Getting from Paris to Pamplona

[Chris.2013]

Hello,

I am looking for some help on getting to Pamplona from the Paris airport. Am arriving on Monday, 9/16 at CDG from the US and would like to start my camino in Pamplona. There's lots of info on getting from Paris to St Jean, however it is not an option for me at this time to start in St Jean. Also, flying into Madrid or Barcelona are not options for me at this time unfortunately.

If I take the "regular" route from Paris to Bayonne is there a bus/train I can take to Pamplona? Is there a better place for me to use as a destination from Paris that would get me in a better position to bus/train to Pamplona? Is there a web site on cheap flights to Spain that might help?

Any help would be appreciated, I have looked through the threads for many months reading all the info - not knowing that Paris and Pamplona would end up being the starting points for this trip, so now I am confused. I am in no hurry as far as having to get from Paris to Pamplona in one day and figure I will need to stay overnight somewhere on the trek to the start. My flight gets into Paris at 8am so I have time.

In appreciation,
Chris

 

[KinkyOne]

Hi, Chris,

One of the easiest options that come to my mind is to take any (possibly TGV = high speed) train from Paris to Hendaye. There are several each day from Gare Montparnasse. Ride with TGV takes less than 6hrs:
http://www.sncf.com/en/itineraire/resultats

From Hendaye take a local bus to Irun, which is already in Spain. Or simply walk the distance which is about 3km. And from there you can take the train or bus to Pamplona. There are 2 daily trains on 16th Sept., one in the morning 07:10 and one in the afternoon 15:55. It takes 2hrs.
More here: http://www.renfe.com/

For info on buses I can not help you at the moment. Both bus web sites don't let me connect... But the links are:
http://www.alsa.es
http://www.movelia.es

Hope that helps a bit!

Ultreia!

 

[KinkyOne]

Oh, I forgot the planes

Vueling has 4 flights from Paris Orly to Pamplona the day of your arrival. I don't know which Paris airport is your arrival airport but if it is Orly I think you can catch eiter 09:20 or 10:50 flight. Stop over is in Barcelona and you can be in Pamplona early afternoon at 14:45. Current price is 113€ (most taxes and fees incl.).
http://www.vueling.com/en

With EasyJet you have another option. There are 2 flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle to Biarritz that would be convenient for you. First one 13:55 - 15:20 (83€) and later one 18:25 - 19:55 (55€). The prices are without taxes and fees!!! Hendaye is a little more than 30kms from Biarritz and from there on you can use info from my first post.

Ultreia!

 

[DebR]

I did this in April: flew into Paris CDG, spent a day or so there and then caught the night train from Paris (Gare d'Austerlitz) to Madrid. Got off this train at Vitoria Gasteiz- at around 4:30 am - but as a solo female traveller, I felt safe and the cafe opened for breakfast just after 6am - and then caught the local train from there to Pamplona for about four or five Euro. The local train left around 8 am and took under an hour; I think there might also be buses that are earlier but you need to find your way to the bus station. Point was, I was in Pamplona by 9 and at my hotel (Eslava) by 10 am, having been wished 'Buen Camino' when I passed my first pilgrims. Easy.

 

[Chris.2013]

KinkOne and DebR : Thank you for your help. I will look into both options.

Do you know of a website posted on one of the threads which had the different airlines and showed their cheap prices listed by the day you were choosing to fly? I know previously, I was able to get airfares listing for EasyJet and Vueling and other airlines from Paris and Madrid?

Today has been a day of figuring out my computer's hiccups with the new forum software; have been unable to reply to any postings using my Mac Safari (with all my bookmarks!). It will all work out - all is good.

In appreciation,
Chris

 

[Chris.2013]

I found the website I was looking for: www.skyscanner.com.

 

[Kiwi-family]

We took a Eurolines bus from Paris to Leon and then a local bus to Astorga (because that's where we were headed). There was an option to go to Pamplona. However, it was an 18 hour journey through the night so the above options sound much more reasonable! On the other hand, waking up to sunrise over the meseta was quite something.