MichelleWT
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- CF (July/August 2019)
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Train fares can be cheaper if purchased in advance. Bus prices usually stay the same.Would you get a cheaper fair if reserve the bus/train ticket a few days earlier?
Hello!
Re: London to Spain.
Bus - you could but very few people do for a reason - it's a 24+ bus trip and you'll mostly see motorway but it is usually the cheapest way to go (although not by very much).
Train - if you're travelling in 3/4 weeks you will have missed the cheap tickets. You'll need to change from the Eurostar in Paris (it's not hard but would be more relaxing if you were spending a day/night in Paris) and then change again to get to Spain. There are sleeper trains from Paris which are an adventure (in a nice way) but it's an awful lot of travelling and you tend to end up needing to change in somewhere like Toulouse station very early in the morning.
Plane - definitely the easiest. I've done an early evening flight from London to Madrid, stayed overnight near station, high speed train to Leon in the morning. That's pretty easy/relaxing and the overnight stop means no stress about missing a train if things get delayed. Flying Stansted to Biarritz is also dead easy/cheap but then it will be a trek to Leon. If art is important then Southend to Bilao and then the train might work well. I've never flown to A Coruna simply because the flights tend to be a bit more expensive. Not sure if you are stopping in London but the cheap flights to Spain go out of regional airports and it can take a very long time to get to them from Heathrow/Gatwick - not such an issue if you are going to Madrid.
If I was doing a food/cultural/travel camino. I might do something like London to Biarritz (maybe working in a stop at the famous cake/tea shop), stay in Bayonne (try the famous hot chocolate, try the ham, visit the cathedral, etc) get train to SJDP (do the pilgrim thing at the pilgrim centre, it's special and exciting, have French food and the Irouleguy wine). Then walk over the mountain spending the extra night at Orison/then onto Roncesvalles (again I think there's something special about the modern ritual of this). Then I think you can get a bus to Pamplona and a flying visit, train to Burgos (it's the Cathedral that's the main draw), I love Leon because there is so much history to see and some lovely places to eat. Then maybe get the bus out of Leon and start at Astorga?
I ended my second Camino in August 2017, and all the trains and many buses to Madrid were completely full. I ended up taking the bus from A Coruña to Madrid - it was a long, but not uncomfortable trip. However, the train is definitely more comfortable than the bus.And while I don't like booking ahead on trains, I have noticed that trains out of Santigao can be heavily booked and you can't rely in just getting a seat when you want, so best to allow for a few extra days in the city, or book ahead.
Hello friends,
This would be my first time on Camino. My 15 year old daughter and I fly to London from NYC the third week of July and end in Paris last week of August. We have about 23 days on the Camino. We are interested in making friends, visiting museums and churches, and we are also foodies(she is vegan). I enjoy slow travel and also had issues with my lower back recently. There are several questions for now I'd appreciate your feedback:
1. I am planning to start in Leon -- Santiago -- Finisterre, is
SHello friends,
This would be my first time on Camino. My 15 year old daughter and I fly to London from NYC the third week of July and end in Paris last week of August. We have about 23 days on the Camino. We are interested in making friends, visiting museums and churches, and we are also foodies(she is vegan). I enjoy slow travel and also had issues with my lower back recently. There are several questions for now I'd appreciate your feedback:
1. I am planning to start in Leon -- Santiago -- Finisterre, is 21 days enough for a slower walking pace?
2. Before we start walking, I am thinking visiting a few big cities before Leon. Other than Burgos, do we have time for another city, maybe Pamplona?
3. I plan to take no more than one day of traveling from London to Spain. If we take the train, would we be able to enjoy some scenary along the way? Or we should take the bus? Which website do you recommend to book the transportation? How early do we need to book for a lower fair?
4. We plan to spend 2 or 3 days in Barcelona before heading back to Paris and my daughter will spend her 16th birthday in one of the art museum in Paris. What would you suggest in terms of transportation from Santiago to Barcelona then to Paris?
I just typed a lot of questions. Any input would be appreciated.
Michelle
21 days enough for a slower walking pace?
2. Before we start walking, I am thinking visiting a few big cities before Leon. Other than Burgos, do we have time for another city, maybe Pamplona?
3. I plan to take no more than one day of traveling from London to Spain. If we take the train, would we be able to enjoy some scenary along the way? Or we should take the bus? Which website do you recommend to book the transportation? How early do we need to book for a lower fair?
4. We plan to spend 2 or 3 days in Barcelona before heading back to Paris and my daughter will spend her 16th birthday in one of the art museum in Paris. What would you suggest in terms of transportation from Santiago to Barcelona then to Paris?
I just typed a lot of questions. Any input would be appreciated.
Michelle
Since you have time, download paper copies of maps of subways and rail lines. Kept them handy when you arrive. Makes getting around and planning so much easier.Hello friends,
This would be my first time on Camino. My 15 year old daughter and I fly to London from NYC the third week of July and end in Paris last week of August. We have about 23 days on the Camino. We are interested in making friends, visiting museums and churches, and we are also foodies(she is vegan). I enjoy slow travel and also had issues with my lower back recently. There are several questions for now I'd appreciate your feedback:
1. I am planning to start in Leon -- Santiago -- Finisterre, is 21 days enough for a slower walking pace?
2. Before we start walking, I am thinking visiting a few big cities before Leon. Other than Burgos, do we have time for another city, maybe Pamplona?
3. I plan to take no more than one day of traveling from London to Spain. If we take the train, would we be able to enjoy some scenary along the way? Or we should take the bus? Which website do you recommend to book the transportation? How early do we need to book for a lower fair?
4. We plan to spend 2 or 3 days in Barcelona before heading back to Paris and my daughter will spend her 16th birthday in one of the art museum in Paris. What would you suggest in terms of transportation from Santiago to Barcelona then to Paris?
I just typed a lot of questions. Any input would be appreciated.
Michelle
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