Stuck in Bilbao or Pamplona

[travelgirl27]

I arrive in Bilbao on a Saturday at 1pm, and can catch the 3 pm bus to Pamplona arriving at 5pm, missing the 4 pm bus to Roncesvalles. Sunday there is no bus service to Roncesvalles. It also happens I will be arriving during San Fermin, so all hotels and hostels in Pamplona are way to expensive to stay in. Any suggestions of how I can get to Roncesvalles to start the camino on a Sunday. I know there are taxis, but unless u can find people to share with it can be expensive. Any ideas or suggestions will be useful! Thanks!

 

[scruffy1]

Change your plans, a train to San Sebastian (a much lovier place then Bilbao!) continuing on if possible to Bayonne (requires a change at the border town of Hendaye but the train will be waiting for you) then a bus on to SJPP. San Sebastian to Bayonne is only an hour ride and while sounding complicated is very easy.
S

 

[travelgirl27]

Do you know any website where I can check the train schedule? Also how far is Bayonne from SJPP?
Thank you for this possible idea.

 

[whariwharangi]

Train schedule for Spain is Renfe but Renfe does not go to Bilbao.
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/index.html

Train schedule for Bilbao to Irun/Hendaye is by Euskotren. I am not having success getting a schedule from it. I think it may be necessary to transfer or catch express trains. Trains run on each section at least once per hour. Its probably easy for users to figure out.
http://www.euskotren.es/es/presentacioneuskotren

It may help to look at the wikipedia site about euskotren.
http://www.euskotren.es/es/presentacioneuskotren

Train Schedule for France is SNCF
http://www.sncf.com/

The train from Gare Bayonne to SJPdP takes about an hour. There are 4 per day. As a heads up, there was another post indicating the train will be shut down for maintenance and a bus will be running on its schedule.

Looking at the map at the page header the distance from Bayonne to SJPdP is about the same as from Pamplona to Roncesvalles.

 

[travelgirl27]

Thank you for those website! Ive been looking from Bilbao for a bus to Hendaye but not all the websites are working. The issue is I need to travel late on a Saturday or a Sunday when most things are closed or not operating and its San Fermin so staying in Pamplona is way to expensive. Ive started the camino in Roncesvalles before but never SJPP, little worried about that climb. I might just change the date of my flight to arrive on a more convenient day before San Fermin.

 

[whariwharangi]

It looks to me the issue is the festival in Pamplona. Starting in Roncesvalles or SJPdP will not resolve having to walk through Pamplona.

Have you considered starting in Irun on the Camino Vasco del Interior? It joins the Camino Frances at Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

I've not been on it but it is apparently viable.