Return Transport from Portugalete to Irun

C

Canuck Walker

New Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Camino Frances ('07), Chemin du Puy ('10 -'14), Camino del Norte ('15)

• Mar 25, 2015

• #1

I am planning to start the Camino del Norte at Irun and walk as far as Portugalete this year, and then continue on next year. Therefore I will need return transportation between the 2 places (Portugalete is about 20 km beyond Bilbao). I have tried the Alsa bus system online app but they don't show service between the 2 places and I don't think there is train service either. Anyone have any ideas?

 

grayland

Veteran Member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Yes

• Mar 25, 2015

• #2

There is train service (not Renfe) back to Bilbao and beyond.

 

Canuck

Veteran wanderer

Time of past OR future Camino

?

• Mar 25, 2015

• #3

Canuck Walker said:

I am planning to start the Camino del Norte at Irun and walk as far as Portugalete this year, and then continue on next year. Therefore I will need return transportation between the 2 places (Portugalete is about 20 km beyond Bilbao). I have tried the Alsa bus system online app but they don't show service between the 2 places and I don't think there is train service either. Anyone have any ideas?

Click to expand...

First, let's clarify that Portugalete is only 4-5 km from Bilbao, not 20 as stated. Subway services are available.

Alsa offers services between Bilbao and Irun as follows:

https://www.alsa.es/portal/site/Alsa/template.PAGE/menuitem.a2b8c42c4264a03c66c766c7421000e5/?javax.portlet.tpst=28b12525bd34c9fec845c845421000e5&javax.portlet.prp_28b12525bd34c9fec845c845421000e5=_spageview=%2FSearchExpeditions.do&_kraview=1&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken


Have a safe trip.

 

peregrina2000

Moderator

Staff member

Donating Member

• Mar 25, 2015

• #4

If you walk the marked Camino route, from Bilbao you will walk about 20 km according to mundicamino. (the direct shot along the river is shown on google maps as about 12). As I remember it, it is not a pretty route, lots of industrial decline, which led others to hop on the metro in Bilbao and get off in Portugalete to skip it all.

But if you're walking and want to get to Irun, as others have said the metro will take you back there, and then you will have easy access to bus or train. Buen camino, Laurie

 

A

Anemone del Camino

Guest

• Mar 25, 2015

• #5

Canuck said:

First, let's clarify that Portugalete is only 4-5 km from Bilbao, not 20 as stated. Have a safe trip.

Click to expand...

No it's not, it is around the 20km mark. Walked it. http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/etapa-de-bilbao-a-portugalete
http://www.gronze.com/guia-del-camino-del-norte/etapas/etapa-8-bilbao-portugalete

If is shorter is you walk through the industrial area along the river, but still 12km, and ugly, and not particularly safe if you decide to head out in the dark to get away from a horrible albergue.

 

Canuck

Veteran wanderer

Time of past OR future Camino

?

• Mar 25, 2015

• #6

Anemone del Camino said:

Walked it.

Click to expand...

I walked it as well...along the river. It appeared to me as a short walk.
I stand corrected.
Back on topic.

 

ranthr

Veteran Member

Donating Member

Time of past OR future Camino

C Frances 2005, 2007
Le Puy en Velay -SdC 2009
Via de la Plata 2011
gr 653 from Oloron to Puente la Reina 2012
Gr65 from le Puy to Figeac 2013
Irun to Santander 2013
Porto to SdC 2014
Astorga to SdC 2015

• Mar 25, 2015

• #7

There is also a Renfetrain as well as the metro Portugalete- Bilbao. From Bilbao to Irun a bus is the quicker, but there is also the Euskotren which gives you a slower return.

 

C

Castilian

Guest

• Mar 26, 2015

• #8

Santurce (aka Santurtzi) is next to Portugalete (a roughly 2 kilometers urban walk from the Albergue in Portugalete) and you can take a direct bus from Santurce to Irún with Alsa.

P.S.: If the bus schedule out of Santurce doesn't suit you and if you don't want to commute all the way from Portugalete to Bilbao, you could commute from Portugalete to Barakaldo and take an Alsa bus from Barakaldo to Irún. There are more bus frequencies from Barakaldo to Irún than from Santurce to Irún but there are much more frequencies from Bilbao than from either Barakaldo or Santurce.