Getting from Santander to Pamplona

[Bridget and Peter]

Help please. I have decided to cycle the Frances from Pamplona this March. (My husband and I have previously cycled and walked in stages from England via the CdeNorte so a) Santander and Bilbao are familiar territory and b) I want to experience the Frances route).
I have booked the ferry from Portsmouth to Santander, arriving midday on a Saturday. The plan is to travel on by train(s). I am confident about traveling to Bilbao using the Feve and being OK with the bike not packed in a bag.
I would then spend the night in Bilbao and travel further on Sunday. Looking online it seems that from Bilbao I take a train to Miranda de Ebro or Tudela de Navarra, then change for Pamplona. My difficulty is that I know I cannot take my bike on the fast trains, the TVE, Alvia, Altaria, or at least not unless I remove the pedals, turn the handlebar, unload the panniers and put the bike in a bike bag. I am in my sixties and although I could probably manage the stuff with a spanner, I can't see me hoisting my fairly heavy touring bike and my panniers from one train to another. So I was hoping to find the slower more local trains which I think I would be allowed to push the bike on to. But this is not being very easy to find online.
I am considering cycling from Bilbao to Pamplona or somewhere else on the CF.
Does anyone have any knowledge about this whole 'bikes on Spanish trains issue? Or suggest somewhere I can telephone to get accurate information. My Spanish is not up to a conversation about this on the phone.
There will also be the return journey, but if the worst comes to the worst I think I could cycle to Ferrol and then travel back (slowly) via the Feve. Or possibly get a bike shop in SdeC to pack the bike up properly, taxi to SdeC airport and fly home to Stansted.

 

[Barbara]

there is an app for Android and iPhone which will show which trains will take bikes.
Just Google railplanner. Or go to the website for the man in seat 61. Very helpful site.

 

[Bridget and Peter]

Hello, Barbara. We met somewhere is southern France in 2009,I think. You and Daley were staying with a Dutch lady! I use Seat61 a lot. It is a brilliant site and tells me clearly which Spanish trains are not bike friendly. But it's hard to find out whether the trains I am being offered are the TVE type ones or the regional ones. I will investigate the app. When I google Rail planner tho it just takes me to the sites like Raileurope (which passes me on to SNCF). I am confused!

 

[whariwharangi]

Try Euskotren from Bilbao Abando (which is where the FEVE terminates) to San Sebastian. It involves transfers; the line is a series of train systems built over time.

The Renfe trains from San Sebastian to Pamplona are the slower types.

Here is Renfe bicycle page
http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/info/bicicletas.html

Euskotren
http://www.euskotren.eus/es

Otherwise option is ALSA bus from Bilbao Termibus to San Sebastian and San Sebastian to Pamplona.

 

[Bridget and Peter]

Thank you. Very helpful. I did wonder about the Euskotren but I wasn't sure whether it went further east than Gernika. We had no problem taking bikes from Gernika to Bilbao in the past. It's going to be an adventure just getting to Pamplona! I shall probably have to resort to the batty old English lady on a bike 'act' (what act?) to elicit help.

 

[Barbara]

Hello, yes we did indeed meet in 2009.
You need to go to the Google store
Search Rail planner
Two words
Install it
Them use it to get the information you need
You may need to split the journey using a rail map and search one stage at a time. The app will give you a good idea of the possible routes, then you may need to dig deeper. It won't ever show the Spanish narrow gauge railway.
For that search FEVE. It's now part of RENFE, and you will find it tucked away in their site. It goes all the way to Ferrol....In bits. Take three days from Hendaye....Nice trip if you like trains. I do.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Thank you. Very helpful. I did wonder about the Euskotren but I wasn't sure whether it went further east than Gernika. We had no problem taking bikes from Gernika to Bilbao in the past. It's going to be an adventure just getting to Pamplona! I shall probably have to resort to the batty old English lady on a bike 'act' (what act?) to elicit help.

Good to see you back on the forum. How are you doing these days?
Last time we were on the FEVE, in 2015, they had started to charge for bikes (since they became part of RENFE). Some confusion as not all places had imposed the charge but the ticket inspector was not happy with one cyclist. The new trains even had cycle straps
Buen Camino

 

[Barbara]

Hi, all well with me. My lovely Dalie died peacefully in her field in early 2015. She had retired from Camino three years before that. Since then I have been cycling, but at the moment I am walking on the Ingles.
Yes, they charge on the FEVE for bikes over a certain distance. I think 100km.
Should you need to travel through France, some TGV now take unfolded bikes. You need to book, and it costs 10 euros per bike. You need to look on the SNCF site to see which TGV. Have a great time on your bike adventure#

 

[Bridget and Peter]

You need to go to the Google store
Search Rail planner
Two words
Install it

I think my smart phone is not smart enough and my tablet too stuffed! I must upgrade my phone before departure.

However, I have now got as far as this - Feve from Santander to Bilbao. Euskotren from Bilbao to Donostia/San Sebastian. Renfe from San Sebastian to Pamplona. The last is a little uncertain because the trains which come up on the various train sites are mostly Alta or Intercities. But I suspect that there will also be the media distancia trains which allow naked bicycles. I may try ringing the tourist office in San Sebastian in the hope of getting someone who will find out for me.

I have also discovered 'El Plazaola', a green walking/cycling route which follows the route of the original railway from San Seb to Pamplona which is very tempting. If the worst comes to the worst I'll just have to cycle it!

at the moment I am walking on the Ingles.

How lovely. When we did in the first week of March there were jonquils!

 

[Bridget and Peter]

Good to see you back on the forum. How are you doing these days?

We are well, thank you. We are still in the midst of our Sloe Project, actually building an extension at long last. The grandchildren have both multiplied and grown larger. We have survived a 15 month interregnum and I am editing a regional newsletter for quilters, so occasional escapes seem very necessary, more for me than Peter.
How are yourselves?

The last time we were on the Feve (travelling Santander to Ribadesella) in 2014 the train was running late, the driver got off somewhere and after about an hour all us passengers, still waiting patiently for a new driver to turn up, were rounded up and loaded into taxis to complete our journeys! I still think it is the most beautiful railway line I know.

I have found a helpful site which explains the various 'bike on Spanish trains' rules quite clearly:
http://www.cyclefiesta.com/multimedia/articles/bikes-on-trains-spain.htm
(so does ManatSeat61 of course)

So, all in all, I feel as if I am getting nearer to having a reasonably secure plan.

 

[Tia Valeria]

We are well, thank you. We are still in the midst of our Sloe Project, actually building an extension at long last. The grandchildren have both multiplied and grown larger. We have survived a 15 month interregnum and I am editing a regional newsletter for quilters, so occasional escapes seem very necessary, more for me than Peter.
How are yourselves?

The last time we were on the Feve (travelling Santander to Ribadesella) in 2014 the train was running late, the driver got off somewhere and after about an hour all us passengers, still waiting patiently for a new driver to turn up, were rounded up and loaded into taxis to complete our journeys! I still think it is the most beautiful railway line I know.

I have found a helpful site which explains the various 'bike on Spanish trains' rules quite clearly:
http://www.cyclefiesta.com/multimedia/articles/bikes-on-trains-spain.htm
(so does ManatSeat61 of course)

So, all in all, I feel as if I am getting nearer to having a reasonably secure plan.

We are just back from visiting family (half term) and busy planning for a return to Spain to combine walking with sightseeing. keeping in touch with the Camino but not walking to Santiago.
Our last trip on the FEVE we had a similar experience between Ferrol and Pravia. The scheduled train was out of service so they used the tourist decorated 'promotion' set. It broke down and we finished the ride in a taxi for about 70kms to Pravia! One couple went by taxi to Oviedo and others to Gijon. Five taxis in all.
Have a great camino