Getting from A to B

Alberte said:

Hi everybody!
I love reading all of the forums and they have been such a great help for me through my preparations for my first camino EVER!

I am going to Spain this July to walk from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela.
I am arriving at SCQ and here is my question: How will I easiest (and cheapest) get to Ponferrada? Arriving at 12:40 at noon!

Thank you in advance!

/Alberte

Click to expand...

Here you go...Both bus and train are good options.

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Santiago-de-Compostela/Ponferrada-León-Spain

Ponferrada is a lovel place to start, do not miss the fortress! Buen Camino!

I find the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Encina much more interesting and convincing. The church itself can be dark and gloomy as so many in Spain often are but the image of the Vigin de la Encina in the retablo and the three Baroque images at the rear of the church are most impresive. Sadly, I find the so-called Templer fortress in Ponferrada to be more than slightly Disneyland. The fortress was built on the ruins of a Roman castro and while erected by the Templers , they were able to reside in the completed fortress for only 20 years before their order was proscribed. Today the whole is a bit gaudied up (the English have a better term but I shan't use it) it has been reconstructed throughout it's history and today it looks pleasing for the tourist, the view out over the mountains from the tower the most appealing feature in my eyes. Ponferrada is not a lovely town, the walk out tedious and that jaunt through the former police barracks puzzling.

Alberte said:

Hi everybody!
I love reading all of the forums and they have been such a great help for me through my preparations for my first camino EVER!

I am going to Spain this July to walk from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela.
I am arriving at SCQ and here is my question: How will I easiest (and cheapest) get to Ponferrada? Arriving at 12:40 at noon!

Thank you in advance!

/Alberte

Click to expand...

I would definitely take a train. From SdC to Ourense you'll be able to see some of the Camino Sanabres and from Ourense to Ponferrada it'll be along the Camino de Invierno.

There are 3 daily trains and you can catch the last one at 17:25 and arrive to Ponferrada at 22:19. A bit late but if you book a room in a pension/hostal you'd be OK. Price is 28€.

OTOH you can catch 14:00 bus and arrive to Ponferrada at 18:00 for approx.19€. You might still be too late for albergue though...

Buen Camino!