How to get back to Barcelona

[Adrian Harding 65]

I’m embarking on the Cami St Jaume in three weeks, my first of several Caminos that doesn’t end at SdC. I anticipate that I will end somewhere between Monzon and Huesca, but am not certain how I will get back to Barcelona for my homeward flight. Is the public transportation frequent and reliable? Has anyone else gone through the same decision process?

 

[Deleted member 67185]

https://www.rome2rio.com/map/Huesca/Barcelona

 

[peregrina2000]

I’m embarking on the Cami St Jaume in three weeks, my first of several Caminos that doesn’t end at SdC. I anticipate that I will end somewhere between Monzon and Huesca, but am not certain how I will get back to Barcelona for my homeward flight. Is the public transportation frequent and reliable? Has anyone else gone through the same decision process?

Avanzabus has regular buses from Huesca to Barcelona that take between three and a half four hours. https://www.avanzabus.com/rutas/huesca-barcelona/

There are also regular buses from Monzón to Barcelona, schedules available on that same avanzabus website.

And one last thing, there are also regular buses between Monzón and Huesca, they take about an hour and fifteen minutes, so you should have no trouble getting to either Monzón or Huesca for a bus to Barcelona.

Every time I do one of these searches, I realize how woefully inadequate public transportation is in my country.

Buen camino, this should be a beautiful time of year to walk this route. Are you starting in Montserrat or Barcelona? Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Adrian Harding 65]

Many thanks. Your speedy response is greatly appreciated. I did a bit more research after I had posted my question, and found that Huesca has a population of 52,000 and Monzon has 17,000. Both are well-served with rail and bus stations and the fares are extremely modest. Like you, I have concluded that we are woefully neglected and exploited in the UK when it comes to public transport. On this occasion, I'm a bit pushed for time, so I will start at Montserrat, and just head west for 9 days, and see how far I get. I just can’t wait to get started.

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

Yes I've been travelling alot in Catalonia and public transport is excellent,modern, cheap and reliable either by bus, train or metro/light rail.This is between the main cities but also within like in Barcelona

 

[Vacajoe]

Huesca is a wonderful city and I recommend at least touring it for a day/night before returning to Barcelona. The bus station is modern, centrally-located, and easy to find.

Montserrat has an adequate albuergue, but it’s worth staying the night simply to have that area to oneself after the bus-riding tourist hordes clear out.

 

[peregrina2000]

Huesca is a wonderful city and I recommend at least touring it for a day/night before returning to Barcelona. The bus station is modern, centrally-located, and easy to find.

Montserrat has an adequate albuergue, but it’s worth staying the night simply to have that area to oneself after the bus-riding tourist hordes clear out.

Totally agree with the recommendation on spending a night in Montserrat. I walked in from the north, and met LT who walked in from Barcelona. I was there in mid afternoon, and the throngs were oppressive, really that is not an exaggeration. You can avoid them, though, by taking the path that goes around and takes you to several great lookout points back to the monastery. By the time LT arrived, it was almost dusk and the change as the last buses left was astonishing. With the lights, the quiet, and the imposing rock formations, it bore no resemblance to the madness of daytime.

 

[Adrian Harding 65]

I was always planning to start my walk after a night at the Montserrat albergue, and the two comments above have made me even more eager to be at the monastery “after hours”. I have had the pleasure of wandering around Machu Picchu at the end of the Inca Trail for two hours before the tourist buses descended on the place, and the contrast was astonishing. Can’t wait to have a similar experience at Montserrat. Thank you everyone for your sound advice, perpetuating spirit of friendliness of the Camino and this forum in particular.

 

[Vacajoe]

Definitely try to catch a late night or early morning prayer service then. Not only will the tourists be gone, but all the pilgrims will be asleep and you’ll have the church, monks, and the grounds all to yourself!

 

[oursonpolaire]

Vespers at Montserrat is incredible-- the abbey has a (I think the only in Spain) good choir school and the choristers are a match for any Anglican cathedral. Huesca has an outstanding diocesan museum, where many of the romanesque treasures of the area have been gathered, partly to preserve them, and partly to preserve them from thieves working with art dealers.

As others have noted, this is a good time of year to walk in Catalonia and Aragon-- it should be fairly green. This is a relatively unknown part of Spain, but it's worth the effort.

 

[Vacajoe]

And for you Saint Ignatius fans, Montserrat is a key moment in the conversion of the man from a warrior to a believer. He laid his sword at the foot of the church’s Black Madonna and then walked to Manresa to pray in a cave. It was there that he developed a method of prayer that then led to the Jesuit order and eventually, to a majority of the catholic schools and colleges in America! By the way, the sword blade can still be viewed at a Jesuit church in Barcelona!!! And for those really into this story, you can visit Javier Castle near Yesa (Camino Aragones) - that was the home of St Frances Xavier, college roommate of St Ignatius and an early convert to the Jesuit order.

 

[Pilger99]

Monzón is already Aragón, so good bus service in Catalunya does not apply.
From Monzón you have frequent buses to Barcelona and LLeida.
Huesca is well connected by bus and train (via Zaragoza).
Small towns like Berbegal and Pertusa should have some bus service, but I'm less confident about other villages.
Consider a Taxi for shorter distances (~1,50€/km) and plan ahead. Monzon - Huesca is about 60km with Pertusa in the middle.