Starting from New Zealand

[kinnear]

Advice for flights etc to start from SJPDP in April 2017. I'm a female in my 60s planning to walk solo. I did walk from Logrono with my daughter in 2007 and figure it's time again. I would like to fly into and leave from France if this is practical. Also interested if there are others from the Wellington area planning on walking at this time? I live on the Kapiti Coast.

 

[Carol06]

We flew Air NZ to Hong Kong and Cathay Pacific HK to Paris. It is then just an easy train trip to Bayonne and SJPP.

 

[gerardcarey]

I like to fly into Paris, then, after a day or so to get over jetlag, to take the TGV direct train (5hrs) from Montparnasse Station down thru the beautiful countryside to Bayonne.
From Bayonne the little train chugs up the Rive River valley (1hr) to SJPDP.
Regards
Gerard

 

[AlwynWellington]

Hi, from Wellington.

I flew Singapore from Auckland leaving to around 13h00 to Charles de Gaulle in April 2016 arriving about 07h30 local next morning.

I have heard Emirates now do Auckland to Dubai direct, and I am sure they will get you to whatever French city you want.

Plus, from late September 2016 Singapore are doing a regular trip from Wellington to Singapore via Canberra.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[whariwharangi]

SJPdP is reached by SNCF train from Bayonne or CONDA (ALSA) bus from Pamplona.

The closest airport is Biarritz BIQ and it is connected to Gare Bayonne by Chronoplus urban bus. Biarritz has flights to many major centers in Europe including London, Dublin, Paris, and Madrid. See the website for details.

Bayonne is well connected to the rest of France by SNCF rail. Many people connect from Paris CDG where there is a train station. The train network connects to Spain's Renfe trains at Irun/Hendaye. San Sebastian Airport EAS is located at Irun with flights to Madrid and Barcelona.

Pamplona is connected to Madrid Atocha and Barcelona Sants by Renfe train. ALSA provides bus service from Madrid via Soria and from Barcelona via Zaragosa. Monbus provides bus service from Barcelona Sants. Pamplona has an airport PNA with flights to Madrid.

Homeward bound, Santiago is connected to Madrid and the rest of Spain by ALSA bus and Renfe train. Santiago has an airport SCQ with flights to Madrid, Barcelona, London, and sometimes Paris. Santiago is connected to Porto and Lisboa by Renfe and CP trains and Monbus and Autna buses via Vigo.

Biarritz
http://en.biarritz.aeroport.fr/

Aena manages Spains Airports including Madrid, Barcelona, and Santiago.
http://www.aena.es/csee/Satellite/aeropuertos/en/Airports.html

ANA manages Portugals Airports
http://www.ana.pt/en-US/Pages/Homepage.aspx

Paris (CDG and Orly)
http://www.parisaeroport.fr/en

Renfe
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/

SNCF
http://www.sncf.com/en/passengers

CP
https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/pt

ALSA
https://www.alsa.es/en/home

Monbus
http://www.monbus.es/es

So the decision on where to invade Europe is usually based on cost and schedule. Its easy to get around in Europe ... everything is well connected by public transport.

 

[Trevor Batley]

Haven't left yet, but we are booked for...
Melbourne to Paris (CDG)
A few days in Paris to 'acclimatise'
Train (SNCF) from Montparnasse (Paris) to Bayonne and then SJPdP
A little walking....
Train (Renfe) from Santiago to Madrid
Madrid to Hong Kong
A few days shopping...
Hong Kong to Melbourne

One of the party is travelling from Aukland, but she found the airfares going directly to/from Aukland a bit steep, so has a cheap AKL/MEL/AKL return trip and will fly with us.

A number of the airlines are good for MEL-CDG & MAD-HKG (we are using Etihad, but Qatar,Emirates, Cathay all had reasonable specials at different times).

Lots of options

 

[Benny Pinoy]

Hi,

I am from Wellington. I did the Camino in May/June this year.

I flew from Wellington-Melbourne-Dubai-Paris-Lyon-Biarritz. From Biarritz, I took the bus to Bayonne and a taxi to SJPdP, only because of the rail strike. If I will do it again, I would still fly to Paris but take the train from Paris to SJPdP.

I returned by flying from Santiago to Madrid to Dubai to Sydney to Wellington.

I flew via Qantas/Emirates, which have a code share agreement between them. It was my first time to fly Emirates and I enjoyed this experience.

Buen Camino!

 

[kinnear]

Hi,

I am from Wellington. I did the Camino in May/June this year.

I flew from Wellington-Melbourne-Dubai-Paris-Lyon-Biarritz. From Biarritz, I took the bus to Bayonne and a taxi to SJPdP, only because of the rail strike. If I will do it again, I would still fly to Paris but take the train from Paris to SJPdP.

I returned by flying from Santiago to Madrid to Dubai to Sydney to Wellington.

I flew via Qantas/Emirates, which have a code share agreement between them. It was my first time to fly Emirates and I enjoyed this experience.

Buen Camino!

Thanks Benny

Hi,

I am from Wellington. I did the Camino in May/June this year.

I flew from Wellington-Melbourne-Dubai-Paris-Lyon-Biarritz. From Biarritz, I took the bus to Bayonne and a taxi to SJPdP, only because of the rail strike. If I will do it again, I would still fly to Paris but take the train from Paris to SJPdP.

I returned by flying from Santiago to Madrid to Dubai to Sydney to Wellington.

I flew via Qantas/Emirates, which have a code share agreement between them. It was my first time to fly Emirates and I enjoyed this experience.

Buen Camino!

Thanks to you all. I'm delaying until September 2017 now. All your advice will help sort through the options.

 

[Kendalaz23]

Advice for flights etc to start from SJPDP in April 2017. I'm a female in my 60s planning to walk solo. I did walk from Logrono with my daughter in 2007 and figure it's time again. I would like to fly into and leave from France if this is practical. Also interested if there are others from the Wellington area planning on walking at this time? I live on the Kapiti Coast.

 

[Kendalaz23]

Hi kinnear..Just noticed your message. I'm from NZ, planning to make my way to SJPD from Paris on my own approx second week in April 2017. Then I saw your message further down saying you have delayed ... More planning time for you I have flights all booked, but still in the research stage of train to SJPD..It's very exciting