buses from madrid to pamplona

[marcy]

I'm having a hard time booking my bus ticket either on the Alsa site or the movelia site, as have been recommended. The site keeps refusing my credit card. Any assistance??

thanks,

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Try PayPal.

 

[whariwharangi]

Buy it from ALSA.

It may be that your card is not accepted. You may need to get a chip reader for your credit card so the website and your card can have an electronic handshake.

Else ask your bank why your credit card can't be accepted on a European service provider website.

And, Unless your timings are really tight ... buy it when you get there.

 

[marcy]

Try PayPal.

Movelia doesn't have a pay pal option. I'll check Alsa.

 

[loveandgratitude]

You can just buy the ticket at the station. A bit more than €20.

Love and Gratitude.

 

[CaptBuddy]

I'm having a hard time booking my bus ticket either on the Alsa site or the movelia site, as have been recommended. The site keeps refusing my credit card. Any assistance??

thanks,

Make sure your issuing bank will accept foreign transactions. You may have to call them and tell them your travel dates so they will accept your charges while in Spain.

BTW, if you are flying round trip into and out of Madrid, you should look into a flight to Pamplona. We got one for $25 more.

 

[marcy]

Make sure your issuing bank will accept foreign transactions. You may have to call them and tell them your travel dates so they will accept your charges while in Spain.

BTW, if you are flying round trip into and out of Madrid, you should look into a flight to Pamplona. We got one for $25 more.

What airline for $25?

 

[CaptBuddy]

What airline for $25?

It is Iberia (Air Nostrum). If you book all the way through, and return trip, you get a better deal.

 

[biloute]

You won't be able to pay online at all for Alsa bus tickets. My credit card wasn't accepted, and even PayPal kept asking for my Spanish social security number (which of course I don't have).

 

[CaptBuddy]

I'm having a hard time booking my bus ticket either on the Alsa site or the movelia site, as have been recommended. The site keeps refusing my credit card. Any assistance??

thanks,

Have you look into the train? it is a little more than the buss, but is about half the trip duration. The trains in Spain are very good.
Renfe web site is terrible, try this: http://www.raileurope.com/index.html

 

[jpflavin1]

Just buy the ticket at the station.

 

[marcy]

Have you look into the train? it is a little more than the buss, but is about half the trip duration. The trains in Spain are very good.
Renfe web site is terrible, try this: http://www.raileurope.com/index.html

thanks, I'll look into it!

 

[jmcarp]

As others have said, it is possible to buy bus tickets at Terminal 4 of the Madrid airport. There are automated kiosks right at the curbside that dispense tickets. They would not accept my chipless American credit card, but readily accepted cash. As I recall, it was a very pleasant ride of perhaps 4 hours, with one transfer along the way. The Pamplona bus station is just a few blocks from the Camino, and if you intend to start your walk in SJPP or Roncesvalles, you can get a ticket for that bus right at the station.

The train is certainly an option, but unless I'm wrong, it would entail a bus, taxi, or metro ride into the city, with possible transfers if you take the bus or metro. The net time from the airport to Pamplona would probably be longer.

Buen Camino,
Jim

 

[xin loi]

I bought ALSA tickets to Pamplona in May with my America Credit Card without any problem. But you can buy ticket at the Terminal

 

[jmcarp]

I bought ALSA tickets to Pamplona in May with my America Credit Card without any problem. But you can buy ticket at the Terminal

Actually, that automated kiosk at T4 was the only time I had a problem with my Visa card. Apparently the kiosk's card reader can't handle magnetic strips. I generally used the credit card in the larger cities; the rest of the time I used cash from ATM machines.