Can I make this connection? Seeking advice about Barcelona airport and train connections!

[BeTheChange]

Our Singapore Airlines flight arrives in Barcelona El Prat (T1) at 0655am 21 April 2023.

Do we have enough time to make a Renfe train leaving Barcelona Sants at 0930 for Pamplona? I dont want to be scrambling. We are two reasonably fit and savvy travellers. We will have checked luggage.

The next train leaves Barcelona Sants at 1500 which seems like a loooong time to wait for the train after a loooong flight from Australia.

We have booked accommodation in Pamplona for the night of 21 April. Plan to get a ride share taxi to SJPdP in the morning of 22 April and start walking - we have booked Orrison for 22 April.

Happy to receive alternative suggestions or thoughts!

 

[trecile]

Can you buy a flexible ticket for the morning train? Then if you miss it you can take the later train.
If you have to catch the later train you can walk around Barcelona a bit. There are probably lockers at the train station where you could leave your backpacks.

But my advice would be to not be in such a hurry to start your Camino. I would spend a couple of nights in Barcelona getting over jet lag and exploring the city.

 

[dick bird]

2hrs, 35 min to land (assuming the plane lands on time), get off the plane, collect your baggage, get through border formalities, cross town and get and onto the train (which incidentally will involve an airport style check-in) in a foreign country. To me, that is cutting it very fine. I would even suggest making your Orisson booking a day later so you have more wiggle room. Taxi to SJPdP and then start walking the day after you arrive? Rather you than me. You are going to be walking around 25 km a day so why the rush? Don't put yourselves under any more stress than you have to.

 

[dick bird]

Don't put yourselves under any more stress than you have to.

Particularly if, like me, you are gaga with jetlag on your arrival after 23 hours on a plane in a time zone 8 hr (10 after daylight saving) behind mine.

 

[Former member 102963]

Can you buy a flexible ticket for the morning train? Then if you miss it you can take the later train.
If you have to catch the later train you can walk around Barcelona a bit. There are probably lockers at the train station where you could leave your backpacks.

But my advice would be to not be in such a hurry to start your Camino. I would spend a couple of nights in Barcelona getting over jet lag and exploring the city.

Yes agreed. I would go for the extra nights, but if not the 1500 is ideal. Buffer for delays, big queues, etc. Making tight connections often comes down to luck irrespective of how savvy you are. There can be a 30 min lag from first bags to last bags and 0655 is peak time in Europe for Longhaul arrivals from far east and east coast USA which means resources such as parking stands can be tight. Again you might be at front of queue for immigration or behind a few hundred.

Nice lunch in the city or sounds a winner to me.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I think it unlikely that you would make the connection that you want. Normally I would suggest spending a day or two in Barcelona but since you have lodging reservations look into catching a flight to Pamplona instead. Expedia shows a number of them for your arrival date at about 100€ per seat.

 

[Mark Francis Auchincloss]

Yes it's possible. You need to get Metro to Sants (L9) which takes 45 minutes with one change (L3) at Zona Universidad. But I agree it's a shame not to spend some time exploring the majestic city of Barcelona !

 

[lt56ny]

I agree with @trecile. Why rush and stress after a brutally long flight. Also as you said you are experienced travelers. Everything would have to go almost perfectly to make that train even if your flight gets in ontime. Will the gate be free and the ramp be ready when the plane arrives? How long will it take to deboard the plane? It can be a very long walk from the gate to customs. How long will the line be and how quickly will it go to get through customs? How far is the walk from customs through the terminal and then buying a ticket for the Metro or taking the bus (I took the bus and it was great last October but. I arrived in early afternoon and the trip to Barcelona Sants was with little traffic) and then how long will the ride be? Barcelona Sants is a decent size station and there is always a chance you can get lost a little and do you need to buy your ticker? There are so many things that can go wrong. What can go right? Take your time and get a good couple of good nights sleep and enjoy Barcelona. Your camino will be taxing enough especially those first few days out of St. Jean.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

How far is the walk from customs through the terminal and then buying a ticket for the Metro or taking the bus

Oh, yes, the bus. The last time I was in Barcelona there were a lot of political protest rallys that tied up traffic badly.

 

[lt56ny]

Oh, yes, the bus. The last time I was in Barcelona there were a lot of political protest rallys that tied up traffic badly.

I actually thought about that and traffic before I got on the bus. There are lots of manifestations especially in Barcelona. But luckily it was so easy. When one bus is filled at the airport there is another right behind it. Luckily I got into the city without an issue at all.

 

[oursonpolaire]

I would not count on making the train-- it might be possible, but I do not know if I would enjoy the stress after a flight from Oz. While some are suggesting that you overnight in Barcelona, that is a city which requires more than a few hours and it will cost you. Rather than try to squeeze something in while still zonked from the flight, I would suggest that you take the earliest train to Lerida/Leida (2 hr) or even to Zaragoza/Saragossa (2h30) or by airport bus to Tarragona (1h15, also on the way to Pamplona. All three cities are interesting, provide you with an hour's diversion, and give you a chance to snooze/unwind/eat without the pressure, pickpocketing and price (!!!) of Barcelona.

 

[pepi]

Our Singapore Airlines flight arrives in Barcelona El Prat (T1) at 0655am 21 April 2023.

Do we have enough time to make a Renfe train leaving Barcelona Sants at 0930 for Pamplona? I dont want to be scrambling. We are two reasonably fit and savvy travellers. We will have checked luggage.

The next train leaves Barcelona Sants at 1500 which seems like a loooong time to wait for the train after a loooong flight from Australia.

We have booked accommodation in Pamplona for the night of 21 April. Plan to get a ride share taxi to SJPdP in the morning of 22 April and start walking - we have booked Orrison for 22 April.

Happy to receive alternative suggestions or thoughts!

Short: Yes, it's possible, I've done it in much less time (w/o jetlag and being very familiar with the perimeter, metro, Sants station) Your plan is the worst possible way to start a pilgrimage.

Long: (and especially if I came from overseas as a first-time visitor) Why would you want to do this?
Frankly, I would spend the night in exciting Barcelona with good food and wine. A leisurely train ride in first class, an evening and night in fabulous Pamplona...and then: Start walking the Camino toward SdC from right there. (Forget SJPdP and all the unnecessary hassle of yo-yoing to get there) The Camino is not a rally.
Buen Camino

 

[Molly Cassidy]

Can you buy a flexible ticket for the morning train? Then if you miss it you can take the later train.
If you have to catch the later train you can walk around Barcelona a bit. There are probably lockers at the train station where you could leave your backpacks.

But my advice would be to not be in such a hurry to start your Camino. I would spend a couple of nights in Barcelona getting over jet lag and exploring the city.

There are definitely lockers at the bus station. I spent about 15 hours there in January before taking the overnight bus to Oviedo.

I had an intra-Shengen flight and honestly can't remember how long it took me to get into town. I wasn't in any rush.

 

[pepi]

"There are probably lockers at the train station where you could leave your backpacks."
There is a left-lugagge in Sants station, in the basement next to the parking

 

[henrythedog]

Our Singapore Airlines flight arrives in Barcelona El Prat (T1) at 0655am 21 April 2023.

Do we have enough time to make a Renfe train leaving Barcelona Sants at 0930 for Pamplona? I dont want to be scrambling. We are two reasonably fit and savvy travellers. We will have checked luggage.

The next train leaves Barcelona Sants at 1500 which seems like a loooong time to wait for the train after a loooong flight from Australia.

We have booked accommodation in Pamplona for the night of 21 April. Plan to get a ride share taxi to SJPdP in the morning of 22 April and start walking - we have booked Orrison for 22 April.

Happy to receive alternative suggestions or thoughts!

It’s possible but not probable.

Start in Pamplona.

 

[BeTheChange]

Thank you so much everyone for your advice! I am very appreciative xo

 

[Steven Dwyer]

It might be possible.

International flights arrive at Terminal 1 which is not very big as you can see if you look on Google Maps.

I looked at the morning arrivals at El Prat and there were only three international arrivals (Doha 6:45, Miami 7:10 and AbuDhabi 7:35) ahead of Singapore Airlines SQ1192 from Bogata at 7:55. On April 22 Doha 7:25, Miami 7:25 Abu Dhabi 8:15.

Barcelona Airport - Terminal 1 - T1 Arrivals - Today (06:00h to 11:59h)

Flight arrivals at Terminal 1 - T1 Barcelona Airport (BCN) - Today (06:00h to 11:59h)

www.barcelona-airport.com

The strange thing is that I can’t find a Singapore flight arriving at 6:55.

 

[Josep Montserrat]

Our Singapore Airlines flight arrives in Barcelona El Prat (T1) at 0655am 21 April 2023.

Do we have enough time to make a Renfe train leaving Barcelona Sants at 0930 for Pamplona? I dont want to be scrambling. We are two reasonably fit and savvy travellers. We will have checked luggage.

The next train leaves Barcelona Sants at 1500 which seems like a loooong time to wait for the train after a loooong flight from Australia.

We have booked accommodation in Pamplona for the night of 21 April. Plan to get a ride share taxi to SJPdP in the morning of 22 April and start walking - we have booked Orrison for 22 April.

Happy to receive alternative suggestions or thoughts!

Hi BeTheChange,

AENA is the official manager of the Barcelona airport. On their website there is only one daily Singapore Airlines SIA378 flight that arrives at 08.55 local time.
This is valid until 13-03-2023, plus AENA does not give information.
Make sure your flight schedules are scheduled at local time.

https://www.aena.es/en/flight-info.html

If you want more information about the link T1 - Barcelona Sants ask me.

Buen Camino¡

 

[BeTheChange]

Hi BeTheChange,

AENA is the official manager of the Barcelona airport. On their website there is only one daily Singapore Airlines SIA378 flight that arrives at 08.55 local time.
This is valid until 13-03-2023, plus AENA does not give information.
Make sure your flight schedules are scheduled at local time.

https://www.aena.es/en/flight-info.html

If you want more information about the link T1 - Barcelona Sants ask me.

Buen Camino¡

View attachment 142419View attachment 142420

Thanks! We checked our flights and they have changed - now SQ378 arriving 0915. We must have missed a notification email (yikes).

So I will keep an eye out for any more flight changes and I think I will book the afternoon train with a flexible ticket. Thanks to all for your advice, thoughts and your diligence Love this forum xoxo

 

[Sirage]

This question is one of many similar questions about making (tight) transport connections. I find the answer (many above) to these questions nearly self-evident, and self-evident to the person asking (?) .

Starting a Camino is best done in a relaxed state-of-mind. These questions are about a few hours in a journey lasting many weeks - usually.

Usually the question is best considered before the airline ticket is purchased.