Arrival/Departure Airport?

[CowboyJoe]

I'm hitting the Camino trail in late May/early June as soon as HS track season is over. Any advice on what airport to fly into/out of would be most appreciated. Thinking of flying into Paris and departing out of Madrid--and taking the train to/from those airports. Another option is returning via Lisbon as I've always wanted to see Portugal. Any veteran Camino experiences would be greatly appreciated. Coming from the States—prefer departing USA from DFW. Gracias!

 

[Mike Savage]

Welcome Joe!
I am walking the Francés and will be starting in Saint Jean (in two days) so my choice was to fly into Pamplona (SLC/DFW/Madrid/Pamplona) in Pamplona I will be picked up by Pensión Corazón Puro and taken to their home for dinner then breakfast and they will transport me the next morning to Saint Jean Pied de Port. I fly home from Santiago de Compostela.

http://www.corazonpuro.es/Enghome.html

Good luck with your decision and Buen Camino!

 

[mspath]

Mike,

Today you must be so very excited and happy! Soon you will be on your way at last. A stop at Corazon Puro will be an early treat. Do take it easy at first as you ease into the many pleasures of your camino. I look forward to reading future posts filled with all your new finds.

Buen camino and, as always, Ultreia!

Margaret Meredith

 

[whariwharangi]

I'm hitting the Camino trail in late May/early June as soon as HS track season is over. Any advice on what airport to fly into/out of would be most appreciated. Thinking of flying into Paris and departing out of Madrid--and taking the train to/from those airports. Another option is returning via Lisbon as I've always wanted to see Portugal. Any veteran Camino experiences would be greatly appreciated. Coming from the States—prefer departing USA from DFW. Gracias!

SNCF operates trains from CDG, Gare Montparnasse, Gare d'Austerlitz, and TGV Massy to Bayonne. SNCF TER operates trains from Bayonne to Cambo les Bains and buses to SJPdP. (assuming you are starting in SJPdP)

Renfe operates trains from Santiago to Madrid Chamartin.

Renfe operates trains from Santiago to Vigo and Vigo to Valenca.

CP and Renfe operate trains from Vigo to Porto.

CP operates trains from Valenca and Porto to Lisboa.

Paris CDG and Orly airports
http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/

Madrid airport
http://www.aena.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Madrid-Barajas/en/

Lisboa airport
http://www.ana.pt/en-US/Aeroportos/lisboa/Lisboa/Pages/HomeLisboa.aspx

SNCF
http://www.sncf.com/

Renfe
http://www.renfe.com/

CP
http://www.cp.pt/passageiros/pt

 

[CowboyJoe]

Thank you!

 

[peregrina2000]

I'm hitting the Camino trail in late May/early June as soon as HS track season is over. Any advice on what airport to fly into/out of would be most appreciated. Thinking of flying into Paris and departing out of Madrid--and taking the train to/from those airports. Another option is returning via Lisbon as I've always wanted to see Portugal. Any veteran Camino experiences would be greatly appreciated. Coming from the States—prefer departing USA from DFW. Gracias!

Hi, Joe,
Welcome to the forum. Flying into Paris and out of Madrid is a good plan, IMO. I always fly in and out of Madrid, but understand that many people like to get to SJPP from Paris rather than from Spain. If your thought about flying into Paris is just based on convenience, I think that getting to SJPP is about the same whether you come at from the Paris and the north or Madrid and the south. Madrid - Pamplona -SJPP is just not that complicated (especially if you are walking during the months that ALSA has its bus from Pamplona to SJPP), but some people don't like the idea of taking a bus and seeing essentially the same route that they are going to be walking on over the next few days.

And I would also throw out the suggestion that you investigate the cost of adding on a Madrid-Pamplona or Paris-Bayonne (??) (on the way into Spain/France) and a Santiago-Madrid segment on the way out. This kind of ticket (open jaw) can be priced out online using the "multi-city" option on many websites. Unless you affirmatively want to stay in Madrid for some visiting, it is so much easier to get on the plane at 9:15, arrive in Madrid an hour or so later, and get on a US-bound aircraft that same day. Otherwise you have to take a train or bus the day before, spend a night in Madrid, and get out to the airport the next morning. If you book it through on one ticket (Santiago-DFW) you don't have to worry about missed connections, because it will be their problem, not yours. That is not the case for people who for instance get a Ryan Air flight into Madrid in the morning of their US flight. If their Ryan Air flight is late and they miss the connection, tough luck. I met a woman this year in Barajas, not a pilgrim, but someone who had done just this -- she got a separate ticket to Madrid, missed her return trip to the US and had to purchase a new one way ticket home. It set her back more than $1500. She was not happy.

Since you'll be going from DFW, you can easily get American or Iberia into Spain, so that adding on the internal flights would keep your ticket within the same One World alliance system.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[CowboyJoe]

Laurie, Great advice! Thank you so much for taking the time to write and to share your knowledge with me. Makes me think, "Why didn't I think of that?" since I travel so much in my work--2 million air miles on AA alone!!!!
Sure appreciate your excellent advice!! Now, do you have a remedy for Plantar Fasciitis?????

 

[DanielH]

I'm hitting the Camino trail in late May/early June as soon as HS track season is over. Any advice on what airport to fly into/out of would be most appreciated. Thinking of flying into Paris and departing out of Madrid--and taking the train to/from those airports. Another option is returning via Lisbon as I've always wanted to see Portugal. Any veteran Camino experiences would be greatly appreciated. Coming from the States—prefer departing USA from DFW. Gracias!

Joe
I live in Dallas and flew out of DFW last year on American Airlines miles. Flew to Bordeaux France via London and then took the train rest of the way into St. Jean. I'm sure that there are quicker ways, but I wanted to see the countryside via train as well. Are you from Texas? Buen Camino

 

[jpflavin1]

I'm hitting the Camino trail in late May/early June as soon as HS track season is over. Any advice on what airport to fly into/out of would be most appreciated. Thinking of flying into Paris and departing out of Madrid--and taking the train to/from those airports. Another option is returning via Lisbon as I've always wanted to see Portugal. Any veteran Camino experiences would be greatly appreciated. Coming from the States—prefer departing USA from DFW. Gracias!

Joe:

Unless you want to explore one of these other great European cities (ie: London, Dublin, Paris, Barcelona, Lisbon etc. etc. etc.), Madrid, imo, is the best entry and exit point for the Camino.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[CowboyJoe]

Joe
I live in Dallas and flew out of DFW last year on American Airlines miles. Flew to Bordeaux France via London and then took the train rest of the way into St. Jean. I'm sure that there are quicker ways, but I wanted to see the countryside via train as well. Are you from Texas? Buen Camino

Daniel--Close: Oklahoma!