Getting to SJPDP from Marseille

[johnpcauchi]

Hi all,

I'd like to do the camino starting from next week Wednesday 24th October but as I'm on a tight budget I am looking at flights to Marseille or Barcelona as they are the cheapest I've found.

How would you recommend getting to SJPDP from Marseille? Which trains are the ones people recommend to get there? Has anybody started off from there? The other option, of course, is Barcelona, but the flights there cost more at this point... not sure if the Marseille+train would cost more than Barcelona + train (to Pamplona)+ bus.

Can't wait to start. Doing this experience while waiting for replies on jobs I guess is a good way of using this time.

John

 

[Sagalouts]

I believe you need to catch the high speed train to Paris-getting off at the nearest stop to Biarritz or Bayonne itself and from there small train to SJPP-it won't be that cheap but I love these trains that reach speeds of 180+km per hour.
Ian

 

[JoeChan23]

I believe you need to catch the high speed train to Paris-getting off at the nearest stop to Biarritz or Bayonne itself and from there small train to SJPP-it won't be that cheap but I love these trains that reach speeds of 180+km per hour.
Ian

I want to go from Marseille to SJPDP in early October 2015 and this website actually gave me a timetable: Marseille TGI5200 lv 0833 ar Bordeaux 12:43 then lv Bordeaux TGQ8521 lv1352 ar SJPDP 1857. This is great !
http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/trai..._Jean_Pied_de_Port_Train_Station_114_604.aspx

However I could not book from there. Tried to book Marseille to Bordeaux then Bordeaux to SJPDP no luck. Where should I go to confirm the schedules & book (other than RailEurope which doesn't even have SJPDP listed) ?

Thanks folks.

 

[mspath]

Use voyages-SNCF.com for Bordeaux to Bayonne. Then TER/SNCF.com Aquitaine
for Bayonne to SJPdP which will be a combo of local train line 62 and bus.

Bon voyage and Buen camino!

 

[JoeChan23]

Use voyages-SNCF.com for Bordeaux to Bayonne. Then TER/SNCF.com Aquitaine
for Bayonne to SJPdP which will be a combo of local train line 62 and bus.

Bon voyage and Buen camino!

I just had an online chat with Rail Europe and they recommended Marseille to Cambo les Bains by train then bus to SJPDP. They sent me this site:
http://hafas.bene-system.com/bin/qu...&seqnr=2&ident=h4.0163254.1442670064&OK#focus
which seems pretty good. I can get from Marseille to SJPDP in 1 day however the last leg, train to bus, has only a 6 minute transfer time (train TER67331 arrives Cambo les Bains 18:33 and bus 40549 leaves at 18:39. I also have to buy my own bus ticket during this time. How would this work? Has anybody done this? Thanks.

 

[mspath]

You should be able to buy the bus ticket on the bus from the driver at Cambo les Bains. Just go directly to the bus stop in the parking lot at the rr station. Have small Euro bills. Price should be roughly 5 euros. Cambo les Bains rr station is very small and easy to navigate.

 

[mountaingoat999]

You should be able to buy the bus ticket on the bus from the driver at Cambo les Bains. Just go directly to the bus stop in the parking lot at the rr station. Have small Euro bills. Price should be roughly 5 euros. Cambo les Bains rr station is very small and easy to navigate.

mspath we took the train from bayonne decamped at Cambo les Bains onto waiting coach same ticket.

Joe has to change at Bayonne anyway

taking a long time doing those repairs..

 

[JoeChan23]

Thanks folks, I think this route is viable; have just sent an inquiry to RailEurope about the bus connection. When (if) I get their response I will post it.

 

[mspath]

Sorry I misunderstood. Buy a ticket for Marseille to Bayonne. SNCF show the journey as Marseille>Toulouse>Bayonne. At Bayonne in the rr station buy a local TER line 62 combo train/bus ticket to SJPdP. One local ticket covers both the train to Cambo le Bains and the bus. No reservations are needed or accepted on this combo.The schedule links which I cited in my above post are valid. ...I have taken this line 10 times in 10 years; unfortunately the repairs will probably go on until doomsday.

 

[JoeChan23]

Thanks folks, I think this route is viable; have just sent an inquiry to RailEurope about the bus connection. When (if) I get their response I will post it.

Reply from RailEurope:

"Thank you for contacting Rail Europe. I am happy to assist you today.The rail system is designed to only match options with feasible connections. In most cases, you’ll only have to get off one train and walk to a nearby platform or outside to the bus station. So don’t worry if you see the connecting bus departs only a few minutes later.
You may also purchase the bus ticket prior to your departure in Marseille to save some time in Cambo les Bains to Saint Jean Pied de Port."

So....it looks good and I'll be booking this route. I like it because it gets me from Marseille to SJPDP in 1 day.

Thanks folks for your input.

 

[crazyloon]

Reply from RailEurope:

"Thank you for contacting Rail Europe. I am happy to assist you today.The rail system is designed to only match options with feasible connections. In most cases, you’ll only have to get off one train and walk to a nearby platform or outside to the bus station. So don’t worry if you see the connecting bus departs only a few minutes later.
You may also purchase the bus ticket prior to your departure in Marseille to save some time in Cambo les Bains to Saint Jean Pied de Port."

So....it looks good and I'll be booking this route. I like it because it gets me from Marseille to SJPDP in 1 day.

Thanks folks for your input.

Hi Joe, let us know how it went please. I'm beginning my preparations from Toronto and wanted to hear if it was simple as it sounded. Thanks.

 

[mspath]

Crazyloon,

Please note that now in 2016 you still would buy a ticket for Marseille to Bayonne but from Bayonne the direct train service all the way to SJPdP is back in service. There is no longer any need to change for a bus at Cambo les Bains.

Bon voyage and Buen camino!
MM

 

[JoeChan23]

Hi Joe, let us know how it went please. I'm beginning my preparations from Toronto and wanted to hear if it was simple as it sounded. Thanks.

Hello Crazyloon: Went great....bought train ticket from RailEurope from Canada (Marseille to
Cambo les Bains via Bayonne). Bought bus ticket at Bayonne for Cambo les Bains to SJ. Train was delayed a bit but the bus at Cambo les Bains waited for us.

Looking at the next post from MM....train service to SJ restored....great....do that ! (I think you can buy train ticket for all legs from RailEurope for Marseille to SJ).

Buen Camino (we had a fantastic time in Oct 2015)

 

[sabbott]

Now that we figured Marseille to Bayonne out--does anyone have any ideas on a the best way to get from Santiago de Compostela to Marseille? I need to be there a few days after I finish (fingers crossed!) my walk in mid-June. Thanks!

PS In case you are flying from the Montreal/Toronto area or live in the US near the border like I do, the Canadian carrier AirTransat has good non-stop deals to Paris or Marseille. Especially good for Americans, given the Canadian dollar now.

 

[whariwharangi]

Now that we figured Marseille to Bayonne out--does anyone have any ideas on a the best way to get from Santiago de Compostela to Marseille? I need to be there a few days after I finish (fingers crossed!) my walk in mid-June. Thanks!

PS In case you are flying from the Montreal/Toronto area or live in the US near the border like I do, the Canadian carrier AirTransat has good non-stop deals to Paris or Marseille. Especially good for Americans, given the Canadian dollar now.

The airport sites both show destinations. There are no flights from Santiago to Marseille. You can however find a destination that is common to both and fly using it as a transfer point.

Marseille airport
http://www.marseille-airport.com/

Santiago Airport
http://www.aena.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Santiago/es/

Else take the Renfe train from Santiago to Barcelona and the SNCF train from Barcelona to Marseille.

 

[crazyloon]

Crazyloon,

Please note that now in 2016 you still would buy a ticket for Marseille to Bayonne but from Bayonne the direct train service all the way to SJPdP is back in service. There is no longer any need to change for a bus at Cambo les Bains.

Bon voyage and Buen camino!
MM

Thank you MM, good to know!

 

[crazyloon]

Hello Crazyloon: Went great....bought train ticket from RailEurope from Canada (Marseille to
Cambo les Bains via Bayonne). Bought bus ticket at Bayonne for Cambo les Bains to SJ. Train was delayed a bit but the bus at Cambo les Bains waited for us.

Looking at the next post from MM....train service to SJ restored....great....do that ! (I think you can buy train ticket for all legs from RailEurope for Marseille to SJ).

Buen Camino (we had a fantastic time in Oct 2015)

Thanks Joe!

 

[sabbott]

Else take the Renfe train from Santiago to Barcelona and the SNCF train from Barcelona to Marseille.

Thanks, the train sounds like it would be a good choice if I have time. It may be hard to plan ahead enough to book much in advance, as I don't know when I'll be finishing my walk. Does anyone know if it's hard to get a seat on a plane or train, say from Santiago to Barcelona and then to Marseilles in mid-June, or could I reserve a week or so ahead?

 

[whariwharangi]

Thanks, the train sounds like it would be a good choice if I have time. It may be hard to plan ahead enough to book much in advance, as I don't know when I'll be finishing my walk. Does anyone know if it's hard to get a seat on a plane or train, say from Santiago to Barcelona and then to Marseilles in mid-June, or could I reserve a week or so ahead?

According to anecdotal information ... Renfe is reducing trains to improve filled seats. So a reservation a week ahead would be prudent ... depending on how time-critical your travel plans are.

 

[crazyloon]

If all goes as planned looks like I will be flying direct to Marseille and taking the train to SJPP. Perfect! Thanks everyone!