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Last year, in August 2023, I was looking to get tickets from Santiago to Madrid. I knew it was likely to be busy. I purchased tickets from RailClick. Renfe's online site didn't have tickets available at this time. They appeared about two weeks later on the Renfe site.
I also wonder how it...
Yes, in 2018, 2019 and 2022 I booked early with Petrabax from Barcelona to Pamplona on the way to St Jean. Last year I booked early from Santiago to Madrid with RailClick and have this years tickets from RailClick from Barcelona to Pamplona.
That isn't my experience. I have walked in summer on the Frances, in Japan and on the via Francigena and found the opposite. Gortex fabric allows moisture to evaporate. Perhaps it is down to individual differences.
I find it hard to reconcile the numbers with what you see on the trail. When we walked last year, 2022, we were told that everywhere was booked out, but I think that meant double rooms as albergue beds were available. Most days up until Sarria weren't crowded at all and many cafes that had...
We walked in May and June this year. My observation was that all of the private rooms were booked but albergue dorms were not full. There were noticeably fewer people on the trail with many cafes nearly empty. I think Covid is the main reason.
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