How do people get to SJPP to start

[Whizzer]

I am just digging up the info.
How will I get to Saint jean Pied de port to start the trip?
What is the best way from the USA to SJPP?
Then the best way to get home?

Thanks for any info.

 

[markss]

Probably the easiest and most cost efficient itinerary from the US to SJPP is to fly into Madrid. From Madrid take a plane, train or bus to Pamplona. Once arriving in Pamplona, there is a daily bus that leaves central Pamplona at 6PM for Roncesvalles. From Roncesvalles, where it is easy to find other pilgrims to share the ride and the cost, there are taxis available to SJPP. This is all not all as complicated as it might seem.

If you choose to fly from Madrid to Pamplona, rather than booking a one-way flight it is usually less expensive to book a round trip ticket using an arbitrary mid-week date as a return date to Madrid. You can then discard that unused return to Madrid portion of the ticket.

One way fares from Santiago back to Madrid are relatively inexpensive.

Alternatively you can go from the US to Paris and ultimately through to SJPP, however the airfares from the US to Madrid are generally far less expensive than to Paris. This depends on your city of origination.

 

[Whizzer]

Right now it is lax but will fly around to get the best price. One thing nice there is no time table when do this trip.
The volcano did shut down Spain last year.

 

[markss]

If departing from LAX Madrid is definately the way to go.

Funny you mentioned the volcano. I departed Santiago last year on one of the last planes out before the airport was closed. Connecting flights were disrupted in Madrid where I was booked to go to London then on to LA. The airport in Madrid was one big mess. Instead I caught a flight to New York getting out just in time. Hopefully not likely to be another volcanic disruption when you travel.

 

[Whizzer]

It will be a couple of years before I can go. As I red more it getting easy to understand the trail.

 

[woody]

Hi, I am arriving at Biarritz airport on a Sunday. I have checked train times from the raIl station there to SJPP and I have about 5o mins to get my bag, get a taxi and get to rail station before the train leaves. I this doable?
Thanks for any info on the best way to get to SJPP from Biarritx.
Cheers
Woody - Scotalnd

 

[jpflavin1]

Woody:

It is easily doable. I took a cab from Biarritz airport to the Bayonne train station in about 15 minutes this March. I think it cost about 20 Euros.

Whizzer:

You can get to SJPdP from any of the major European cities. London and Paris offer the option of going by plane to Biarritz or train Bayonne and then take the local train to SJPdP. I have never flown into Madrid. You have plenty of time (two years) to figure out the option that best suits you.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Whizzer]

I been playing with plane tickets and saw can fly in to Bayonne and can fly out Madrid. The price is good. I am came up around $100 for train ticket to Bayonne.

Joe:

When getting in for the first day, did you have a rest day from the long flight? How long did you stay in SJPP before starting the walk? I don't sleep on long flight and need to get reset.

Also what spare food you took in your pack for a backup? Someone said he got sausage- cheese and bread to use for lunch and snacks.

 

[Cmeckley]

Whizzer,
I leave this week, US to Madrid. I'm taking an Alsa bus to Pamplona, which leaves directly from Terminal 4 of the airport. (purchased ticket online) While I prefer to travel by train, I didn't think there was enough time to get a cab to the train station (across the city), to catch the express train. In Pamplona, I will be met by Express Bourricot for the transfer to SJPP. You can check all train schedules by googling Renfe, and bus schedules by googling ALSA bus.
The only important advice I have from experience: I live near SDC in the Summers. In the last 10 years or so, I have had about 20-30 different groups of American friends visit, connecting through Madrid. Honestly, I am not sure a single group has EVER arrived without missing at least one piece of luggage. The lost luggage always appears, but generally a day or two, and many frustrating phone calls later. It seems trans-atlantic flights have a habit of getting a bit delayed, and the luggage just doesn't seem to make it to the connection in time. While I am sure many people have positive experiences with this, I personally, would consider checking my Camino bag though Madrid to a second destination, just too risky.

 

[Whizzer]

What about going in to Barcelona?

 

[jpflavin1]

Whizzer:

I would normally have coffee and a pastry in the morning. I would carry fruit (banana, orange, dates) nuts/trail mix for the walk during the day. Somedays I would stop and have a sandwhich and a beer. Eat a Peregrino meal in the evening.

I arrived in SJPdP in the evening. Checked into the Pilgrim office, ate dinner, crashed and started the next morning. I usually take an evening flight to Europe, get a little sleep on the plane. You arrive in the morning and have the whole day to get to SJPdP. I live in Chicago so it is easy to get a non-stop flight to London or Paris.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[jameswberk]

I have no experience reaching SJPDP via Madrid, but I have arrived from the French side. Getting to St. Jean this seems to be the much easier option. I don't know if it works for your return flight from Santiago, but this will be different depending on your city of departure.
You can reach St. Jean directly from Paris Charles de Gaule airport without having to go to Paris city itself via the TGV fast train. Changes are in Bordeaux and Bayonne. There are two options I get from the national rail site: http://www.voyages-sncf.com with one leaving at 7:40 AM arriving SJPDP 4:23 PM or leaving 10:01 AM getting in at 7:37 PM. I always think that train connections are easier than bus ones, and I know many people take a taxi from Roncesvalles to complete the journey coming from the Spanish side.
Additionally there are many many direct flights from Major US cities to Paris.

I hope this helps!

 

[Whizzer]

I been look at all ways.

LA to Paris to Biarritz. But need to stay the night in Paris. Air France fly to Biarritz.
LA to Paris and use the trains.
LA to Holland by KLM and this is a non stop. Stay the night and get a flight to Biarritz. The problem is the only airline that go to Biarritz fly three times a week. KLM is $1200 to fly in to Holland and fly out of Spain.
I look in to a France/Spain train pass and use it back to Paris. Just got to watch the days. As I read it, if you stay on the train and not get off, it is one day. But if you need to get off and back on it will be count two days. So just got get a non stop back to Paris.

If I do this trip, I don't want to take a bus over and then walk back. This is why I am looking in to it.

 

[jameswberk]

I can understand from LA it must get pretty tricky. That said, the train is about 100 Euros if you book ahead and most planes will get in from the USA early in the morning Paris time so it is definitely possible to do the plane/train combo.

If you really want to get creative with air connections you should check out this site:
http://www.skyscanner.com
They not only have the main carriers but also show options with low cost carriers.
Check the search tools/map section to see all the options.

Biaritz for instance can be reached via EasyJet along with Air France.

Good luck!

 

[jameswberk]

Also, you can take this low cost carrier back to Paris from Santiago:
http://www.vueling.com

 

[Whizzer]

Thanks for the web links. It can be done. The whole thing is to make very easy and have fun doing the trip.

 

[Beverley]

O.K. there are so many ways to get there. I flew from North America to Paris. Took the train to Biarritz in the south of France then transferred to the train to SJPP. Getting home is pretty simple. Check flights from Santiago to major European cities like Paris (Ryanair for example) or to Madrid then to Paris then home. I can help more if you need more help

 

[Whizzer]

The KLM web page do a very good job of planning the trip. The cost is very good for to go in one came out other. I would love to do the train pass to add more fun in to it. I got time to fig it.

it is ok to dream.

 

[pilgrimadam]

Hello fellow pilgrims my wife and I were wondering is there a bus or train running someplace between San Sebastian and SJPP?

We will be traveling in mid May

 

[mspath]

Hello fellow pilgrims my wife and I were wondering is there a bus or train running someplace between San Sebastian and SJPP?

We will be traveling in mid May

For Spanish trains from San Sebastien to Hendaye see RENFE. For French trains from Hendaye to Bayonne to SJPdP see SNCF.

For the timetable until July 2014 from Bayonne to SJPdP click here.

 

[whariwharangi]

Hello fellow pilgrims my wife and I were wondering is there a bus or train running someplace between San Sebastian and SJPP?

We will be traveling in mid May

There is description here:
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/comm...-links-for-travel-from-madrid-to-sjpdp.23395/

See the options that include travel via San Sebastian.

Note the San Sebastian airport is located at Hondarribia ... spitting distance from Irun and Hendaye train stations and some 30km from San Sebastian/Donostia