Backpack Transfer

[Frank66]

Hi, my wife and I are walking from Roncenvalles to Leon starting on 2nd Sep this year. We have decided that we want to transfer one of our backpacks if possible. Has anyone out there done this by booking locally on a daily basis as we don't want the inflexibility of booking through a Luggage transfer company before we leave the uk - and be tied to committing to places to stay in advance for the whole trip.
We plan on staying in a mixture of albergues and Casa Rurals.
Thanks in advance

 

[ranthr]

Try Correos. You can print out envelopes to put your pay in and call until some point of time in the evening

 

[Anemone del Camino]

What you describe is how 99% of backpack translort is done. Arrange it each evening with the hospy who will give you an envelop to put payment in and write your destination point.

 

[pennyinyk]

Hi, my wife and I are walking from Roncenvalles to Leon starting on 2nd Sep this year. We have decided that we want to transfer one of our backpacks if possible. Has anyone out there done this by booking locally on a daily basis as we don't want the inflexibility of booking through a Luggage transfer company before we leave the uk - and be tied to committing to places to stay in advance for the whole trip.
We plan on staying in a mixture of albergues and Casa Rurals.
Thanks in advance

No need to book luggage transfer in advance of your arrival. You can do this "one day at a time" as you go. We usrd several different companies and they were all good. The albergue manager can usually recommend an operator and contact them for you or you can do it yourself online or by phone. 5€ per bag before Sarria, 3€ after; no ideawhy the difference!

 

[Merge]

We sent my backpack ahead quite a few days when my back acted up. Always decided when we finished walking for the day where we would go the next day and as previous poster said, typically albergue host will call them...but we did on a couple of occasions. Used JacoTrans and was very satisfied. Was $5 a day, but invaluable to give my back a rest from the pack. I worried every day it wouldn't make it, but it was always there except for Monte de Gozo municipal...gets delivered to a local bar (and that's another story).
On days I sent it ahead hubby put some of his heavier stuff in it also to give him a bit of a break. A friend told me they're not going to ask you in Santiago if you carried your pack every day or give you a gold star if you did... LOL.

 

[Anamya]

5€ per bag before Sarria, 3€ after; no ideawhy the difference!

Demand. After Sarria much mor epeople hire their services, so they can offer better prices

 

[jo webber]

We sent my backpack ahead quite a few days when my back acted up. Always decided when we finished walking for the day where we would go the next day

This is our plan as well. If my sketchy back acts up, the weight goes ahead of us to the next stopping point. Also the reason we will go very slow with short distances for the first week or so.

 

[FLEUR]

@jo webber

Very sensible planning. I found after Burgos ( 2014 ) charges were 7€ per bag with Jacotrans. Cheaper the closer you get to Santiago de C as others have said.

 

[julia-t]

Jacotrans, Caminofacil, and several local companies - I've used them all at some point. And Express Bourricot when you cross the Pyrenees. Never used Correos so far.

I like the service of CaminoFacil the best. They call you if there's any problem, they take bookings up to 9pm for the next day, and you can book in advance online and pay up front. They tend to be a little more expensive, but it's all so easy to deal with I didn't mind. And my bag has always been where I've asked it to be sent, and if not, they've called to tell me where it will be left.

Jacotrans changes each time you enter a different region, so there's a bit of faffing around with new phone numbers etc - though you can arrange it most of the time using What'sApp. Twice my bag has ended up somewhere else, not what you want when it's hot and you're weary and desperate for a shower and you have to trek around other albergues trying to find your pack.

There was one local chap I used after Burgos and across the Meseta, cheaper than Jacotrans, I picked up his envelope in Rabe de la Calzadas.

Just arrange it the night before when you have an idea of how far you will walk the next day and where you'll be staying.

 

[jo webber]

service of CaminoFacil

Thank you for the great information.
For CaminoFacil the information sheets need to be attached to the bag, how do these get printed out when you are on the Camino? Do I need their envelopes? Sounds like a great service and I would like to use them. If you could tell me a bit more detail, it would help a great help.
Thanks!!!!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Thank you for the great information.
For CaminoFacil the information sheets need to be attached to the bag, how do these get printed out when you are on the Camino? Do I need their envelopes? Sounds like a great service and I would like to use them. If you could tell me a bit more detail, it would help a great help.
Thanks!!!!

You don't need anything. The albergues have the envelops and you use a good old pen to write the necessary info on them.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Be aware, there ARE some albergues who will not allow you to stay if you use pack transport.
Guacelmo in Rabanal del Camino used to be one of those.
Not sure if that rule still holds.

 

[jo webber]

there ARE some albergues who will not allow you to stay if you use pack transport.

Just guessing, the transport service should know which alberques those would be, or the place you are staying that night.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Just guessing, the transport service should know which alberques those would be, or the place you are staying that night.

No necessarily. I've seen people's packs dropped off at Guacelmo and I've seen people get out of taxis there, only to be turned away.
You should know ahead.

 

[julia-t]

Thank you for the great information.
For CaminoFacil the information sheets need to be attached to the bag, how do these get printed out when you are on the Camino? Do I need their envelopes? Sounds like a great service and I would like to use them. If you could tell me a bit more detail, it would help a great help.
Thanks!!!!

The albergues have the envelopes. If you book ahead online you can print off labels with the pickup and drop-off places on it.

Caminofacil also has every albergue, pension, casa rural, hostal and hotel they collect/deliver to listed on their website, and will tell you if there are some (mostly the donativo ones and the CSJ one at Rabanal) they don't because bags are not accepted there.

If a bag cannot be taken in somewhere (perhaps the albergue has closed for the season, as happened to me on 1st October) they will call you and tell you where your bag has been left.

In fact you only need one envelope the first night, because a spare envelope or tag will always be left with your bag.

 

[Anniesantiago]

The albergues have the envelopes. If you book ahead online you can print off labels with the pickup and drop-off places on it.

Caminofacil also has every albergue, pension, casa rural, hostal and hotel they collect/deliver to listed on their website, and will tell you if there are some (mostly the donativo ones and the CSJ one at Rabanal) they don't because bags are not accepted there.
.

I like Caminofacil and use it each year.
I've found it to be the most dependable for my groups.
By they way, they don't necessarily have every stop listed on their website.
If you're staying in a hostal, hotel, place that is not listed, just drop them a note and they'll add it.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Just guessing, the transport service should know which alberques those would be, or the place you are staying that night.

But they will only see what you have written as your destination point when they come to pick up the bags and you are long gone.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

If a bag cannot be taken in somewhere (perhaps the albergue has closed for the season, as happened to me on 1st October) they will call you and tell you where your bag has been left.

Assuming you have a local phone.

 

[julia-t]

Assuming you have a local phone.

I have an English phone number (like the OP will) and received calls from Caminofacil on several occasions.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I have an English phone number (like the OP will) and received calls from Caminofacil on several occasions.

That was kind of them to make long distance calls to a UK number. I wonder if they would have called Canada, Asia, Australia. Good for you for taking a phone as well, but many do not, not wven for emergencies.

 

[Anna Russell]

I am walking with my sister starting on 03 August from SJPdP and since she had a miniscus repair surgery a month ago we decided to still use a daypack each but are "sharing" a carry on bag with our heavier items to ease thestrain on her knee. Initially I had not wanted to do this but this is our Camino. I hope other pilgrims do not think less of us.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

and since she had a miniscus repair surgery a month ago we decided to still use a daypack each ...

Wait, wait, music to my ears. Miniscus surgery a month ago and when are you walking? This gives me hope.

 

[Anna Russell]

She had surgery early June and we are walking as of 02Aug. She has been faithful with physio and a personal trainer. So I think she may be in better shape than me.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

She had surgery early June and we are walking as of 02Aug. She has been faithful with physio and a personal trainer. So I think she may be in better shape than me.

I wish her the best of luck!

 

[Kanga]

@Anna Russell do not take any notice of the nay-sayers. On my observation last camino I would say more people get their packs carried than not. There is nothing about being a pilgrim that requires you to carry your own pack.