Is Madrid to SJPdP Possible in One Day

[koilife]

Since Express Bouricott no longer operates to ferry people from Pamplona to SJPsP, I have a logistical problem of getting to SJPdP on the same day as I fly into Madrid.

It appears that the only Alsa bus going from Pamplona up to Roncesvalles and SJPdP leaves prior to all but the 1:15am Alsa bus or 7:30am Renfe train out of Madrid. (I won't clear immigration in time to make the train.)

Any other suggestions for consideration in late May?

 

[nreyn12]

Yes, it's possible!

If you catch the bus directly from the Madrid airport, bus line Conda, you have a couple of choices for getting to Pamplona in time to catch the 6:00pm bus to Roncesvalles (if it's Monday-Friday). If it is a Saturday, that bus leaves at 4:00pm. From Roncesvalles you can hire a taxi and hopefully share it with other people headed to SJPP.

Conda bus from MAD to Pamplona

Depart MAD 10:45am, arrive Pamplona 3:30pm
Depart MAD 11:15am, arrive Pamplona 5:15pm

The bus leaves from Terminal 4, and you must buy your ticket before getting on the bus, either online or at the airport. Here is the website for timetables and to purchase tickets:

https://www.movelia.es/en/buscar_comprar/nacionales/

Will that work for you?
Nancy

 

[koilife]

If you catch the bus directly from the Madrid airport, bus line Conda, you have a couple of choices for getting to Pamplona in time to catch the 6:00pm bus to Roncesvalles (if it's Monday-Friday). If it is a Saturday, that bus leaves at 4:00pm.

Thanks for the information.

I'd already looked at Conda, and it doesn't appear that they go beyond Pamplona, based on the movelia site. I was unable to find any times from Pamplona to Roncesvalles on ANY day of the week. Is that a route through a different company, or only seasonal, or am I possibly missing something obvious on the site? (The only bus route I've found online so far is Alsa leaving Pamplona at 2pm each day for SJP, and that only starts in March.)

The day I'm trying to get from Madrid to SJP is Sunday.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Check here:

http://www.pamplona.es/verPagina.asp?idPag=20-42251

 

[koilife]

Falcon --- Thanks for the link. I'd not seen this before. On the site, however, is "Domingos y festivos no hay servicio." --> "Sundays and holidays, no service."

Any other options specifically for a Sunday transit?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Just taxi, I think.

 

[jpflavin1]

Koilife:

What is the date and time you are arriving?

You could fly Madrid to San Sebastian. Vueling and Iberia have Sunday flights. Then take a cab or bus to Bayonne and the local train to SJPdP. It will cost $140 to $300. dollars to fly.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[waveprof]

You could take a spanish renfe train to Donostia/San Sebastian (4-6 hrs), a basque euskatren to hendaya or bayone (3/4 of an hour), then a series of two short french trains to SJPDP.

A lot of changes, but doable in a day.

 

[hueppi]

I have a connecting flight from Madrid to Pamplona in the afternoon late April.

From there I will opt for a taxi.
Maximum fee, if I have to go by myself, is like 92 €.

Counting the cost of an overnight stay in Pamplona, 2 extra meals in Pamplona, the bus to Roncesvalles and then taxi from there to SJPdP it should turn out at about the same cost as public transport - and it saves me a day.

 

[koilife]

Koilife: What is the date and time you are arriving?

7:05am, plus I assume 60-90 minutes through immigration.

You could fly Madrid to San Sebastian. Vueling and Iberia have Sunday flights. Then take a cab or bus to Bayonne and the local train to SJPdP. It will cost $140 to $300. dollars to fly.

The Vueling connection time (5-6 hours) was prohibitive and Iberia cost (>$300/ticket) make it cheaper and easier to open jaw into Paris and ride train to Bayonne, overnight in Bayonne and catch the early train to SJP.

I have a connecting flight from Madrid to Pamplona in the afternoon late April. From there I will opt for a taxi.

I've considered the train to Pamplona with local taxi to SJP---it's by far the cheapest option, absent a train/bus that gets me there, and does save me the day---but I am also inclined not to reward the Pamplona taxi drivers who lobbied and shut down the Express Bouricott service in the first place. It might just be my free-market mentality showing, but I dislike protectionism being used to stifle entrepreneurship and service to the customer.

Since it is my son and I, it doubles the cost for open jaw flights, TVG from Paris, or regional flights, and it all gets quite expensive really quick. The net cost of the next closest method is roughly $350 higher than the Madrid train + Pamplona taxi combination. Frankly, I'd rather spend that along the Camino than in getting to it. Thus, my indignation and my pocketbook are at odds on this. Absent any other feasible method of getting to SJP that same day, I suspect my pocketbook will win (no doubt part of the calculus underlying the taxi lobby that shut Express Bouricott down out of Pamplona).

 

[skilsaw]

You could take a spanish renfe train to Donostia/San Sebastian (4-6 hrs), a basque euskatren to hendaya or bayone (3/4 of an hour), then a series of two short french trains to SJPDP.

A lot of changes, but doable in a day.

I waited in Bayonne for some Camino Amigos who went from Madrid through Bayonne to SJPP in one day. I think they only had to change trains twice. A travel agent in the USA booked their tickets.

Also, you cannot count on finding a taxi in Roncesvalles to take you to SJPP. Roncesvalles is little more than the ancient abbey. Your chance of finding a taxi there depends on a pilgrim taking a taxi from Pamplona to Roncesvalles, to begin their walk

 

[nreyn12]

Any other options specifically for a Sunday transit?

As Falcon said, if it's a Sunday in Pamplona, your only option will be a taxi from Pamplona to SJPP. You should have no trouble finding a taxi at the bus station when you arrive into Pamplona.

The taxi ride to SJPP will take approximately two hours.

 

[koilife]

I waited in Bayonne for some Camino Amigos who went from Madrid through Bayonne to SJPP in one day. I think they only had to change trains twice. A travel agent in the USA booked their tickets.

I'd already checked the train route to Bayonne, but given my arrival time and having to go through immigration, and then the need to get to the train station, I can't make it in time for the morning train sequence.

Although I didn't mention it in the thread above, one of the factors we're weighing heavily is availability of Sunday Mass. I wanted to know what was possible by way of travel, and then we'd pick the best route that also supported attendance at Mass.

We're 90% likely at this point to take the train from Madrid to Pamplona, eat dinner, attend Sunday evening Mass at San Lorenzo, and hop a late cab to SJPdP. The other viable, albeit more expensive, is to fly into Paris and take the train to Bayonne, attend evening Mass there and stay overnight, and take early train into SJPdP. Our first stage on Monday will only be to Orisson, so we have some leeway on schedule that morning. This way we start to get our legs under us and get past the jet lag at the same time. Tuesday will be to Roncesvalles, after which point we'll settle into a more traditional stage length.

Thanks to all for the guidance!

PAX,
Matt

 

[Jim L. Sanders]

My GF and I will be arriving in Madrid at approximately 10 AM on April 15. We plan on taking the earliest bus to Pamplona. If others are arriving then and want to share a taxi to SJPdP, please post here. Then we can figure out how to make contact.

 

[fraluchi]

Any other suggestions for consideration in late May?

Helicopter? :wink:

 

[koilife]

Helicopter? :wink:

Are you the pilot? :roll:

 

[Olivares]

Why are you flying into Madrid? So easy and much cheaper to do this from Barcelona

 

[koilife]

US Air. And Madrid is significantly cheaper from my section of the states. Anyways, it's a moot point since I've already purchased air tickets to Madrid and train tickets to Pamplona.

 

[vinsman]

I fly into Madrid from the US arriving at 8:35am on April 2nd. After I collect my luggage I will take an airport express bus (Yellow) which runs every 15 minutes from the airport to the Atocha train station the trip takes between 30 and 60 minutes depending on traffic. Cost is 5euro. My train departs for Pamplona at 11:35am and arrives at 2:40pm. I have arranged for at taxi through Taxi Pamplona to take me to SJPP. I hope to arrive in SJPP by 4:00pm. Then a quick stop in the pilgrims office and off to Orrison for the night. And it begins!

 

[Olivares]

I fly into Madrid from the US arriving at 8:35am on April 2nd. After I collect my luggage I will take an airport express bus (Yellow) which runs every 15 minutes from the airport to the Atocha train station the trip takes between 30 and 60 minutes depending on traffic. Cost is 5euro. My train departs for Pamplona at 11:35am and arrives at 2:40pm. I have arranged for at taxi through Taxi Pamplona to take me to SJPP. I hope to arrive in SJPP by 4:00pm. Then a quick stop in the pilgrims office and off to Orrison for the night. And it begins!

vinsman--- are you starting the Camino at SJPDP on the same day that you arrive in MADRID from a transatlantic flight????? :shock: BAD, BAD, BAD IDEA. First off, you are counting that EVERY step in your plan is going to go smoothly. I hope it does, but a much better plan is to plan with a buffer and minimize risk. I strongly suggest you get a good night sleep in SJPDP; the 7 kms to Orisson are NOT going to make a big difference on the 800 kms trek, but could make a huge difference if the timing isn't right at the takeoff. SJPDP is a beautiful town worth exploring; the camaraderie and excitement on the Office of Pilgrims is awesome and worth lingering around to get advice from the wonderful volunteers-- you are already chosing to miss out on both..... :?: what's the hurry?? BTW, I am also flying USAirways this coming May; I'll start in Logroño this time. The first couple of times I flew northeast USA to Barcelona-- no issues.

 

[koilife]

As a final update to my trip from Madrid to SJPdP . . .

We rode Renfe to Pamplona and then got picked up by the wonderful folks at Corazon Puro, with whom we stayed overnight. They dropped us off in SJPdP the next morning. Total transfer cost for myself and my son from Pamplona to SJPdP was 37 euro.

I cannot recommend Corazon Puro strongly enough for their alburgue/pension, or for their hospitality.