Paris to SJPDP on Easter Sunday 2015

[legs11]

Hi, I'm Lesley and am travelling with my husband and friends in a group of 5 from Brisbane, Australia to start the Camino in early April this year. We would like to leave Paris on Easter Sunday. It seems that the train only leaves from Paris at around 2:30 that day, arriving in SJPdP at 10pm that night. I am looking in to alternatives like travelling the TGV to Biarritz and then getting a shuttle to SJPdP. Anyone have any advice on what is best? Has anyone used a shuttle from Biarritz to SJPdP, particularly from the TGV station? Would it be best to stay overnight in Biarritz and shuttle up the next day, or continue on to get to SJPdP that night?

 

[t2andreo]

I recommend you plan to stay in Bayonne that evening. There are many hotel choices to choose from. Take the TER train from Bayonne to St. John Pied de Port the next morning.

I recommend you stay another night at St. Jean Pied de Port for two reasons. The week after Easter sees a surge of pilgrims starting on their way to Santiago. Easter Monday is a HUGE departure day. This creates the proverbial "pig in the python effect." It affects bed availability and trail crowding down the route. The trick to managing this "bulge" is to phase your beginning so you leave at least one day AFTER the proverbial "pig." The alternative is to encounter "completo" signs at albergues.

Besides, St. John is a wonderful little town that has been outfitting and sending off pilgrims for more than 800 years. I encourage you to spend a day sightseeing and taking the town in. There is a lot to see.

Use www.booking.com to locate rooms both in Bayonne and St. John to avoid contending with the albergue right out of the starting blocks.

I hope this helps.

 

[cherrys]

Hi, I'm Lesley and am travelling with my husband and friends in a group of 5 from Brisbane, Australia to start the Camino in early April this year. We would like to leave Paris on Easter Sunday. It seems that the train only leaves from Paris at around 2:30 that day, arriving in SJPdP at 10pm that night. I am looking in to alternatives like travelling the TGV to Biarritz and then getting a shuttle to SJPdP. Anyone have any advice on what is best? Has anyone used a shuttle from Biarritz to SJPdP, particularly from the TGV station? Would it be best to stay overnight in Biarritz and shuttle up the next day, or continue on to get to SJPdP that night?

Hi - I don't know if this information is pertinent any more, but years ago we arrived in Paris Easter Sunday morning to find very few Metro trains running, and the ones that were running were packed beyond belief (backpacks were a real delight to be wearing that morning). The time also changed by one hour so we missed our train connection to the ferry for England, etc, etc. Hopefully that has changed, but you should look into it just to make sure. Buen camino - Cherry

 

[whariwharangi]

Note: SNCF usually doesn't update schedules more than 3 months in advance. Sometimes it is less. Easter Sunday will likely be very busy so book tickets (and make sure you leave a lot of slush in your time appreciation)

The SNCF website works better if you make one leg from Paris to Bayonne and another from Bayonne to SJPdP. I think the website works on the premise of maximum wait times and so leaves out some of the options ... even if it means waiting some time for the next train.

706 Private Hire Taxi

Express Bourricot (private hire taxi based in SJPdP and luggage transport SJPdP - Roncesvalles and Santiago)
http://www.expressbourricot.com/

Biarritz Airport Transfers
http://www.biarritzairporttransfers.com/

2150 Paris to Saint Jean Pied de Port

2151 This section discusses how to get from Paris to Saint Jean Pied de Port.

Index 2150
2152 Executive Summary
2153 Fly from Paris to Biarritz and train to SJPdP
2154 Train from Paris to SJPdP
2155 Train stations between Paris and Bayonne
2156 Saint Jean Pied de Port
2157 Author's Pick

2152 Executive Summary. There are at least two viable options for getting from Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport to Saint Jean Pied de Port (SJPdP):

a. Fly from Paris to Biarritz and take the train from Bayonne to SJPdP.

b. Take the train from Paris to Bayonne and transfer to another train from Bayonne to SJPdP. Stations in Paris with trains to Bayonne include: CDG 2, Gare d'Austerlitz, Gare Montparnasse, and Gare Massy.

Note: at time of writing the tracks to SJPdP are washed out April 2014. The train carries from Bayonne to Cambo les Bains. Passengers transfer to an SNCF operated bus. The schedule for TER 62 is changing often so check again just prior to travel.

2153 ~Option 1 Fly from Paris to Biarritz and train to SJPdP

a. Fly from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Biarritz Airport (BIQ). Easy Jet provides service; or,

b. Fly from Paris Orly Airport (ORY) to Biarritz Airport (BIQ) Air France provides service.

The Chronoplus urban bus #14 leaves from the doors of Biarritz Airport and goes to Gare de Bayonne. Allow 40 minutes.

The SNCF TER train #62 travels from Bayonne to terminus at SJPdP.

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

Chronoplus
http://www.chronoplus.eu/

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

2154 ~Option 2 - Train from Paris to SJPdP.

TGV trains travel towards Bayonne from three train stations in Paris.

a. There is a TGV station located at Charles de Gaulle Airport Terminal 2.

b. There is a TGV station located at Gare Montparnasse in central Paris. There is greater frequency of service from Gare Montparnasse than from CDG 2.

c. The tracks from CDG 2 and Gare Montparnasse converge and TGV trains from both stations stop at Gare Massy. (not confirmed)

SNCF TGV trains leave from Paris enroute to Bordeaux or Irun. Often there is a transfer required at Bordeaux. TGV trains from Bordeaux terminate in Irun. TER trains from Bordeaux terminate in Pau or Hendaye. If your train is bound for Pau another transfer is required at Dax. Trains bound for Hendaye or Irun stop in Bayonne.

SNCF Intercites night trains travel from Paris Gare Austerlitz to Hendaye and stop in Bayonne.

SNCF TER train #62 travels from Gare Bayonne to terminus at SJPdP

You will get limited results if you try to find a schedule for a train from Paris to SJPdP. I'd suggest planning your trip from Paris to Bayonne then Bayonne to SJPdP.

SNCF
http://www.sncf.com/

SNCF - train schedule and tickets:
http://www.voyages-sncf.com/billet-train/horaires

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

2155 Train Stations between Paris and Bayonne

Gare Bordeaux - Saint Jean (Saint Jean is name of main station in Bordeaux)
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/en/frboj/accueil/

Gare Bordeaux - Saint Jean according to Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Bordeaux-Saint-Jean

Gare de Dax
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/fracg/accueil/

Gare de Bayonne
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frxby/accueil/

2156 Saint Jean Pied de Port

Saint Jean Pied de Port
http://www.st-jean-pied-de-port.fr/default.aspx

2157 Author's pick

If I were traveling to SJPdP by way of Paris I would:

a. Determine if it was cost effective and time effective to fly from Paris to Biarritz. Time effective means arriving in time to catch a train from Bayonne to SJPdP on the same day.

b. If arriving at CDG and taking the train is the better option ... take the train from CDG 2 if the schedule is viable.

c. If CDG 2 schedule doesn't work ... Take the RER train from CDG to Massy and catch the TGV train originating from Montparnasse ... Massy is easier to access than Montparnasse because there are no transit transfers required.

d. If arriving at Orly ... take the Orly Val to station Antony and RER train to Massy. Tracks from CDG2 and Montparnasse converge before Massy.

 

[joe g texas aggies]

Hi, I'm Lesley and am travelling with my husband and friends in a group of 5 from Brisbane, Australia to start the Camino in early April this year. We would like to leave Paris on Easter Sunday. It seems that the train only leaves from Paris at around 2:30 that day, arriving in SJPdP at 10pm that night. I am looking in to alternatives like travelling the TGV to Biarritz and then getting a shuttle to SJPdP. Anyone have any advice on what is best? Has anyone used a shuttle from Biarritz to SJPdP, particularly from the TGV station? Would it be best to stay overnight in Biarritz and shuttle up the next day, or continue on to get to SJPdP that night?

Hi Lesley, We will be a few days behind you, arriving the following Thursday of that week. My son and I are flying EasyJet from CDG to Biarritz the same day that we arrive and spending the night there. The differential cost is minimal compared to other means of transportation. Hope this helps. Buen Camino