Starting from Cebreiro!

[manosge]

I intend to start from cebreiro this july( i am not an experienced walker) . I booked a flight which will get me to madrid airport at about 12 to 1 o'clock in noon. How will i go to piedrafita or to cebreiro from there in order to start my camino. which is the fastest way, if i do not want to stay for an extra day in madrid!!(if this is possible) . please help!!

 

[ivar]

I am not sure which option is the fastest, but here are some ideas on how this could be done.

1) http://www.alsa.es (bus) from Madrid to Galicia.
The bus passes the Cebreiro on the "interstate" but I am not sure if it makes a stop there. If it does, this options would be a good one.

2) Fly to Santiago and then bus "back" to Cebreiro. Not ideal, but.. there used to be a bus last summer direct from Santiago (busstation) to Cebreiro that left around 17-18 or so.. not sure if it runs this year. Alternative is taking the bus to Lugo and then another bus from there... with this option you would probably need another day.
-- Taxi from Santiago airport to Cebreiro is about 120-140 euro if I remember correctly...

http://www.iberia.es has several good deals from Madrid to Santiago (about 50-60 euro usually).

3) Train from Madrid and bus to Cebreiro (look for schedules and the best station to get off on), http://www.renfe.es is the train site.

I know this list is missing detailed information, but I hope it gives you a starting point for finding "your way". Maybe someone else has some other alternatives?

Saludos from sunny,
Ivar

 

[sillydoll]

The most direct way is the Alsa Bus which goes to Piedrafita O'Cebreiro (about 5km from O’Cebreiro).
From MADRID EST.SUR to PIEDRAFITA O CEBREIRO there is a bus that departs at 00h30 and arrives at 05h55 and costs 28 euro. (This will save you a night in Madrid)
http://www.alsa.es/VentaParticulares/co ... rarios.jsp

MADRID EST.SUR 00:30
AREVALO 01:45
MEDINA DEL CAMPO 02:15
TORDESILLAS 02:30
BENAVENTE 03:15
LA BAÑEZA 03:45 04:00
ASTORGA 04:15
BEMBIBRE 05:00
PONFERRADA 05:15
VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO 05:30
AMBASMESTA 05:45
PIEDRAFITA O CEBREIRO 05:55

 

[manosge]

thanks for your replies, i think i will use the bus which leaves at 00:30 from MADRID EST.SUR to piedrafita. this station in madrid, is it close to the airport or if not how should i go there?
I really love the idea of walking the camino!!! i am excited about it!

 

[jeff001]

The best way is to take the Metro from the airport. You have to make a couple of connections and it takes about 45 minutes. Their is an information booth that will give you the information you need.

 

[sillydoll]

Yes, the cheapest was from Madrid Airport to Estacion Sur is by metro (underground). It will cost you 2€. You will have to change from line 8 to line 6 at "Nuevos Ministerios" and then get off at "Mendez Alvaro". This station is right under Estacion Sur so you don't need to go outside. Just check the underground map.
It will still be dark when you get off the bus in Piedrafita so take a torch or headlamp to guide you up the hill! There are taxis that take people up the hill to O'Cebreiro but I'm not sure that they are about at 6am.

 

[manosge]

i checked for the timetable of buses from madrid to cebreiro but now it says that there are only one line going in the morning , i think 10:30 to cebreiro!!! problem!

 

[ivar]

Yes, it looks like there is only one bus a day that stops at O'Cebreiro. I just did a search for a bus on a random day in July (the 17th).

I searched for buses from Madrid to Santiago and found this:


I guess you could get off at Ponferrada... or Lugo... but I am not sure how you would get up to O'Cebreiro so late at night...


As you will understand when you get there, O'Cebreiro is not a very large place. So getting to it is not the easiest....

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[sillydoll]

Where are you guys looking?

I have just checked the Alsa.es site again and these are the times:

MADRID EST.SUR - PIEDRAFITA O CEBREIRO , DEPARTURE
Departs Arrives Itinerary From Until One way price Round trip price Days

00:30 05:55 View 30/06/2008 28,04€ 53,28€ L M X J V S D Normal

10:30 16:25 View 31/12/2099 28,04€ 53,28€ L M X J V S D Normal

 

[ivar]

I found the 00:30 bus in April and May, but not in July...

 

[sillydoll]

Oh shoot! You are right - I didn't put in any dates. Will have to do a bit more searching for you.

There seem to be two departures in Madrid at 09h55 and at 10h30.
09:55 (09/07/2008) 16:25 (09/07/2008) Normal 28,04 € MADRID (AVDA. AMÉRICA) IEDRAFITA Direct -
10:30 (09/07/2008) 16:25 (09/07/2008) Normal 28,04 € MADRID (M. ÁLVARO) PIEDRAFITA Direct

The other option is as Ivar suggested - a bus to Ponferrada.
If you get in at about 1pm you can get the 14:30 arrives 18:45 or the 15h30 that arrives 20h15.

http://www.movelia.es/Venta/asp/Horarios.asp

Will try to find out if there is a local bus to O'Cebreiro but will need to know the date of travel.

 

[manosge]

i do not want to go to ponferada. i think i will stay one night in madrid and get the bus in the morning for cebreiro! LETS BE SIMPLE! now where can i stay in madrid close to the bus station est sur?

 

[sillydoll]

Try one of the Hostel Los Amigos. They are backpackers hostels that offer a 4 person dorm for 19 euro or a 6 - 9 bed dorm for 17 euro at Los Amigos Opera.
At Los Amigos Sol you will pay 20 euro for a 4 bed dorm, 19 euro for a 4 -6 bed dorm, 20 euro for a 6 bed with bathroom. Friday and Saturday costs more.
There are directions to the Estacion Sur on the website.
http://www.losamigoshostel.com/b/englis ... season.htm

 

[Javier Martin]

The best option is the one suggested by Sil. There's a bus from the Bus Station (Metro Station=Mendez Alvaro, in Line Six) that departs at 0:30 or similar at arrives to Pedrafita do Cebreiro at 05:20. After that, 4 km walking to Cebreiro, a good breakfast and ... Beginning walking!

Buen Camino

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain

 

[lizwalking]

The most direct way is the Alsa Bus which goes to Piedrafita O'Cebreiro (about 5km from O’Cebreiro).
From MADRID EST.SUR to PIEDRAFITA O CEBREIRO there is a bus that departs at 00h30 and arrives at 05h55 and costs 28 euro. (This will save you a night in Madrid)
http://www.alsa.es/VentaParticulares/co ... rarios.jsp

MADRID EST.SUR 00:30
AREVALO 01:45
MEDINA DEL CAMPO 02:15
TORDESILLAS 02:30
BENAVENTE 03:15
LA BAÑEZA 03:45 04:00
ASTORGA 04:15
BEMBIBRE 05:00
PONFERRADA 05:15
VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO 05:30
AMBASMESTA 05:45
PIEDRAFITA O CEBREIRO 05:55

Hi, any help welcome please. I am helping 2 friends get to their start point of O'Cebriero on May 19th arriving at Santiago airport at 1730. I cannot find the PIEDRAFITA O CEBREIRO stop on the Alsa timetable. I can only find the stop before (Ambamesta)

 

[Castilian]

I am helping 2 friends get to their start point of O'Cebriero on May 19th arriving at Santiago airport at 1730. I cannot find the PIEDRAFITA O CEBREIRO stop on the Alsa timetable. I can only find the stop before (Ambamesta)

That's because you are looking for buses out of Santiago de Compostela airport. Look for buses out of downtown Santiago de Compostela and you won't have problems to find Piedrafita do Cebreiro among the destinations. To go from the airport to the downtown, take one of the buses runned by www.empresafreire.com

P.S.: The camino doesn't go through Pedrafita do Cebreiro but through O Cebreiro (roughly 4 kms away). You can take a taxi between both towns (and even walk it).

 

[lizwalking]

Thanks a million for your help.Yes, we found the correct place

 

[whariwharangi]

Alternatively ... take Empresa Freire bus from Santiago airport to Lugo and Gonzalez de la Riva bus from Lugo to Pedrafita do Cebreiro.

Schedules won't work for your 1730 arrival time ... but might if you chose to travel day after.

 

[lizwalking]

thank you for this suggestion as well