Bus Strike in Galicia - Thursday and Friday April 27 and 28, 2023

[natefaith]

Hi everyone,
Please be aware there's a bus strike planned in Galicia for this Thursday and Friday, April 27 and 28.

https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notic...-28-abril-galicia/00031681557511136513405.htm (Can use Google Translate to translate the article into English)

I've heard from a pilgrim who went to the Santiago bus station that Alsa would not sell her a ticket for Santiago - Muxia for those days, and I believe other companies are following suit for towns within Galicia.

I'm not sure what the strike means for inter-Spain or inter-Europe travel by bus (or if it's contained only to travel within Galicia), but if you were hoping to get a bus this Friday and Saturday, especially in between cities in Galicia, you may want to look into other options for traveling.

At this time I don't *think* this strike comprises taxis at all. But taxis will be busy trying to bring people to and fro.

If anyone hears more thorough information please feel free to drop it in this thread.

Buen Camino!

EDIT: I've added in some clarifying details above.

 

[OnHellas]

The Alsa International website still has tickets listed as available for Friday this week from Santiago to Porto airport.

 

[sarahchicago]

Hi everyone,
Please be aware there's a bus strike planned in Galicia for this Thursday and Friday, April 27 and 28.

https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notic...-28-abril-galicia/00031681557511136513405.htm (Can use Google Translate to translate the article into English)

I've heard from a pilgrim that Alsa is not selling tickets for those days (she was going to go from Santiago to Muxia), and I believe other companies are following suit.

I'm not sure what the strike means for inter-Europe travel by bus (or if it's contained only to travel within Galicia), but if you were hoping to get a bus this Friday and Saturday, you may want to look into other options for traveling.

At this time I don't *think* this strike comprises taxis at all. But taxis will be busy trying to bring people to and fro.

If anyone hears more thorough information please feel free to drop it in this thread.

Buen Camino!

GAAAAHHH!! Okay, now I need to figure out alternative transport to porto on Thursday. Just posted a thread on this. Anyone ever use blah blah car?

 

[OnHellas]

I’m booked to travel on Friday, I’ve checked the Alsa website and can find nothing about strikes.

The OP says another Pilgrim told them. I can’t access the newspaper story without a subscription?

 

[J Willhaus]

GAAAAHHH!! Okay, now I need to figure out alternative transport to porto on Thursday. Just posted a thread on this. Anyone ever use blah blah car?

Looks like there is still an 18:00 bus to the Porto airport from Santiago? The other buses are full. Since this is international, you may not be impacted?

 

[Molly Cassidy]

If you have a booking, I'm sure they will email you if your bus is cancelled.

 

[natefaith]

Yes, news has been very very scant, except that many news sites carry the official announcement that there will be a strike on Thursday and Friday.

I'm hoping along with you all that the inter-Europe buses will still be running. And hopefully buses that leave Galicia will also still be running i.e. Santiago to Madrid. However, this may depend on the bus drivers that are contracted to work these routes, and if they are based in Galicia they may be planning to strike. The lack of information and details is frustrating (for us, too, as we try to answer questions about the bus strike at Pilgrim House).

GAAAAHHH!! Okay, now I need to figure out alternative transport to porto on Thursday. Just posted a thread on this. Anyone ever use blah blah car?

Did you already book a ticket? Can you contact customer service to check to see if they're still running the bus from Santiago to Porto?

And Bla Bla car does work pretty well around here.

I’m booked to travel on Friday, I’ve checked the Alsa website and can find nothing about strikes.

The syndicates (unions) of bus drivers are calling for the strikes, but I'm not sure the actual bus companies would publish the news on their websites, unfortunately. Since Alsa is nationwide in Spain and the strike is just limited to Galicia, the website might not mention the strike at all. We may know more on Thursday, the first day of the strike, and you then might be able to plan for Friday. Here's hoping!

 

[natefaith]

I can’t access the newspaper story without a subscription?

Here's the relevant bit in English:

The road passenger transport sector calls for a strike on April 27 and 28 in Galicia​

The road passenger transport sector has called for a strike on April 27 and 28 throughout Galicia . The unions, CIG, CC.OO. and UGT, also warn that the strike will be indefinite as of May 8 if their demands are not met. The workers denounce the paralysis in the negotiation of the four provincial contracts [Lugo, La Coruña, Pontevedra, Ourense], the precarious situation of the sector (both in relation to working conditions and the provision of the service itself) and the repeated safety problems presented by the vehicles.

~
The rest of the article talks about the unions' demands, but unfortunately doesn't give any more detail about what time the strikes will happen, and the routes that will and won't run on Thursday and Friday.

 

[J Willhaus]

I think there were some partial strikes in Galicia a few weeks ago on Mar 31. I remember reading that the primary concern is was how school children would get to school although it was difficult for anyone who needed the bus.

 

[natefaith]

Yes! March 31 was not a great day for traveling. I remember reading this article back then. English below.

La huelga de autobuses colapsa Santiago y amarga el viernes a centenares de personas: «Isto é unha vergoña»

Peregrinos y estudiantes universitarios fueron los principales damnificados del parón del sector del transporte colectivo, mientras que unos 40 piquetes bloquearon el servicio metropolitano hasta las 11 de la mañana

www.lavozdegalicia.es

The bus strike collapses Santiago and embitters hundreds of people on Friday [March 31, 2023]: "This is an embarrassment"​

The faces at the Santiago de Compostela bus station are a poem. "We didn't know anything ," admits a passenger, visibly angry and in a hurry. "I'm not on time, let's see if I'll catch the next train to go home ," she replies before walking off at full speed. The strike in the public transport sector has collapsed the entrances and exits of the Galician capital and, incidentally, has embittered hundreds of people. "No, no, there is no bus. I don't know, I don't know”, replies a young man on his mobile phone at the entrance to the building.

There is the case of Fran and Manuel, residents of Boiro . They arrived yesterday in the city to enjoy a night of university party. Both in their twenties, they admit that after closing the Avante they went directly to the station to catch the bus back to Barbanza. They should have left at six in the morning.
"We checked 15 minutes before and nothing. I saw a bus driver there after several hours and told us that there were no minimum services. Things shouldn't be like this! This is a shame” , highlights Fran, who told us from Boiro that, after five hours, they were able to return home after taking a train from Santiago to Catoira: “Family came to get us."

...Mario and Alessandro have it worse, two Italian pilgrims that they had reserved a seat on a bus to start the journey back home. They approach the Tussa counter: "Are you serious there is no bus today?" "No, no, there was one for 11 and it's not going to operate," replies one of the company's workers. "We lose the money from the hotel, we already had it reserved for today," replies the Italian, who only finds a shrug from the operator who comes to say: "What do you want me to do?"

The stories of the Boirenses, Noiesas and Italians are the same as that of dozens of people throughout the station. Some wait in the cafeteria, others in front of the counters, the most optimistic, sitting on the benches or on the floor of the platforms from which the buses should leave. "There is no bus for Lugo either? At no time did they notify us," replies a young woman with curly hair to a Monbus worker . The answer is a clear "no." She leaves. "On the website it does not say anything that is cancelled," two Portuguese pilgrims commented to the Alsa worker. Same answer.

~

Again, this was back on March 31. Sharing this not to make anyone panic, but to show the reality of what that day looked like. Especially if there is somewhere you must be this Thursday or Friday, exploring other options (at least to know what else is out there) might be good.

 

[sarahchicago]

Looks like there is still an 18:00 bus to the Porto airport from Santiago? The other buses are full. Since this is international, you may not be impacted?

I can’t miss my flight from porto that leaves just 7 hours after that bus arrives in Porto, so I’m going to try BlaBlaCar.

 

[thejoker]

I can’t miss my flight from porto that leaves just 7 hours after that bus arrives in Porto, so I’m going to try BlaBlaCar.

On Connecto a taxi to Porto airport from SdC is avaialble for just 255 Euros. A van with 8 seats is just 290.

Or you could get a taxi to the border take a cheaper option from there.

 

[Kathar1na]

FWIW, there is currently one seat available online on the ALSA bus from Santiago to Porto leaving at 9:30 and two seats are available on the 18:00 bus for Thursday 27 April.

For Friday 28 April, ALSA has currently a few more tickets available on the 9:30 and 18:00 buses while currently only 2 seats are left on the 11:30 bus.

Prices are in the range of €50-60. I could not see any indication on the ALSA website that their drivers are affected by the strike.

 

[Kathar1na]

I've heard from a pilgrim who went to the Santiago bus station that Alsa would not sell her a ticket for Santiago - Muxia for those days

Does Alsa even sell tickets for Santiago to Muxia? I can’t find it on their website … not for any date (Monbus appears to have the contract for this line).

Also in the Alsa website: Minimum services during strike action - Cancellations and schedule changes due to bad weather or strike action are announced on the www.alsa.com home pages.

Fwiw, with the recent train strikes in France and the reduced schedule, seats often became available on previously fully booked trains due to last minute cancellations and pilgrims could get a place and reached their destination without delay or any other issue.

 

[Ali@59]

Have you tried Flixbus?

 

[sarahchicago]

Does Alsa even sell tickets for Santiago to Muxia? I can’t find it on their website … not for any date (Monbus appears to have the contract for this line).

Also in the Alsa website: Minimum services during strike action - Cancellations and schedule changes due to bad weather or strike action are announced on the www.alsa.com home pages.

Fwiw, with the recent train strikes in France and the reduced schedule, seats often became available on recently fully booked trains due to last minute cancellations and pilgrims could get a place and reached their destination without delay or any other issue.

I got a seat on the 11:30 ALSA bus to Porto today, to be safe. Blabla car has trips popping up for today and tomorrow, probably in anticipation of a scramble for seats tomorrow. The hospedaro at San Martín Pinario this morning was cautioning pilgrims about the bus strike and let me cancel my second night to leave for porto one day early.

 

[DreamWeaver]

bus strike?

Yes. Transportation strike for 2 days.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1651150076423577611

 

[Karen Schoenfelder]

So what do you do during a bus strike? How do you travel when train isn’t an option?

 

[Molly Cassidy]

So what do you do during a bus strike? How do you travel when train isn’t an option?

Wait till it finishes. Or hitch.

 

[El Cascayal]

If you have a booking, I'm sure they will email you if your bus is cancelled

I get at least 10 emails from ALSA daily & did not get a notification about the strike. Thanks to Betterisgood aka Mary Ellen who texted me early this morning, we were able to take the bus today. Camino saver = Betterisgood.
The bus to Porto was nearly empty this morning when I made reservations and now, on the bus, is completely full. ALSA representative confirmed the strike for tomorrow & Friday.

 

[sarahchicago]

I get at least 10 emails from ALSA daily & did not get a notification about the strike. Thanks to Betterisgood aka Mary Ellen who texted me early this morning, we were able to take the bus today. Camino saver = Betterisgood.
The bus to Porto was nearly empty this morning when I made reservations and now, on the bus, is completely full. ALSA representative confirmed the strike for tomorrow & Friday.

The 11:30 departure from Santiago was full, too. Folks needing to travel should look at blabla car.com as well as trains (there were no seats on trains from Santiago to porto when I looked early today- could have changed ).

 

[El Cascayal]

Desconvocada 'in extremis' la huelga del transporte de pasajeros este jueves y viernes

Los conductores de autobuses han llegado a un acuerdo este miércoles para suspender los paros previstos mañana y el viernes - Mantienen la huelga indefinida a partir del 8 de mayo

www.laopinioncoruna.es

 

[sarahchicago]

Desconvocada 'in extremis' la huelga del transporte de pasajeros este jueves y viernes

Los conductores de autobuses han llegado a un acuerdo este miércoles para suspender los paros previstos mañana y el viernes - Mantienen la huelga indefinida a partir del 8 de mayo

www.laopinioncoruna.es

Good to know. It would be helpful to summarize for non-Spanish readers, if you could, though.

 

[DreamWeaver]

Good to know. It would be helpful to summarize for non-Spanish readers, if you could, though.

Google translated:
Called off 'in extremis' the passenger transport strike this Thursday and Friday
The bus drivers have reached an agreement this Wednesday to suspend the planned strikes tomorrow and Friday - They maintain the indefinite strike from May 8

 

[DreamWeaver]

Yes. Transportation strike for 2 days.

Hi everyone,
Please be aware there's a bus strike planned in Galicia for this Thursday and Friday, April 27 and 28.

https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notic...-28-abril-galicia/00031681557511136513405.htm (Can use Google Translate to translate the article into English)

I've heard from a pilgrim who went to the Santiago bus station that Alsa would not sell her a ticket for Santiago - Muxia for those days, and I believe other companies are following suit for towns within Galicia.

I'm not sure what the strike means for inter-Spain or inter-Europe travel by bus (or if it's contained only to travel within Galicia), but if you were hoping to get a bus this Friday and Saturday, especially in between cities in Galicia, you may want to look into other options for traveling.

At this time I don't *think* this strike comprises taxis at all. But taxis will be busy trying to bring people to and fro.

If anyone hears more thorough information please feel free to drop it in this thread.

Buen Camino!

EDIT: I've added in some clarifying details above.

The strike has been called off.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1651273980429451264

 

[BRSmith13]

Hi everyone,
Please be aware there's a bus strike planned in Galicia for this Thursday and Friday, April 27 and 28.

https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notic...-28-abril-galicia/00031681557511136513405.htm (Can use Google Translate to translate the article into English)

I've heard from a pilgrim who went to the Santiago bus station that Alsa would not sell her a ticket for Santiago - Muxia for those days, and I believe other companies are following suit for towns within Galicia.

I'm not sure what the strike means for inter-Spain or inter-Europe travel by bus (or if it's contained only to travel within Galicia), but if you were hoping to get a bus this Friday and Saturday, especially in between cities in Galicia, you may want to look into other options for traveling.

At this time I don't *think* this strike comprises taxis at all. But taxis will be busy trying to bring people to and fro.

If anyone hears more thorough information please feel free to drop it in this thread.

Buen Camino!

EDIT: I've added in some clarifying details above.

Do you mean March or April?

 

[Bradypus]

Do you mean March or April?

Do you know that you are replying to a post from last year? For a proposed strike which was eventually called off.