5 days away and I still have questions

[ChristineW67]

Hola!

Despite the stress of change to what was supposed to be a leisurely 6 to 8 week stroll, I'm still optimistic and excited. Originally, I planned to fly to Biarritz to start in SJPDP. For my return, I was to head to Rota and wait for a military hop to get me out of country, whenever.
Things changed and my time allotment was cut to 3 weeks. I had to be flexible to maximize time. Now, I fly in and out of Madrid. This gives me an extra week, and I have 30+ days to enjoy. Even with the time cut, its still a luxury. And so I rejoice!

Since I am flying into Madrid, it makes sense (for me) to start walking in Pamplona. Logistically and financially, I can't rationalize going backwards to go forward. My pilgrimage starts in Seabeck, Washington. I'll travel by car and ferry and train just to reach the Seattle Airport. I'll fly to Detroit and Amsterdam and Madrid and take a train to Pamplona. Surely this is already enough of a carbon footprint for one pilgrim.

Thanks to this forum and a post by the young man asking if it was cheating to start in Pamplona, I no longer think SJPDP is the proper starting point. Do I wish to visit and hike over the Pyrenees? Absolutely, but I'll get to that at another time.

So long story to get to my questions - Where do I start in Pamplona? Where do I ask (in halting Spanish) the cab driver to take me? I have my credentials (again thanks to Ivar and this forum). Do I check in somewhere? Do I fill out my passport myself, or is that done by someone of significance in somewhere official?

Thank you my many mentors for you quips of sage advice over this past year. I have learned so much and have so much more to learn.

Semper Gumby (always flexible),
Christine

 

[reih1515]

Ask in Pamplona where the Camino is, enter a bar, get a sello and you are in the stream of many pilgrims...

 

[Tincatinker]

Hi Christine, the Cathedral is as good a place as any to start from in Pamplona and to get a sello for your credencial. If timings don't work out for the cathedral you will pass the Ayntamiento (town hall), or could make a short diversion to the Albergue Jesus y Maria. If all else fails the the University, on the outskirts on your way to Cizur Menor has a rather lovely sello.

Buen Camino

 

[simply B]

You fill out the personal information on your credencial on your own. If in doubt, ask someone along the way how their's looks and work from there. Then for next steps, follow the two posts above - good, succinct advice.

B

 

[fortview]

You could, for instance, book online somewhere to stay for your first night, like the Aloha Hostel ( I stayed there last year, and it's very nice) , then print out the reservation to show the cab driver. Wherever you choose to stay, and there are plenty of recommendations on the forum, they will stamp your credencial. Then the next day, just follow the signs. If you get lost, there's no shortage of people to help send you on your way! Good luck!

 

[PANO]

Hola!

Despite the stress of change to what was supposed to be a leisurely 6 to 8 week stroll, I'm still optimistic and excited. Originally, I planned to fly to Biarritz to start in SJPDP. For my return, I was to head to Rota and wait for a military hop to get me out of country, whenever.
Things changed and my time allotment was cut to 3 weeks. I had to be flexible to maximize time. Now, I fly in and out of Madrid. This gives me an extra week, and I have 30+ days to enjoy. Even with the time cut, its still a luxury. And so I rejoice!
Since I am flying into Madrid, it makes sense (for me) to start walking in Pamplona. Logistically and financially, I can't rationalize going backwards to go forward. My pilgrimage starts in Seabeck, Washington. I'll travel by car and ferry and train just to reach the Seattle Airport. I'll fly to Detroit and Amsterdam and Madrid and take a train to Pamplona. Surely this is already enough of a carbon footprint for one pilgrim.
Thanks to this forum and a post by the young man asking if it was cheating to start in Pamplona, I no longer think SJPDP is the proper starting point. Do I wish to visit and hike over the Pyrenees? Absolutely, but I'll get to that at another time.
So long story to get to my questions - Where do I start in Pamplona? Where do I ask (in halting Spanish) the cab driver to take me? I have my credentials (again thanks to Ivar and this forum). Do I check in somewhere? Do I fill out my passport myself, or is that done by someone of significance in somewhere official?
Thank you my many mentors for you quips of sage advice over this past year. I have learned so much and have so much more to learn.
Semper Gumby (always flexible),
Christine

Depending on what time you'll arrive in Pamplona, this is what I'd recommend:
Arrival before 3 ~4 pm: Take a cab to the Albergue Casa Paderborn (the driver will know where it is). Nice, friendly place, German run, about €8 and they'll fix you up with everything you'll need, Credencial, a shell for your pack, etc. As all Albergues, they don't take reservation,
so ask the cab-driver to wait in case its full, but get the Credential anyway.
If full, ask the driver to take you to any Hostal/Pension that you pick on www.booking.com. (use Google map to select 2-3 places close to each other and note down a few addresses and phone numbers) If the first is full, walk to the next....Pamplona is a small place.
Alternatively, try Albergue de Peregrinos de Jesus y Maria near the Cathedral (for both, bed and credencial) or the Edificio Central in the University of Navarra (Credencial only)
Never worry Christine.... and a buen Camino!

 

[Olivares]

Christine-- you do know you can take a bus to Pamplona directly from the Airport, right? Just get to Terminal 4 and the ALSA Bus Company is on the ground level. There are about 8 buses leaving daily from Madrid to Pamplona at about 24 Euros. You can decide upon arrival, really. Juts take the free shuttle bus from your arrival terminal (if different from terminal 4), go to the Alsa counter and ask for the next bus to Pamplona. If convenient, good. If not, there is a metro station also on T4 so just get on the train on to either Atocha or Chamartin (check renfe.es for train schedules). The bus station in Pamplona is very close to the Camino, so it is a matter of getting on your way. There are many private albergues on Booking.com; I would have something lined up at least for that first night.

 

[MaxfromMO]

Oh wow, the Paderborn!!! I LOVED those guys. When we got there we were beat. They were sooo good to us. They said their philosophy was to make the pilgrim happy. I assured them that they were doing a fantastic job. I'd stay there again in a heartbeat.

 

[Bajaracer]

Casa Paderborn is where I stayed at, a warm welcome, would stay there again.

 

[ChristineW67]

Hi Olivares,

Do you know if the bus runs on Sundays or were I may find a schedule? I arrive in Madrid at 4:15pm. I was thinking of renting a car and dropping it at the airport in Pamplona. The quote is 135 Euros, which is less than I expected but I'm not looking forward to the 4 hour drive following my 19 hour commute. And I really don't want to stay the night in Madrid.

 

[ChristineW67]

Oops. Never mind my last question. I found my answer by googling the bus company. It's amazing what one can do with a little research. There is a bus they leaves 45 min after I arrive - which probably does not allow enough time to get through customs. Another one comes at 7:45pm - so it's still an option.

 

[journeycakes]

During your visit to Pamplona I recommend that you make a meal or two out of the "pinchos" available at any bar downtown or along the Camino in the city. There is often a stunning array and variety of these inexpensive and delicious single servings of bar food at such places. I would return to Pamplona simply to dine on pinchos!

 

[dandagenais]

Hey Christine,
Lucky you!! I landed in Madrid... took the bus to Pamplona. Easy and gets you right on the Camino (or very close anyway!). From there you can walk to many hostels (the ones mentionned here seem awesome). I arrived around 20h00 in Pamplona, so had reserved a small hotel room just two blocks from the bus terminal... Hotel Yoldi... cheap, clean, typical bar attached with pinchos and local goodies. For the first night, not being an official pilgrim o)... this was a good strat, especially after all that travel/transfer time. For myself, I really wanted to start in SJPDP... (started with same idea as you, but some people that did it before convinced me). The best part of my Camino was the SJPDB and the 3-4 days following... It is just awesome the way from SJPDP to Pamplona... I say it's worth it right now...but that's up to you. I took a bus from Pamplona to SJPDP the day after and it went super well. Slept in SJPDP (wow what a charming little town in Basque counrty).. left mornign after with many pilgrims. That's one of the magic thing about starting at SJPDP... many leave everyday there and you make many friends quickly. Stopping in Roncevalles after the first day walk in the Pyrennes was also really cool. The Pilgrim mass was intimate, very significative and touching. I'll remember that for a long time.... sorry about his long e-mail, just so many memories thinking about it. I wish you a muy buen camino... any questions, don't hesitate to write....

 

[zolarose]

Christine-- you do know you can take a bus to Pamplona directly from the Airport, right? Just get to Terminal 4 and the ALSA Bus Company is on the ground level. There are about 8 buses leaving daily from Madrid to Pamplona at about 24 Euros. You can decide upon arrival, really. Juts take the free shuttle bus from your arrival terminal (if different from terminal 4), go to the Alsa counter and ask for the next bus to Pamplona. If convenient, good. If not, there is a metro station also on T4 so just get on the train on to either Atocha or Chamartin (check renfe.es for train schedules). The bus station in Pamplona is very close to the Camino, so it is a matter of getting on your way. There are many private albergues on Booking.com; I would have something lined up at least for that first night.

I agree with Olivares. The ALSA bus from the Madrid airport (Barajas) is your best bet. If you really want to take a Metro to Atocha for the train, I believe you switch metros twice (Line 8 to Line 10 to Line 1). Metros are easy and efficient but if you're jet lagged and unfamiliar with them, maybe not a great way to start out. And Atocha is HUGE. Chamartin is smaller but has fewer trains running. You could splurge and take a taxi to one of the train stations (Chamartin being closest to the airport) but it would be quite a splurge! €€€€€

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Start at the Cathedral, get your first stamp, then go around the corner, have apintxo or two, a glass of Rioja or Navarra, and head west. It's that simple. If you have your credential, fill out the first part on your own.

Buen Camino.

Don't forget to visit Eunate when you reach Puente la Reina or the wine fountain at Estella

 

[november_moon]

We started in Leon, so not as far back as Pamplona, but the same process since we started at an interim point. We reserved a hotel room for the night of arrival and just started walking in the morning - we had considered just arriving and starting the walk, but we wanted to get a fresh start in the morning, so we stayed overnight. We got our first stamp at our hotel before heading out in the morning, but you could get it anywhere really, as others have said. When we arrived in Leon, we immediately found other pilgrims (at a bar). We introduced ourselves as newbies and were immediately welcomed into the group and invited to dinner. Some of the people we met that night became friends that we spent time with throughout the Camino.

 

[november_moon]

You could splurge and take a taxi to one of the train stations (Chamartin being closest to the airport) but it would be quite a splurge! €€€€€

A taxi from the airport to central Madrid (where Atocha is located) is about 30 euro.

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Christine,
If you are leaving Madrid at 7.45. pm you will be late arriving in Pamplona.
It would be a good idea to have your accommodation booked for that first night.
Hostal Hemmingway is about 10 minutes from bus station and is available on hostelworld.com.
Or you could book into an hotel. Try to get one near the bus station as you will most probably be quite tired.

Buen Camino

 

[indyinmaine]

Christina,
If you have an iPhone (which I don't!) and still can change your mind check the albergue which will pick you up in Pamplona and take you to about 25 km short of St. Jean. someone on this forum will tell you which one it is. They will take you to St. jean the next morning and you still can start from there. If you need to cut something out of the Camino there are plenty of places on down the line. I personally wouldn't cut out the St. Jean-Pamplona stretch.

 

[jpflavin1]

Oops. Never mind my last question. I found my answer by googling the bus company. It's amazing what one can do with a little research. There is a bus they leaves 45 min after I arrive - which probably does not allow enough time to get through customs. Another one comes at 7:45pm - so it's still an option.

Christine:

Cab from Madrid airport to Puerta de Atocha is 30 euro's. There are five daily trains to Pamplona ( 7:35, 11:35, 15:05, 17:35 and 19:35) 3hr 5m. The major difference between train and bus is the facilities, imo. You can get up and walk around. They have a small food bar and spacious bathrooms vs. bus where you are stuck in your seat, questionable toilet and no food service.

Corazonpuro.es is a private Albergue that will pick you up upon arrival in Pamplona, put you up for the night, feed you and take you to SJPdP in the morning if you want.

Both will get you there.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Alyssa]

Hola Christine,
If I'm not mistaken, you are already on the Camino! I hope it's going well. I'll be curious to hear about which option you chose for getting from Madrid to SJ. Perhaps we will meet somewhere along the way. Buen camino!
Alyssa

 

[Lotta]

To get the credential:
The two albuerges "Maria y Jesus" and the german place Paderborne (?) - are they open in the morning? We will probably take the night bus from Madrid airport to Pamplona this very monday-tuesday and arrive early in the morning. Tnx!