Santiago to Hendaye by train

davejsy · Sep 5, 2023

Hello all,

Does anyone have any experience of this route via train? It does look like it's possible via Madrid (I can't see any options not via Madrid), but seems less than straight forward, although that could be due to my limited understanding of the Spanish train booking system. I basically need to get back St Malo in France (and can do this easily enough from Hendaye/Bayonne), and whilst flying to Paris (and then train to St Malo) from Santiago seems easiest and cheapest I would much prefer the train for various reasons. There does seem some options on the other side via Perpignan and some sleeper, but again it's hard to understand and the other side via Hendaye/Bayonne is more direct.

Getting to St Jean PdeP to the start from St Malo by train is relatively straight forward and not expensive which is great.

Thank you,

Dave

NualaOC · Sep 5, 2023

Hello @davejsy, I'm planning an interrail trip at the moment and have been looking at travel to Hendaye from Galicia (Vigo, in my case).

I also came to the conclusion that it's probably best to do it via Madrid, even though it feels counter-intuitive. You can take a fast train to Madrid and another to San Sebastián. From there, take the local Euskotren to Hendaye.

I'm hoping that someone chimes in here with a smarter solution!

Happy planning and Buen Camino.

alexwalker · Sep 5, 2023

davejsy said:
Hello all,

Does anyone have any experience of this route via train? It does look like it's possible via Madrid (I can't see any options not via Madrid), but seems less than straight forward, although that could be due to my limited understanding of the Spanish train booking system. I basically need to get back St Malo in France (and can do this easily enough from Hendaye/Bayonne), and whilst flying to Paris (and then train to St Malo) from Santiago seems easiest and cheapest I would much prefer the train for various reasons. There does seem some options on the other side via Perpignan and some sleeper, but again it's hard to understand and the other side via Hendaye/Bayonne is more direct.

Getting to St Jean PdeP to the start from St Malo by train is relatively straight forward and not expensive which is great.

Thank you,

Dave

There should be a train directly from Santiago to Irun with possible change in Palencia. From there, you can walk/take a taxi across the border to Hendaye. I have done that a couple of times; it'a running along a good part of the Camino, only this time, you can watch the pilgrims on the Camino from the restaurant couch, sipping some red...

Click the link below for details:

Rome2rio

Discover how to get anywhere by searching plane, train, bus, car and ferry routes

www.rome2rio.com

Former member 104756 · Sep 5, 2023

If you have the time and like the idea of 'slow travel', take a look at the FEVE train (sometimes known as the small yellow train). You can take it all the way from Ferrol to Bilbao. Then, it's easy to continue with the Euskotren all the way to Hendaye. The scenery will be fabulous and you have the option of stopping in some wonderful towns if you want to. Will take a bit of research.

We will be walking later this year (from France to SdeC) and if time allows we will take the FEVE train to get back to Hendaye and then Bayonne etc.

naplesdon · Sep 5, 2023

The train along the coast is torture, I took it once many years ago. The bus isn't much better, it is all night long and stops quite a few times along the way. I agree watching from a dining car with a glass of wine would be my preference as well but Renfe hasn't come up with a solution.

Tincatinker · Sep 5, 2023

Pelerina said:
If you have the time and like the idea of 'slow travel', take a look at the FEVE train (sometimes known as the small yellow train). You can take it all the way from Ferrol to Bilbao. Then, it's easy to continue with the Euskotren all the way to Hendaye. The scenery will be fabulous and you have the option of stopping in some wonderful towns if you want to. Will take a bit of research.

We will be walking later this year (from France to SdeC) and if time allows we will take the FEVE train to get back to Hendaye and then Bayonne etc.

View attachment 155822

Ferrol to Bilbao on the FEVE can be done in two days with very careful planning and a little luck. Three days makes for a much more relaxed trip. I'm planning a two - three week trip on FEVE for next Spring that will open up all sorts of delights. You can purchase the FEVE equivalent of an Interrail ticket that covers the whole of the network.

Former member 104756 · Sep 5, 2023

estorildon said:
The train along the coast is torture,

In one go, possibly. Each to his / her own. But we plan to stop at a few of the wonderful towns along the way! If we are in a hurry, we'll take another option.

witsendwv · Sep 5, 2023

Tincatinker said:
Ferrol to Bilbao on the FEVE can be done in two days with very careful planning and a little luck. Three days makes for a much more relaxed trip. I'm planning a two - three week trip on FEVE for next Spring that will open up all sorts of delights. You can purchase the FEVE equivalent of an Interrail ticket that covers the whole of the network.

After we walked the Camino Ingles last fall we returned to Ferrol to take the FEVE as far as Santander. Our first stop was at the Playa de las Catedrales- just make sure you plan to be there at low tide! We enjoyed our ride and stopped at other places along the way- we only had a week so enjoy your time on the train.

davejsy · Sep 5, 2023

alexwalker said:
There should be a train directly from Santiago to Irun with possible change in Palencia. From there, you can walk/take a taxi across the border to Hendaye. I have done that a couple of times; it'a running along a good part of the Camino, only this time, you can watch the pilgrims on the Camino from the restaurant couch, sipping some red...

Click the link below for details:

Rome2rio

Discover how to get anywhere by searching plane, train, bus, car and ferry routes

www.rome2rio.com

This sounds just what I'm looking for thank you Alex. Will take a look

davejsy · Sep 5, 2023

Pelerina said:
If you have the time and like the idea of 'slow travel', take a look at the FEVE train (sometimes known as the small yellow train). You can take it all the way from Ferrol to Bilbao. Then, it's easy to continue with the Euskotren all the way to Hendaye. The scenery will be fabulous and you have the option of stopping in some wonderful towns if you want to. Will take a bit of research.

We will be walking later this year (from France to SdeC) and if time allows we will take the FEVE train to get back to Hendaye and then Bayonne etc.

View attachment 155822

Knowing how beautiful the coast is by car would love to see it by train so will take a look. One of my favourite train rides is from Bermeo to Bilbao, and I love that kind of quaint travel! Thank you

MikeC · Sep 6, 2023

There is a direct train from Santiago to Palencia and another from there to Irun.
That's about a 12 hour trip so you might need to overnight there
Walk over the bridge to Hendaye station for SNCF trains

DirtAmy · Sep 6, 2023

alexwalker said:
There should be a train directly from Santiago to Irun with possible change in Palencia. From there, you can walk/take a taxi across the border to Hendaye. I have done that a couple of times; it'a running along a good part of the Camino, only this time, you can watch the pilgrims on the Camino from the restaurant couch, sipping some red...

Click the link below for details:

Rome2rio

Discover how to get anywhere by searching plane, train, bus, car and ferry routes

www.rome2rio.com

No longer a direct train.... It was even called Camino de Santiago.
I'd say change at Vitoria-Gasteiz instead of Palencia, the connection times work well. Although current bus replacements (link below) between Ourense and Monforte mean I've just used the Madrid route.

Modificación del servicio entre Monforte de Lemos y Ourense

Por obras de Adif en la infraestructura entre Monforte de Lemos y Ourense, Renfe ha establecido un plan alternativo de transporte por carretera.

www.renfe.com

Bradypus · Sep 6, 2023

DirtAmy said:
No longer a direct train.... It was even called Camino de Santiago.

I used the old direct service a couple of times for my early Caminos. The death sentence for rail journeys via Irun seems to have been when the main Paris to Madrid route shifted from Irun to Barcelona. Not much reason for long-distance services to Irun these days

davejsy · Sep 6, 2023

DirtAmy said:
No longer a direct train.... It was even called Camino de Santiago.
I'd say change at Vitoria-Gasteiz instead of Palencia, the connection times work well. Although current bus replacements (link below) between Ourense and Monforte mean I've just used the Madrid route.

Modificación del servicio entre Monforte de Lemos y Ourense

Por obras de Adif en la infraestructura entre Monforte de Lemos y Ourense, Renfe ha establecido un plan alternativo de transporte por carretera.

www.renfe.com

Yes seems you can do via Vitoria if your dates are in next fortnight or so, but then nothing. Maybe you just can't book it too far in advance? Otherwise seems you can avoid going all the way to Madrid by changing at Segovia instead. Think I'm just going to have to look nearer the time.

Former member 104756 · Sep 6, 2023

davejsy said:
Yes seems you can do via Vitoria if your dates are in next fortnight or so, but then nothing. Maybe you just can't book it too far in advance? Otherwise seems you can avoid going all the way to Madrid by changing at Segovia instead. Think I'm just going to have to look nearer the time.

Dave if you take this option and haven’t been to Segovia - you could break the journey and stay a night or two there. It’s a fabulous place.

davejsy · Sep 6, 2023

Pelerina said:
Dave if you take this option and haven’t been to Segovia - you could break the journey and stay a night or two there. It’s a fabulous place.

Segovia does look amazing. I'm unsure of how much time I'll have as this will depend on when I get to Santiago, but it's definitely an option thank you

jennysa · May 3, 2024

I am trying to book a train from Santiago to Madrid on 7 May and find that all trains are full and also for about the preceding 3 or 4 days. If I go directly to the train station when I arrive...

IsabellaS · Saturday at 6:15 PM

I'm about to start the Camino Portuguese, and was wondering what rideshare options are available in Europe?

The Cumbrian · May 3, 2024

I'm flying to Madrid on Saturday evening, and then catching a train from Madrid Chamartín early on Sunday morning. To those who have been to both, is it better to spend the night in the airport or...

Peter Fransiscus · Tuesday at 7:48 PM

The why is in the article below. https://www.elcorreogallego.es/santiago/2024/05/07/concello-santiago-estudia-reforzar-conexiones-102021423.html

Rodrigma716 · Saturday at 12:11 AM

Hi all! I am trying to finish up the last bit of planning for our upcoming Camino, in two and a half weeks, from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela. We are kinda doing things a little backwards, as...

FourSeasons · Monday at 11:11 PM

Here's the dealeo. 😁 Instead of my usual departure city back to the US of A from Paris. I am now coming home from Barcelona. I've done my due diligence in searching how to get from Logrono to...

Santiago to Hendaye by train

Walked the Camino Francés for SSD UK 2023

Veteran Member

Forever Pilgrim

Former member 104756

Guest

Veteran Member

Veteran Member

Former member 104756

Guest

Active Member

Walked the Camino Francés for SSD UK 2023

Walked the Camino Francés for SSD UK 2023

Member

Member

Migratory hermit

Walked the Camino Francés for SSD UK 2023

Former member 104756

Guest

Walked the Camino Francés for SSD UK 2023

Most read last week in this forum

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency