Abigail Kelly
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Santiago/Fis/Muxia 2017
A Coruna/Santiago 2017
Portuguese Coastal/Variante Espiritual 2019
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Hi guy's, quick question. My flight with Ryanair lands (if not delayed) at Madrid airport at 1010 am. Bus from there to Leon is 1115. Is it realistic to think that I may make this bus? I was going to book it online but thought I better throw this out there first. The next bus is 130 or something and takes for ever to get to Leon with lots of stops. I won't have any bags to pick up. Thanks ahead of time
Hi Jeff, still have to go through passport control. I think I read somewhere here that you have to get a shuttle to the ALSA bus? I hope there is a loo on the busT1 is not too big and i am assuming that if you are flying with ryanair you will not have to clear immigration or customs, and you have no checked in lugagge... you'll have time for the loo and a coffee before jumping on your bus
then i'm assuming you are flying in from one of the few non-schengen countries ryanair flies to from spain. still, unless it's morocco, it should go fast as most of the passenger will be europeans/spaniards.Hi Jeff, still have to go through passport control. I think I read somewhere here that you have to get a shuttle to the ALSA bus? I hope there is a loo on the busme need loo a lot I could take a chance on getting a ticket when I get there but I have a feeling tickets might be sold out for that bus as it is non stop to Leon.
Thanks Jeffery, I will have start praying that flight will land on time from Dublinthen i'm assuming you are flying in from one of the few non-schengen countries ryanair flies to from spain. still, unless it's morocco, it should go fast as most of the passenger will be europeans/spaniards.
as for the alsa bus, if you need to use a shuttle, then it departs from T4, so yes, allow yourself 20 minutes to get from T1 to T4 (free airport shuttle), and use the loo at T4. no loo on the bus. and perhaps purchase your tix online (alsa.com).
good luck!
I was in the same predicament last year from Dublin and catching a bus to Burgos , It was very tight for time and a big queue for the bus after moving from arrival terminal to bus stop . Have your bus ticket booked and your backpack as carry on . Going through customs in Spain is slow compared to Dublin . They really take their time looking at people’s passports even if you are EU . On paper I had an hour to spare like you but I remember only being at the bus stop 5 mins before it arrived so it was rush to make it . Buen Camino.Hi guy's, quick question. My flight with Ryanair lands (if not delayed) at Madrid airport at 1010 am. Bus from there to Leon is 1115. Is it realistic to think that I may make this bus? I was going to book it online but thought I better throw this out there first. The next bus is 130 or something and takes for ever to get to Leon with lots of stops. I won't have any bags to pick up. Thanks ahead of time
Thanks for the info regarding scenery. Ryan air can be unpredictable regarding time so I think with advise I am going to look at getting a train. Oh and they will have a loo on there and I can have as many coffee as I want without worryingBut IMHO what you're considering doing cuts it unrealistically close! If anything at all goes wrong, you're toast.
(Supplementary Note: The bus ride from Madrid to Leon is about the most boring bus ride I've ever had in Spain!)
I feel stress before I start Salvador/Primitivo all because of bus timesvery tight for time and a big queue for the bus after moving from arrival terminal to bus stop . Have your bus ticket booked and your backpack as carry on . Going through customs in Spain is slow compared to Dublin . They really take their time looking at people’s passports even if you are EU . On paper I had an hour to spare like you but I remember only being at the bus stop 5 mins before it arrived so it was rush to make it
Erewhon, I knew what it mean ish but I still had to google who referenced it and their meaning lol "Butler meant the title to be understood as the word "nowhere" is a novel by Samuel Butler which was first published anonymously in 1872. My learning for todayhalf-way to Erewhon
Not often I see a Sam Butler reference on here - or anywhere else for that matter!
Erewhon, I knew what it mean ish but I still had to google who referenced it and their meaning lol "Butler meant the title to be understood as the word "nowhere" is a novel by Samuel Butler which was first published anonymously in 1872. My learning for today
Thank you so much for that encouragement and great directions on where to go once I go through passport control.We fretted about the exact same thing, arriving from the UK and having about an hour to catch the bus to Astorga. I prebooked as I have seen the slow queues on the ALSA desk at T4! We had hand luggage only, paid for our seat at the front of the plane to make sure we got off quickly, and power walked to passport control, then after that (depending on which gate you land at I suppose, but rule of thumb) you just keep walking straight ahead past luggage pick-up, keep exit doors to your right, go one level up, then out and catch the free, fast, transfer bus to T4, about a ten minute ride which looks like it's taking you out of the airport and causes quite a lot of stress for first- time passengers. At T4, get down to street level and the ALSA desk is by the exit to where the buses are. We have made it successfully twice and had time for the loo - there is one on the bus too, and they do a 10-15 min comfort break along the way - and buying some water and snacks for the trip. Having the ticket means you can choose your seat and get straight on, but beware the driver will insist you put your pack under the bus. Fingers crossed you will be fine (though I understand if you don't want to take the chance). Buen Camino!
walked half-way to Erewhon
I changed my seating with Ryanair so I can exit first like a bat out of hellHope it helps, but please note I have edited to 'keep exit doors to your left following the T4 transit bus signs' ... To be fair you have no other choice unless you exit the building but still
Be sure to let us know if you make it or miss it, and by how many minutes. We're starting a betting pool with 5 euro buy-ins . . . If it takes off, winner will have a mostly funded camino because of your question.I changed my seating with Ryanair so I can exit first like a bat out of hell
I am glad that I am entertaining yeaBe sure to let us know if you make it or miss it, and by how many minutes. We're starting a betting pool with 5 euro buy-ins . . . If it takes off, winner will have a mostly funded camino because of your question.
My money is on "Makes it with 2 minutes to spare, but gets a sour look from the driver as you dash up just before he closes the storage."
hi AbigailHi guy's, quick question. My flight with Ryanair lands (if not delayed) at Madrid airport at 1010 am. Bus from there to Leon is 1115. Is it realistic to think that I may make this bus? I was going to book it online but thought I better throw this out there first. The next bus is 130 or something and takes for ever to get to Leon with lots of stops. I won't have any bags to pick up. Thanks ahead of time
Some years ago I stayed at a small motel called Erewhon somewhere way, way down the west coast of New Zealand's South Island. Very lovely. (But of no use at all in finding the way from Madrid to Leon@AlwynWellington, I know Butler is supposed to have based, or at least drawn on, his experiences in New Zealand for his book. My confabulation of Erewhon and Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport was intended both as an homage and a provocation. There'll be a few more people trying to track down a copy tonight. Not that the sales will do much for Butler
I know hate the stress but after that I will chill a lot more. I want to get to Leon early enough in the day so I can have time to see some of Leon before starting out early next morning. ALSA was the only bus that I could find that didn't have a lot of stops en-route and its direct from the airport without having to go into Madrid city.I would never stress myself trying to get a bus from a different terminal within an hour of scheduled landing. Assuming you have somewhere booked to stay in Leon, just chill, have a beer and catch whatever bus.
Oh brilliant please let me know how yea get on. Thank you so much.We'll attempt this same dash for T4 in a week, I will report back on how we did and how long it took. My UK husband shouldn't have any problems going through the EU passport queue yet (I am EEA, not UK/EU) but I know some airports have started preparing their passport lines for the changes that come into force at the end of the year, so if there are any at Madrid I will let you know.
I was just thinking of yea early today lol. Thank you so much for that information, it is a big help. Have a brilliant trip and Buen CaminoUpdate: We have now successfully completed the Madrid T4 dash and I am happy to announce that it took us only 30 minutes from the plane touched down until we were at terminal 4, planta 0, where the ALSA desk and buses are. So we had 30 minutes to spare, *but* ALSA request you arrive at the bus ten minutes before, and we had no queues at passport control or anywhere else. Just go past luggage carousels, follow transit bus sign through exit and up one level, then out and the transit bus will be waiting. See pics!
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