Getting to St Jean Pied de Port from Amsterdam

[Kathryn_H]

Hi all
I'm coming from Amsterdam to SJPDP to start the Camino in May 2020. Yay I can say I am doing it this year now! Anyway, I've allowed 2 days to get there, so I have the option to overnight somewhere if needed. I was originally going to train to Paris, overnight there and then train it from Paris. But maybe this isn't he best option? I've looked at flying from Amsterdam to Bordeaux and then taking the train from there. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I realise you can do a train the whole way from Amsterdam to Paris, swap stations and then into Bayonne/Biarritz, but I don't fancy sitting on a train for 12 hours if there are other ways! Thanks for any suggestions

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Hello, Kathryn, and a warm welcome to the Forum

One suggestion:
Fly to Paris. . . Take a short flight from Paris to Biarritz. . . Have Express Bouricott Shuttle van meet you at the Biarritz airport and take a nice, relaxing, and pretty 40 minute drive to SJPdP.

You sound as though you have a good idea of the planning that you wish to do and how to get started.
The good news is, you are in a forum with a wonderful group of people. Most are here to help people like you to achieve their pilgrimage goals. We can offer you encouragement, knowledge, and point you in the direction that will help you help yourself.

My suggestion to start is this:

1. Take a deep breath. Write down in large letters the reasons why you want to go on Camino. Place that piece of paper where you can see it every day. That way, if anxieties and fears threaten to overwhelm you as you plan, you can just breath, read what you have written, and focus on those reasons until the negative stuff fades.
2. Make a list of questions and concerns that you have.
3. Go to the Search Engine at the top of the Forum pages.
4. Enter the words or phrase that you want more information about. You will get a huge amount of information to explore.
5. If you find that you need help with anything, post a new thread so that your question or concern can be readily seen. If you post a question within someone else's thread, you won't receive as big of a response.
6. Remember that perfect timing as it relates to how you feel, scheduling, and day to day life issues, seldom align themselves perfectly. If one waits for such to occur, doing something like a pilgrimage will always be in danger of taking a back seat while you wait for that perfect alignment to happen.

 

[YMMV]

Another option is that you can fly into Biarritz - Bayonne Airport (BIQ). This airport handles both international and domestic flights.

Another airport is San Sebastián Airport (EAS), which is 37 km from Bayonne, France if my research is correct.

Hope this helps.

YMMV
Robert

 

[Donjek]

Take train or bus or fly Amsterdam to Brussels. Take flight Brussels to Biarritz. Local Chronoplus bus from BIQ airport to Bayonne. SNCF train Bayonne to SJPdP.

Rome 2 Rio says there are several options for flights connecting Amsterdam to Biarritz with at least one stop enroute.

It also works Amsterdam to Bilbao. PESA bus from Bilbao Loiu airport to San Sebastian. Renfe Cercanias train from San Sebastian to Irun. Metro Donostialdea from Irun to Hendaye. SNCF train Hendaye to Bayonne. SNCF train Bayonne to SJPdP.

 

[Kathar1na]

I've looked at flying from Amsterdam to Bordeaux and then taking the train from there. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I realise you can do a train the whole way from Amsterdam to Paris, swap stations and then into Bayonne/Biarritz, but I don't fancy sitting on a train for 12 hours if there are other ways!

A flight from Amsterdam to Bordeaux and then the train from there to SJPP does indeed look like the best option as far as travelling time, waiting times, and hassle with changing means of transport are concerned as it doesn’t look like there are direct flights from Amsterdam to Biarritz in May which would be ideal.

Every other combination of planes, trains and buses makes me already tired of just thinking of it for such a relatively short distance. If you do fly via Brussels or Paris, pay attention to the arrival and departure airports: Brussels airport and Brussels Charleroi (Ryanair who fly to Biarritz like to call it Brussels South which is, frankly, a joke) are a train trip plus a bus trip apart, and it also takes a while to get from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Paris Orly or the other way round.

 

[Kathryn_H]

thanks everyone for your suggestions. Now its a matter of working out the right price. 420 euros (for 2) seems a bit steep to fly directly from Amsterdam-Paris-Biarritz! Might have to rethink the train options

 

[trecile]

thanks everyone for your suggestions. Now its a matter of working out the right price. 420 euros (for 2) seems a bit steep to fly directly from Amsterdam-Paris-Biarritz! Might have to rethink the train options

Only 420 euros for two? You don't want to know how much it costs to get there from a small city in the west coast of the US...

 

[Kathryn_H]

Only 420 euros for two? You don't want to know how much it costs to get there from a small city in the west coast of the US...

Haha, good point! But I've already paid to fly from Australia to begin with! The entire trip is adding up!

 

[Donjek]

You could try Amsterdam to Bilbao Spain.

PESA bus from Bilbao Loiu Airport to San Sebastian. Bus station co-located with Renfe. Renfe Cercanias from San Sebastian to Irun. Walk from Renfe station across the bridge to Irun Colon Metro. Donostialdea Metro from Colon to Gare d'Hendaye.
SNCF train Hendaye to Bayonne. SNCF train Bayonne to SJPdP.

Bilbao Airport - Official website - Aena.es

The official Bilbao Airport website provides information on air traffic, car parks, shops, restaurants, etc.

www.aena.es

 

[Marc S.]

I realise you can do a train the whole way from Amsterdam to Paris, swap stations and then into Bayonne/Biarritz, but I don't fancy sitting on a train for 12 hours if there are other ways!

Might have to rethink the train options

Why not take a train to Bordeaux on day 1, and then take a train to St Jean on day 2. Have done this myself. Bordeaux is a pretty city so it is no punishment at all to spend a night there.

 

[Phil—P]

Hello, Kathryn, and a warm welcome to the Forum

One suggestion:
Fly to Paris. . . Take a short flight from Paris to Biarritz. . . Have Express Bouricott Shuttle van meet you at the Biarritz airport and take a nice, relaxing, and pretty 40 minute drive to SJPdP.

You sound as though you have a good idea of the planning that you wish to do and how to get started.
The good news is, you are in a forum with a wonderful group of people. Most are here to help people like you to achieve their pilgrimage goals. We can offer you encouragement, knowledge, and point you in the direction that will help you help yourself.

My suggestion to start is this:

1. Take a deep breath. Write down in large letters the reasons why you want to go on Camino. Place that piece of paper where you can see it every day. That way, if anxieties and fears threaten to overwhelm you as you plan, you can just breath, read what you have written, and focus on those reasons until the negative stuff fades.
2. Make a list of questions and concerns that you have.
3. Go to the Search Engine at the top of the Forum pages.
4. Enter the words or phrase that you want more information about. You will get a huge amount of information to explore.
5. If you find that you need help with anything, post a new thread so that your question or concern can be readily seen. If you post a question within someone else's thread, you won't receive as big of a response.
6. Remember that perfect timing as it relates to how you feel, scheduling, and day to day life issues, seldom align themselves perfectly. If one waits for such to occur, doing something like a pilgrimage will always be in danger of taking a back seat while you wait for that perfect alignment to happen.

Hi Kathryn,

What did you finally decide on ? We are also travelling from Australia (Melb) for a May 2020 trip.

Thanks

 

[Kathryn_H]

Hi Kathryn,

What did you finally decide on ? We are also travelling from Australia (Melb) for a May 2020 trip.

Thanks

Hi Phil

Still haven't decided yet! Get a headache every time I go to look at options. What are you thinking about doing?

 

[Phil—P]

Hi Kathryn, we are going with Etihad. Melbourne to Paris (1 stop). London (Stanstead) to Melbourne (1 stop). We will book another flight from Santiago to London when we finish the Camino. We have family in London that we will visit, hence the departure from London. The Santiago flights to London are quite cheap. The Etihad flights are around $1200 each for the return trip (Economy). We are planning on leaving Melbourne on the 2nd/3rd May. I’ll be booking the flights in the next day or so.