Hello Fellow Pilgrims (to be)-Advice Please?

[camino?camiYES]

Hi everyone, I am walking (at least) the first 14 stages of the Camino in October this year, and will be flying to Bilbao on Oct 11th to commence my walk on the 13th (a Sunday). This leaves me the Saturday to get from Bilbao to St Jean. My question would be: can anyone advise the best/cheapest way/s to get from Bilbao to St Jean? Obviously don't want to spend more than necessary, and online seems to bring up a lot of contradictory or downright wrong advice/timetables etc. Assistance appreciated, and Buen Camino! Danny.

 

[Turga]

I think this would be your best bet: https://www.rome2rio.com/
Many transport companies in Spain will not have timetables in place so long in advance. Try a month or some weeks before your departure.

Buen Camino

 

[naplesdon]

Pesa bus from Bilbao to Bayonne once a day. It may be an issue finding the schedule for October. Flixibus several times a day, but you may be better off starting in San Sebastian because there are more buses to Bayonne.
Once you are in Bayonne it is a short walk to the train station to take the train to SJPdP in the afternoon.

 

[Jan_D]

So... you have at least 3 options:

1. Catch the one Pesa bus per day from Bilbao to Bayonne (as mentioned by biarritzdon). It leaves at 7am and costs around €20 (according to this year's winter timetable, but in my experience the timetables seldom change from year to year). A 7am departure will mean quite an early start, especially if you don't know the city that well, and you might need to queue for bus tickets, so that will also need to be factored into your plans.

2. Catch an Alsa bus from Bilbao to Irun (there are about 10 buses per day, costing around €8). Not entirely sure where the bus stops in Irun, but shouldn't be too far from the Hendaye train station. From Hendaye, it's a 41-minute journey to Bayonne, there are trains every hour (SNCF, costs €7.90)

3. If you've been to Bilbao before and aren't that fussed about visiting it again, you could also catch a bus directly from the airport eastwards to San Sebastian (it's bus number DO50B with Pesa/Lerraldebus). Buses leave every hour, the journey only takes 1h15. San Sebastian a great city if you maybe wanted to spend your first night there. Possibly also easier to navigate - and, as biarritzdon says, more transport connections. On the 12th you could either catch a direct bus to Bayonne, or else, my personal favourite (I love trains!) catch the local Euskotren which drops you off just outside the SNCF station in Hendaye.

 

[naplesdon]

The last time I took the ALSA bus to Irun it went across the river to the French side and dropped me off at a round about that is a minute or two from the Heydaye train station.

 

[Rebecca Pappa]

Hi everyone, I am walking (at least) the first 14 stages of the Camino in October this year, and will be flying to Bilbao on Oct 11th to commence my walk on the 13th (a Sunday). This leaves me the Saturday to get from Bilbao to St Jean. My question would be: can anyone advise the best/cheapest way/s to get from Bilbao to St Jean? Obviously don't want to spend more than necessary, and online seems to bring up a lot of contradictory or downright wrong advice/timetables etc. Assistance appreciated, and Buen Camino! Danny.

Look up BlaBla Car - it is very affordable and a ride share service, similar to Uber, but local drivers who ar heading in the same direction can make some money car pooling others. I have used it from Biaritz to San Sebastian, which are close to St.Jean. I have also rented a car and driven from San Sebastian Spain to St. Jean , it was quick and easy. Best of luck!