How to get from Santiago de Compostela to SJPdP

[amyshmn]

TAP airline is running an incredible deal at this moment. I can book round-trip airfare from my home to SdC (RT) for $365 USD. Putting aside all the concerns about whether or not I'll be able to enter Europe due to COVID restrictions, I think this is a great deal worth gambling on. But since the flight places me in SdC at the beginning, does anyone know how to get from SdC to SJPdP to begin the Camino? I can't find options which seem reasonable on the internet. I imagine this deal won't be around for more than 24 hours, so if anyone has any ideas I'd love to know!

 

[Scott...O]

Try the Rome2Rio website for some suggestions

 

[VNwalking]

What's the timeframe, @amyshmn? Because if it's soon that just sounds like a good way to subsidize TAP. Entering the EU from the US right now is illegal, so whether you can get in or not is not something that can be so easily put aside. There's also the travel insurance to think about. Not to mention that Covid-19 is showing up on the camino and pilgrims are risking others and then being put in quarantine. It's a tempting price, I will admit that. But...why?

But to answer your question...
Hypothetically? Take a train from Santiago to Pamplona, and a taxi from there. I don't know if Express Bourricot can do this run right now but it's worth checking. Or train direct to Irun/Hendaye then loval transport to Bayonbe, train from Bayonne to SJPP.

 

[amyshmn]

Thank you for the quick reply VNwalking! I'm not planning to go until spring 2021, and those are the airfares I'm looking at. This is why I'm setting aside the COVID issue for now. It's great to know there is an option.

 

[amyshmn]

Thank you Scott! I tried Rome2Rio but the options were not great.

 

[VNwalking]

Thank you for the quick reply VNwalking! I'm not planning to go until spring 2021, and those are the airfares I'm looking at

Ah, I see. That's an excellent price, to be sure!
They are clearly going for 2021 business, and hopefully will stay solvent

On thing to mention about the train - it's a gorgeous journey to Irun-Hendaye; I've done it twice. The railway follows parts of the Invierno-Frances-Via de Bayona, and because it's so scenic the longish journey goes by pretty quickly. Get a window seat!

 

[trecile]

Thank you for the quick reply VNwalking! I'm not planning to go until spring 2021, and those are the airfares I'm looking at. This is why I'm setting aside the COVID issue for now. It's great to know there is an option.

It's possible that it may not be possible to see all of our options for next Spring right now. Especially train options, because you often can book those until a couple of months ahead of time.

BTW $365 round trip is an amazing price! Where are you flying from?

 

[amyshmn]

I later discovered that TAP was offering incredible rates for open-jaw tickets. I ended up booking refundable tickets flying from the US to Orly, and then departing from SdC (layover in Lisbon) and returning to the US - for $450. The price increased a little when I opted for the refundable fares but all in all, still a great deal, especially considering they are two one-way tickets.

 

[amyshmn]

Thank you all for the quick suggestions!

 

[VNwalking]

Orly is perfect, because that's where the Biarritz flights leave from. So if you choose to fly to Biarritz, (as opposed to taking the train) it will be very easy.
Connecting from CDG is much more of a hassle.

 

[Tamas]

TAP has been re-nationalized. The government now owns 72.5% of TAP. It is anyone's guess whether it will be around for your flight.

 

[Killimor]

Thank you all for the quick suggestions!

You might also like to consider taking a bus from SdeC to Biarritz. Before we had flights in/out of SdeC, I flew from the UK to Biarritz, made my way to St Jean Pied de Port (via Bayonne) and then commenced the Camino next day. At the end of the pilgrimage I had to return to Biarritz and found the overnight bus/coach was the best way for me.

 

[Jbirk]

I would rent a car to San Sabastian and bus from there. We did it last year at the end of the Norte and it was an easy drive. You have to drop off the car in Spain or the price goes up tremendously.

 

[New York Peregrina]

hi - there’s no fast way overland, and SJPP is a small town isolated in the mountains, so overland trip will likely be 24 hours of slow train/multiple bus connections. Couple of suggestions though -

1) try ending your flight in Lisbon or Porto. You can walk from either city to Santiago (both great caminos) or connect to Biarritz (BIQ airport code) which is closest to SJPP
2) do an open-jaw flight into Madrid and out of Porto on TAP - you can take bus from Santiago right to Porto airport
2) try extending your TAP flight to Madrid, and take excellent buses right from the airport - or if you overnight in Madrid, compare trains and buses to Pamplona, and then take 90 minute bus to SJPP
3) connect from Santiago to Biarritz airport, then 90 minute train to SJPP
4) connect from Santiago to Bilbao (airport code BIO), and start either at Logrono (60 min bus), Pamplona (2 hour bus) or go to Pamplona and then 90 minute bus to SJPP
5) consider starting in Pamplona instead of SJPP. It’s a very popular starting point for Spanish peregrinos and it’s only 5 hours by bus or train from Madrid

i highly recommend the Spanish bus system ALSA, they are fast, inexpensive and buses are very nice. You can prebook bus on ALSA app - set up a BusPlus account and input your info to book right from the app (available 60-90 days before departure) - non-Spanish credit cards may not work, but link BusPlus to your PayPal and it will work

Hope this helps and good luck

 

[VNwalking]

The OP has decided to fly to Paris and leave from Santiago. So the question is moot.

 

[tpmchugh]

TAP airline is running an incredible deal at this moment. I can book round-trip airfare from my home to SdC (RT) for $365 USD. Putting aside all the concerns about whether or not I'll be able to enter Europe due to COVID restrictions, I think this is a great deal worth gambling on. But since the flight places me in SdC at the beginning, does anyone know how to get from SdC to SJPdP to begin the Camino? I can't find options which seem reasonable on the internet. I imagine this deal won't be around for more than 24 hours, so if anyone has any ideas I'd love to know!

Johnnie Walker, a famous pilgrim know to many of us has just started a pilgrimage for us all carrying all our intentions from St Jean to Santiago. His journey started with a 10.5 hour train journey straight through from Santiago to Pamplona then a taxi to St Jean. On your own, the taxi may be expensive but there is a bus that others may be able to provide timetables for. BTW, Buen Camino Johnnie

Edited to say, I think you should defer walking the Camino until next year at best no matter how cheap it is. No point saving a few bucks to then get sick

 

[VNwalking]

I think you should defer walking the Camino until next year at best no matter how cheap it is. No point saving a few bucks to then get sick

The OP is walking in the springof 2021.

 

[Bert45]

I took the train from SdC to Bilbao in 2003. It was remarkably inexpensive. I then went to Biarritz, as that was where my return flight was from, but I'm sure you could easily get to SJPdP from Bilbao.

 

[Desert Bruce]

I was also looking into the travel connections from Santiago to St Jean this week. It seems as if I spent most of the day exploring the various ways to get there. It is not an easy place to get to. My best, simplest solution was to take the train to Pamplona, stay over night and catch the once per day bus the next afternoon.

Since my first Frances in 2016 I have thought that the climb from St Jean is a colossal cosmic joke on pilgrims for their first day. True it is a bonding experience, shared hardship overcoming obstacles. I've thought that it would be better placed near the end of a camino when a pilgrim is in better shape both physically and mentally. Sitting at home here at my PC I thought why not just do that segment after my Portuguese Camino next April. I hope to walk to Pamplona then take the train back to Santiago in time for my shift at the Pilgrim House May first.