Facilities on Spanish buses...

[Caminomary525]

It must be all the threads on relieving oneself on the Camino. I find myself worrying about the five or six hours on an ALSA bus from Madrid to Pamplona. So, do ALSA buses have a bathroom or do they make stops long enough for the gringa abuela to find el banos?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

ALSA buses have toilets in the rear stairwell. They are not large!

 

[whariwharangi]

One reason why I prefer the train ...

 

[nreyn12]

There will be at least one 15-minute stop at a bar/truck stop kind of place. The driver will need a break and a cafe con leche, too!

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I travelled on an all-night ALSA bus from Santiago to Irun. We had a couple of comfort stops along the way. I didn't manage to sleep until about 4am- while Spaniards snored happily all around me- but I was very impressed with the comfort of the bus. It climbed up some of the more mountainous sections of the route with ease.
Margaret

 

[Deleted member 3000]

We had a couple of comfort stops along the way.

Ditto Santiago to Madrid T-4. It was still the most miserable travel experience of my life!!!

 

[Susannafromsweden]

We had a couple of comfort stops along the way.

Ditto Santiago to Madrid T-4. It was still the most miserable travel experience of my life!!!

:lol:
Spanish buses are great. Comfortable and they drive carefully.
You should go to Nepal and try their buses. That's a miserable travel experience.
Just an example of how it looks like:
http://www.ottsworld.com/blogs/danger-curves-ahead/

 

[rickster]

Also many have wifi

 

[jpflavin1]

Caminomary:

I prefer the train to the bus. It is more comfortable. You can walk around and the facilities are more spacious and private.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[LTfit]

Took the all-night bus last week from Santiago to Barajas (leaving at 21.30) and they made stops every two hours. I took the bus instead of the train as ALSA offered me a special price of 35 euros versus the 50-60 euros for the train. I was lucky enough to have 2 chairs to myself but still slept awful. I will probably try the train (or plane depending on the price) next time.

 

[JALAN JAUH]

I will probably try the train (or plane depending on the price)

You pay for what you get.

We took an ALSA night bus to Lisbon on our pilgrimage to Fatima, the driver woke me up at dawn to see the beautiful bridge going into Lisbon which was designed by the same designer as the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco. The lighted bridge at dawn was one of the more memorable sight which you will not get by plane or train.

 

[Olivares]

I take bus travel in Spain any day! the last bus I took was Burgos to Madrid; clean bathroom, movie playing (earplugs in every seat!), wi-fi, very comfortable seats, excellent drivers. The added convenience that most bus stations are very close to city center, so convenience over the train station. For less price the time is also a convenience, other than the AVE option, the bus option on a route is often the cheapest and fastest. A comfort stop is typical every 2-2.5 hours.

 

[peregrina2000]

I've taken a lot of buses and a lot of trains, and also prefer trains hands down for mobility and comfort. But the talk of the bus "rest stops" reminds me of the time in 1972 when I took the bus from Madrid to Segovia. This is a whopping 95 kms, mind you, though the roads through the mountains in those days were not great. We had a half hour rest stop and the bus driver had a coffee and cognac!

For those who are over 60, the trains become very cheap with a Tarjeta Dorada. Tickets are 25% off M-F, 40% off Sat and Sun. Cercanias trains are 40% off all the time. The card costs 5 euros and is good for a year. I can't remember the exact price, but my train from Santiago to Madrid with a sleeping berth was under 30 euros a couple of years ago.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[LTfit]

Something for me to look forward to Laurie :wink: !

It was definately not my intention to bash the bus system as public transportation in Spain is wonderful and definately cheap compared to that in The Netherlands! I have taken many shorter, day bus trips with ALSA and other local bus companies and would do it again for sure.

The overnight train ride from Santiago to Madrid would have been 60 euros so I indeed exhanged 'cheap' for comfort.

 

[oursonpolaire]

Alsa offers first-class buses on the Santiago-Madrid route, with a 1 and 2 seat per row configuration, a packed lunch, an attendant bringing one coffee, juice, beer or wine, and screens showing Spanish films and television programmes. I still prefer the train for scenery, but the first-class buses are comfortable.