• Get your Camino Frances Guidebook here.
  • For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
  • ⚠️ Emergency contact in Spain - Dial 112 and AlertCops app. More on this here.

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

London to Ponferrada.

Bernard duffy

Active Member
Hey folks and fellow pilgrims,i will be returning to the Camino to walk with a friend from Ponferrada where her Camino finished last year,i will be flying from London,what is the best way to get to Ponferrada,many thanks for any advice,Buen Camino.,Bernie.
 
The 9th edition the Lightfoot Guide will let you complete the journey your way.
Hi Bernie. It depends where you are in London, but also on specific dates. The timings of low-cost flights vary from day to day, which will affect options for onward travel. Ponferrada has bus and train links from Madrid and Santiago, but as far as I know you'd have to leave from Stansted to fly directly to Santiago. Search the forum; I've a feeling there's a bus direct from Madrid airport to Ponferrada. Good luck!
 
Join our full-service guided tour of the Basque Country and let us pamper you!
Ponferrada? I understand why you are starting from Ponferrada, personally it's not a place I really like, similar feelings towards the albergue there. The so called "Templar Castle" attracts some but it is best admired from afar. The Basilica de la Encina is much more interesting, the legend more intriguing. The tapas here are vastly overrated. The walkout a bit tedious. Watch your timing! Should you want to arrive and walk on, it's a good, say, 25 kilometers on to Villafranca del Bierzo, not difficult but not something you want to start after lunch. Cacabelos is still a stretch, has a funny round albergue plus plenty of alternative cheap accommodation. Villafranca is a place I like very much, plenty to see and nose about, good food, and great wine. Plan well.
 
Airports in Spain are operated by AENA. You can find airline and destination information for each. Probably the closest airport to Ponferrada in terms of travel time is Vigo followed by Santiago. Madrid would have significantly more flights per day.

Renfe operates several trains daily to Ponferrada from Vigo, Santiago, and Madrid.

ALSA provides bus service to Ponferrada from Madrid and Lugo (and Santiago via A Coruna). Empresa Freire operates buses from Santiago to Lugo. Monbus provides bus service from Vigo to Lugo.

AENA
http://www.aena.es/csee/Satellite/HomeAena

Renfe
http://www.renfe.com/index.html

Ponferrada bus station
http://www.ponferrada-virtual.com/autobuses-ponferrada/2-14-4-14.htm

ALSA
http://www.alsa.es/en/

Monbus
http://www.monbus.es/es

Empresa Freire
http://www.empresafreire.com/html/castelan/seccion0.php
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
Ponferrada? I understand why you are starting from Ponferrada, personally it's not a place I really like, similar feelings towards the albergue there. The so called "Templar Castle" attracts some but it is best admired from afar. The Basilica de la Encina is much more interesting, the legend more intriguing. The tapas here are vastly overrated. The walkout a bit tedious. Watch your timing! Should you want to arrive and walk on, it's a good, say, 25 kilometers on to Villafranca del Bierzo, not difficult but not something you want to start after lunch. Cacabelos is still a stretch, has a funny round albergue plus plenty of alternative cheap accommodation. Villafranca is a place I like very much, plenty to see and nose about, good food, and great wine. Plan well.

Hi Scruffy,my frind finished her Camino there to rush back home to Canada as her brother took ill and he sadly passed away,i have already finished my Camino but we walked together for a few days and i want to finish her Camino with her,i didn't like Ponferaada at all.
 
Hey folks and fellow pilgrims,i will be returning to the Camino to walk with a friend from Ponferrada where her Camino finished last year,i will be flying from London,what is the best way to get to Ponferrada,many thanks for any advice,Buen Camino.,Bernie.
ryanair or easyjet to madrid. then ALSA bus from 'Estación Sur' (metro méndez álvaro) in madrid to ponferrada's only bus station. easy :)
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Hi Bernie,

I'm currently living in Ponferrada and I would suggest your cheapest option would be to fly to Barcelona and take the train (I lived in Barcelona prior to Ponferrada). British Airways often has the cheapest flights (if travelling with luggage) and has a stack of flights all through the day to choose from. Typically you can get a seat for £60 in advance. (I checked randomly for 11th Feb).

There are two trains a day from Barcelona to Ponferrada, one in the morning at about 0930 and takes 9.5 hours and the other is overnight (2230 to 0630). The overnight train is a fully reclining seat or a bed. Again in advance (Again I checked for seats mid Feb) and you can get a seat on either train for 30€!!

If you take the daytime train you will of course be closely following the Camino Frances. If you take the overnight train then you can set off walking immediately and don't have to stay in Ponferrada.

And travelling via BCN also means that you can take in the stunning Sagrada Familia.

My second option would be Madrid and catch the bus (4.5 hours) - there are two different tariffs, the more expensive (called 'supra economy') one is for a more direct bus and also more comfortable seats (more legroom) which is important for me at 190cm tall.

Hope this is helpful and good luck in your plans,

Buen Camino

Nick
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Ponferrada-e1420412650639.jpg
Very valid point. Thanks
 
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Hi Bernie,

I'm currently living in Ponferrada and I would suggest your cheapest option would be to fly to Barcelona and take the train (I lived in Barcelona prior to Ponferrada). British Airways often has the cheapest flights (if travelling with luggage) and has a stack of flights all through the day to choose from. Typically you can get a seat for £60 in advance. (I checked randomly for 11th Feb).

There are two trains a day from Barcelona to Ponferrada, one in the morning at about 0930 and takes 9.5 hours and the other is overnight (2230 to 0630). The overnight train is a fully reclining seat or a bed. Again in advance (Again I checked for seats mid Feb) and you can get a seat on either train for 30€!!

If you take the daytime train you will of course be closely following the Camino Frances. If you take the overnight train then you can set off walking immediately and don't have to stay in Ponferrada.

And travelling via BCN also means that you can take in the stunning Sagrada Familia.

My second option would be Madrid and catch the bus (4.5 hours) - there are two different tariffs, the more expensive (called 'supra economy') one is for a more direct bus and also more comfortable seats (more legroom) which is important for me at 190cm tall.

Hope this is helpful and good luck in your plans,

Buen Camino

Nick

Thank you so much for this advice my friend,do you know a good place to stay in Ponferrada ?
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Ponferrada-e1420412650639.jpg
Very valid point. Thanks

If you check the detailed itinerary of the bus runs, almost all of the daily T-4 runs go through Estacion Sur. A couple of the runs on specific days of the week (S and D) originate at ES. If you check the arrival time in the above chart, you can see that it is the same bus at T-4 and ES. It is pretty safe to say that the bus that you catch at Estacion Sur started out at the airport! Unless you want to wander Madrid, I suggest that you take the bus from the airport.:)
 

Most read last week in this forum

Between Villafranca Montes de Oca and San Juan de Ortega there was a great resting place with benches, totem poles andvarious wooden art. A place of good vibes. It is now completely demolished...
Just an FYI that all available beds are taken in SJPDP tonight - fully, truly COMPLETO! There’s an indication of how busy this year may be since it’s just a Wednesday in late April, not usually...
Hi there - we are two 'older' women from Australia who will be walking the Camino in September and October 2025 - we are tempted by the companies that pre book accomodation and bag transfers but...
We have been travelling from Australia via Dubai and have been caught in the kaos in Dubai airport for over 3 days. Sleeping on the floor of the airport and finally Emerites put us up in...
Hi all, Very new to this so please excuse any ignorance or silly questions :) I'm walking my very first Camino in 2 weeks (iieeeek) - the countdown is on and excitement through the roof. I've...
From a friend on the ground in Pamplona https://www.noticiasdenavarra.com/fotos/general/sociedad/2024/04/23/nieve-primaveral-presente-navarra-8152386.html

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top