Chicago to Roncesvalles

[zakosdad]

What would be the best way to get from Chicago, IL to start in Roncesvalles?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Iberia operates from Chicago to Madrid to Pamplona, with a return from Santiago if you wish. Then bus and/or taxi to Roncesvalles.

For $1186:

Flight details
JOURNEY1 - Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Chicago › Madrid

Departure
16:40 / Chicago , O'Hare International , Terminal 3
Arrival
7:40 Day 11 / Madrid , Barajas , Terminal 4S

Madrid › Pamplona

Departure
12:20 / Madrid , Barajas , Terminal 4
Arrival
13:15 / Pamplona

Duration
13h: 35m

JOURNEY2 - Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Santiago de Compostela › Madrid

Departure
9:35 / Santiago de Compostela
Arrival
10:45 / Madrid , Barajas , Terminal 4

Madrid › Chicago

Departure
11:55 / Madrid , Barajas , Terminal 4S
Arrival
14:15 / Chicago , O'Hare International , Terminal 5

Duration
11h: 40m

 

[tyrrek]

Hi! Paris is also a popular option if you get a good deal. See what fares you can find.

After leaving Chicago you'll enjoy the skyscrapers and fast city living of Roncesvalles. You'll feel completely at home. :lol: Only joking! Have a great time.

Buen Camino!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, zakosdad,

I'm in the process of buying tickets that will go through Chicago, but I'm limited to American since that's the only line that flies down to CU. For me, with a Chamaign - Valencia and Santiago-Champaign trip (I think they call this an open jaw ticket, meaning different arrival and departure tickets) and I was surprised to find the ticket pricing at around $1100. I usually take a train from Santiago to Madrid, spend a night in Madrid and then fly home the next day, but decided to check out this option and found it to wind up being actually cheaper (but of course now I don't get the day in Madrid to visit old camino friends).

The other thing you should check is some of the European airlines. I remember another Chicagoan last year who posted about cheap Chicago-Madrid flights on airlines that most of us who are based in the US wouldn't ordinarily think to check out. But I can't remember which airlines it was, so I'd check around on a European fare website, like rumbo.es and see what you can find.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[jpflavin1]

Zakosdad:

First, there is no easy way to get to Roncesvalles.

That said, you can fly from Chicago to any Major European city and get there. If you have someone or some place you want to visit (in Europe) before or after your hike, that could be a contributing factor.

Fly Chicago to Dublin fly to Biarritz train to SJPdP Taxi to Roncesvalles.
Fly Chicago to London, Train from London to Paris, train from Paris (requires riding Paris metra between stations) to Bayonne, train to SJPdP, Taxi to Roncesvalles.
Fly Chicago to Paris, train to Bayonne, train to SJPdP, taxi to Roncesvalles
Fly Chicago to Barcelona, train or bus from Barcelona to Pamplona, taxi to Roncesvalles.
Fly Chicago to Madrid, train or bus to Pamplona, taxi to Roncesvalles.

Leaving Santiago

The easiest way is to train or fly to Madrid then fly Madrid to Chicago.
The same could be done from Santiago to Barcelona.

Lots of options depending on what you want to do.

Easiest in and out would be Madrid or Barcelona, In my opinion.

Feel free to PM me if I can be of assistance.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[zakosdad]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. My wife and I are trying to put all this together - right now we are looking at possibly walking during September 2013. We have other trips & commitments to work around. This will be our first Camino. Right now we are trying to figure all this out. We normally do a lot of walking on our trips but never to this extent. Calculating a reasonable time line - besides doing some training - is my biggest issue. We will be celebrating our 67th & 68th birthdays then and as older kids we don't want to plan this wrong.

 

[nreyn12]

First, there is no easy way to get to Roncesvalles.

Actually, getting to Roncesvalles has become quite easy, if you go through Pamplona. There is a daily bus at 1800 hours (6:00 pm) for just 6 euros. You arrive into Roncesvalles before 1930 / 7:30 pm. In high season, there is a second bus earlier in the day. You can get to Pamplona easily from Madrid or Barcelona, by bus and probably by train, too. Buses leave the Madrid airport from Terminal 4, and the journey takes about five hours.

I just did this in October, and it was a breeze. Pamplona is also quick and easy to get to from Bilbao, if that's an easier airport to get to.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There is a daily bus at 1800 hours (6:00 pm) for just 6 euros.

There is no Sunday bus by the Ativar bus lines off-season, and no ALSA buses at all.

 

[jpflavin1]

Let me bring clarity to my use of easy (relative term).

Easy to me is a non stop flight from Chicago to Roncesvalles.

Chicago to Madrid is 8 hours if non stop. Madrid to Pamplona by train 3 1/2 hours, bus maybe slightly longer. Bus from Pamplona to Roncesvalles 1 hour (approx.) This would equate to a 13-14 hour trip if everything connected. Everything will not connect perfectly and you are more than likely looking at a long day with some down time between connections. Chicago to Barcelona would be very similar.

Homeward bound much easier. Santiago to Madrid or Barcelona by plane, train or bus and fly back to Chicago from there.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[zakosdad]

Thanks again everyone - trying to do all my homework - we are looking at maybe mid-August to September 2013. We have to fit in between trips to Poland May/June and Italy in November. We need to get ourselves up to speed as far as walking so we can do in 4 or 5 weeks.

 

[nreyn12]

Thanks for the clarification, Falcon. My use of 'daily' was not quite accurate. And I think official holidays are the same as Sundays: no service.

Joe, 'easy' IS a relative term. The bus service to Roncesvalles didn't exist when I first walked the Camino, so to me it seems like a breeze to get there now from Pamplona. But it's still a multi-step process, same as getting to Saint Jean Pied de Port.

But then who ever said 'pilgrimage' was easy?

 

[JosephMacula]

I started from Roncesvalles this past March. I flew into Madrid, then took the train to Pamplona, and from Pamplona took a taxi to Roncesvalles. The taxi was about 60 euros, but there just isn't a bus from Pamplona to Roncesvalles (you'll know why when you get there!)

When I was trying to figure out the best way to start my camino, this appeared to me to be the best option. Getting to Saint Jean Pied a Port looked pretty complicated. Doing it my way means you do need to take several forms of transportation, but it is all very easy.

Also, the monastery in Roncesvalles is very, very cool. Regardless of whether or not you start there, you should give it a short visit

Buen Camino!

 

[tyrrek]

I started from Roncesvalles this past March.

Welcome to the forum, Mountain Boy! (Joe and I walked together).

Buen Camino!

 

[Susan hopes]

This is great information. It's also nice to know other Chicagoians on this forum. I was thinking to fly into London (visit with a couple friends), take a train to Paris, then to SJPP to start my Camino. Has anyone ever traveled like this, and how did it work?

 

[tyrrek]

This is great information. It's also nice to know other Chicagoians on this forum. I was thinking to fly into London (visit with a couple friends), take a train to Paris, then to SJPP to start my Camino. Has anyone ever traveled like this, and how did it work?

Hi Susan!

If you go through london it may be better (and cheaper!) to get the Ryanair flight from Stansted to Biarritz. You'll be in SJPP in no time!...well it will take all day, but at least you won't have to break your journey.

However, Stansted is a significant distance north of London, so check timetables etc carefully, as London is London so trains break down and things don't always go to plan. You'll probably have to get the Tube to either Liverpool Street or Tottenham Hale then a train that goes right into the airport (the Stansted Express). They run regularly. Ask your friends for advice about travelling from wherever in London they live.

Buen Camino!

 

[jpflavin1]

Susan:

I have twice flown from Chicago to London and then traveled on to SJPdP. I did so to visit a friend.

There are a couple of options.

After your visit you can hire a car from London to Stansted and fly Ryanair to Biarritz. Then cab to Bayonne and take the train to SJPdP. This is probably the fastest way.

The other option is to take the train from London to Paris. Then take the Paris local train, like the Chicago ell, to the Montparnesse station, from there take the TGV train to Bayonne and then the local train to SJPdP. I went this way the first time because I wanted to go through the Chunnel (under the Channel). Trains are very nice and fast.

If I were you, I would start coordinating with friends in London. They can definitely help setting up the travel as schedule needs to be worked so least amount of down time.

Hope this helps and if I can be of any further assistance, feel free to PM me.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Wayne's World]

Now that you're home, we wonder what were your eventual logistics to and from the Camino? What worked and what didn't?

My wife and I are planning a Spring 2015 Camino, and are very early in the planning/preparation period. We've been very smitten by your great blog, probably because you've addressed many of our real-world questions and concerns, and because you and Arlene seem to be somewhat like Bonnie and me.