New Pamplona-St. Jean bus service

[Rebekah Scott]

A Pamplona bus line just announced it will run daily buses to/from Pamplona and St. Jean Pie de Port, France, until mid-September 2011. Details at
http://www.conda.es/eventos.php?tipo=3&id=438

(scroll down to the red letters at the bottom.) Buses run daily at 2 p.m., a time meant to better coordinate with arrivals of buses and trains from Madrid and Barcelona. I am not sure if the bus stops in Roncesvalles... I would assume not, as another route serves that audience already.

Ultreya
Rebekah de Moratinos

 

[Pibicamino]

I'm leaving Madrid this sunday.. haven't decide yet how I will get to SJPP, but this sounds really good, so I think I will try it. But I hope it's for real? So I won't be standing there without getting anywhere.. because there are no other buses on sundays to Roncesalles. anyone who knows more about this? It's sounds really good, but since no one has answered this post I'm just wondering..
So monday or tuesday I will start my camino if everyting goes well

 

[anniethenurse]

this is the current time- table for Sunday the 19th of June. Maybe it is better to book and buy the ticket to be sure to get to SJPP on Sunday.
http://www.alsa.es

 

[anniethenurse]

this is the itinerary.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Thanks, Annie. I did not find the link in English.
This IS for real, I got the initial news from a very reliable source.

Reb.

 

[Pibicamino]

It's so strange.. I must be doing something wrong.. because when I'm trying to find that on alsa.es it can't find the town SJPP, so I can't book any ticket.. Hm.. don't know what I'm doing wrong :S

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It is an international trip, so go to the International tab.

 

[William Marques]

Check under their International search rather than National (Spain to France).

 

[Former member 2537]

Thanks for this bit of news, Rebecca. A few further details after looking at the ALSA site: The bus does indeed stop in Roncesvalles. The itinerary is Pamplona (dep 14:00) - Burgete (14:45) - Roncesvalles (14:50) - Valcarlos (15:15) - SJPP (arr 15:45). One-way fare is 15 euros. That's the good news. The bad news is that one will have to take the 07:00 bus out of Madrid (estación Avenida América) to arrive in Pamplona before 14:00 (that 07:00 bus arrives at 13:30). No later bus will make the connection in Pamplona. There is a 07:35 train out of Madrid that will arrive in Pamplona in time. So with a typical mid-morning international arrival from North America this won't work without an overnight somewhere.

The service will run every day June 18 through September 11, 2011.

To find the service on the ALSA site go to alsa.es/portal/site/Alsa, click International, select destination country "France", select departure point "Pamplona", then destination "SJPP". Select your date (and number of passengers if you are going to purchase tickets online) then click "Search".

Too bad they didn't schedule this to leave Pamplona about 18:30, a departure that would have allowed leaving Madrid as late as noon.

 

[Pibicamino]

I checked under international.. but now it finally worked Does anyone know if it's the same bus station I will arrive to with my bus from Madrid? I wonder if I could take the bus from Madrid that arrives at 13.30, and the bus to SJPP is at 14.00.. the earlier bus from Madrid arrives at 6.00... so it's kind of early..

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Only one bus station in Pamplona, but it is a good one. There is luggage storage there (or there was in 2010), so if you come on the early bus you can put your things in there and go have a look around town.

Depending on where you are coming from, this bus may better serve train-riders than bus people.

And if it all gets too complicated, you could just put on your pack and start your camino right there in Pamplona. Hundreds of people do!

 

[virveb]

Hi,
is there still going a bus to Roncesvalles a 18 oclock (on Thursday)?

 

[Pibicamino]

No I don't think it will be too complicated, just wondered Before I knew about this bus it was complicated. I think I will take the early bus, but it didn't work buying the tickets online, so I buy them tomorrow when I arrive to Madrid, thanks for the help!
I wonder if alsa has an office at the airport, otherwise I just go to Av. de las Americas and buy a ticket.

 

[docpam]

I tried to book the bus but it will not take my VISA card! My travel agent cannot also book. Any experience in just arriving and hoping to get a seat?

 

[annelise]

In May, I took the 10.35 train to Pamplona from Atocha (Madrid's main railway station – and end station for the the airport bus). I have not noted the time of arrival in Pamplona but I believe a bit after 2 pm. However, when getting there (Pamplona) – and not quite knowing how to get on to Roncesvalles – I chose to line up in the long taxi queu (as a great number of other passengers did – just seemed to be the thing to do!!!). Two fellow-pilgrims – well recognizable with their backpacks – then asked me whether I would be going to Roncevalles (yes!), and we agreed to share a taxi. The kind taxi driver then produced a printed pricelist with what seemed to be the standard fare which was somewhat around 57 Euros.

 

[ksam]

Just back from Santiago! I was having a bit of a time finding coordinating times, buses, taxis etc. So, from somewhere here on the forum, I went the Hendaya route. As I had a red eye to Madrid, I crashed for the night at a hotel in the Barajas district. In the am, took the metro...cheap and very easy, to Chamartin, grabbed the train to Hendaya around 50 Euros, then the local from Hendaya to Bayonne, and the little train to SJPP.

I personally liked this route. I didn't want to see exactly where I'd be walking the following two days! I wanted it all to be fresh. That being said, sit on the westward side of the train, and then read. As the mountains approached, I really did have to ask myself what the hell was a South Jersey girl (read total flat lander!) doing approaching these mountains !

But...I made it....so guess it all worked out in the end...or I am way way more obstinate than folks thought I was, Hell, even I thought I was! :wink:

Buen Camino all!

 

[SisterPearl]

Thanks so much for the information! Hmmm, not sure what to do now, I will be flying in to Barajas in the morning, then meeting a (Madrileño) friend in Madrid for a few hours, probably won't get into Pamplona until the evening... But heck, it's the Camino, I'm sure I'll figure things out as I go. At any rate, the bus info is very handy. Cheers!

 

[rickydhouse]

After doing the Camino for several years, I was so excited to see on this forum that there was now a bus from Pamplona to St. Jean, but when I went on the website, it doesn't appear to be there anymore. I know most postings were from last year, but does anyone know more info on that for this year? I'll arrive in Madrid at 9:30AM on Tuesday, May 14, 2012 and would love to be able to get to get on the trail the next day out of St. Jean!

Thanks

 

[docpam]

I see that the bus from Pamplona to ST Jean is not listed on the Alsa web site. When I used it the bus was full so I wonder why it has been stopped.

 

[eleone]

hi there, thank you so much for any help you can give. i have been reading this information about the bus from pamplona to st jean and tried to book it this morning on the alsa site. but was unable to. it wouldn't let me.. didn't know if that meant the bus was no longer running or if the site was down somehow.. anyway -- didn't know whether to plan on just figuring this get when we get to pamplona by train, or if it is important to book ahead of time. we leave here on september 9th so looking at beginnng our walk on the 14th or 15th. merci!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It is an international route, so click on "International" to begin your search.

 

[sillydoll]

ALSA does not accept foreign credit cards, you can try to pay via PayPal.

 

[bdovan]

Thank You Falcon. I was nervous because I had read there no longer was a bus going from Pamplona to SJPdP. I just clicked International and found the route. It doesn't give schedules more than 2 months ahead, so I will check back the end of March.

And thanks Sillydoll for the payment information.

This Forum is invaluable.

~Bic

 

[Rmullen]

Is it possible to catch this bus going from Roncsevalles to Pamplona on April 4? If so, does anyone have an idea what time it would be?

I ask because I want to start in SJPP but I have to skip a few places to catch a plane in Santiago by the 20th.

 

[whariwharangi]

Is it possible to catch this bus going from Roncsevalles to Pamplona on April 4? If so, does anyone have an idea what time it would be?

I ask because I want to start in SJPP but I have to skip a few places to catch a plane in Santiago by the 20th.

Estacion de Autobuses de Pamplona
http://estaciondeautobusesdepamplona.com/Inicio.aspx

Autocares Artieda (bus company with schedule to Roncesvalles) See the Servicios Regulares ... the link that says 'Bus Roncesvalles' only provides information on a bus set up exclusively for pilgrims. You may need to check closer to the date of travel ... schedules sometimes change with the seasons.
http://www.autocaresartieda.com/?scc=svpropios

The Conda bus from Pamplona to SJPdP is seasonal. You'd have to check their site (the ALSA site isn't reliable for this route)

http://www.conda.es/index.php

Note the dates here are probably not for the current year:
http://www.conda.es/eventos.php?tipo=3&id=438

 

[peregrina2000]

Is it possible to catch this bus going from Roncsevalles to Pamplona on April 4? If so, does anyone have an idea what time it would be?

Hi, rmullen,

The bus company website indicates that there is one bus each day from Roncesvalles to Pamplona, leaving Roncesvalles at 9:20 and arriving Pamplona at 10:30. The website also specifies that the information is valid through 2014. No bus on Sunday in that direction.

http://www.autobusesdenavarra.com/siv/internet/itinerarios.jsp?codigoEmpresa=110&codigoItinerario=80

 

[Anniesantiago]

I can not find this trip listed on any of the bus sites - from Pamplona to SJPP.
Does anyone know if it's still running this year?

 

[whariwharangi]

I can not find this trip listed on any of the bus sites - from Pamplona to SJPP.
Does anyone know if it's still running this year?

This is the site used by Conda to advertise its service from Pamplona to SJPdP. I don't think the dates are current for 2014. If you really need to know if the bus is running you should contact Conda directly.
http://www.conda.es/eventos.php?tipo=3&id=438

 

[Anniesantiago]

This is the site used by Conda to advertise its service from Pamplona to SJPdP. I don't think the dates are current for 2014. If you really need to know if the bus is running you should contact Conda directly.
http://www.conda.es/eventos.php?tipo=3&id=438

Can't do it from the USA. Will figure it out when I get there. Thanks

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It looks like service will start on March 17 and continue through the summer until September 30, 2014.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

 

[whariwharangi]

Ah yes ... the old tick-the-'query-with-no-date'-box trick ... cool.

 

[Anniesantiago]

View attachment 8042

Thanks Falcon!

 

[peregrina2000]

Is there any way to know when the service will start up in 2015? I have a friend walking from SJPP in May and she would like to take the bus from Pamplona. Thanks, buen camino, Laurie

 

[whariwharangi]

Is there any way to know when the service will start up in 2015? I have a friend walking from SJPP in May and she would like to take the bus from Pamplona. Thanks, buen camino, Laurie

The bus from Pamplona to SJPdP has started running just before Easter for the past 2 years.

ALSA usually does not post any changes to schedules more than a month in advance.

So no way to know for sure other than to contact ALSA, however its likely that they will have at least one bus per day (probably leaving Pamplona mid afternoon) by May 2015.

 

[nreyn12]

For 2014 there were two buses a day for roughly Easter through early or mid- September, at 2:30pm and 5:30p. Then in July and August there was one additional bus, I think at 10:00am. The fare was 20 euros, one way.

I am hoping for the same in 2015! Easter is April 5 next year.

 

[whariwharangi]

The bus from Pamplona to SJPdP ran daily 1000 13 June to 31 August 2014, 1430 1 June to 30 Sept 2014, and 1730 17 March to 30 September 2014. The schedule for the 1430 bus was extended first to 3 Nov 2014 and again to 7 Dec 2014.