Bilbao to Oviedo

[Peter E]

I will be arriving in central Bilbao on a Sunday afternoon. The internet says that Ouibus run a bus service from there to Oviedo 'every hour on the hour'. However, when I try to go into Ouibus site Oviedo doesn't come up as a destination. ALSA bus seems to go to Oviedo but only 6 times per week. I am guessing the Ouibus does run every hour on the hour seven days a week but does anyone know for sure?
Thanks, Peter

 

[spursfan]

Well, ALSA run frequent services from Bilbao to Santander and Santander to Oviedo

 

[Via2010]

Hi,

on "movelia" you find 12 connections between Bilbao and Oviedo on sundays operated by ALSA and connected enterprises. I do not know a bus service called "ouibus". I think, it is a search-machine like "rome-2-rio", "busbud" or "movelia".

You can book your ALSA-ticket via internet in advance.

But consider, even the camino the norte is more suitable for beginners than the camino primitivo because it has more albergues and alternative accomodation in shorter distances. In august the climate at the sea may also be nicer than in the mountains.

BC
Alexandra

 

[Peter E]

Thank you both for your helpful advice I will go have a look at movelia site. Three veteran pilgrims out of five have gone out of their way to warn me against the Primitivo and suggested the Norte yet when I read my way through the Primitivo site over the weekend there was a couple in their eighties who had just completed the Primitivo in about nineteen days including the hospitales though they said that the descent hurt their backs!
Is the Norte the second most difficult walk? It sounds an interesting one but I could stay in England and walk the South West coastal route which I suspect would be very similar.
very best wishes, Peter

 

[Via2010]

Hi Peter,

if you can walk distances of about 20 km and do not mind many climbs - the worst day was at about 1000 hm up and 1000 hm and there were several similar days in a row - then you should feel fine on the primitivo. The landscape is beautyful.

There are some new albergues supposed to open soon, one in Paradín (between Escamplero and Grado) and the other one in Gondar (10 km before Lugo). Also a nice new albergue in Grado and another one ("albergue aleman") in Boente - 7 km after Melide.

Here is a link for planning your stages and coffee-breaks.
Camino Primitivo Accomodation and Stages

And here is another one (download the PDF by clicking on the blue text in the section "camino primitivo etapas") which shows you how to walk this camino in 11 to 17 days.

Camino Primitivo Etapas

I took 13 but could have done in 12.

BC
Alexandra

 

[Peter E]

Thank you Alexandra that was really kind of you to go to so much trouble. The list of new allergies is really useful and I will use the link later. Many thanks,
Peter

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi Peter
IMO not much to choose in strenuousness between 1st week of Norte and Primitivo, and both less steep than the up and down parts of SWCP. I met people on the Primitivo in their late 60s and 70s doing average stage lengths of about 25km. Recommend you stay with the Primitivo.
ALSA run a good bus service and changing at the (undeground) bus station at Santander no problem. And if there's a couple of hours between connections you'll have time to catch a bit of the city/cathedral. Buen camino.

 

[gloria lowe]

You can buy your ticket on the ALSA or on busbud.com and print out ahead of time. I did before I left home. Many Sunday buses.

 

[Peter E]

Thank you both for taking the trouble to write. I had thought the bus went direct to Oviedo so Santander stop would have been a surprise!
Best wishes, Peter

 

[Felice]

According to google, there is an ALSA bus at 4.30, 5.30 and 6.45 on a Sunday, direct to Oviedo. When I caught the bus from Oviedo to Bilbao in May this year, we called in at Santander but I did not need to change. It cost 34 Euros and the bus was supremely comfortable. I have yet to check, but I think that ALSA used a different name for Oviedo in the timetable.

The Primitivo is a lovely route. There's a good hill a day to climb but if you're fit(ish) it's not too bad. I'm in my 60s and had no problems at all. There was a couple doing the route in 15km stages because the wife had knee problems. However, if you can walk the SW coastal path, with all its ups and downs, you will have no problems with the Primitivo.

I agree that you might as well walk the SW coastal path as walk the Norte. Similar scenery, excellent food especially fish. Probably quite a lot more expensive to do though. I gather there is quite a bit of road walking on the Norte - that's one real advantage of the SWCP with our wonderful paths right next to the sea. When I walked from Murxia to Finnisterre I was frustrated by the amount of road walking and the lack of coastal path.

 

[Felice]

Looking at the ALSA website, for 9/9/18, there's a bus from the bus station in Bilbao at 4.30 and 6.45. You'll have to get the bus from the airport into town first, but it stops at the main bus station.

 

[Peter E]

Thanks Felice, that is really helpful my flight will land at 4-05 so if it not late and the luggage comes through quickly I should be able to get the 6-45 bus to Oviedo. I have seen three and a half and give and a half hours for the journey. Do you remember how long it took as I will need to let the hotel know how late I will be.Very best wishes, Peter.

 

[Felice]

There is a bus from the airport to the bus station at xx.15 and xx.45 every hour which takes about 20 mins and the bus station is the last stop.

According to the ALSA website, the 18.45 gets in at 22.30 - I put 9/9/18 in as the date. Suggest that you check for the date you actual need. Go to https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/home and put your details in. The 18.45 is a not a 'premium' bus, which is what I used, but it will still be a good comfortable coach.

 

[Bob Chambers]

If you have a day to spare, check on the narrow gauge railway from Bilbao to Oviedo - a lovely journey by FEVE, I think see http://www.maint.com/greenspain/

 

[Peter E]

Bob, thanks for the tip but the problem was I didn't have a spare day and wanted to get from Engla nd to Oviedo in one day ready to walk in the morning.

Felice thank you for being a computer wizard (which I am obviously not) and sorting out the times of the airport bus and ALSA bus for me. I went to the excellent ALSA website you found and everything is clear showing why some journeys are longer than others (number of stops) and why there is such a huge price variance with some slower buses costing more than the faster ones (very luxurious coach) it all looks easy to do so I guess it will be the ALSA bus for me on the 30/9 ! Can't thank you enough! Peter

 

[Via2010]

Hi Peter,

you should not miss the Cathedral in Oviedo. It is really worth a visit. If you do not have a spare day think of either doing a reservation in the new private albergue in Grado (25 km behind Oviedo) so that you do not have to hurry or to bus to Grado or Escamplero (which is half-way to Grado).

BC
Alexandra

 

[Peter E]

Hi Alexandria,
Thanks to Felices' bus and computer knowledge I should be in Oviedo 10.30 pm and be on schedule so I will definitely visit the cathedral and intend to sit in meditation there to start walk with peace. Just remembered I also have to get my 'Credential' there. I suppose they also give it the first stamp for you. My wife just told me that one lady spent two years planning the Francais and I can understand this now.
I hope to complete it without using a bus but a ride out of Oviedo itself to the start of the countryside would be an attractive option but with my skills I would probably find I had travelled in the opposite direction!
I am really grateful for all the help you and your fellow pilgrims have given me, Peter