Non-train means of getting from Bayonne to SJPP (alt: anyone wanna split a taxi on 19 Oct?)

[focalmatter]

My train from Biarritz to Bayonne tomorrow (19 Oct) puts me in at 10:20 and the next train from Bayonne to SJPP doesn't leave until almost 15:00, over four hours later. Are there any alternative means of transport? I checked the buses but they all take over four hours to make a one-hour trip.

Are there shuttles or pilgrim-oriented taxis/vanshares that operate out of there? If I were to try and find other pilgrims to split a cab with, where would I be most likely to find them at the train station? Alternatively, is anyone going to be in Bayonne tomorrow that would like to split a taxi?

 

[nalod]

http://www.expressbourricot.com/

Try this link or check taxi share on this forum.

Dermot

 

[whariwharangi]

My train from Biarritz to Bayonne tomorrow (19 Oct) puts me in at 10:20 and the next train from Bayonne to SJPP doesn't leave until almost 15:00, over four hours later. Are there any alternative means of transport? I checked the buses but they all take over four hours to make a one-hour trip.

Are there shuttles or pilgrim-oriented taxis/vanshares that operate out of there? If I were to try and find other pilgrims to split a cab with, where would I be most likely to find them at the train station? Alternatively, is anyone going to be in Bayonne tomorrow that would like to split a taxi?

Biarritz Airport

Biarritz Airport (BIQ)
http://www.biarritz.aeroport.fr/

Private Taxi/Shuttle Tranfers from Biarritz Airport to SJPdP

Biarritz Airport Transfers
http://www.biarritzairporttransfers.com/Biarritz-to-Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.html

Express Bourricot - Private Hire Taxi and Luggage Transport
http://www.expressbourricot.com/

Getting Around Bayonne

Chronoplus provides urban bus service to Anglet, Bayonne, and Biarritz.

Chronoplus bus #14 departs from Biarritz Airport to Gare de Bayonne.

Chronoplus bus #C departs from Biarritz Airport to Gare de Biarritz.

Chronoplus bus #5, 8, B, or N departs from Place de Basques to Gare de Bayonne.

Chronoplus
http://www.chronoplus.eu/

Getting Around Pyrenees-Atlantiques Department

Transdev ATCRB operates a bus service from Gare d'Hendaye to Place de Basques in Bayonne. The bus stops at Gare Biarritz and Biarritz Airport. Some buses terminate at Gare de Bayonne.

Transdev ATCRB
http://www.transports-atcrb.com/

Transports64 operates a bus service to communities in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques Department including Gare de Bayonne, SJPdP and Pau.

Transports64
http://www.transports64.fr/transports-64?lang=fr

Gare de Bayonne to SJPdP

a. SNCF TER train #62 travels from Gare de Bayonne to SJPdP. You cannot reserve a seat. Sometimes a bus will run in place of the train with same schedule and stops. (note tracks are washed out as of April 2014. The train goes only to Cambo les Bains. SNCF connects from Cambo les Bains to SJPdP by SNCF operated bus)

SNCF TER Aquitaine
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/Aquitaine/fr/Default.aspx

b. Transports64 offers bus service from Gare de Bayonne to SJPdP. Take bus 0811 (Tardets) to St Palais. Transfer to bus 0810 (Saint Etienne de Baigorry) The bus stops in at SNCF Gare SJPdP and SJPdP Uhart Ciz.

Transports64
http://www.transports64.fr/transports-64?lang=fr

I have not found any other public transportation service to SJPdP. If you do find anything let me know; I'm keeping a list.

I suppose it would be possible to get the Air Evasion people to drop you over SJPdP.
http://www.airevasionbiarritzparachutisme.com/

 

[focalmatter]

whari, once again you are an amazing font of knowledge. Thank you! Bourricot is sadly unavailable this weekend but I'll certainly check out the other links you mentioned (especially Air Evasion).

 

[focalmatter]

Just looked up the Transports64 schedule and it looks like it actually gets into SJPP at the same time the SNCF Bayonne-SJPP train/bus does. Seeing as I already have a ticket for that one (as a backup in case I can't find someone to share a taxi with at Gare Bayonne), I may as well just stick to SNCF for now. Thanks for the info, though, I appreciate it!

 

[Felipe]

On the other side, Bayonne is a lovely and pleasant city. The old town is a 15 minutes walk from the train station, just crossing the bridge. No need of a map.
The gothic cathedral and its adjacent cloister are really worth a visit. And Les Halles market is a lively place for eating the well reputed Basque food (good, honest peasant dishes, not this "nouvelle cuisine" thing).
To note that the city is also considered the "chocolate capital" of France. Very good artisanal ham, too, and country cheese.
Actually, I believe you are fortunate to have 3 or 4 spare hours in this lovely city.

 

[focalmatter]

Believe me, I wish I'd stuck around. Instead I asked a cab driver how much it'd be to SJPP and misunderstood his reply. Imagine my surprise when we get there and I realize he'd said it'd be 125 euros, not 25. That's what I get for trying to get by on shoddy French.

I wound up getting into SJPP by noon and hiking through the blistering sun to Hunto, where I arrived merely two hours later. I could've easily taken the train, gotten in at four, and hiked through the milder late-afternoon sun and still made it before sunset.

Oh well, live and learn. Next time I'll know better.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Oh well, live and learn. Next time I'll know better.

We tried!

↑[/URL]
the buses / trains take longer than I'd like.

There is no low cost option for that desire.

You will be walking for a month. Two hours in Bayonne is not a big time price to pay...

 

[focalmatter]

You will be walking for a month. Two hours in Bayonne is not a big time price to pay...

It wasn't about the time (4.5 hours, actually), it was about the fact that I was afraid I wouldn't get into SJPP in time to make it to Hunto and would lose an entire day because of how the train schedule lined up. Losing two hours is fine. Losing an entire day wasn't.

If I had known at the time that I would be able to make the hike in two hours, I would've gladly waited and taken the train. But I didn't. Likewise, if I had understood that the taxi driver said 125 and not 25, I never would've taken the cab.

 

[whariwharangi]

It wasn't about the time (4.5 hours, actually), it was about the fact that I was afraid I wouldn't get into SJPP in time to make it to Hunto and would lose an entire day because of how the train schedule lined up. Losing two hours is fine. Losing an entire day wasn't.

If I had known at the time that I would be able to make the hike in two hours, I would've gladly waited and taken the train. But I didn't. Likewise, if I had understood that the taxi driver said 125 and not 25, I never would've taken the cab.

So you're out about 100 euros ... not bad considering that you didn't have the information you needed. Lack of information has often cost people a lot more than that.

 

[focalmatter]

So you're out about 100 euros ... not bad considering that you didn't have the information you needed. Lack of information has often cost people a lot more than that.

Yeah that's pretty much my thinking. It was a pricey lesson to learn but all things considered there are a lot worse mistakes to make. I just consider it the "Idiot Tax" and try to learn from it.

 

[jeffnd]

Yeah that's pretty much my thinking. It was a pricey lesson to learn but all things considered there are a lot worse mistakes to make. I just consider it the "Idiot Tax" and try to learn from it.

If 100 euros is your idiot tax for the whole Camino, consider yourself lucky!