Sending bag to Ivar in Santiago

[grammameg7]

The Camino Forum has been so helpful in planning my Camino trip! I am so looking forward to walking the Camino with a group of us that will be landing in Madrid Airport on Sunday, June 4th. We will need to send off our travel bags, that held our backpacks in the luggage compartment on the plane, to Ivar in Santiago, for us to pick up around June 15-16.
We will be starting our Camino in Astorga, but I am having a difficult time finding post offices to mail out our package of bags to Ivar. It appears that the post office in Madrid is not open on the weekend so, I am trying to find a post office in Astorga or Rabanal and what the hours of operation are.
Can anyone help? I am open to all suggestions. Buen Camino!

 

[Bradypus]

There is no post office in Rabanal - it is a small village. Google says that the Astorga post office is open 5 days per week.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

Correos Astorga

C. Correos, 3, 24700 Astorga, León

 

[LoWo]

In my experience being here, no Correos office will be open on the weekend.

You might have to post your extra stuff along the way with you through a daily luggage transfer service (there are a couple options including Correos) for a day or two until you can ship it to Santiago. This could also be a nice way to start walking: carry less stuff while you already have to pay for the paq mochilla.

Another suggestion is to not bring anything that you will need to ship/store while you walk. In my experience and in reading about others’, backpacks (even ones that don’t technically fit the carry on size specs) are allowed onto the plane with you. If you’re flying in just for the camino and are going right home afterwards, it could be a good chance to try traveling only with a carry on.

Granted…this is coming from someone who brought an extra suitcase that I shipped to Casa Ivar (mostly for poles but also a few extra clothes) and STILL had to mail TWO more packages along the way in order to cut weight while walking. In the future I will be more diligent about knowing exactly how much my pack will weigh and practice wearing it totally full before I go. Training walks with a different configuration of stuff didn’t cut it for me and I didn’t weigh everything that I ultimately packed so I initially had way too much.

 

[grammameg7]

There is no post office in Rabanal - it is a small village. Google says that the Astorga post office is open 5 days per week.
View attachment 147260

Thank you kindly!

 

[grammameg7]

In my experience being here, no Correos office will be open on the weekend.

You might have to post your extra stuff along the way with you through a daily luggage transfer service (there are a couple options including Correos) for a day or two until you can ship it to Santiago. This could also be a nice way to start walking: carry less stuff while you already have to pay for the paq mochilla.

Another suggestion is to not bring anything that you will need to ship/store while you walk. In my experience and in reading about others’, backpacks (even ones that don’t technically fit the carry on size specs) are allowed onto the plane with you. If you’re flying in just for the camino and are going right home afterwards, it could be a good chance to try traveling only with a carry on.

Granted…this is coming from someone who brought an extra suitcase that I shipped to Casa Ivar (mostly for poles but also a few extra clothes) and STILL had to mail TWO more packages along the way in order to cut weight while walking. In the future I will be more diligent about knowing exactly how much my pack will weigh and practice wearing it totally full before I go. Training walks with a different configuration of stuff didn’t cut it for me and I didn’t weigh everything that I ultimately packed so I initially had way too much.

Thank you LoWo. Do you know how I can I find out more about the "daily luggage transfer service through Correos" that you referenced?

 

[grammameg7]

In my experience being here, no Correos office will be open on the weekend.

You might have to post your extra stuff along the way with you through a daily luggage transfer service (there are a couple options including Correos) for a day or two until you can ship it to Santiago. This could also be a nice way to start walking: carry less stuff while you already have to pay for the paq mochilla.

Another suggestion is to not bring anything that you will need to ship/store while you walk. In my experience and in reading about others’, backpacks (even ones that don’t technically fit the carry on size specs) are allowed onto the plane with you. If you’re flying in just for the camino and are going right home afterwards, it could be a good chance to try traveling only with a carry on.

Granted…this is coming from someone who brought an extra suitcase that I shipped to Casa Ivar (mostly for poles but also a few extra clothes) and STILL had to mail TWO more packages along the way in order to cut weight while walking. In the future I will be more diligent about knowing exactly how much my pack will weigh and practice wearing it totally full before I go. Training walks with a different configuration of stuff didn’t cut it for me and I didn’t weigh everything that I ultimately packed so I initially had way too much.

Hi LoWo, quick question - I personally like the idea of just carrying on our packs but what about our poles? I do not believe that the airport will let the poles go through carry-on, will they?

 

[LoWo]

Hi LoWo, quick question - I personally like the idea of just carrying on our packs but what about our poles? I do not believe that the airport will let the poles go through carry-on, will they?

Yes, that is the sticking point. Don’t try to carry them on, it’s too likely they won’t make it past security. If you have expensive poles you really like, I’ve heard of people putting them in a cardboard shipping tube to be checked. If yours are basic (like mine), it could also be worth just picking some up at a Decathalon store when you arrive. Their stuff is cheap but solid, especially since you’ll be walking for less than 2 weeks. I was deterred because I didn’t want to buy something I already had…but by the time you ship stuff to Santiago, it’s almost the same cost. Much moreso if your plane ticket doesn't already include a checked bag for free. If you have those “shoe-shaped” rubber tips, bring those with you, though. I couldn’t find those at the Decathalons I went to.

I’m new to hiking poles and I know they can get pretty fancy especially if needed for tough terrain or specific body weaknesses, but as far as I know just basic ones still have a ton of benefit for most people and they are cheap to buy here.

 

[LoWo]

Thank you LoWo. Do you know how I can I find out more about the "daily luggage transfer service through Correos" that you referenced?

It’s called paq mochilla at el camino con correos . com and you cam reserve it online before you leave home (and print the corresponding paper).

If you’re on the Frances, there are also other private options but I forget what they are called. You can probably search “luggage transfer” on the forum and find some helpful threads about the options. Also usually albergue hosts are willing to help you arrange the easiest option once you arrive as long as it’s not a municipal and you’re there before 8:00pm.

 

[J Willhaus]

Rucksack transfer on the Camino de Santiago

Correos transfers your rucksack, suitcase or luggage along the Camino de Santiago stage by stage

www.elcaminoconcorreos.com

This is the website. Read through the FAQ's for info on shipping to Santiago.

Send luggage along the Camino de Santiago

With Correos you can send your luggage to any point on the Camino de Santiago with the Paq Peregrino.

www.elcaminoconcorreos.com

One more link that is specific to transferring luggage to Santiago.

 

[grammameg7]

It’s called paq mochilla at el camino con correos . com and you cam reserve it online before you leave home (and print the corresponding paper).

If you’re on the Frances, there are also other private options but I forget what they are called. You can probably search “luggage transfer” on the forum and find some helpful threads about the options. Also usually albergue hosts are willing to help you arrange the easiest option once you arrive as long as it’s not a municipal and you’re there before 8:00pm.

LoWo - Thank you so very much for this additional information. I will check it out Buen Camino!

Yes, that is the sticking point. Don’t try to carry them on, it’s too likely they won’t make it past security. If you have expensive poles you really like, I’ve heard of people putting them in a cardboard shipping tube to be checked. If yours are basic (like mine), it could also be worth just picking some up at a Decathalon store when you arrive. Their stuff is cheap but solid, especially since you’ll be walking for less than 2 weeks. I was deterred because I didn’t want to buy something I already had…but by the time you ship stuff to Santiago, it’s almost the same cost. Much moreso if your plane ticket doesn't already include a checked bag for free. If you have those “shoe-shaped” rubber tips, bring those with you, though. I couldn’t find those at the Decathalons I went to.

I’m new to hiking poles and I know they can get pretty fancy especially if needed for tough terrain or specific body weaknesses, but as far as I know just basic ones still have a ton of benefit for most people and they are cheap to buy here.

Thank you LoWo - The checked bag is included with the ticket. The problem is with not wanting to carry the travel bag for two weeks but rather wanting to get them to Ivar to hold till they are needed again. I will check out the luggage transfer and also with the albergue host to see if we can arrange something. Gracias

 

[Macomb]

I’m glad you asked this question because we have the same issue! In our case we’re arriving in Irun (to start the Norte) on a Sunday and hope to start walking early the next morning before the post office opens. We too have a suitcase with some things for our post-Camino travels that we’d like to have sent to Santiago.

On the Correos website it says “Now you can hire the Paq Peregrino online with collection at your home or any accommodation on the Camino….” which makes me think maybe we can leave the suitcase at our Irun lodging and have it picked up on Monday after we’ve started walking.

Has anybody done this with success? It sounds too easy to be true. Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can give. Hoping this might help grammameg7 too.

 

[trecile]

Thank you LoWo. Do you know how I can I find out more about the "daily luggage transfer service through Correos" that you referenced?

This thread should help

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/bag-transport-companies-on-the-camino-a-list.80252/

 

[C clearly]

I do not bring a bag to put my backpack in. I carry my backpack, with most of my stuff onto the plane. I package my poles, knife, and maybe a couple other easily replaceable items in a cardboard box and check it, to be discarded upon arrival. This also reduces the bulk of my carry-on. Do something similar at the end of the trip.

Here is my checked bag from last week. Samsonite is not necessary!