How to Get back home from St-Jacques ?

[JP]

Looks like we will be flying in to Paris and travelling by TGV train to St-Jean and starting our Camino on the 20th of April 2014. Once we reach St-Jacques should we go back up to Paris to take a flight back to Canada or go to Madrid or any other alternatives to get back home. Which is the easiest and less confusing way ?
Getting along in French is no problem, but asking direction and navigating Spanish train or plane instructions will be a bit of a problem with just a little spanish knowledge.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

A flight home from Santiago will be most convenient and least expensive. Iberia Airlines goes to at least Toronto through Madrid, and maybe other Canadian cities.

 

[indyinmaine]

If you haven't bought your tickets yet and are flying into Paris you might consider the following itinerary:

Home/Paris outbound.
Geneva/Home return.

There's as EasyJet flight from Santiago direct to Geneva for 80-100 Euros one-way.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, JP,

Are you saying that you already have a one way ticket into Paris? Or that you are planning to fly round trip from home to Paris? I always suggest that people research not only which international airport is the closest to their departure point, but also think about getting back to that airport from Santiago.

Madrid and Barcelona are also possible for a round trip point that might be less hassle overall. But with so many cheap airlines you may also find you can get from Santiago (or Vigo as one recent poster mentioned) to Paris pretty cheaply.

I'm assuming that since you aren't walking till next April, that maybe you don't have your ticket yet. And you may also have a reason to choose Paris over Spain, but you should compare prices and also the prices of getting to St. Jean and from Santiago to your departure.

Planning a camino is fun, but planning your travel isn't part of the fun IMO! Good luck, Laurie

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The fare from Toronto (you don't say where in Canada you live) to Pamplona, then a return from Santiago to Toronto is currently $956US on British Airways and Iberia. You then can start in Pamplona or make your way to Roncesvalles or SJPdP. You will save time and money compared to arriving in Paris. Trip duration is about 17 hours each way with two stops -- typically London or New York and Madrid.

 

[JP]

We will be flying from Montréal, I checked the Pamplona flights and no direct ones and after finding transport to St-Jean it is longer and more complicated. Flight to Bayonne/Biaritz is ridiculously expensive so that is out of the loop. The Paris route has a direct flight and using the TGV appears the quickest route with a direct flight and with the train station right at the Charles de Gaule Airport. Flying out of Santiago de Compostella appears a good alternative, even if there are no direct flights back to Montreal.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Careful about one thing though, booking the date of your return flight in advance is the number one motive for "cheating" along the Camino or for people creating overly rigid hiking stage plans that cause unnecessary stress when (almost inevitably) it turns out to be unfeasible/undesirable to stick to them.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

As to your non-stop flight hopes, nothing goes to Spain without first going to Madrid (nothing is a subjective term, of course). If you fly to Paris, you have to get from the airport to one of several train stations. You will have to deal with Parisians who have given France the reputation of being unfriendly to visitors (mostly a false urban myth). Airport taxi drivers probably are the source of many tales of being charge 100E for a 20E taxi ride.

A plane transfer at the Madrid airport is one of the easier transitions in the air travel business. Regional airports in Spain are near ghost towns. Your flight may be one of only two dozen daily flights. Finding your luggage and then a bus or taxi is a snap.

I love France, but airport transfers can be a nightmare.

 

[JP]

- "booking the date of your return flight in advance"

Because of Vacation time, I do not have a choice. Planning to walk it in 35 days and 3 more days for Finistere if time permits. With 3 days left over for delays or rest days depending on how the walk turns out.

- "but airport transfers can be a nightmare (France)."

I was Under the impression that the train station is at the CDG Airport ? I speak French so I won't have trouble dealing with people or signs, not the case with Spanish so that stresses me out a bit as far navigating the Airports. I know that direct flights from Spain back home are not possible, but by then I won't be stressed out anymore and just glad to get back home.

 

[mspath]

"...I was Under the impression that the train station is at the CDG Airport ?..."

JP,

There is a train station at CDG airport, but there are also many other stations within the city of Paris.

Trains that go from CDG airport include SNCF TGV (Tres Grand Express) from CdG Paris 2 airport to BORDEAUX which then connect with another TGV to Bayonne and a TER line 62 train from Bayonne to SJPdP. Their departures may not correspond with your arrival time. For info about getting a TGV ticket and train at CDG or getting to Paris from CDG see this English language site http://www.easycdg.com/1/ground-transpo ... sdegaulle/ For current train times see this French SNCF web http://voyages-sncf.com/.

For further information on French trains to Bayonne and SJPdP read what other pilgrims and I have posted in the Forum topic How to Travel from Paris to SJPP.

Bon voyage and Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[nicollb]

I fly in to CDG on Sept 25; my plan is to get to Montparnasse station and get the train to Bayonne from that station. I know I can get to Montparnasse or very close on a train from the airport -- that I've done many times; And I hope that 35 days will be adequate to make it from St Jean to Santiago, since I am on a similar schedule. My return is from Madrid. Booking a multi-city trip was the same as a round trip and far less than 2 one-way tickets.

 

[JP]

A bit confused now are CDG and CDG2 two different Airports and at different locations. I guess I will have to see my Travel Agent and get the travel arrangement sorted out.

 

[mspath]

A bit confused now are CDG and CDG2 two different Airports and at different locations. I guess I will have to see my Travel Agent and get the travel arrangement sorted out.

JP,

Relax. Think of Paris/CDG airport as a large village; CDG1, CDG2 and CDG3 are different AREAS of the same airport/village.

For info about ALL ASPECTS of CDG read this invaluable English language site http://www.easycdg.com/1/home/ Scan all the sections for diagrams and info on how to navigate to and from these sections of the airport, get to Paris, get elsewhere in France, etc.

For current train times throughout France see this French SNCF web http://voyages-sncf.com/.

For further information on various French trains to Bayonne and SJPdP read what other pilgrims and I have posted in the Forum topic How to Travel from Paris to SJPP.

MM