Getting from Paris to St. Jean Pied de Port

[KMM7720]

Trying to figure out how to get from the airport (CDG) in Paris to St. Jean Pied de Port. We arrive at 7am on the 20th of May. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[mustbjones]

Go to http://www.raileurope.com and put in Paris (CDG) as your starting point and Saint Jean Pied de Port as your destination and you should find several trains that will meet your needs. The French high speed trains run from the airport to Bayonne where you transfer to the local (Line 62) which takes you to St. Jean. Hope this helps. Buen Camino.

 

[efdoucette]

Conveniently, Paris CDG airport also has a train station. From CDG your route is Bordeaux - Bayonne - St Jean PDP. Raileurope will only book 90 days out and you may need to search in two parts, Paris CDG to Bayonne, then Bayonne to St Jean.

Good Luck
Eric

 

[colinPeter]

Hola KMM7720,
Welcome to the Forum,
Another alternative is to Biarritz/Bayonne then train SJPP. Flights generally go out of Orly but there is a shuttle from CDG to Orly, which is a relatively easy procedure.
Buen Camino
Colin

 

[piogaw]

hello kmm7720,

i would recommend that you go directly to the sncf website at http://www.voyages-sncf.com . raileurope is a travel agency and i think the price is more expensive.

you will be arriving on the 20th of may at 0700 hour at cdg airport. i have checked train from cdg airport to st sjpdp for the 20th. i am afraid either there is no train for that day or it is completely sold out. however there is a train from paris montparnasse station leaving at 14.28 hour with a change in bayonne, and arriving at 22.28 hour in sjpdp. the price of the ticket is 112.60 euro. it is rather late to be arriving and will be problematic in finding a albergue.

i therefore recomment you stay in paris overnight and take the 07.28 hour train from paris montparnasse station to sjpdp and it cost only 55.60 euros.

i don't know how many are you, but the savings by going the next day is quite a bit taking into consideration the cost of lodging in paris.

good luck and buen camino.

 

[piogaw]

hello kmm 7720,

i forget to mention when you go into the voyages-sncf website, you fill up all the info. at the point at the right hand side you will be asked what country will you be collecting your ticket, click france. the ticket can be collected at the sncf station where you can either use the machine or go to the ticket counter. you will be assigned a localisation number which is your reference number in order to collect the ticket. i am not sure whether you can pay with you credit or debit card or not as i don't know where you are coming from. but i believe if you have a paypal account, the transaction will go through.

also the tgv train are reserved seat, when you buy the ticket they will assigned you a seat. also possibility of discount depends on how many people are in the group or a famly discount. that i can not advise you. the paris to bayonne is a high speed tgv no. idtgv 2967, journey time 5 hours and 4 minutes. waiting time before the sjpdp train is 2 hours and 23 minutes.

the bayonne to sjpdp train is a local train no. ter 67323, no seat reservation required as it is a local train. it departs at 14.55 hour and arrives at sjpdp at 16.14 hour, a journey time of 1hour and 19 minutes. this will give you plenty of time to go to the pilgrim office to get your credencial peregrino and also find a place to stay for the night.

anyway, as the spanish saying goes, que tengan un buen camino.

 

[Old Koot]

For what it's worth, checking the sncf website at http://www.voyages-sncf.com, all I got was one schedule for a train leaving at 7:00 hours, almost three hours before my arrival. ............ Sheeest ..........

Then I was told about the DB Bahn site < http://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/index.shtml > and it disclosed all sorts of train schedules in France and elsewhere.

Trust the Germans to figure out French train schedules whereas the French who run their trains can't.

Now I can comfortably not worry about having to wait almost 24 hours from 2013-09-07 to catch a train.

Old Koot

 

[Tumbleweed]

Hi

For my first Camino, I arrive CDG and will then take the Air France Shuttle to Orly then an Air France flight to Biarritz/Bayonne. Then of course the train from Bayonne to St Jean or I may taxi share to St Jean as I'll be getting in close to the last train departure to St Jean. Either way, once in Biarritz/Bayonne is where I truly start trusting in the Camino.

Good luck to everyone while making your travel plans. For me, this has been the hardest part.

God Bless and a very Buen Camino :arrow:
Angela

 

[indyinmaine]

I'm surprised that no one even mentions flying into Pau. It does the following:
Eliminates the CDG/Orly transfer which is 29 Euros/pp; Express Bourricot has a taxi fare listed from Pau airport if you book early enough; you eliminate the 25 Euro train fare to SJPdP meaning that if there are two of you the 54 Euros/pp saved is almost equal to the 115 Euro taxi fare/2!

And you don't have to wait around for hours; no getting from Biarritz to Bayonne! I'll be doing it on 10 September.

Indyinmaine

 

[chris28]

Hi guys, im flying into Paris on the 15th of September 6:40am. The best transport at the moment i have been able to find is the train from Paris to SJPDP that leaves at 2:28pm and arrives at 10:28pm. Does anyone know any other combinations that might be a bit easier for me as this is going to take more than 12 hours coming off a 25+ hour flight. I can also do a flight from Paris to Biarritz at 1:55pm arriving at 3:20pm and then catch the train to SJPDP with the train leaving at 8pm arrivng 10:30pm. Any suggestions?? Cheers

 

[jirit]

Hi guys, im flying into Paris on the 15th of September 6:40am. The best transport at the moment i have been able to find is the train from Paris to SJPDP that leaves at 2:28pm and arrives at 10:28pm. Does anyone know any other combinations that might be a bit easier for me as this is going to take more than 12 hours coming off a 25+ hour flight. I can also do a flight from Paris to Biarritz at 1:55pm arriving at 3:20pm and then catch the train to SJPDP with the train leaving at 8pm arrivng 10:30pm. Any suggestions?? Cheers

You should be able to catch a train from montparnasse that leaves about noon that will get into saint jean about 7:30 pm

You will need to take the RER B train and switch to the metro in order to get to gare montparnasse.

 

[jirit]

Trying to figure out how to get from the airport (CDG) in Paris to St. Jean Pied de Port. We arrive at 7am on the 20th of May. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

Please see my comments above

 

[chris28]

You should be able to catch a train from montparnasse that leaves about noon that will get into saint jean about 7:30 pm

You will need to take the RER B train and switch to the metro in order to get to gare montparnasse.

Hello Jirit,

Thanks for your help. I've looked on voyages-sncf.com and the only train is at 2:28pm arriving at 10:28 leaving from montparnasse. Maybe because it's a Sunday the train times are different as the train on Monday leaves at 12:27pm.

 

[jirit]

Okay I understand - I also have a general rule about traveling on Sundays in Europe but that is another story for another day...

But you are correct- there are less trains on Sunday heading south to Saint Jean. However this said....

Try this...

Book a train to Bayonne - one leave PARIS MONTPARNASSE 1 ET 2 at 12.27 and arrives in Bayonne at 17.32 on Sunday Sept 15 for 74 euro 2nd class

Then;
stay for the night in Bayonne (there no 18:00 train on Sundays - I guess not enough pilgrims want to head to Saint Jean) and take the morning train, or or take a very expensive taxi to Saint Jean
or take the evening train to Saint Jean which arrives about 10.30 pm

If you can book a place in Saint Jean in advance then I would go for option 3 and spend an extra night in Saint Jean before starting your camino (you will be tired and jet lagged anyway unless you are a road warrior)

It kinda of sucks sometimes traveling on Sundays in Europe

 

[Annie Little]

I have booked a train from Montparnasse on Sunday 15th leaving at 10:28 and arriving at 15:32 . It is direct

 

[mspath]

Annie,

The 10:28 train that you have reserved for Sept. 15 is a TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Bayonne arriving 15:32. The next schedule TER ligne 62 service from Bayonne to SJPdP on Sunday is an autocar or bus at 21:10. For more information see this TER schedule http://telechargement.ter-sncf.com/Images/Aquitaine/Tridion/62-AFFICHE-2013_26_ao%C3%BBt_14_d%C3%A9c_28_06_13_tcm-11-42307.pdf

Bon Voyage and Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[chris28]

Yes i was actually thinking about staying in a city for a day or two maybe this is the best way to go if i cant get a taxi.

The train from Paris to Bayonne will just miss out on the 14:55 train to SJPdP so there will be a 6 hour wait. Maybe we can organise a taxi to lower the cost if there is enough people??

Chris

 

[Annie Little]

I plan to spend one day in Bayonne before train to St Jean.... should be over any tiredness by then

 

[Deleted member 3000]

so there will be a 6 hour wait

Départ à : 18h07
De la gare de : BAYONNE
Transporteur : TER
Numéro du train :67331
Arrivée à : 19h33
A la gare de : SAINT JEAN PIED DE PORT

If you arrive just after the 1455 train, say at 1507, it is only a three hour wait for the next train. During that time, you won't be missing much in SJPdP. The good restaurants won't even be open yet.

 

[mspath]

If you arrive just after the 1455 train, say at 1507, it is only a three hour wait for the next train. During that time, you won't be missing much in SJPdP. The good restaurants won't even be open yet.

Falcon,

The TER line 62 train you cite does NOT run on Sunday, only Monday through Saturday from 26 August through 14 December. For more information see this TER schedule http://telechargement.ter-sncf.com/Images/Aquitaine/Tridion/62-AFFICHE-2013_26_ao%C3%BBt_14_d%C3%A9c_28_06_13_tcm-11-42307.pdf

MM

 

[Rosemaryk1]

hello kmm 7720,

i forget to mention when you go into the voyages-sncf website, you fill up all the info. at the point at the right hand side you will be asked what country will you be collecting your ticket, click france. the ticket can be collected at the sncf station where you can either use the machine or go to the ticket counter. you will be assigned a localisation number which is your reference number in order to collect the ticket. i am not sure whether you can pay with you credit or debit card or not as i don't know where you are coming from. but i believe if you have a paypal account, the transaction will go through.

also the tgv train are reserved seat, when you buy the ticket they will assigned you a seat. also possibility of discount depends on how many people are in the group or a famly discount. that i can not advise you. the paris to bayonne is a high speed tgv no. idtgv 2967, journey time 5 hours and 4 minutes. waiting time before the sjpdp train is 2 hours and 23 minutes.

the bayonne to sjpdp train is a local train no. ter 67323, no seat reservation required as it is a local train. it departs at 14.55 hour and arrives at sjpdp at 16.14 hour, a journey time of 1hour and 19 minutes. this will give you plenty of time to go to the pilgrim office to get your credencial peregrino and also find a place to stay for the night.

anyway, as the spanish saying goes, que tengan un buen camino.

I read your post and it is exactly what I am going to do May-June 2014....I already feel relieved that that part of preparation has been taken care of for me! Wow, already a Camino Angel! Gracias!
Rosemary

 

[Rosemaryk1]

Hi

For my first Camino, I arrive CDG and will then take the Air France Shuttle to Orly then an Air France flight to Biarritz/Bayonne. Then of course the train from Bayonne to St Jean or I may taxi share to St Jean as I'll be getting in close to the last train departure to St Jean. Either way, once in Biarritz/Bayonne is where I truly start trusting in the Camino.

Good luck to everyone while making your travel plans. For me, this has been the hardest part.

God Bless and a very Buen Camino :arrow:
Angela

Hi Angela,

Like you, I feel the travel plans have been the hardest! But, I would not expect anything different. We have actually started our own Camino! I am both excited and scared!
Buen Camino to you!
Rosemary

 

[Cejanus]

Hello Jirit,

Thanks for your help. I've looked on voyages-sncf.com and the only train is at 2:28pm arriving at 10:28 leaving from montparnasse. Maybe because it's a Sunday the train times are different as the train on Monday leaves at 12:27pm.

Hi, yes I caught the 12:27 from Gare Montparnasse after arriving at 06:40am. (As I was coming back to Paris after my Camino I left my small case at the hotel in Paris who said they would look after it for the 41 days which was very good of them.) I also transported my hiking poles this way as the case went into the hold of the plane. It was a week day though. I do wish that I had caught the earlier train direct from Charles de Gaull. From memory it went to Bordeaux and there was a slight wait time before the next tvg to Bayonne. It m ought be worth checking this out. Look initially at the Rail Europe site and then hunt around for a cheaper price on the SNCC site. I wish you well in your searching.

 

[reg2450]

ah yes... the 12:27 from Gare Montparnasse. I can't believe I can actually say that with knowledge.... It's the little things...

 

[travelingtrish]

I'm surprised that no one even mentions flying into Pau. It does the following:
Eliminates the CDG/Orly transfer which is 29 Euros/pp; Express Bourricot has a taxi fare listed from Pau airport if you book early enough; you eliminate the 25 Euro train fare to SJPdP meaning that if there are two of you the 54 Euros/pp saved is almost equal to the 115 Euro taxi fare/2!

And you don't have to wait around for hours; no getting from Biarritz to Bayonne! I'll be doing it on 10 September.

Indyinmaine

This sounds interesting? any more information on this. Like where is Pau? do you mean fly into Pau instead of CDG or fly to Pau from CDG?

 

[travelingtrish]

This sounds interesting? any more information on this. Like where is Pau? do you mean fly into Pau instead of CDG or fly to Pau from CDG?

PS is it cheaper to fly to Bayonne (or possible) or do the train thing.

 

[mspath]

PS is it cheaper to fly to Bayonne (or possible) or do the train thing.

travelingtrish,

For BASIC information on how to "do the train thing" (!!) PLEASE READ what I wrote earlier in THIS POST . The major cost of French train travel depends on your age, the type of train and how far in advance you book and buy your ticket.

Biarritz /Anglet airport (BIQ) is the closest airport to Bayonne. Both EasyJet and Air France fly there from Paris. Once at Biarritz airport you still need to either take a taxi or get to Bayonne by airport bus in order to take the local TER train down to SJPdP.

Margaret Meredith

 

[Belinda]

Last September we took the overnight train from Paris Montparnasse to Bayonne, had a leisurely breakfast there and then the train to StJPP, arriving around noon, in good time to register at the Camino office and find beds for the night. We started our camino early the next morning. I found the website "The Man In Seat Sixty-One" very useful when trying to sort out all the bookings.
Buen Camino
Belinda

 

[djkernes]

Trying to figure out how to get from the airport (CDG) in Paris to St. Jean Pied de Port. We arrive at 7am on the 20th of May. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

This is the.easiest.way to.start. I wish more.people would.fly into Paris. The train station is.in the lower floor of.terminal 2. You simply.get.a.ticket.to.St. John. You will change trains.in Bayonne and Bourdue. But it is easy to.figure out.

 

[CaminoJunkie]

Hi Fellow Pilgrims,

We are flying from South Africa and have quite a few connecting flights to get to Biarritz in France. Due to the long day of travelling we are looking to get a private shuttle from Biarritz to St Jean for the last stretch, and also get us there while it's still light. We have already been quoted 120 euros for the trip and we are looking to share this shuttle with up to 6 more people. We arrive in Biarritz (From Paris) at 15:50 on the 17th of May 2014.

Please email me if you are interested and I'll send you the details: cmalevris@msn.com

 

[newfydog]

Go to the Tower of St James in Paris. Look for the trail markers. Start walking. It is well marked from Paris to Tours, Poitiers, Bordeaux and on to SJPP!

That would be more traditional than the modern starting point!

 

[Whirlwind and Son]

Conveniently, Paris CDG airport also has a train station. From CDG your route is Bordeaux - Bayonne - St Jean PDP. Raileurope will only book 90 days out and you may need to search in two parts, Paris CDG to Bayonne, then Bayonne to St Jean.

Good Luck
Eric

Hello - can you only use this site if you are US based? Thanks

 

[mspath]

Hello - can you only use this site if you are US based? Thanks

You can also use the French railroad site voyages-sncf.com.

 

[bystander]

My, rather extravagant (for which read self-indulgent!), plot is to go by train from here in England by Eurostar to Paris.
Overnight in Paris and then take the TGV to Barcelona.
Overnight there and then, in easy stages, take the train to Pamplona and then on to Corazon Puro.
Thence to SJPdP.
Thereafter sackcloth, ashes and self-flagellation on the Cdf to atone for those early days!

p.s. it's a dream, not real - I couldn't afford the above even if I wish I could!!
p.p.s. "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." (Thank you, Oscar!)

 

[JanetEllen]

I've been trying to book the trains from Paris to SJ on Sept 14 2014 (Sunday). Paris to Bayonne is no problem, but website won't take a reservation from Bayonne to SJ. Somewhere in the Forum I seem to remember reading something about some rail damage along that route and an alternate form of travel is recommended from Bayonne. Can anyone shed some light on that?

Also, my flight lands in Paris on 6:30 am. Would I be able to make the 8:00 train, or should I book the next one. I would like to get to SJ on the same day if possible.
Janet

 

[mspath]

I've been trying to book the trains from Paris to SJ on Sept 14 2014 (Sunday). Paris to Bayonne is no problem, but website won't take a reservation from Bayonne to SJ. Somewhere in the Forum I seem to remember reading something about some rail damage along that route and an alternate form of travel is recommended from Bayonne. Can anyone shed some light on that?

Also, my flight lands in Paris on 6:30 am. Would I be able to make the 8:00 train, or should I book the next one. I would like to get to SJ on the same day if possible.
Janet

Janet,

Buses provided by the railroad and leaving from the Bayonne rr station (Gare SNCF Bayonne) are presently substituted for the local train to SJPdP. It is anticipated that these buses will continue to be used until October. You can purchase your bus ticket in the Bayonne rr station.

A window of 1 1/2 hours is probably NOT enough time to go from landing at CDG and getting to the train.

Buen Chemin,

Margaret Meredith

 

[JanetEllen]

THANK you!!!