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How do I get to SJPP from Paris??

CJP

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
April/May(2019) or Sept/Oct(2019)
Happy New Year All! Can someone please tell this 70 year old woman how to get to SJPP from Paris? Please be very specific with not alot of choices! I am very directionally challenged!😏
 
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Happy New Year All! Can someone please tell this 70 year old woman how to get to SJPP from Paris? Please be very specific with not alot of choices! I am very directionally challenged!😏
With all due respect, you cannot say you are directionally challenged if you are even thinking of getting from your home to SJPP, via Paris. A few days ago in my local grocery store a woman asked me how to get outside to the street. I gave her directions; quite simply: go down the stairs and out the door. As it happened, I followed her down the stairs, and had to call out to her as she was heading in the wrong direction. All this, while daylight was streaming in through the glass windows and doors. That woman is directionally challenged. 😅
 
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Happy New Year All! Can someone please tell this 70 year old woman how to get to SJPP from Paris? Please be very specific with not alot of choices! I am very directionally challenged!😏
As stated, Rome2rio will do but ,
You can fly , train , bus , rent a car , biking and even walk to SJPdP .
Choice enough I would say .😉
 
Happy New Year All! Can someone please tell this 70 year old woman how to get to SJPP from Paris? Please be very specific with not alot of choices! I am very directionally challenged!😏

Go to Paris, and in your position I'd advise you to stay there overnight. Somewhere in the Latin Quarter would probably be best for you, it's not too far from Montparnasse.

Get to Paris Montparnasse train station in the morning by taxi. Buy a ticket to SJPP.

1) Take an EARLY TGV train to Bayonne -- in order to avoid confusion, make sure it's a direct train with no need to switch trains at Bordeaux.

2) From Bayonne train station, take either the train or the replacement SNCF bus service to SJPP.

That is THE simplest route.
 
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The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
If you are arriving Paris via CDG airport there is a train station there, lower floor. You can go from Paris CDG to Bayonne changing trains in Bordeaux (very straight forward). Depending on the arrival time in Bayonne you may need to overnight there and take the morning train / bus to SJPdP. Consider it all as part of your Camino, very exciting.
 
I also recommend a rest day in Paris. It is, as you know, a marvelous city. This will help also with the adjustment to local hour. I think that a long flight and immediately a train travel is too much...
You will probably think "Oh, but this way I will lost a day!" But you could consider that your adventure starts right away after you deplane in France; that's what I feel.
Reserve a hotel near Montparnasse station; there are many, consult your favorite reservation service (I like booking.com). Not the most interesting quarter of the city, but it is a short hop in metro to highlights (for example the tour Saint Jacques, where pilgrims of yore used to meet).
There is not a direct train from CDG to Montparnasse station; this option would imply a connection in the very busy and complicated metro system. Take a taxi or (much more affordable) Le Bus Direct (click here), line 4. I had a problem with the vending machine (in France, some cards do not work in automatic systems); save yourself the trouble and buy the ticket beforehand (it is valid for any run).
Reserve your train ticket to Bayonne beforehand; the webpage is this The connection to SJPP can be bought directly at the station.
Take it easy, simple and comfortable. I am in my mid-sixties, and prefer to let grueling, complicated schedules to youngsters...Besides, I tend to make silly mistakes when I am too tired or stressed.
Buen camino!
 
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I also don't like additional changes and directions. When I fly into CDG,
1. Stay overnight at the airport (Ibis is reasonable and includes great breakfast buffet).
2. Fly out of CDG directly into Biarritz the next morning (usually very reasonably priced).
3. Jump into the prearranged van ride to SJPP (email or call Express Bourricot). Voila~
 
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Go to Paris, and in your position I'd advise you to stay there overnight. Somewhere in the Latin Quarter would probably be best for you, it's not too far from Montparnasse.

Get to Paris Montparnasse train station in the morning by taxi. Buy a ticket to SJPP.

1) Take an EARLY TGV train to Bayonne -- in order to avoid confusion, make sure it's a direct train with no need to switch trains at Bordeaux.

2) From Bayonne train station, take either the train or the replacement SNCF bus service to SJPP.

That is THE simplest route.
Ditto. Perfect instructions. The train from Bayonne was simple. We had a layover of about an hour and got lunch at a burger place accross the street from the station. This is not hard. Another good area to stay in Paris is near Rue Cler near Ecole Militarie metro. There are buses that go right by and go directly to Montparnasse. Consider spending a day or two in Paris first if you are travelling far. It is a great place to recover from jet lag.
 
I second this option, if a connecting flight to Biarritz is not an option for you.
 
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
When doing the Camino(I'm from ireland) I decided not to fly so instead I got a ferry, trains and bus!! So when I got as far as Paris, I got an overnight bus to Biarritz and then a train from there to SJPDP... There's lots of choices, of course depending on whether you want to fly/bus/train etc also I'm so directionally challanged so if I made it there, you definitely will!! 😁😁😂
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Happy New Year All! Can someone please tell this 70 year old woman how to get to SJPP from Paris? Please be very specific with not alot of choices! I am very directionally challenged!😏
What date in April are you leaving Paris? I am leaving Paris on the 16th and am heading to SJPP.
 
I like to at least overnight in Paris. Then from Paris Montparnasse get an early TGV train (about 7.30am) to Bayonne. You arrive about midday and the little valley rattler waits for the TGV's arrival then wanders for about an hour up the Rive river valley to SJPdP.
For me it's the start of my Camino.
Wouldn't miss it for quids.
Cheapest time to buy tickets is from 90 days before the train leaves.
Regards and good travelling,
Gerard
 
If you are arriving Paris via CDG airport there is a train station there, lower floor. You can go from Paris CDG to Bayonne changing trains in Bordeaux (very straight forward). Depending on the arrival time in Bayonne you may need to overnight there and take the morning train / bus to SJPdP. Consider it all as part of your Camino, very exciting.
We are travelling from Paris CDG to Bayonne, but I thought we'd have to get across Paris to Montparnasse (and are planning to do this by bus). Is it possible then, as you say, to get a train from the airport, to Bayonne?
 
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We are travelling from Paris CDG to Bayonne, but I thought we'd have to get across Paris to Montparnasse (and are planning to do this by bus). Is it possible then, as you say, to get a train from the airport, to Bayonne?
Absolutely, here is one website to purchase tickets or at least research
https://www.raileurope.ca/
You can only purchase less than 90 days in advance and please note the origin station is Paris CDG Airport.
So, Origin = Paris CDG Airport and Destination = Bayonne
Screen Shot 2019-01-04 at 5 Jan 2013.45.04 AM.png
Screen Shot 2019-01-04 at 5 Jan 2013.43.15 AM.png
The station is not hard to find, it is between terminal 2C and 2E.
There is one connection in Bordeaux, same station just look for the departure board for platform.
I took this route in 2011 after an overnight flight from Canada and found it pretty straight forward and easy on the head after being sleep deprived.
So depending on your timing you may find this a better option than moving over to Montparnasse although from Montparnasse it may be faster and cheaper to get to Bayonne.
Good luck with your research and decisions and have a great Camino.
 
Absolutely, here is one website to purchase tickets or at least research
https://www.raileurope.ca/
You can only purchase less than 90 days in advance and please note the origin station is Paris CDG Airport.
So, Origin = Paris CDG Airport and Destination = Bayonne
View attachment 50400
View attachment 50401
The station is not hard to find, it is between terminal 2C and 2E.
There is one connection in Bordeaux, same station just look for the departure board for platform.
I took this route in 2011 after an overnight flight from Canada and found it pretty straight forward and easy on the head after being sleep deprived.
So depending on your timing you may find this a better option than moving over to Montparnasse although from Montparnasse it may be faster and cheaper to get to Bayonne.
Good luck with your research and decisions and have a great Camino.
Thanks efdoucette. I've had a look on Rome2rio and there don't seem to be many trains running on that route. I'll keep researching. We fly to Paris on 26 April and have a hotel booked in Bayonne for that night.
 
This is a helpful thread. We will be arriving early into CDG and have planned to taxi over to Montparnasse to take the train to Bayonne. (The flight leaves in the afternoon which makes for an awful day hanging around the airport). Has anybody taken both the train from CDG and the train from Montparnasse? Is one preferable over the other? Is it illogical to think we can be in SJPDP that night? Thanks
 
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This is a helpful thread. We will be arriving early into CDG and have planned to taxi over to Montparnasse to take the train to Bayonne. (The flight leaves in the afternoon which makes for an awful day hanging around the airport). Has anybody taken both the train from CDG and the train from Montparnasse? Is one preferable over the other? Is it illogical to think we can be in SJPDP that night? Thanks
We are flying into Paris early morning too, arriving at 08.50. Have you costed a taxi to Montparnasse? I did briefly entertain the idea of a taxi, but assumed the cost would be prohibitive. The airport buses leave every 30 mins, but take between 60 and 80 minutes to get to Montparnasse. It's difficult to know what time train to book because of the chance of the flight being delayed, and the length of transfer time. Any thoughts/ advice?
 
I figure it is worth it to take the taxi & not try and figure out the bus system after the international flight. The train station isn’t that far ftom
CDG. You make good point about not booking the train in advance. I figure i’ll arrive with train schedules from both locations - and if arrival is very delayed, there’s the flight in the afternoon.
 
I figure it is worth it to take the taxi & not try and figure out the bus system after the international flight. The train station isn’t that far ftom
CDG. You make good point about not booking the train in advance. I figure i’ll arrive with train schedules from both locations - and if arrival is very delayed, there’s the flight in the afternoon.
I think you have to book a seat on the TGV train in advance, otherwise you may not get one. Also, booking in advance means a lower ticket price (of course, if you miss the train, you've lost your money! Ah, what to do?
 
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€149,-
You guys are hard at it!

You can take a TGV from either CDG OR Montparnasse. There are many fewer trains from CDG, since Montparnasse is the main TGV station......in all of France. If you take the train from CDG, you will have to change trains in Bordeaux. No big deal, but thats what happens. From Montparnasse, there is a train to Bayonne every couple of hours with no stops.

Buy train tickets from Trainline.eu. Raileurope.ca works, but its more of an old fashioned travel agency, and you will pay more for exactly the same seat.

As others have pointed out, I STRONGLY suggest staying overnight in Paris. You don't need to figure out the bus system or take a taxi to do this. LeBus Direct offers services into Paris from the curb to Montparnasse. I personally use the RER-B commuter train, but thats a bit more complicated than the bus, which is dead simple.

Book a hotel near Montparnasse. Buy a ticket from the LeBus Direct machine for Montparnasse when you get your bags at CDG. You will find your credit card doesn't work, so pay for it in cash. The service is every half hour. I think its Line 4 to Montparnasse. Stand at the curb at the LeBus Direct sign, and wait! The Bus is a little more than an hour. Find your hotel. Its probably too early to check you in, but they will let you drop your pack. Have a wander around Paris for a few hours. Crash hard at the hotel. Get up early, and walk back to Montparnasse. to catch your 7:30 train to Hendaye. Yeah, you are going to Bayonne, but the train is going two stops further than that, its final destination is Hendaye. Relax for four hours. Get off the train at Bayonne. Look bewildered, like everyone else who got off the train looking like a pilgrim. Find the platform for the trip to SJPP, its a very small station, and the staff will direct you since this is what happens all day long at Bayonne. Now is a good time to start saying hi to your fellow pilgrims.

Buen Camino!
 
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Hi, pilgrims -
So please tell me more about getting from Bayonne to SJPdP. Do I have to arrange that in advance?
And - BTW, how far is the Montparnasse station from CDG?
 
I'm just one pilgrim.

There are four TER trains (?) a day from Bayonne to SJPP. This particular one is the "Pilgrim train", as will become obvious. SNCF, the french rail operator separates the operations of the TGV, which behaves a lot like an airline with early tickets and reserved seating, from the "TER" network of local trains. These operate like local trains or bus systems anywhere: show up, buy a ticket, get on, find a seat. When you buy your ticket to Bayonne on the TGV, you can buy this piece at the same time, although its a connecting minor piece with no booking associated with it. Its about 12 euros, and you can buy it at the Bayonne station on the same day if you prefer. I always buy the two tickets together, but there is no need to pre-book the TER trains like the TGV from Paris. The TER trains would only sell out under extraordinary conditions, like a football match on a public holiday.

You should know that this particular train cancels often. This is because the track is constantly in need of repair. It will run for a while, then close for a few weeks. This will make more sense once you have been on it! If it DOES cancel, no need to worry. They will set a bus out instead. At departure time, walk out of the station (its tiny) turn left, and get on the only bus in the parking lot. Just follow all the other confused people with hiking shoes and back packs. The driver will take your ticket, and drive you to the station is SJPP. Takes about an hour.

CDG is well outside of Paris, and its a long drive through heavy traffic with a combination of freeways and city streets. Take an hour and a quarter in good traffic. Could be two hours if its really ugly.
 
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You guys are hard at it!

You can take a TGV from either CDG OR Montparnasse. There are many fewer trains from CDG, since Montparnasse is the main TGV station......in all of France. If you take the train from CDG, you will have to change trains in Bordeaux. No big deal, but thats what happens. From Montparnasse, there is a train to Bayonne every couple of hours with no stops.

Buy train tickets from Trainline.eu. Raileurope.ca works, but its more of an old fashioned travel agency, and you will pay more for exactly the same seat.

As others have pointed out, I STRONGLY suggest staying overnight in Paris. You don't need to figure out the bus system or take a taxi to do this. LeBus Direct offers services into Paris from the curb to Montparnasse. I personally use the RER-B commuter train, but thats a bit more complicated than the bus, which is dead simple.

Book a hotel near Montparnasse. Buy a ticket from the LeBus Direct machine for Montparnasse when you get your bags at CDG. You will find your credit card doesn't work, so pay for it in cash. The service is every half hour. I think its Line 4 to Montparnasse. Stand at the curb at the LeBus Direct sign, and wait! The Bus is a little more than an hour. Find your hotel. Its probably too early to check you in, but they will let you drop your pack. Have a wander around Paris for a few hours. Crash hard at the hotel. Get up early, and walk back to Montparnasse. to catch your 7:30 train to Hendaye. Yeah, you are going to Bayonne, but the train is going two stops further than that, its final destination is Hendaye. Relax for four hours. Get off the train at Bayonne. Look bewildered, like everyone else who got off the train looking like a pilgrim. Find the platform for the trip to SJPP, its a very small station, and the staff will direct you since this is what happens all day long at Bayonne. Now is a good time to start saying hi to your fellow pilgrims.

Buen Camino!
Thanks Rick M

In hindsight, I think we should have taken your advice. However, We've already booked a non refundable hotel in Bayonne for the day our flight lands in Paris.

Our plane lands at terminal 3, which I believe means that we have to take a short shuttle to either terminal 1 or 2 in order to take LeBus Direct to Montparnasse.

Well, we'll get there one way or another!
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
From CDG, flying to Biarritz is easier and much quicker than the train. Rome2Rio says Air France has several flights daily, nonstop at 50-300 euros depending on the usual factors. From Biarritz airport to Bayonne train station, the taxi ride is short and inexpensive.
 
Thank you. The first flight out is at 8:30 am. That might be too tight even with our early arrival. The next flight is in the afternoon & I can’t imagine anything worse than roaming around CDG jet lagged waiting for a flight.
Have you done this & made the early AF connection?
 
From CDG, flying to Biarritz is easier and much quicker than the train. Rome2Rio says Air France has several flights daily, nonstop at 50-300 euros depending on the usual factors. From Biarritz airport to Bayonne train station, the taxi ride is short and inexpensive.
Thanks, I'll look into that. Could work out better. 😁
 
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Thank you. The first flight out is at 8:30 am. That might be too tight even with our early arrival. The next flight is in the afternoon & I can’t imagine anything worse than roaming around CDG jet lagged waiting for a flight.
Have you done this & made the early AF connection?
There's a flight out at 11 a.m. our flight lands at 08.50. It may be doable, but we are checking our bags because we're bringing walking poles.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
The trains leave earlier, more frequently & we could nod off en route vs. staying alert for flight
 
11 am would be great. I didn’t see it offered on my arrival date. Have you booked this for May?
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
When we did it in 2015, the morning flight to Biarritz was so cheap we chanced it, thinking we could always take a train if we missed the flight. It worked out fine for us. You may wish to check out the Easy Jet flight schedule. They have one flight each day, but the flight is at a different time each day of the week. Some days early morning, some days around midday, and some days in the afternoon. Not expensive any day.
 
Air France from Paris to Biarritz. Bus to Bayonne, then train to SJPP. Or train from Paris to SJPP via Bayonne.
 
Happy New Year All! Can someone please tell this 70 year old woman how to get to SJPP from Paris? Please be very specific with not alot of choices! I am very directionally challenged!😏
Download the French railway app Oui.sncf brilliant for trai travel you can select English. Has timetables tickets etc.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Except that you get to do that, pleasantly one would hope, in Paris.
In theory, yes. In practice, not always when you are exhausted. It depends on whether or not it seems overwhelming to figure out the train arrangements. Sometimes simple is good. Sometimes a wander through Paris is good! The OP didn't ask for the most scenic/quaint/romantic route.
 
There's a flight out at 11 a.m. our flight lands at 08.50. It may be doable, but we are checking our bags because we're bringing walking poles.
Should have said - the flight's with Easyjet. Have
There's a flight out at 11 a.m. our flight lands at 08.50. It may be doable, but we are checking our bags because we're bringing walking poles.
11 am would be great. I didn’t see it offered on my arrival date. Have you booked this for May?
No, we fly out on 26 April.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-

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