Getting home from SDC to the UK after your Camino

[Derek Booth]

Greetings all,

I appreciate that many won't have a problem in returning to the UK following their walk but, as this section was empty I thought I'd give my experience.

I started in Pamplona in March 2019 after flying in from Bristol to Bilbao the previous day and catching a coach, (2hrs) to the starting point.

At the end of the Camino, I ensured that I didn't have too far to walk on the last day (23kms).
During the walk, I'd already ascertained that I was due to arrive in SdC on a Saturday and thought, (correctly as it turned out) that my choices would be restricted on a weekend. As a result, I squeezed three days walking into two, meaning I would arrive on Friday.

Come the day and after doing what was necessary to get my Compostela, I had lunch then walked to the Bus Station.
At 4.30pm (ish) every weekday, there is a bus from SdC to Porto. This trip takes 4hrs and travels via Vigo and Braga.

I spent 4 days in Porto 'walking down,' (walking every day but gradually reducing the distance) so that it didn't come as a shock to my aged bod after a month of constant walking.

On the fifth day I caught the Metro to the airport and flew back to Blighty. Porto is mainstream when it comes to destinations in the UK and I would imagine several airports in the UK would be serviced.

I hope the above is of use.

 

[MikeyC]

A previous Camino saw us fly SDC to Gatwick and a tiresome train journey to Bournemouth with various changes and delays due to strikes.
After our last Camino we found it quicker and cheaper to fly Ryanair SDC to Malaga, spend a couple of days there, and then a direct flight to Bournemouth.
Given the number of destinations available from Malaga it might be an option for many without a direct flight from SDC.

 

[Former member 62607]

Another alternative, fly return from bristol to bilbao (we had done the bit from sjpdp to burgos already though) . There is a good bus connection from bilbao to burgos.. Then on completion at santiago take the train to burgos, stay overnight, bus to bilbao and home.

 

[Orujo]

Another alternative, fly return from bristol to bilbao (we had done the bit from sjpdp to burgos already though) . There is a good bus connection from bilbao to burgos.. Then on completion at santiago take the train to burgos, stay overnight, bus to bilbao and home.

Do you know if there are regular buses to Bilbao from Santiago?

 

[Former member 62607]

I dont know, there may be but we broke the journey in Burgos as a bus couldnt get us all the way from santiago to bilbao in time for the flight and we preferred to stay o/night in burgos and knew the bus from there to bilbao was good as we had done it before. Also we stayed n burgos after arrivng in to bilbao on the first night and the hotel held rucksack travel bags for us knowing we were booked to stay there again on return, so worked well as we didnt want to carry them all the way to santiago.