I'm traveling from Australia & wanting to know which city to fly into & then how to get to StJPdP.

[leandra scott]

I was thinking of flying into Barcelona at the end of August & then making my way to StJPdP. I am going to take a couple of days before I start my Camino so any suggestions in where to stay would be helpful also. Thank you. Leandra.

 

[Kanga]

I was thinking of flying into Barcelona at the end of August & then making my way to StJPdP. I am going to take a couple of days before I start my Camino so any suggestions in where to stay would be helpful also. Thank you. Leandra.

Leandra I love Barcelona and can suggest some places to stay but before you decide check if the bus will be running from Pamplona to SJPDP. Its seasonal. If it is running you can catch a train to Pamplona and the bus from Pamplona to SJPDP, which is pretty simple. But if not you will have catch a train from Barcelona to Irun, change from the Spanish to the French train system by doing a short walk from Irun to Hendaye (10 minutes) then to Bayonne; change again to take the local train from Bayonne to SJPDP - it's doable but a bit of a pain.
I usually fly into Paris, catch the TGV to Bayonne, then local train to SJPDP. I fly out from Madrid - it's a long way back to Paris from Santiago and various airlines allow you to depart Europe from a different airport to the one you arrived at.
I've just remembered - there is a Casa Rural (bed and breakfast) near Pamplona where the hosts will pick you up from Pamplona station, you stay the night with them and they will then transport you to SJPDP - will search this site.
Others on the forum will have much more specific information so keep checking back.
Travel times from Australia to and from Europe are bad enough, let alone factoring in the time needed to get to and from the Camino. But worth it.
Buen Camino!

 

[indyinmaine]

If you've bought your ticket to BCN you're probably stuck with kanga's solution. If you haven't you ought to consider Paris (if you stay overnight you can visit the Tour St. Jacques!) then take the TGV to Bayonne and either Caroline, http://www.expressbourricot.com/en.html, or the train to SJPP.

 

[whariwharangi]

Barcelona to SJPdP

4 options:

1. Fly Barcelona to San Sebastian. The San Sebastian airport is located very close to Irun train station. Take train from Irun or Hendaye to Bayonne. The train service provider is SNCF.

Note: Sometimes there are real savings to be had in purchasing open jaw tickets from your home airport to San Sebastian and from Santiago (or other airports).

2. Take train from Barcelona (Sants) to Bayonne via Toulouse. The service provider is SNCF.

3. Take train from Barcelona (sants) to Irun/Hendaye. This may be best accomplished by travelling first to Miranda de Ebro as there are only two trains per day Barcelona to Irun. Service provider is Renfe. From Irun/Hendaye take the train to Bayonne. The service provider from Irun/Hendaye is SNCF.

Option 2 or 3 take approximately the same amount of time ... use the schedule that best fits your plans.

Options 1,2,3 involve transfer to a train from Bayonne to SJPdP. Service provider is SNCF TER Acquitane and the train is TER 62. There are usually 4 trains daily.

4. Take bus or Renfe train from Barcelona to Pamplona. There is one bus 1730 departure from 17 March to 30 September 2014 Pamplona bus station to SJPdP. See ALSA for bus schedule.

 

[leandra scott]

Thank you so much for your responses it's very appreciated. This was my first post. I haven't booked my ticket yet so I think I'll re look at it & maybe fly into Paris. Please excuse my ignorance but what does TGV stand for & do you have any suggestions of where to stay in Paris for a night or two. Thank you again. Starting to get very excited!!

 

[indyinmaine]

Thank you so much for your responses it's very appreciated. This was my first post. I haven't booked my ticket yet so I think I'll re look at it & maybe fly into Paris. Please excuse my ignorance but what does TGV stand for & do you have any suggestions of where to stay in Paris for a night or two. Thank you again. Starting to get very excited!!

TGV stands for Tren Grand Vitesse (very fast train!) You can board it directly at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris if you can make the morning train at about 10 AM and you're in Bayonne by 5 PM. If you stay overnight in Paris they run direct about every two hours, I think from Gare Montparnasse. Check on www.sncf.com. Check the hostels on the web. You should be able to find one under 50 Euros easily.

 

[Kanga]

Yes, Leandra, TGV is the very fast train operated by the French railway company SNCF. You can book and buy tickets online using the SNCF website here : http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/
There can be a HUGE difference in price between different times of departure and when you purchase your ticket. I use the fare finder on the SNCF website. Avoid agents like RailEurope - you'll pay far more. Take care that you are getting a direct TGV train.

Be kind to yourself and allow plenty of time for connections - I missed the train once because I cut transfer times too short. It's a long plane trip from OZ and you'll be jet lagged - for me that means not thinking straight and going slightly mad! Have a relax, enjoy the ambience. Paris traffic is a nightmare so use the suburban train and metro to get into the city and once you are in the centre walk as much as you can. Paris is best seen on foot and if you are carrying your pack you will soon know if it's too heavy! Prepare before you leave by checking the routes, maybe downloading a free App for the metro and trains.

If you have the option of catching the TGV direct from the airport to Bayonne you may pay more for the ticket but you will save the accommodation cost. It is less stressful than going into Paris. It really depends on how much time you have - don't cut into your Camino walking time on any account. It's much better to have time left over at the end for sightseeing than to push yourself while walking. If you do have unlimited time and can afford it, stay in Paris 2 nights.

IMO!

 

[indyinmaine]

Thank you so much for your responses it's very appreciated. This was my first post. I haven't booked my ticket yet so I think I'll re look at it & maybe fly into Paris. Please excuse my ignorance but what does TGV stand for & do you have any suggestions of where to stay in Paris for a night or two. Thank you again. Starting to get very excited!!

Forgot one thing. If you book to Paris and take the train, there's an Iberia flight back to Paris, direct from Santiago for about 110 Euros. You might enjoy Paris a little better that way than after a long flight.

 

[Kanga]

Forgot one thing. If you book to Paris and take the train, there's an Iberia flight back to Paris, direct from Santiago for about 110 Euros. You might enjoy Paris a little better that way than after a long flight.

Very good suggestion!

 

[whariwharangi]

There are flights from Paris Orly to Biarritz (BIQ) ... the closest airport to SJPdP. Allow 4 - 5 hours from touchdown Charles de Gaulle to takeoff from Orly. EasyJet.

Bus #14 from BIQ (40 min) to Gare de Bayonne to catch the TER 62 train to SJPdP.

 

[bokormen91]

I would suggest that Madrid is a better option, at least from a traveling perspective, especially if you are doing a return flight. The train/bus from Barcelona to SJPP will involve more changes, and less options. Have look at Alsa (buses) and Renfe (trains) for possibilities. People seem to think that Paris is a great option, especially after watching the movie " The Way", - might be easier to start, but sure is more cumbersome to finish (unless you do open jaw, but that tends to make the ticket double in price).

Tickets for buses/trains are often cheaper if you book them in advance (generally 3 weeks) and as August is peak vacation time in Europe, booking in advance might be a good idea.


Paris is lovely, so is Barcelona - and Madrid. It depends on how many days you have available either side.

I generally only do train/bus in Continental Europe - there are flights, and they can be cheap, but - I like trains/buses. They generally do center of town/center of town. Some flights arrive 80-100km from the city they advertise, which is fine as long as you know...Then - you have to go through the whole security process. Get to town center, move to the other airport - then move 80-100km to next airport. I'd rather take a bus. Have a look at your options

 

[Trudy]

Hi Leandra, as you've seen there are a number of ways to do this trip, this is what I've done in the past:

1. Fly to Paris, stay a couple of nights to get over jetlag.
Take the TGV (fast train) from Paris Gare Montparnasse to Bayonne, then local train from Bayonne to SJPP; Or, overnight train from Gare Austerlitz to Bayonne, arriving at the crack of dawn, local train to SJPP. Have a look at the French national rail site, http://www.voyages-sncf.com for timetables, prices, and booking.

2. Fly to Madrid, stay a couple of nights.
Take the bus from the Avenida de las Americas bus station to Pamplona, then the evening bus from Pamplona to Roncesvalles, taxi from Roncesvalles to SJPP; or train from Madrid Atocha Station to Pamplona, then evening bus to Roncesvalles. Instead of going on to SJPP you could spend the night in Roncesvalles and start walking from there the next morning, after all there's no "official" starting point on the Camino. You'll find bus information and booking at http://www.movelia.es and the train at http://www.renfe.com

Buen Camino

Trudy

 

[Trish MacGregor]

I was thinking of flying into Barcelona at the end of August & then making my way to StJPdP. I am going to take a couple of days before I start my Camino so any suggestions in where to stay would be helpful also. Thank you. Leandra.

Hi there .... the name of the B & B in Pamplona is called Corazon Puro. www.corazonpuro.es I'm staying with them early September .... they are very helpful. Good luck.

 

[meriPNG]

Thank you so much for your responses it's very appreciated. This was my first post. I haven't booked my ticket yet so I think I'll re look at it & maybe fly into Paris. Please excuse my ignorance but what does TGV stand for & do you have any suggestions of where to stay in Paris for a night or two. Thank you again. Starting to get very excited!!

Hi Leandra,
I'm walking my Camino in May but was able to find a good deal (I think anyway) flying from Alice Springs via Adelaide to Paris (via Dubai) - the Adelaide flight leaves around midnight and you only have a 2 hour wait in Dubai. I'm spending a few nights in Bordeaux to rest up before heading to SJPDP, my flights are with Emirates.
I've been able to find great deals (I think anyway) through TGV for trains from Paris - Bordeaux - Bayonne - SJPDP.
I'm new to all of this so there may be better advice out there.
Good luck and Buen Camino

 

[meriPNG]

This is the site I found my train deals at and the customer service is excellent http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/

 

[leandra scott]

Thank you so much again for your responses & invaluable information. I've decided I will fly to Paris & stay for a couple of nights before making my way to SJPDP. Trudy I think I will also fly Emirates, it does seem the best deal for shortest flight.
Buen Camino Leandra

 

[Thornley]

A few or at least one night in Paris Leandra,
Train to Orly and get Easy Jet to Biarritz , not expensive.
Stay a night in this great town and train early next day to STJ.
Get your sticks, credentials and have a short walk to Orrison.
Start there the next day after getting the taxi.
Santiago to Madrid is the best flight back and Emirates/Qantas should allow you into Paris and out of Madrid for the same price.
Buen Camino and TAKE your time , Kanga is right...........too far to go to stuff up the early days .

 

[Cejanus]

Hi, I am from Western Australia. I flew into Paris using Malaysia Airlines. Fantastic fare at $1456 return. I don't know if they go from Adelaide though. I left a small case in Paris at the hotel I was returning to after my Camino. Trains leave from Gare Montparnasse. I printed out my tickets there. All the best, Buen Camino.

 

[indyinmaine]

I would suggest that Madrid is a better option, at least from a traveling perspective, especially if you are doing a return flight. The train/bus from Barcelona to SJPP will involve more changes, and less options. Have look at Alsa (buses) and Renfe (trains) for possibilities. People seem to think that Paris is a great option, especially after watching the movie " The Way", - might be easier to start, but sure is more cumbersome to finish (unless you do open jaw, but that tends to make the ticket double in price).

Tickets for buses/trains are often cheaper if you book them in advance (generally 3 weeks) and as August is peak vacation time in Europe, booking in advance might be a good idea.


Paris is lovely, so is Barcelona - and Madrid. It depends on how many days you have available either side.

I generally only do train/bus in Continental Europe - there are flights, and they can be cheap, but - I like trains/buses. They generally do center of town/center of town. Some flights arrive 80-100km from the city they advertise, which is fine as long as you know...Then - you have to go through the whole security process. Get to town center, move to the other airport - then move 80-100km to next airport. I'd rather take a bus. Have a look at your options

"but sure is more cumbersome to finish (unless you do open jaw, but that tends to make the ticket double in price" - On the contrary, open jaw tickets are usually based on the sum of one half the prevailing RT cost to each gateway.

 

[bokormen91]

"but sure is more cumbersome to finish (unless you do open jaw, but that tends to make the ticket double in price" - On the contrary, open jaw tickets are usually based on the sum of one half the prevailing RT cost to each gateway.

Maybe I have just been unlucky, or it's just that I don't fly intercontinetal unless I get a really good deal When I've flown between Europe and Asia/Africa an open jaw has cost me 20-40% more than doing a "straight round trip". I have chosen the open jaw a couple of times, mainly as the extra time, cost and discomfort that would be involved in getting back to the air port I flew in to means that the open jaw is still better value "overall". Other times I have gone for the round trip and used trains, planes and automobiles to get to my original arrival airport

I often find with both airlines and travel portals that if I choose the return option, the cost for each leg is lower than if I choose the one-way/multi-city option. This does probably vary between time of year, distances, airline etc etc. Intercontinental tickets are generally expensive, so spending a few hours shopping around, looking at different transport options is really worth it.

Some people don't like the planning, I do It's almost like an extension of the trip. Does not mean that I follow through with the plan, though

 

[indyinmaine]

Maybe I have just been unlucky, or it's just that I don't fly intercontinetal unless I get a really good deal When I've flown between Europe and Asia/Africa an open jaw has cost me 20-40% more than doing a "straight round trip". I have chosen the open jaw a couple of times, mainly as the extra time, cost and discomfort that would be involved in getting back to the air port I flew in to means that the open jaw is still better value "overall". Other times I have gone for the round trip and used trains, planes and automobiles to get to my original arrival airport

I often find with both airlines and travel portals that if I choose the return option, the cost for each leg is lower than if I choose the one-way/multi-city option. This does probably vary between time of year, distances, airline etc etc. Intercontinental tickets are generally expensive, so spending a few hours shopping around, looking at different transport options is really worth it.

Some people don't like the planning, I do It's almost like an extension of the trip. Does not mean that I follow through with the plan, though

Most of my experience has been between the US and Europe so that may not hold for Asia and Africa. I'm in the travel business and for the US/Europe connections it's not just my opinion, it's what I've been told by other travel agents.

 

[Thornley]

If flying from Australia its bloody simple.
Land on a flight thats early in Paris ........or if late flight like Emirates and others stay the night and enjoy.
Either fly from CDG or Orly to Biarritz that day or very early next.

If you want a day on the train after 30 hrs flying get the train on arrival.................. ??????

When landed either stay in Biarritz [ beautiful] to get over the lag or have an extra day in STJPDP

Mucking around with buses from Madrid to Pamplona[4+hrs then another bus or train then a taxi]................???
Barcelona worse than Madrid unless walking the Norte as you fly to Bilbao
London fly to Biarritz.

I'm not sure how you can avoid seeing beautiful cities/towns before and after camino.
People start from Le Puy............
Capital of France before Paris ...........LYON........best food in France , yet is hardly mentioned as a place for a few days before the train to Le Puy.