Bilbao to O Cebreiro

[philip.reynolds]

Hi,

We are looking to travel to O Cebreiro to start the Camino from there. Unfortunately, our trip is short, so we have to start further in, hopefully we'll get to doing the full Camino in a year or two!

Information on getting to/from O Cebreiro. The easiest way of getting there, seems to be to travel to Piedrafita.

If you look at the map of Galicia, it seems to be spelt slightly differently, but it seems rather close to O Cebreiro. http://www.galinor.es/llegar/m-galicia.html

We'd like to book tickets online to get to Piedrafita. On alsa.es, if you select you're travelling from Bilbao, you get an option to select Piedrafita as a destination. We can't get any maps that suggests this is only a few kilometres from O Cebreiro. Is this true? Is this definitely the right Piedrafita?

Is this the correct journey to take to O Cebreiro, or has anyone any other options? We'd prefer not to take a taxi, as we're not fans of wasting money

Kind Regards,

Philip.

 

[Peter Robins]

if you click on 'view' for itinerary on alsa.es, you can see this is indeed the right Piedrafita. The spelling difference is due to the different Castillian/Galician names. As your map shows, this is on the main road the bus goes along. To get to Cebreiro you have to wander a couple of km up the lane.

If the weather's bad, you might be better starting from Sarria, or getting off the bus in Lugo and walking from there along the Camino Primitivo.

 

[philip.reynolds]

Peter,

thanks a million for the speedy and informative answer.

Much appreciated,

Phil.

 

[Peter Robins]

P.S. the road from Piedrafita is the one you see on the Cebreiro webcam
http://85.91.64.20/crtvg-cebreiro.jpg
The Camino comes up the hill and through the village behind the trees, and continues on the road behind the cam.
If you watch the cam for a while, you'll notice there's not much traffic

 

[Ann Davidson]

I'm planning to fly to Bilbao at end of April. I've got one week to walk from O Cebreiro (or failing that, Sarria) to Santiago. Do you know if the bus from Bilbao to Piedrafita will be running at that time of year?

By the way, this is my first visit to this forum - very impressed!

 

[ivar]

Hi Ann,

Thanks for your compliments!

Usually the Alsa busses run all year around. Just for fun I tried to book Bilbao to Piedrafita April 28th and there is a bus, so I think you are fine.

BILBAO - PIEDRAFITA , 28/04/2006 VIAJE DE IDA
Hora Salida: 07:45
Hora Llegada: 15:55
Precio ida: 32,56€

Have a look at:
http://www.alsa.es
... click the "English" link in the top right hand corner for English.

Buen Camino,
Ivar

 

[Ann Davidson]

Bus from Santiago

My husband and I are planning to take the bus to Piedrafita, walk to O Cebreiro and then spend a week walking back to SdC. Unfortunately, every time I try to book a seat on the bus online, it fails. Is it OK just to turn up and pay for the bus? Or should I phone Alsa and try (with very basic Spanish) to book seats in advance?

Ann

p.s. I don't think I'd even be attempting this without the tremendous support of this site. Thanks for all the useful info.

 

[Peter Robins]

Re: Bus from Santiago

Is it OK just to turn up and pay for the bus?

yes, of course, just go along to the bus station and pay at the appropriate window (each company has a separate window, so you just have to find the right one ). The bus is unlikely to be full, unless you just happen to hit some special event.

 

[ivar]

If I am not mistaking, there was a problem with non-Spanish cards on the Alsa website last year. This might be the reason for your problems.

As Peter say, it should be no problem getting a ticket... just don't come running to the bus station 2 minutes before the bus leaves. Usually Alsa has assigned seating.

Buen camino,
Ivar