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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

Starting point: help! How to get to Calzadilla

Roselyn

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Frances, 2016, starting August 28
Dear Camino Company,
I need help planning, and I'm set to leave in 5 days! I've got my passport, my Brierly and all my supplies. What I don't have is a way to get from the MAd airport to my starting point on the Frances. I'm trying to book my transit from Madrid airport to wherever I start the Frances. And I can't get a single bus or train! The best place for me to start, to give myself the first week at 10-19 km per day, is Calzadilla. But the only bus leaves before I land. I get to Madrid at 11:50 am on August 29, and I can't find a single way of getting anywhere on the Camino past Burgos before Leon.
The renfe trains are all not selling at this time, and the ALSA buses say they're unavailable except for 1 that leaves(to Calzadilla) before I land. There's nothing from Terradillos de los Templarios or Palencia or anywhere nearby until the next day (August 30) if at all. Please, can you help? What do I do?
I'm taking off this Sunday, August 28, and I've got my supplies ready - but no way of getting on the trail!
All I can find is Leon, and that would have me finishing on Sept 15 (5 days early!) even taking the whole first week at half pace. Any tips would be appreciated. Thank you.
Yours truly,
-Roselyn,
A pelegrina to be
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Calzadilla de la Cueza is really in the middle of nowhere, public transport-wise. Either Carrion de los Condes or Sahagun would be far easier places to get to. Buen Camino, SY
 
Calzadilla de la Cueza is really in the middle of nowhere, public transport-wise. Either Carrion de los Condes or Sahagun would be far easier places to get to. Buen Camino, SY
I thought so too, but Sahagun doesn't exist on the list of ALSA stops, and I keep getting a message that renfe trains aren't booking at all at this time. What dya think -- ideas to get to Sahagun? Much appreciated, & Buen Camino!
 

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Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Hi Roselyn! Welcome to the fórum!

Calzadilla de la Cueza has very little public transport available (buses to Palencia -the capital of the province where Calzadilla de la Cueza is located- run just once a week...)

Alsa doesn't have bus service to Calzadilla de la Cueza. They have the little bus service you saw to Calzadilla de los Hermanillos.

The easiest for you would be to go to Sahagún. You shouldn't have problems to book that ticket on the web of RENFE. Alternatively, you could book it once on the ground because MD trains from Madrid to Sahagún don't get full. Once I took a look at your screenshot, I can guess why are you having problems to book trains. You are trying to book them out of the airport. Out of the airport, there are just commuter trains within Madrid. The RENFE web isn't good for routes that involve a change of trains along the route if you add that commuter trains can't be booked in advance, the result is what you see. Select as departure point Madrid Chamartín and you shouldn't have problems to book your ticket. The ticket for the commuter train from the airport to Chamartín can't be booked in advance so just get in once you are on the ground.

Alsa has a bus from Madrid to Sahagún (you should be able to find it at their web) but it arrives at midnight so it won't suit you as much as a train.
 
Dear Camino Company,
I need help planning, and I'm set to leave in 5 days! I've got my passport, my Brierly and all my supplies. What I don't have is a way to get from the MAd airport to my starting point on the Frances. I'm trying to book my transit from Madrid airport to wherever I start the Frances. And I can't get a single bus or train! The best place for me to start, to give myself the first week at 10-19 km per day, is Calzadilla. But the only bus leaves before I land. I get to Madrid at 11:50 am on August 29, and I can't find a single way of getting anywhere on the Camino past Burgos before Leon.
The renfe trains are all not selling at this time, and the ALSA buses say they're unavailable except for 1 that leaves(to Calzadilla) before I land. There's nothing from Terradillos de los Templarios or Palencia or anywhere nearby until the next day (August 30) if at all. Please, can you help? What do I do?
I'm taking off this Sunday, August 28, and I've got my supplies ready - but no way of getting on the trail!
All I can find is Leon, and that would have me finishing on Sept 15 (5 days early!) even taking the whole first week at half pace. Any tips would be appreciated. Thank you.
Yours truly,
-Roselyn,
A pelegrina to be

Renfe train from Madrid Chamartin to Sahagun. I count 5 trains from 1440 29 August 2016.

Taxi from Sahagun to Calzadilla. Approx 20 km.

Take Renfe Cercanias from T4 or Madrid Metro from either T1T2T3 or T4 to Chamartin.

Calzadilla de la Cueva gets bus service once a week (Friday) and connects to Palencia.
http://www.laregionalvsa.com/lineasregulares/linea_detalle/110/

And if you start in Leon ... you can burn off the additional days by continuing to Finisterre.
 
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I saw that on the map, but Sahagun doesn't exist on the ALSA bus list of destinations, and I can't get anything through Renfe trains. Any ideas? Thanks. Buen Camino.
 
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Take a few deep breaths Pilgrim. Now take a few more...

The RENFE website is absolute shite (this is a technical term used extensively in the travel industry).

To get to Sahagun, probably your very best option, you need a train that is going to Burgos - Rosa da Lima, which happens to stop at Sahagun which is before you get to Burgos - Rosa da Lima except the 'shite' website doesn't recognize that simple matter. OR you need a train to Palencia, where you change for a train forward to Sahagun.

So (take a few more deep breaths) and search for a train to Palencia at a time you can reasonably expect to have got yourself to Madrid Chamartin after your flight lands. (Allow two hours). The search for a train From Palencia to Sahagun for shortly after your arrival in Palencia. (Please note you may find yourself staying on the same train but as I said the RENFE website is (apply travel industry technical term).

The most important part of this entire process is the deep, slow, breaths. Everything else can be sorted out when you get there. Don't even bother thinking about booking tickets in advance. I've seen Sumo wrestlers brought to tears on that one.

Buen camino amiga
 
but Sahagun doesn't exist on the ALSA bus list of destinations

Yes, it exists but you have to look for buses out of Madrid; not out of Madrid airport. There aren't buses from Madrid airport to Sahagún. You have to go by your own (e.g.: metro or commuter train) from the airport to Estación Sur de Autobuses in downtown Madrid to get a direct bus from Madrid to Sahagún.

Tip: Méndez Álvaro is the arrival train station or metro station you are looking for if you want to go from the airport to Estación Sur de Autobuses. By metro, you need to change lines in Nuevos Ministerios. By commuter train, there are direct trains but currently there are works somewhere along the route what means you need to take a bus for part of the route.

I can't get anything through Renfe trains

As I told you above, look for trains from Madrid Chamartín (or, if you prefer, Madrid (Todas) although I think that Madrid Chamartín is better if you are going to use the booking feature because that way you already know the departure station in Madrid while the other way you have to look for it) to Sahagún and you'll find them without problems. Use the booking feature (on the left on the main page of the RENFE web) to look for schedules because for stations like Sahagún that aren't among the main ones is easier that way than looking at the timetables area (and it has the plus that you could book your ticket if you wished so).

To get to Sahagun, probably your very best option, you need a train that is going to Burgos - Rosa da Lima

No, she doesn't. She needs a MD train heading from Madrid Chamartín to León which happens to stop at Sahagún.
 
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Yes it does, just make sure you are on national travel ;-) The connection isn't pretty: 19:30 departure in Madrid, 00:00 arrival in Sahagun - Better pre-book a hotel ;-( Buen Camino, SY
 
There is a Renfe ticket office in T4 at the Madrid airport. They are very helpful about options
Hey Roselyn!!

Have you set the Renfe website to English? That might help. I can see that on August 29 there is a train from MAD to Fromista (on the meseta) that leaves at 15:40 and arrives in Fromista at 17:59 for 32.10euro. If you don't prepurchase on line go to the Renfe station at T4 and they are very helpful about making sure you get the correct commuter train to the correct train station. (they even walked me to the big glass door to the Cercanías Madrid ;-)

Buen camino!!
 
Roselyn,
Did you by chance change the RENFE website to English? That might help so you know what you are looking at. I can see that there is a train on August 29 from Charmartin to Fromista (on the meseta).
Leaves 15.40 Arrives 17.59 2 h. 19 min.
If you aren't going to prepurchase your ticket go to the RENFE ticket office at T4 at MAD> They are very helpful about ticketing and making sure you get on the correct Cercanías Madrid (commuter train) to get to Charmartin. (they even walked me to the big glass doors to the cercanias)

Buen Camino!!
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I can see that there is a train on August 29 from Charmartin to Fromista (on the meseta).
Leaves 15.40 Arrives 17.59

That option isn't direct. It requires a change of trains in Valladolid. Frómista is more far away from Santiago de Compostela than Sahagún (or Calzadilla de la Cueza, where Roselyn wanted to start) what might some time to have in mind too.

I guess her main problem is that she's looking for trains and buses out of the airport and they don't show up in the case of buses because there aren't and in the case of trains because they require a change of trains along the route and the leg from the airport to the downtown (in her case to Chamartín station) is in a commuter train and those can't be booked in advance. If she's using the timetable area of the web of RENFE, another problem could be to find Sahagún as destination (it's there but it can be tricky to find it if you don't know how to make it) but that's easily solved, as I said above, using the booking feature instead.

No need to book in advance the direct MD trains from Madrid to Sahagún and they have a fixed price so it doesn't matter when you book them. And you can't book in advance the commuter train from the airport to Chamartín (nor any commuter train).
 
Flipping the RENFE site to english disables the calendar for reasons best known to the original programmers. This is a enhanced by for example Google Chrome (tm)' s inclination to auto-translate even when you have told it not to on a previous page. And @Castilian is correct, trains to Leon stop at Sahagun as well as trains to Burgos. He knows that, I know that, sadly the RENFE website, especially the english language version doesn't.

This is all only a small, very small, part of the learning process and personal growth opportunity that the camino offers.
 
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Nah, I know, but lots stop at Palencia for a change to Sahagun. The point I thought I was trying to make is that the RENFE site is, lets call it un-helpful, unless you have some prior knowledge of the geography of Spain and the potential routes of travel. We have a saying "there is more than one way to spoil an egg"... RENFE's version of which would be "there is only one way to spoil an egg and we are not going to tell you what that way is".
 
For getting from Madrid to Sahagun visit https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Madrid/Sahagún-Castille-and-León-Spain

Two to three kilometers to the EAST of Sahagun on the camino is the Ermita Virgen del Puente and also a modern portal nearby that claims to be the halfway point of the Camino Frances. If I were to start from Sahagun I would start my camino by going there first just to say I did the last half (although I have two other halfway points even further east.)

Just today Tony Hill posted a photo of Ermita Virgen del Puente: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...n-del-puente-xiithc-just-before-sahagun.5486/

There are pictures of the portal at: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...int-marker-placed-right-before-sahagun.22425/

My halfway points: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/mid-way-point-on-cf.38633/

[Edited to include a link to portal pictures]
 
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For getting from Madrid to Sahagun visit https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Madrid/Sahagún-Castille-and-León-Spain

Two to three kilometers to the EAST of Sahagun on the camino is the Ermita Virgen del Puente and also a modern portal nearby that claims to be the halfway point of the Camino Frances. If I were to start from Sahagun I would start my camino by going there first just to say I did the last half (although I have two other halfway points even further east.)

Just today Tony Hill posted a photo of Ermita Virgen del Puente: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...n-del-puente-xiithc-just-before-sahagun.5486/

There are pictures of the portal at: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...int-marker-placed-right-before-sahagun.22425/

My halfway points: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/mid-way-point-on-cf.38633/

[Edited to include a link to portal pictures]
Thank you so much! Buen Camino.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Nah, I know, but lots stop at Palencia for a change to Sahagun. The point I thought I was trying to make is that the RENFE site is, lets call it un-helpful, unless you have some prior knowledge of the geography of Spain and the potential routes of travel. We have a saying "there is more than one way to spoil an egg"... RENFE's version of which would be "there is only one way to spoil an egg and we are not going to tell you what that way is".
Haha, thank you so much for your breathing reminders... And fine travel terminology. I'll just land, get to Madrid Chamartin on a commuter train (clear signage, I hope?)and then go to the renfe booth to buy the ticket to Sahagun that day. Good plan? Again, thank you so much! Buen Camino.
 
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
That option isn't direct. It requires a change of trains in Valladolid. Frómista is more far away from Santiago de Compostela than Sahagún (or Calzadilla de la Cueza, where Roselyn wanted to start) what might some time to have in mind too.

I guess her main problem is that she's looking for trains and buses out of the airport and they don't show up in the case of buses because there aren't and in the case of trains because they require a change of trains along the route and the leg from the airport to the downtown (in her case to Chamartín station) is in a commuter train and those can't be booked in advance. If she's using the timetable area of the web of RENFE, another problem could be to find Sahagún as destination (it's there but it can be tricky to find it if you don't know how to make it) but that's easily solved, as I said above, using the booking feature instead.

No need to book in advance the direct MD trains from Madrid to Sahagún and they have a fixed price so it doesn't matter when you book them. And you can't book in advance the commuter train from the airport to Chamartín (nor any commuter train).

Thank you so much! So, I'll aim to sort it out when I land in Madrid Barajas. Is signage pretty clear to get to T4, then Chamartin, then the renfe ticket office? Thank you. Buen Camino.
 
See Madrid Airport website. See map for Cercanias and Metro stops. See Shuttle Information.

Signage isn't clear. Metro has a symbol. Cercanias has a symbol. If you don't know the symbol you won't find the service.

Note that if you don't arrive in T4 or T4S you are likely better off to take the Metro rather than muck about with shuttles between terminals. Note Metro line 8 Intersects Cercanias at Nuevo Ministerios

Madrid Airport
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/en/madrid-barajas-airport/index.html

Madrid Chamartin
http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/17000/informacion_000295.shtml

Madrid Metro
https://www.metromadrid.es/en/index.html

Madrid Cercanias
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/cercanias/madrid/
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Is signage pretty clear to get to T4, then Chamartin, then the renfe ticket office?

You shouldn't have problems. Take it easy and don't worry!

If you don't arrive to T4, you'll have to take the free shuttle bus linking the terminals to go to T4.

The train station in T4 is on floor -1. If you missed the signage, just ask and they'll tell you.

Once in Chamartín, go upstairs from the platform. You won't have problems to see the row of sales desks. There are a bunch of them in a row and you have to pay attention to the ones for the trains departing the same day (there are others for Cercanías trains, for advance purchase for...). If they didn't change it (and if memory serves me right), they were the most to the right of the row but check it once on the ground.

As I said above, take it easy. The first direct train to Sahagún doesn't depart till 16:20 (arriving at 20:25) so you have time to take it easy, ask when in doubt...

There are also options changing trains in Palencia but they mean a short transit time between trains in Palencia (roughly 5 minutes). Palencia train station is tiny but I don't know if you'll feel confortable with such short transit time. In addition, those options are on the one hand way quicker than the direct trains (2 hours less of travel overall) but on the other hand much more expensive (if you don't book them in advance) because they include a high speed train for the first leg and a long distance one for the second leg (being the second leg a short leg; i.e.: way cheaper on any medium distance or regional train).

The point I thought I was trying to make is that the RENFE site is, lets call it un-helpful, unless you have some prior knowledge of the geography of Spain and the potential routes of travel.

The RENFE web isn't good with options involving a change of trains although the fact that they show now some options changing trains for some routes is a bit of an improvement.
 

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