New Pilgrim

[Sher]

Hi everyone, I am new to this board and planning to walk my first Camino mid-May to mid-June 2019. I’ve been reading a lot of the posts and gathering valuable information about packing and tips in general, thank you so much! I live in the middle of nowhere so it’s hard for me to get direct flights anywhere and I ended up booking my flight in and out of Barcelona. As I have read posts since then I recognize that that’s probably not going to be logistically simple to get to the start at SJPP or back to Barcelona from Santiago. I did include some extra days because I’m not in very good shape so hopefully that will allow for travel time. I am walking 10 miles every Sunday now though and 20 miles spread out the rest of the week to improve my fitness. I arrive in Barcelona on May 14 and fly out on June 26. Any suggestions on transportation from beginning and end of the Camino?

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola @Sher. Welcome to the Camino Forum.
1. Well you have done one thing right (apart from joining the Forum), giving yourself the time to enjoy the Camino;
2. As for a starting point well this is entirely up to you. You can get to St Jean (via Pamplona and Roncesvalles), a train to Pamplona and then a bus or taxi for the rest of the distance. But you could just as easily start in Pamplona (I did in 2015). You are still going to walk 600/650 km and will get (imho) the full camino experience;
3. Getting back to Barcelona, I am not totally up to date here. I don't think there is a direct plane service, but there are trains and buses. Or you could do a combo - fly to Madrid and then AVE (Spanish high speed trains) to Barcelona. No doubt someone with some extra knowledge will imput a better recommendation.
4. In the meantime start the walking training and working out how to pack as light as possible.
Buen Camino

 

[JohnInMadrid]

Hello Sher and welcome to the forum. There are many options. I would fly to Madrid and from there take the bus to Pamplona. If your time is a little tight you can easily start your Camino there as many people do or connect with another bus. You might also look into flying directly into Pamploma if that is possible. I know you can fly from Barcelona to Madrid for less than 40 euros. That would be Less than the cost of taking the train and probably less than the bus too.

 

[C clearly]

I am walking 10 miles every Sunday now though and 20 miles spread out the rest of the week to improve my fitness

Hi. Welcome to the forum. That is a very good start to walking fitness - especially if you can keep it up over the winter, and if that total is 30 miles per week (not 20 total). When early spring comes, try to do a Saturday and Sunday consecutively. You might find that causes blisters that you haven't had before. If so, you will have time to let them heal and you will know where you are vulnerable and you can use protective tape. (It is also the only real test of the fit of your shoes.)

I agree with @Saint Mike II that it's a good idea to consider starting at Pamplona or Roncesvalles. That will still feel entirely like a "full camino", the logistics will be simpler, and you'll have a couple of extra days for flexibility. If you have extra days at the end, you can always walk to Finisterre, or spend them sightseeing in Barcelona.

P.S. You already have your tickets to Barcelona. That is fine, so don't start second-guessing that! There are many transportation options from Barcelona and you will find one that works for you!

 

[Gaddong]

I was like you and spent so much in making flight changes. Whatever you do, do not fly Air France they may be on strike like they were this year and they are no help. From Barcelona I suggest you take a bus or fly to Pamplona and stay there for a day then take the bus to SJPDP another day then start your camino the following morning.Flying out of Santiago take the La Vacolla Airport to Barcelona. Make reservations 3 months before for local transport (Bus, Train) schedules are not out any earlier, within Spain. Like you I was not fit, my secret I found later since it helped me was identifying a hill that when I hike it without a pack takes me 45 minutes to an Hour... Hike that everyday if you can or as often as you can. Soon as you can cut the time by 50% then add half of the weight of the pack you plan to carry, will take you longer this time around. then continue increasing soon as you cut down the time by 50% or what is comfortable all the way to carrying the total weight of your pack. By the way your hiking shoes (I wore Backpacking boots by Asolo over kill for some; just right as my friend on the camino) must be worn during these hikes. If you can do all this say by March then just do maintenance hiking up until you travel. Control the excitement and be aware of your hiking pace... it is your pace not anyone else it's your pace. The little hill you hike on to get fit so to speak will prove very helpful on that climb to Orisson and across the Pyrenees, and all those succeeding mountains that never ends... Water and nutrition is crucial... Listening to your body, reflections of the day, taking day by day, and let it be Buen Camino Perigrino!!! Via con Dios...

 

[Gaddong]

Hi. Welcome to the forum. That is a very good start to walking fitness - especially if you can keep it up over the winter, and if that total is 30 miles per week (not 20 total). When early spring comes, try to do a Saturday and Sunday consecutively. You might find that causes blisters that you haven't had before. If so, you will have time to let them heal and you will know where you are vulnerable and you can use protective tape. (It is also the only real test of the fit of your shoes.)

I agree with @Saint Mike II that it's a good idea to consider starting at Pamplona or Roncesvalles. That will still feel entirely like a "full camino", the logistics will be simpler, and you'll have a couple of extra days for flexibility. If you have extra days at the end, you can always walk to Finisterre, or spend them sightseeing in Barcelona.

P.S. You already have your tickets to Barcelona. That is fine, so don't start second-guessing that! There are many transportation options from Barcelona and you will find one that works for you!

Just remember local transport schedules come out 3 months and no earlier.

C Cleary I am thinking of doing Via de la Plata 2019 any pointers as it compares to CF? Suggestion on guide book for it? Thank you.

 

[Jim McMurtrie]

Sher, welcome. We took a local train from Santiago to A Coruna and then the overnight tranhotel to Barcelona. A pleasant journey.
Buen Camino

 

[Sher]

I was like you and spent so much in making flight changes. Whatever you do, do not fly Air France they may be on strike like they were this year and they are no help. From Barcelona I suggest you take a bus or fly to Pamplona and stay there for a day then take the bus to SJPDP another day then start your camino the following morning.Flying out of Santiago take the La Vacolla Airport to Barcelona. Make reservations 3 months before for local transport (Bus, Train) schedules are not out any earlier, within Spain. Like you I was not fit, my secret I found later since it helped me was identifying a hill that when I hike it without a pack takes me 45 minutes to an Hour... Hike that everyday if you can or as often as you can. Soon as you can cut the time by 50% then add half of the weight of the pack you plan to carry, will take you longer this time around. then continue increasing soon as you cut down the time by 50% or what is comfortable all the way to carrying the total weight of your pack. By the way your hiking shoes (I wore Backpacking boots by Asolo over kill for some; just right as my friend on the camino) must be worn during these hikes. If you can do all this say by March then just do maintenance hiking up until you travel. Control the excitement and be aware of your hiking pace... it is your pace not anyone else it's your pace. The little hill you hike on to get fit so to speak will prove very helpful on that climb to Orisson and across the Pyrenees, and all those succeeding mountains that never ends... Water and nutrition is crucial... Listening to your body, reflections of the day, taking day by day, and let it be Buen Camino Perigrino!!! Via con Dios...

Just remember local transport schedules come out 3 months and no earlier.

C Cleary I am thinking of doing Via de la Plata 2019 any pointers as it compares to CF? Suggestion on guide book for it? Thank you.

I was like you and spent so much in making flight changes. Whatever you do, do not fly Air France they may be on strike like they were this year and they are no help. From Barcelona I suggest you take a bus or fly to Pamplona and stay there for a day then take the bus to SJPDP another day then start your camino the following morning.Flying out of Santiago take the La Vacolla Airport to Barcelona. Make reservations 3 months before for local transport (Bus, Train) schedules are not out any earlier, within Spain. Like you I was not fit, my secret I found later since it helped me was identifying a hill that when I hike it without a pack takes me 45 minutes to an Hour... Hike that everyday if you can or as often as you can. Soon as you can cut the time by 50% then add half of the weight of the pack you plan to carry, will take you longer this time around. then continue increasing soon as you cut down the time by 50% or what is comfortable all the way to carrying the total weight of your pack. By the way your hiking shoes (I wore Backpacking boots by Asolo over kill for some; just right as my friend on the camino) must be worn during these hikes. If you can do all this say by March then just do maintenance hiking up until you travel. Control the excitement and be aware of your hiking pace... it is your pace not anyone else it's your pace. The little hill you hike on to get fit so to speak will prove very helpful on that climb to Orisson and across the Pyrenees, and all those succeeding mountains that never ends... Water and nutrition is crucial... Listening to your body, reflections of the day, taking day by day, and let it be Buen Camino Perigrino!!! Via con Dios...

Gracias por tu ayuda!
I can walk 10 to 15 miles easily with a pack (15 is my longest, usually it is 10) and have done that several times this fall, with hiking poles. Walking two consecutive days is a good plan. My biggest concern is hills as I mostly walk on very flat terrain as the area I live is extremely flat I need to find a hill, like you said to practice. I’m hoping to maintain the walking all winter I walked an average 4.4 miles a day in November and have been keeping it up so far in December.
I was kind of tentatively thinking a train to Pamplona and then a bus so that seems reasonable what you said, I will check into that more. I really have my heart set on starting in SJPP But I like the idea of staying in Pamplona a day... then I can rest up from my flight and see Pamplona and just walk through on my way on the Camino.
Thanks again for the advice!!

 

[Sher]

Sher, welcome. We took a local train from Santiago to A Coruna and then the overnight tranhotel to Barcelona. A pleasant journey.
Buen Camino

Great idea! Thanks you!

 

[Sher]

Hi. Welcome to the forum. That is a very good start to walking fitness - especially if you can keep it up over the winter, and if that total is 30 miles per week (not 20 total). When early spring comes, try to do a Saturday and Sunday consecutively. You might find that causes blisters that you haven't had before. If so, you will have time to let them heal and you will know where you are vulnerable and you can use protective tape. (It is also the only real test of the fit of your shoes.)

I agree with @Saint Mike II that it's a good idea to consider starting at Pamplona or Roncesvalles. That will still feel entirely like a "full camino", the logistics will be simpler, and you'll have a couple of extra days for flexibility. If you have extra days at the end, you can always walk to Finisterre, or spend them sightseeing in Barcelona.

P.S. You already have your tickets to Barcelona. That is fine, so don't start second-guessing that! There are many transportation options from Barcelona and you will find one that works for you!

Thank you for saying that about not second-guessing… I have a tendency to do that so you’re right I’ll find something that works!
Yeah I’ve been walking 30 or a little over a week but of that 30 I try to do one long day which is usually 10, one day I did 15. I’ve done it with a pack with 14 pounds in it and it wasn’t bad at all. I usually don’t walk with the pack though because I live in a small town and I don’t want the residence to think I’m a crazy person walking around town with my backpack

 

[C clearly]

I am thinking of doing Via de la Plata 2019 any pointers as it compares to CF? Suggestion on guide book for it?

There are quite a few threads on the Via de la Plata sub-forum that talk about the differences. If you explore the drop-down options on the bar at the top of the page, you should be able to find the VDLP. (Here is a link, but I'm not entirely sure if it links directly or if it depends on the search I did to find it.) Here is one thread that discusses guide books.

 

[J Willhaus]

Sher,
You can fly direct one way from Santiago to Barcelona on Vueling. They may not have tickets out yet for Spring, but usually if you purchase early they are very reasonable. Be sure to pay the extra to have your pack shipped back to BCN. They are pretty strict with carry-on baggage and it is cheaper to pay ahead of time and put your backpack in the hold. This is really an economy airline with little leg room, so just be aware. However it will save you time and money getting back to BCN.
Janet

 

[CdnDreamer]

Easy Jet flies direct from Santiago to Barcelona for about $100 US. They have flights showing the day before you leave Barcelona. - Sorry, Easy Jet flights are not direct. Vueling goes direct.

 

[Sher]

Sher,
You can fly direct one way from Santiago to Barcelona on Vueling. They may not have tickets out yet for Spring, but usually if you purchase early they are very reasonable. Be sure to pay the extra to have your pack shipped back to BCN. They are pretty strict with carry-on baggage and it is cheaper to pay ahead of time and put your backpack in the hold. This is really an economy airline with little leg room, so just be aware. However it will save you time and money getting back to BCN.
Janet

Thanks! Good to know about the flight and the backpack rules.

 

[Tandem Graham]

Welcome to the forum and well done on committing to your first Camino! It sounds to me like you are already taking steps (literally and metaphorically) to get ready - being used to walking regularly will certainly help you enjoy the experience.
You can take a direct train from Barcelona, to either Pamplona or San Sebastian - either of which are fascinating cities in which to overnight. Spanish intercity trains are very modern and comfortable and there is great scenery to admire along the way. Book a couple of months ahead for the best prices.
Then train to Biarritz and bus to St JeanPdP or (slower but picturesque) bus direct from Pamplona to either Roncesvalles or St Jean.
As suggested above, there is no official starting point for the Camino, and if you do begin walking in St Jean, your first day is a baptism of fire over a Pyrenean pass. If you're feeling confident and fit, go for it! Otherwise, starting at Roncesvalles would be gentler and perhaps wiser and would give you an extra day in hand!
Buen Camino!

 

[gloria lowe]

I took a direct train from Santiago to Barcelona and loved it. Nice, quiet way to unwind and scenery was beautiful.

 

[Hurry Krishna]

Hi everyone, I am new to this board and planning to walk my first Camino mid-May to mid-June 2019. I’ve been reading a lot of the posts and gathering valuable information about packing and tips in general, thank you so much! I live in the middle of nowhere so it’s hard for me to get direct flights anywhere and I ended up booking my flight in and out of Barcelona. As I have read posts since then I recognize that that’s probably not going to be logistically simple to get to the start at SJPP or back to Barcelona from Santiago. I did include some extra days because I’m not in very good shape so hopefully that will allow for travel time. I am walking 10 miles every Sunday now though and 20 miles spread out the rest of the week to improve my fitness. I arrive in Barcelona on May 14 and fly out on June 26. Any suggestions on transportation from beginning and end of the Camino?

We flew from Santiago to Barcelona - just 3 weeks ago. There are quite few each day. If you are pressed for time at the end of the trip, that might be the easiest. Buen Camino.

 

[t2andreo]

There is a lot of good information in the posts above. IMHO, one of the best travel sites to figure out how to get from one point to any other point is:

https://www.rome2rio.com/

If you put in the Barcelona Airport (BCN) and where you want to travel to (Saint Jean Pied de Port, Pamplona, Roncesvalles, etc. The Rome 2 Rio site gives you options by air, rail, bus, taxi, walking etc. you can take your research and planning from there.

Hope this helps.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

In 2015 Peg and I took the train from Barcelona to Pamplona (from town, not the airport as we stayed a few days in Barcelona.) I think it took about 5 hours. No regrets. Just outside Pamplona's train station is a big bus stop. Take line #9, it brings you close to the bus station.

For buses from there there are three choices. ALSA/Conda (A owns C) to SJPDP. It is winter now and you cannot even view their schedule now but they should have 2 afternoon buses a day by the time of your camino. Artieda Autocares has one daily bus to Roncesvalles and points between (except Sundays and holidays.) PLM Autocares has Tuesday and Friday morning service to Valcarlos and Arneguy, both on the camino, and just a few hours walk from SJPDP.

I'll let others tell about sharing taxis from Pamplona.

 

[JohnMcM]

Hi everyone, I am new to this board and planning to walk my first Camino mid-May to mid-June 2019. I’ve been reading a lot of the posts and gathering valuable information about packing and tips in general, thank you so much! I live in the middle of nowhere so it’s hard for me to get direct flights anywhere and I ended up booking my flight in and out of Barcelona. As I have read posts since then I recognize that that’s probably not going to be logistically simple to get to the start at SJPP or back to Barcelona from Santiago. I did include some extra days because I’m not in very good shape so hopefully that will allow for travel time. I am walking 10 miles every Sunday now though and 20 miles spread out the rest of the week to improve my fitness. I arrive in Barcelona on May 14 and fly out on June 26. Any suggestions on transportation from beginning and end of the Camino?

Hello Sher,
Welcome to your forum.

Lots of useful advice so far so I won't complicate things by adding more.

I would however like to ask a question and offer a suggestion please.

How important is it that you start from St Jean Pied du Port? It is a popular starting place and many, many people head their to start their Camino ( me included ). It's not the only starting place though Sher.

Assuming you are planning on walking only the Camino Frances, perhaps you could take some time to look at where on the CF you could travel to from Barcelona with relative ease, to start your Camino.

Just a thought Sher.

Buen (starting from somewhere) Camino

 

[t2andreo]

Just as an FYI, you can easily fly from Madrid Barajas (MAD) to many Camino starting spots, including: Sevilla (VdLP) (SVQ), Pamplona, CF (PNL), Bilbao (CdN) (BIO), and Asturias / Oviedo (OVO) (C/Primitivo). You can also fly to Porto (OPO) to start the Camino Portuguese from there. If you fly on Iberia or one of their codeshare partners, your arriving and departing flight is from Terminal 4 at MAD

When I start at Saint Jean Pied de Port (SJPdP), I fly into Paris (CDG) and take the shuttle buses from baggage reclaim at CDG to Gare Montparnasse. See this link:

https://www.lebusdirect.com/en/lines-and-schedules/cdg-airport-paris-gare-montparnasse-line.html

From there, I take the TGV (high speed train) and TER #62. the light rail regional train from Bayonne to SJPdP. For me, coming from the east coast of the US, that works well. I always plan two nights on the front end of any Camino starting from SJPdP.

However, for any route starting in Portugal or Spain I have found it efficient to fly AA/Iberia into Terminal 4 at MAD. This includes their 'One World' codeshare partners. Connections are as easy and smooth as you will likely find anywhere, and in the same terminal. From there, it is an easy 1 - 2 flying hours to anywhere in Spain or Portugal.

This saves some time. The airline also transfers your checked baggage to your final destination. As this is the EU, you clear passport control at Madrid, but customs controls at your final destination. For me, thus has become my default routine. Also, I plan two nights at my 'jump-off' spot before I start my Camino.

Also, when I return to fly to Santiago de Compostela (SCQ) direct for my volunteer stints at the Pilgrim Office, I use the same routing: MIA > MAD > SCQ. It removes all the stress and anxiety on the first day.

Also (added later) you can use the "Open Jaw" flight concept. Using this, you fly into one city, say Paris, to get to SJPdP. You end up at Santiago, then fly home from there, via Madrid. The Open Jaw is the leg of this geographical triangle that you did not fly, but used some other method to travel (bus, train and foot). There is no law that says you must land and depart from the same airport. It usually does not cost more to do this either. But, it DOES help if you are using the same airline...

Hope this helps.

 

[Sher]

Hi everyone, I am new to this board and planning to walk my first Camino mid-May to mid-June 2019. I’ve been reading a lot of the posts and gathering valuable information about packing and tips in general, thank you so much! I live in the middle of nowhere so it’s hard for me to get direct flights anywhere and I ended up booking my flight in and out of Barcelona. As I have read posts since then I recognize that that’s probably not going to be logistically simple to get to the start at SJPP or back to Barcelona from Santiago. I did include some extra days because I’m not in very good shape so hopefully that will allow for travel time. I am walking 10 miles every Sunday now though and 20 miles spread out the rest of the week to improve my fitness. I arrive in Barcelona on May 14 and fly out on June 26. Any suggestions on transportation from beginning and end of the Camino?

I thought I would update that I ended up booking a train from Barcelona to Pamplona on the 14th then a bus from Pamplona to Saint Jean Pied de Port. I did this online pre-trip and it was cheap and easy.

 

[Marie_pri]

I flew to Madrid stayed a few nights then train to Pamplona and bus to Saint Jean Pied de Port.

 

[nycwalking]

Buen camino.