Barcelona to SPJDP

[Eugene & Andrea]

Any thoughts on the best way to get from Barcelona to SPJDP...?

 

[Vacajoe]

Been asked and answered multiple times, as recently as last week! In short, bus (cheaper/slower), train (comfy ride) or plane all go to Pamplona. Check out Rome2Rio website or app

Search past posts for a deeper discussion as well as step-by-step wats to get into Barcelona city.

 

[scruffy1]

Eugene and Andrea Shalom Welcome to the Forum and Greetings from Jerusalem! Let's try and break this down, hopefully you start out for SJPP after a day or two in Barcelona - do go visit the Romans underneath the cathedral, do go down to the beach to sea Frank Gehry's gefiltte fish, enjoy the Ramblas and especially the market there, and do sample the tapas. Moving on - the logitics are difficult but not insurmountable arriving in Barcelona hot to trot, bus/train/plane to Pamplona->bus/taxi to SJPP makes for a l-o-n-g day. Now for the hard part, bright and early next morning you are in SJPP everyone is up and about ready to run up the mountain - if you have reserved place with Jean-Jacques at Orisson you should be all right - jet lag + Barcelona + logistics + straight through to Roncevalles at 25k not easy even if the weather is good. You may walk into Pamplona several days later feeling...well...overwhelmed with another 700+-k ahead of you. Pamplona is sweet town don't hesitate to take half a day off just to refocus and rejuvenate - the Rocal albergue in Cizur Menor will be more than happy to take you in - it's a lovey place with a lovely host -and next day strike out with new dedication and strength. Buen Camino!

 

[Eugene & Andrea]

Thanks very much scruffy1

Terrific information...

 

[t2andreo]

He is totally correct. The www.rome2rio.com website or app is tops for sleuthing out connections to and from any two points on the earth. Start there FIRST.

This established, ALL of Scruffy's suggestions are top-notch and spot-on.

Hope this helps.

 

[NinaB]

I am taking a 3:30pm train Barcelona Sants to Pamplona, staying overnight, then either finding another peregrino/a to share a taxi with or taking the afternoon ALSA bus to St. Jean. Overnight there, then start walking the next day. Buen Camino!

 

[Davidmm]

I am taking a 3:30pm train Barcelona Sants to Pamplona, staying overnight, then either finding another peregrino/a to share a taxi with or taking the afternoon ALSA bus to St. Jean. Overnight there, then start walking the next day. Buen Camino!

If you have time and can get in, spend the night at Orisson, it is a great start to your Camino

 

[scruffy1]

I am taking a 3:30pm train Barcelona Sants to Pamplona, staying overnight, then either finding another peregrino/a to share a taxi with or taking the afternoon ALSA bus to St. Jean. Overnight there, then start walking the next day. Buen Camino!

Davidmm has it right-book a place at Orisson. That first day out is one marked by great amounts of excitement, great amounts of second thoughts, lots of new people to meet and talk with, all making it very difficult to hit your usual pace as you face a long tiring ascent and worse just when you are really tired a steep descent down to Roncesvalles. A stop at Orisson will allow you to work the kinks out of your boots, rearrange your backpack (poring don cats and dogs and your rain gear is at the bottom-you're wearing way too much and boiling or not enough at all, a chance to sit, drink, eat, and begin to develop the camaraderie you will form with the same people with whom you will meet again and rejoin again all along the Camino. Nothing to worry about, but speaking for myself, I like to start off slow and sure, giving myself several days to acclimatize, to build up steam and to hit my comfortable walking speed. In my opinion, going all out from day one is a recipe for trouble later on.

 

[Rhysmike]

Any thoughts on the best way to get from Barcelona to SPJDP...?

9.30 train from Barcelona to Pamplona. Arrive 1.30. Taxi to bus terminal. 2.30 bus to SJ, arrive at about 4.15. Let your albergue, if booked ahead, that you’re arriving on that bus.

 

[t2andreo]

When you ride that bus or taxi backwards, over the Pyrenees via the Valcarlos Route (sort of) be GLAD you are walking back. I have walked the Napoleon twice and driven from Spain to SJPdP (last August) The drive or ride is NOT for the faint of heart... it is a VERY windy road...and most of the drop offs are SHEER.

Enjoy the ride...

 

[Richard DeMerchant]

We are flying into Barcelona in June 2022 and then trying to get to SJPDP in one day after a couple of days of sightseeing. Is it still reasonable to get to SJPDP in one day from Barcelona?

 

[Vacajoe]

Possible? Yes. Reasonable? Well, that’s subjective! 4 hour train ride to Pamplona, then a one hour bus or private taxi to SJPdP. Or a nine hour bus ride from BCN to SJPdP. Not terrible if you don’t mind sitting for that long.

 

[Rhysmike]

We are flying into Barcelona in June 2022 and then trying to get to SJPDP in one day after a couple of days of sightseeing. Is it still reasonable to get to SJPDP in one day from Barcelona?

My wife and I have twice caught the 9.30 train from Barcelona to Pamplona, then a taxi to the bus depot before the bus to St Jean. We find it fine. Plenty of time to make your connections and you can book both the train and bus before you depart.

 

[Richard DeMerchant]

I was looking for the bus schedule and could not find it. I believe it is ALSA that we take but SJPDP does not seem to be listed. Tried a few variations of spelling. Any tips? I am likely missing the obvious.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I was looking for the bus schedule and could not find it. I believe it is ALSA that we take but SJPDP does not seem to be listed. Tried a few variations of spelling. Any tips? I am likely missing the obvious.

Two tricks here.
1) You do have to spell St as Saint.
2) ALSA puts its schedule up three months (or so) in advance. Since it does not run in the winter months you will not see a schedule for awhile even if you used their online tool perfectly. Keep trying; maybe make it a Sunday thing.


By the way, the service is/was by CONDA but ALSA now owns CONDA in full or in partnership with another company and online booking is through the ALSA website. I'm mentioning this to keep you from trying to book from CONDA if you happen to see online that it also services SJPdP.

 

[Richard DeMerchant]

Two tricks here.
1) You do have to spell St as Saint.
2) ALSA puts its schedule up three months (or so) in advance. Since it does not run in the winter months you will not see a schedule for awhile even if you used their online tool perfectly. Keep trying; maybe make it a Sunday thing.


By the way, the service is/was by CONDA but ALSA now owns CONDA in full or in partnership with another company and online booking is through the ALSA website. I'm mentioning this to keep you from trying to book from CONDA if you happen to see online that it also services SJPdP.

Thank you. That is very helpful.

 

[MaryLynn]

A few years ago, I wanted to start in SJPdP but I don’t like riding buses in the mountains so didn’t want to take a bus from Pamplona to Saint Jean. I flew from Toronto overnight to Paris, then I took a train from the airport to Dax, stayed overnight at a nice little hotel close to the train station, then the next morning I took a bus a short distance to a little town where the French Camino passed through and started my two-day walk to SJPdP. It was a good warmup and a beautiful walk.
This may sound complicated, but it was very easy and it was the best solution for me to get to the Camino Frances in Saint Jean.

 

[mspath]

A few years ago, I wanted to start in SJPdP but I don’t like riding buses in the mountains so didn’t want to take a bus from Pamplona to Saint Jean. I flew from Toronto overnight to Paris, then I took a train from the airport to Dax, stayed overnight at a nice little hotel close to the train station, then the next morning I took a bus a short distance to a little town where the French Camino passed through and started my two-day walk to SJPdP. It was a good warmup and a beautiful walk.
This may sound complicated, but it was very easy and it was the best solution for me to get to the Camino Frances in Saint Jean.

MaryLynn,
Was that "little town where the French Camino passed through" Saint-Palais?