How do I get to Sarria?

[Storyteller Matt]

My first time on the Camino, I wanted to start small. I'm walking from Sarria to Santiago, then on to Finisterre. I find the best schedule for me is to fly into Madrid at the start, flying out of Santiago de Compostela at the end.

My questions to the group are:

How do I get from Madrid to Sarria?

How do I get from Finisterre back to Santiago?

I'm most interested in bus and train schedules so I can tailor my flights around them.

 

[Theatregal]

There are several options - train or bus from Madrid, fly to Santiago from Madrid and bus to Sarria.

Check out www.rome2rio.com This site will give all the possibilities plus the names of train / bus providers to check for schedules.

There is daily bus service from Finisterre to Santiago.

Happy planning!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If the ticket price is about the same, it will be easier to fly into and out of Santiago, taking the bus from the airport to Sarria. The bus goes to Lugo, where you take a connecting bus to Sarria.

 

[FLEUR]

There's a good bus service to get you back from Finisterre to Santiago. Burn Camino

 

[Bala]

Also check out the forum thread "Towns on the Camino Francés with direct bus and/or train links with Madrid." It's under the "Traveling to and from the Camino" section. I found it very helpful researching a similar question to yours. The thread is 2 years old, but it has direct links to the train and bus schedules which would be current. Buen Camino!

 

[jdpiguet]

I think the best is to walk there...

Buen Camino,
Jacques-D.

 

[thesmiths2]

Mark McCarthy posted this last week and it was VERY helpful! --
"If you stay the night in Santiago, a taxi into town from the airport will cost €23. To get to Sarria by bus will cost you approximately €15 each and involves getting 2 buses. First bus is with Empresa Freire (www.empresafreire.com) to Lugo and the second is with Monbus (www.monbus.es/en) from Lugo to Sarria. By bus it will take about 3 hours and by taxi about 90 minutes."
Here's that thread: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...santiago-airport-to-sarria.53088/#post-588436

 

[thesmiths2]

I just posted the following on another thread, but will also post it here:

BUS TRAVEL -- I'm traveling to Sarria to start my walk on March 28. I was able to pre-purchase my ticket from Santiago to Lugo, but for the ticket from Lugo to Sarria, I have to buy it at the station. I want to make sure I get on the bus that I am planning to. I arrive in Lugo at 12:35 and want to be on the 13:45 bus. Is there a chance that bus would be full before I can get my ticket? I arrive in Santiago the evening before. Any feedback?

 

[thesmiths2]

I just posted the following on another thread, but will also post it here:

BUS TRAVEL -- I'm traveling to Sarria to start my walk on March 28. I was able to pre-purchase my ticket from Santiago to Lugo, but for the ticket from Lugo to Sarria, I have to buy it at the station. I want to make sure I get on the bus that I am planning to. I arrive in Lugo at 12:35 and want to be on the 13:45 bus. Is there a chance that bus would be full before I can get my ticket? I arrive in Santiago the evening before. Any feedback?

I emailed this question to the bus company and they got back to me right away! (impressive!) Here's their answer for anyone else that may have that question:

"In response to your email we indicate that our tickets are sold at the time of departure just before the departure of the bus:

• At the ticket office or to the driver.

They are not sold in advance."

 

[ChrisT]

You can get a train from Madrid to Sarria. We got the overnight one with a bunk which worked well. Left Madrid at around 10pm and got to Sarria at around 6am. Had some breakfast in Sarria and set off walking.

 

[Mark McCarthy]

There are several trains a day from Madrid Charmatin railway station to Sarria. I am taking a group in April and we are taking the lunchtime (13:05) train which will get us into Sarria at 18:59. I have friends who did the overnight train and loved it. Best suggestion is to consult the Renfe website (http://www.renfe.com/) . It is worth noting that on the daytime services that the cost of first class is not much more than standard class if you book in advance. To get from the airport in Madrid to the railway station at Charmatin can be done by connecting local trains but to be honest it is just easier to jump in a taxi for the 20 minute drive which costs €30.