Santiago de Compostela to Villafranca

Here are the companies I am aware of ... you might find something to suit your timings but I doubt it.

ALSA provides service from Santiago to Villafranca del Bierzo and Ponferrada.

Empresa Freire provides service from Santiago and Santiago airport to Lugo.

Gonzalez de la Riva provides service from Lugo to Pedrafita do Cebreiro. And from Vega de Valcarce to Villafranca and Ponferrada. I guess this is one of the examples about license to cross the border between Leon and Galicia ... it used to connect but I cannot now find a schedule between Pedrafita do Cebreiro and Vega de Valcarce.

Renfe provides service from Santiago to Ponferrada. It does not stop in Villafranca del Bierzo.

You might consider going as far as Lugo to stage for the AM buses.

Hi AilbheKelly! Welcome to the forum!

I'll assume that by Villafranca you mean Villafranca del Bierzo although you talk about trains and it's been many years since Villafranca del Bierzo saw the last passenger train...

Anyway, on your travel date, if you want to arrive to Villafranca del Bierzo on the same day...:

• Train from downtown Santiago de Compostela to Ourense plus another one from Ourense to Ponferrada plus a taxi from Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo. The taxi ride is something like 24 kms. You would arrive to Ponferrada at 22:19. Of course, you can also stay overnight in Ponferrada and continue by bus to Villafranca del Bierzo next morning... but that doesn't seem what you are looking for.
• If you have a drivers' license valid in Spain, you could rent a car. Probably, you couldn't leave it in Villafranca del Bierzo but surely, you could leave it in Ponferrada. Driving a car, you could arrive to Ponferrada early enouth as to be able to catch the last bus from Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo. Take a look at the web of Alsa (www.alsa.es/en) for info about schedules and fares.

The bus stop in Villafranca is at the Parador. You could stay there even with a late arrival. The bus goes through Ambasmestas; the stop is at the hotel. You could stay there and skip the short portion from Villafrance to Ambasmestas the next morning.