Needing help reaching SJPP from Toronto, Ont. Canada.

[twocanucks]

My mother and I are planning on walking the Camino in April of 2010. We are in the very early stages of planning our pilgrimage but are running into some technical problems with booking flights and such...I have been seaching flights from Toronto Pearson Internation to Biarritz Fra (from biarritz is there a bus or train to SJPP? Is there a simpler route to get to SJPP?) If anyone knows the most cost effective route from our location and would like to share, it would be greatly appricated...

 

[WolverineDG]

Simple question first: from the airport you can take the bus to the train station in Bayonne (takes about an hour; if you're in a rush to make a train, then take a cab).

As for getting to Biarritz, most go through Paris & then take the train. You can also fly from CDG to Biarritz on Easy Jet or transfer to Orly & fly Air France if you can catch one of their really really really cheap fares (as in $36 US all in).

Kelly

 

[Canuck]

Hi! from another Canuck,

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to do this is to go TO-Paris return with:

http://www.airtransat.ca/en/Home.aspx

Then, Paris-SJPDP by train, starting right at the airport (Write CDG2 as starting city):

http://www.tgv.com/EN/index_HD.html

At the end, return to Paris from Santiago with this low-cost airline:

http://www.vueling.com/?language=EN

Spend a night in Paris at this low-cost hotel (free shuttle from and to the Airport):

http://www.etaphotel.com/gb/hotel-3515- ... ndex.shtml

That's what I have done in the past and it worked just fine.
Enjoy your trip,
Jean-Marc

 

[WolverineDG]

For a little bit more, you can stay at the Ibis CDG Terminal, walking distance from T3 & short train ride away from T2 & the RER station, in case you want to take a quick jaunt into Paris for the day.

For a whole lot more, you can book the Sheraton that is IN the airport itself. But the rates are :shock:

Just make sure you book the CDG Terminal one; there are several Ibis hotels labelled "CDG," but this is the only one that is on the airport site itself. No need to worry about catching a shuttle.

Also good for getting over jet lag & flying out the next morning on the 7am Easy Jet flight to Biarritz.

Kelly

 

[cecelia]

And from yet another Canuck... I have started from SJPP three times in April - once I flew to Paris then Biarritz, once to London then Biarritz and once to Amsterdam - and yes - to Biarritz (what can I say - I like the place!).
Yes there is a train from Biarritz to SJPP. It's about a ten minute trip to Bayonne where you change trains to get to SJPP. Small stations though and easy to accomplish.
If you have to overnight in Biarritz there are lots of two star hotels that are quite inexpensive. There's also a hostel within walking distance of the train station that I found very pleasant and the price includes a decent (cold) breakfast.
Just FYI in case this would work for you, I took an early train from Biarritz to SJPP arriving at about 10:30 I think. After going to the Pilgrims Office to get my pilgrim's passport and buying a few supplies for the trip over the hill, I walked up the first and second times to stay at a private auberge in Hunto and the third time at Orisson. If you want to stay at Orisson be sure to make a reservation as early as you can by email from their website (at least a month in advance) because there aren't many beds and they do get filled up quickly. The price of the bed includes dinner and breakfast and is a great way to get to meet other pilgrims. And incidentally - the Pilgrim's office has offered to phone up to the albergue for me each time to make sure there is room and so they will expect me.
The benefit of doing this is that you take a nice bite out of the hill and have a head start for the next day over to Roncesvalles.
Buen camino
Cecelia