Train travel to SJPdP

[freeflyer123]

Back in 2013 my husband and I cycled the Camino. Ever since then we've wanted to walk and had intended doing so in 2020. Well, we all know what happened then. We are now looking at walking at least from SJPdP to Pamplona this year. We were thinking of using a train to get from London to SJPdP and were wondering if anybody has any experience on just how to go about this. Can we buy a EURail ticket for, say, three weeks? We want to stop off along the way to SJPdP and from Pamplona so we would need at least a three-week pass. Can we use EURail on any train, or just the faster ones?

 

[Bradypus]

You can buy Eurail passes which allow a fixed number of travel days within one month. Cheaper than one for a continuous period. You can use it on almost all trains in the UK, France and Spain but there are extra reservation fees for most long-distance high-speed trains. A four or five day pass would probably cover travel from London to SJPDP and then a return journey from Pamplona.

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[Vacajoe]

A return rail journey from Pamplona to SJPdP would be quite the adventure, likely taking you 6+hours, multiple trains, a bit of walking, and buses, too! You’d have to head to San Sebastián, then over to Hendaye, followed by a walk across the border and a bus to Bayonne. Then catch the train (or train/bus combo) to SJPdP! PHEW! I need a tinto de verano from the exhaustion of just thinking about that journey!

I love trains and appreciate the reduced carbon footprint of them, but you can fly directly London to Biarritz and then fly back to London from Pamplona. Those flights can be very inexpensive depending upon the season.

 

[Tincatinker]

Yeh, but; yeh but: no need to do Pamplona to StJ is there. Pamplona to Irun, Hendaye to Paris would make sense. All things are possible in all possible worlds. No need to aspire to the ridiculous

 

[freeflyer123]

Thanks for these suggestions. Looking good and now we're getting excited. No longer young (hubby is 81 and I'm 75), we decided walking rather than cycling (been there, done that, and even have the compostelas) would be fun. I do like the suggestion of getting to Hendaye then getting to SJPdP to begin the walk. We want to make it a 'short' walk this time so that we can then catch the train (still using a EURail pass) to Barcelona as that's one city that needs investigating. Then back to London. For some reason, the walk over the Pyranees (let's face it, we walked most of it with our bikes anyway back in 2013), is what has fired my husband's imagination. So we're looking at a good few weeks to a month.

 

[Vacajoe]

Well here’s two thoughts if you’d like a shorter walk than the entire Camino Frances: Walk Barcelona to Manresa via Monserrat OR Bayonne to SLPdP via the Voie Nive. Both are historic routes with an end-point that feels like a stopping point. Or heck, do both!

 

[freeflyer123]

We decided to bite the bullet and navigate the various options and have now got two Interail passes. Exciting. All we need to do now is decide when to go and which route to take. We're very grateful for your feedback on here - thanks for helping us to decide.

 

[Chellonew]

For EURail passes, yeah, you can totally buy one for a specific number of travel days within a set period, like three weeks.

 

[Chellonew]

For EURail passes, yeah, you can totally buy one for a specific number of travel days within a set period, like three weeks.

However, they’re usually not open-ended; you get a certain number of travel days you can use, and you activate them when you need them. It’s best for longer trips with multiple stops. And, no, they're not just for the fast trains—you can use them on most trains, but you might need a seat reservation for the high-speed ones.
If you're still hunting for the best way to book, I suggest checking out https://www.dbfahrplan.com/de/. It's an online platform where you can book train tickets and get a sense of the routes and schedules.