Deb and John
Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Ingles 2023
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Check for flights into Leon and out of Santiago (often called open jaw or multicities flights). They will hub through Madrid, but you probably save transfer time to buses and trains. I don't recall Madrid to Leon train as a fast train! Easier probably is the bus from T-4 terminal to Leon.One month:
Leon to Santiago - end of September to mid October, 2015 (28 days total ~22 days walking):
Fly in and out of Madrid;
Fast train from Madrid to Leon - prebook (it looks like our train ticket also allows for a free C1 train to Chamartin station from the airport http://www.accesrail.com/pdf/MAD-airport.pdf);
Two nights in Leon - prebook (recoup, pick up pilgrim passports and see a bit of Leon);
City bus to the outskirts of Leon (start our walk);
Fly to Madrid - book on arrival (we've read Iberia may offer a 50% one-way discount for pilgrims, but haven't been able to substantiate)
~2-3 days Madrid
I don't recall Madrid to Leon train as a fast train!
- The train to León takes around 4 hours and you would have to get to Chamartin station in Madrid. aLSA buses leave the airport and take a bit longer.Hello fellow pilgrims!
With a fair bit of fantastic information from these forums, we've pulled together a loose travel plan.
One month:
Leon to Santiago - end of September to mid October, 2015 (28 days total ~22 days walking):
Fly in and out of Madrid;
Fast train from Madrid to Leon - prebook (it looks like our train ticket also allows for a free C1 train to Chamartin station from the airport http://www.accesrail.com/pdf/MAD-airport.pdf);
Two nights in Leon - prebook (recoup, pick up pilgrim passports and see a bit of Leon);
City bus to the outskirts of Leon (start our walk);
Fly to Madrid - book on arrival (we've read Iberia may offer a 50% one-way discount for pilgrims, but haven't been able to substantiate)
~2-3 days Madrid
Would appreciate any feedback/insights, in particular recommendations for modest accommodations (clean, close, cost effective, comfortable and quiet - not looking for much!) in Leon, Santiago and Madrid
But it does not go the Leon yet!!take the fast train
You will have to wait a while, though. The line is still under construction. As silly as I think high speed rail is, it will be nice to have it in place. It will compete against airplanes, which I do not think will succeed. It has no value for the cities, towns, and villages between major cities.Take the high speed train back to madrid from Santiago.
But it does not go the Leon yet!!
They do no acknowledge the service on their webpage. By all accounts, the AVE projects are stalled for budgetary reasons, and the link to Leon is still under construction. I do not know what to say about your first hand experience; Renfe is not listing the service for sale!!
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/larga_distancia/productos/
The AVE link from Madrid to Valladolid is open, so maybe the explanation is that you were on high speed track until then. The track from there is low speed track, so the train would just slow down for the last part. The slow train does take about 4 1/2 hours instead of 2 1/2 ...
You will have to wait a while, though. The line is still under construction. As silly as I think high speed rail is, it will be nice to have it in place. It will compete against airplanes, which I do not think will succeed. It has no value for the cities, towns, and villages between major cities.
You are correct - the high speed train is still under construction but there is a medium speed train that goes to madrid
Medium speed train it is then! We're happy to be still on to prebook a train from Madrid to Leon the same day we arrive, pushing on another 2.5 to 3 hours before we collapse! In terms of timing, we realize 22 days may be more than we need, but with no experience on long walks we wanted to be sure to leave some wiggle room. If we do arrive earlier, walking to Finisterre is an interesting option. Taking the train back is also intriguing, but we'd likely choose a day trip preferring to see the countryside. Spending time in and around Madrid is also high on our bucket list. It will depend on the timing, really. Please do send along any recommendations for BnBs (casas rurales?). We're also open to AirBnB or rentals in Madrid.
Thanks for all the feedback and buen Camino!
Fast to train to where?My opinion: take the fast train. It's very inexpensive, very comfortable, and there's really no scenery that you'll miss out on. Imagine taking a train through the prairies. It's miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles.
You'll see plenty of scenery while walking!
Since you're in Ottawa, Montreal is good only if you can accept Air Transat's fixed dates. Otherwise, if fly AC, you will have to go through Frankfurt which is a huge delay, in a horrible airport, and a pain the neck. And KLM does not leave from MTL. I now fly Air Transat to Madrid or Bilbao, even if I cannot use point or miss out of adding to them. Now, you could fly from YYL to a number of cities that then offer ultracheap flights into Spain: just work it backwards.Here are my suggestions and comments (edited and updated)
Fly into and out of Madrid from Canada (might have to head to Toronto, or better still Montreal). KLM and Air Transit services this route.
Fast to train to where?
Since you're in Ottawa, Montreal is good only if you can accept Air Transat's fixed dates. Otherwise, if fly AC, you will have to go through Frankfurt which is a huge delay, in a horrible airport, and a pain the neck. And KLM does not leave from MTL. I now fly Air Transat to Madrid or Bilbao, even if I cannot use point or miss out of adding to them. Now, you could fly from YYL to a number of cities that then offer ultracheap flights into Spain: just work it backwards.
If you desire use Petrabax.com to prebook your train from Madrid to Leon.
www.petrabax.com.
A train leaves Madrid Chamartin at 14:40 and arrives in Leon about 3 hours later. Take the Madrid airport express train from the Madrid airport to the Madrid Chamartin train station
John and Deb,
Would you like to hear another crazy idea?
If you have the time, don't fly back to Madrid, take the train again. We're leaving SdC tonight heading back to Madrid by train. We've got a sleeper car.
It's a private room with two beds, a private bathroom including a shower, a small sitting area, and access to the "bar car". It leaves fairly late so it gives you a whole extra day in SdC (which is a gorgeous city!) and arrives in Mad-Cham at 8:00 am. It's your transportation and your overnight accommodations! For the two of us, we paid about $250 Euro in total. Can you imagine what that would cost in Canada?? $1500 or so would be my guess, I haven't looked into it.
Anyways, if you're interested I'll let you know how it was!
Ron
Jirit, there seem to be varying accounts of how long the airport express takes to Chamartin station. Can you provide any insight?
Ron, you are there! As great as we hope?
Yes that is what I remember too. Should take about 15-20 minutes.We just took it today in reverse: Chamartin to T4. Time on the train? No more than 15 minutes.
For us, our Renfe ticket included the airport shuttle. We just went to the Renfe information office and they gave us the little ticket thingy to get through the gate. No charge.
Ron
The line to Leon is still under construction.
The one I took covered the 340km in 2:57. We must have been on different trains!
There is not fast train to Leon!My opinion: take the fast train. It's very inexpensive, very comfortable, and there's really no scenery that you'll miss out on. Imagine taking a train through the prairies. It's miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles.
You'll see plenty of scenery while walking!
There is not fast train to Leon!
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