Best ways to travel to León ?

[Mark McCarthy]

We are planning to walk León to Santiago in August. The most obvious route seems to be to travel to Madrid airport and then get the bus to León. For those who have started in León, what ways have you travelled to León? Has anyone travelled the last leg to León by train or by air?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Exactly what you propose, bus from Terminal 4 at the airport. Only if arrival and departure times do not coincide fairly well would I look at the train. It's a simple question of convinience.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The train is fast and comfortable. Your train ticket from Chamartin includes the Cercanias from the airport to Chamartin. Allow aboout 90 minutes from baggage pickup to the Chamartin departure. If you are lucky, the time can be shorter, though. The train station and bus station in Leon are next to each other, so the walk to the cathedral is about the same.

 

[whariwharangi]

We are planning to walk León to Santiago in August. The most obvious route seems to be to travel to Madrid airport and then get the bus to León. For those who have started in León, what ways have you travelled to León? Has anyone travelled the last leg to León by train or by air?

Best options are:

-Renfe Train from Chamartin, service recently upgraded to high speed; or,

-ALSA Bus from Madrid Estacion Sur, Madrid Airport T4, or Moncloa. Estacion Sur is reached by Cercanias or Metro to station Mendez Alvaro. Intercambiador Moncloa is reached by Metro.

The Leon Airport has almost no flights and connect only to Madrid. Bus and Train times are much faster when you consider boarding procedures.

 

[natefaith]

Mark, if for some reason you decide to fly into Santiago instead of Madrid before the Camino, you can also get a train out to León from here. It's about a 5-hour train ride.

 

[Al the optimist]

Also from Asturias airport to Leon 3 hours including 45 mins in Oviedo.

 

[Karen2017]

We are flying into Madrid in 2 weeks (14hr flight), spending the night in Madrid then catching the train to Leon the next day 11:30 train (will have to double check that ) and I think it takes 3.5 hrs.. The train is 10:23 to 1330

 

[Mark McCarthy]

We are flying into Madrid in 2 weeks (14hr flight), spending the night in Madrid then catching the train to Leon the next day 11:30 train (will have to double check that ) and I think it takes 3.5 hrs.

The flights from our local airport get in late too so we were looking at spending one night in Madrid if needed but it seems very expensive. Have you found any reasonable priced hotels near the airport or Chamartin railway station?

 

[Karen2017]

The flights from our local airport get in late too so we were looking at spending one night in Madrid if needed but it seems very expensive. Have you found any reasonable priced hotels near the airport or Chamartin railway station?

I honestly did not hunt around just let the travel agent know what/when etc. staying at Quattro on the way in and going back home just at the airport (Crowne Plaza) for the flight the next morning. Good luck searching. Our main criteria were twin beds as hubby moves around like a washing machine when sleeping.

 

[Mark McCarthy]

I honestly did not hunt around just let the travel agent know what/when etc. staying at Quattro on the way in and going back home just at the airport (Crowne Plaza) for the flight the next morning. Good luck searching. Our main criteria were twin beds as hubby moves around like a washing machine when sleeping.

My wife empathises with you as I am also a washing machine sleeper. Enjoy your Camino, Leon is a great city, I particularly like siting outside Cafe Victoria on the Calle Ancha and watching the world go by.

 

[Patch]

I went to Santiago airport (never went into the city tho') by plane and took a couple of buses to Leon for my first Camino. I managed it easily and it didn't take that long TBH (about 1/2 a day) - I don't speak any Spanish and it wasn't that difficult. Would give you details but that was 4 years ago now and its probably all changed by now...but sorted it all out on line.