astronaut_dormann
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- June 2018
For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
Hi all!
I'm going to be walking my first Camino this June!
However, there's a massive train strike going on in France. It's a rolling strike, which means they're only striking two days a week. Ofcourse they are striking on literally my two planned travel days! Anyway, I could pay an Uber $100 dollars to take me between Bayonne and St Jean OR I could take 7hrs of bus trips between the two towns. I'll probably end up Ubering but wanted to check with you fine people first. Thoughts and thanks!
I took a bus from Bayonne to St Jean it was a short trip.Hi all!
I'm going to be walking my first Camino this June!
However, there's a massive train strike going on in France. It's a rolling strike, which means they're only striking two days a week. Ofcourse they are striking on literally my two planned travel days! Anyway, I could pay an Uber $100 dollars to take me between Bayonne and St Jean OR I could take 7hrs of bus trips between the two towns. I'll probably end up Ubering but wanted to check with you fine people first. Thoughts and thanks!
Do you remember which bus you took?I took a bus from Bayonne to St Jean it was a short trip.
The charge on my bank says TRAINLINE PARIS and it was 12.45No I don't, but I did get the bus at the trainstation. The train is running a few days a week. https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/disruption/service-information
The bus from Bayonne Gare to SJPdP is operated by SNCF because the track have been washed out during flooding this spring. Apparently the bus drivers are not participating in the strike action, yet. They operate on the same schedule as the trains.Do you remember which bus you took?
Agree totally! France is a lovely country with lovely people but "strikes happen" and after the 8 years that I have lived here we just get used to labor actions as a part of our lives. That being said, as you stated, Spain is not immune to strikes and with the simmering independence movements in Pays Basque, Catalonia and Galicia, the fragmentation between public transport service could begin to feel the effects. I don't mean this to be a political statement, just a statement of facts.I hesitate to post this because it will sound like I'm reprimanding the OP (which I'm not) -- I'm posting for the benefit of future pilgrims. Over the six years that I've been a member of this forum, I can't count the number of posts I've seen regarding travel plans disrupted by railroad strikes in France. I can appreciate why Paris is such a common touch-down point for pilgrims traveling to the Camino -- Paris is a lovely city if you're a tourist, so perhaps many see it as maybe their only chance to visit this world-premier city. If you're dealing with a travel agent, they may see your ultimate destination is in France so they automatically look at initial flight legs into Paris. There's also comparative airfares to consider. However, I humbly suggest to future pilgrims that they consider flying into Madrid rather than Paris if they're starting the Camino Francés, even if it may cost a few dollars/euros more. It's a piece of cake to get a train or bus from the Madrid airport to Pamplona, and from there a short bus ride or taxi share to SJPDP. Railroad strikes are not unheard of in Spain, but they don't seem to be a regular occurrence like in France -- and if you happen to land in Madrid when a strike is happening, just take the bus right from the airport. Peace of mind matters.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?