, so that could be an issue as well.

 

[asl]

Were you trying with Alsa? There's another company - La Union - that have buses between Bilbao and Pamplona. I'm not sure if you were trying them and/or Alsa and what's being taken over my this Cuadrabus. I live in Bilbao but have never heard of them before!

Some companies also don't sell tickets for buses this far in advance, so that could be an issue as well.

Yes, I was checking both. Alsa had no availability, and La Union just showed the 4AM time. La Union webpage provides that 'occasional' riders can purchase tickets up to 1 month in advance on their site.

 

[WestKirsty]

Yes, I was checking both. Alsa had no availability, and La Union just showed the 4AM time. La Union webpage provides that 'occasional' riders can purchase tickets up to 1 month in advance on their site.

I've taken this bus several times over the past few years and bought my tickets a week or two in advance; I think most recently, just the day before.

Once it's closer to your travel date, more options should appear on the websites. That's been my experience here with buses - Alsa and the other companies as well!

Happy planning!

 

[naplesdon]

Pre sales this far in advance are generally not available, also try Budbud for purchasing a ticket.

 

[Kirkie]

I used whatever showed up to track tickets - rome2rio, estacion de autobuses Pamplona, Bilbao, La Burundesa, Alsa, budbus (I got the seat to Pamplona on their site), omio.
My scout in Pamplona tells me she saw online that there is a bus leaving Pamplona for Bilbao, run by Cuadrabus, on the date I need, at the time I need. Even if smack bang in the middle of San Fermines!
Another friend will go there today to see if she can get me a ticket.
What others on the ground say is true - it is a bit early to be looking for a ticket this far ahead as per the OP. I will check out the situation next week and report back. I expect that the service will be operating perfectly.
Anyone reading this thread, if you want to go to Pamplona by public transport around the San Fermin dates - do your homework and find a ticket.

 

[OxfordHiker]

Hi, from memory you need to wait until about 4 weeks b4 you go as that is when they publish timetable.
We used Alsa from Logrono to Bilbao last September all good

 

[Derek Booth]

I flew into Bilbao and caught the bus to Pamplona from the Bus Station. (March )
This was in 2019 and naively, it never occurred to me to buy the ticket in advance.

I have noticed that since Covid, more and more people are prebooking their transport
and accommodation.

 

[Kirkie]

Update from Pamplona: La Burundesa will cease the service at end of business on 3rd July. Cuadrabus will begin the service on 4th July.
That is what my friend was told in the bus station in Pamplona yesterday.
No option to get tickets yet, from Cuadrabus. It will happen though.

 

[asl]

Update from Pamplona: La Burundesa will cease the service at end of business on 3rd July. Cuadrabus will begin the service on 4th July.
That is what my friend was told in the bus station in Pamplona yesterday.
No option to get tickets yet, from Cuadrabus. It will happen though.

Thanks so much for the update! And please thank your friend in Pamplona.

 

[Kirkie]

Another update - it says in the paper (therefore it must be true ) that indeed the new bus service is due to begin next week. Cuadrabus, I have no further details, but here is a link to the article my friend just sent me.

La nueva línea de autobús entre Bilbao y Pamplona arranca el 5 de julio

El servicio incorpora importantes mejoras en materia de vehículos, precios y frecuencias

www.noticiasdenavarra.com

In the hope that I succeed, I will update after securing my ticket back to Bilbao.

 

[Kirkie]

I have a bus ticket for my return trip to Bilbao on Tuesday. Half the price paid to get from Bilbao to Pamplona - €9.05. Let's see how it works out...

 

[asl]

I have a bus ticket for my return trip to Bilbao on Tuesday. Half the price paid to get from Bilbao to Pamplona - €9.05. Let's see how it works out...

Thanks for the update. I've been checking the CuadraBus website. It looks like they are accepting new booking through Aug. 31.

 

[Kirkie]

Cuadrabus: spotless, air conditioned, left in time, arrived in one hour 50 minutes. €9.05 single, a lady told me her return was €14.00 In Intermodal, you can either find the desk for Bizkaiabus and pay the three euro and get a paper ticket, or just go down to gate 27 and pay on board either with cash or card. From the airport, you must get the ticket before getting on the bus. The little kiosk is just inside the hall before exiting to join the queue for the bus. The bus takes around 20 minutes, and runs around every 20 minutes. All the best. By the way, new boards in Pamplona bus station make it very easy to see which stand the bus leaves from. I saw that the bus to Roncesvalles was going out at 10, for anyone interested...

 

[asl]

YAY!!!!! Thanks so much for the wonderful update. So pleased it was an enjoyable experience for you.

 

[asl]

The Cuadrabus September schedule for Bilbao to Pamplona is now online. Bought tickets for 13th, and depending on timing will catch the Noon bus from Pamplona to SJPdP; if not, will hope to find another pilgrim or 2 to share a cab. It was surprising to see that the driving time shown for a cab was only 15 minute fast than the bus to SJPdP and the bus was making 5 stops.

 

[Kirkie]

The Cuadrabus September schedule for Bilbao to Pamplona is now online. Bought tickets for 13th, and depending on timing will catch the Noon bus from Pamplona to SJPdP; if not, will hope to find another pilgrim or 2 to share a cab. It was surprising to see that the driving time shown for a cab was only 15 minute fast than the bus to SJPdP and the bus was making 5 stops.

Glad to see you are ticking things off. So long as the bus from Bilbao lets you get to the platform in Pamplona - and the bus station is easier to get around in than Bilbao - after buying your ticket to SJPdP, you will be fine. The road to where you are going from Pamplona is a bit windy and uppy-downy, it is not a race track - except perhaps for lycra cyclists and motorcyclists!