Your Opinion on Winter Travel from BCN to SJPP

[lapamela]

Hello All,

I have had a question in mind for months but have been hesitant to post as I know it may have already been addressed. Please believe me, I have been learning so much from these forum posts and have read much already about winter on the camino Frances. Please forgive me if this is redundant. Here is my situation that I'd like your opinion about:
- I arrive to Barcelona late at night on 1 March (Saturday) and I'm hoping to be in SJPP by Sunday evening (earlier is better, I'd love to see the town).
- I've had a bad experience with taxis(not in Spain) and they are not my preferred mode of transport. I can take them if I must, but just considering all the options would you recommend:
1) early train from BCN to PAM, then taxi to SJPP, (because from this forum I've learned that the bus from PAM probably will not be running this early in the year), or
2) early flight to BILBAO (arriving at 8:30am, and only about 30 Euros) and then patch together trains and buses to SJPP, or
3) another option

Does the Bilbao flight seem like I am over complicating things or would this be a great option for someone will to work harder to get to SJPP a bit earlier? I appreciate any advice you all have, especially those that have made the route in late winter. Thank you!!!!

 

[SYates]

Hi, there is also the possibility to take a bus from Pamplona to Bayonne and from there bus or train to SJPdP ;-) You might consider staying one night in Bayonne to see the cathedral there etc. Buen Camino, SY

 

[Pilgy]

Lapamela, I actually flew into Bilbao on my second camino ex SJPDP. Took combination of bus and train the next day to SJPDP. Bus to Bayonne then train to SJPDP arriving around 1940. Looks like you could easily get to SJPDP by the evening of March 3 looking at Rome2rio especially if you arrive Bilbao earlier in the day. The trip from airport to downtown is quick and smooth. Can you fly direct to Bilbao? Beautiful city well worth a visit!

 

[naplesdon]

Check out FlixBus or Transports 64 from the Bilbao Bus Terminal to Bayonne. It is very easy to get from the Bilbao airport to the bus terminal via a local bus. The bus from Bilbao to Bayonne is about 2 hours. As Sybille says, Bayonne is a very interesting place to visit, as well as Biarritz. Spend the night and catch the first train/bus to SJPdP the next day.

 

[TMcA]

Maybe your best option, time-wise, is to just take a taxi from Pamplona....if you really want to start in and visit SJPdP. Keep in mind on March 1, the route over the Pyrenees is not going to be open.

On our first Camino in April 2013, we also intended to start in SJPdP, but we ran into the same transport issues you are facing. We decided to just start in Pamplona. You could do this or take public transport to Roncesvalles and start there. We have been back to Pamplona two more times and love the town. So overnighting there is always a good option, IMHO.

At the risk of a barrage of criticism from my fellow forum members, I was not that overwhelmed with SJPdP when we stayed in that town after completing the Le Puy route. Again, just my opinion.

Buen camino.

Tom

 

[Vacajoe]

Or fly BCN to Bayonne, then taxi to SJPdP. Given the likelihood of snow (both on the route and actively falling!), I second the advice to start in Pamplona.

 

[Hurry Krishna]

Hello All,

I have had a question in mind for months but have been hesitant to post as I know it may have already been addressed. Please believe me, I have been learning so much from these forum posts and have read much already about winter on the camino Frances. Please forgive me if this is redundant. Here is my situation that I'd like your opinion about:
- I arrive to Barcelona late at night on 1 March (Saturday) and I'm hoping to be in SJPP by Sunday evening (earlier is better, I'd love to see the town).
- I've had a bad experience with taxis(not in Spain) and they are not my preferred mode of transport. I can take them if I must, but just considering all the options would you recommend:
1) early train from BCN to PAM, then taxi to SJPP, (because from this forum I've learned that the bus from PAM probably will not be running this early in the year), or
2) early flight to BILBAO (arriving at 8:30am, and only about 30 Euros) and then patch together trains and buses to SJPP, or
3) another option

Does the Bilbao flight seem like I am over complicating things or would this be a great option for someone will to work harder to get to SJPP a bit earlier? I appreciate any advice you all have, especially those that have made the route in late winter. Thank you!!!!

In 2014 we took public transport from Barcelona to SJPP in late Feb. I cannot recall exactly what transport it was. But I don’t think we needed taxi. You should be able to do some combination of bus and tran in March.

 

[annakappa]

I second Pamplona, or, if you would like a bit of Pyrenees experience, then start in Roncesvalles, which we have always done. If you are still set on SJPP, play it by ear and decide on the last minute, according to weather conditions. A heavy snowfall is still possible at the beginning of March!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

From Pamplona you can get a bus (almost daily) to Roncesvalles and PLM bus lines has Tuesday and Friday trips from Pamplona to Valcarlos and Arneguy arriving near noon. These are just a few hours walk from SJPdP along the Camino in the easterly direction. But then you will be walking back Westerly the next day so I would say to start from Valcarlos or Roncesvalles.

If interested I could dig up more information but it is not handy right now.