Texas Pilgrims who've walked the Camino Francés

[Bozzie]

Howdy!
I'm walking the Camino Francés in late May-June 2012. Wondering where you flew into and how did you get to SJPP? Any info you can pass on to me will be appreciated! I live in Dallas, btw. If you live in Dallas I'd love to pick your brain in person or by phone.
Thanks!
Dee Anne

 

[bear1956]

SJPP has a train ariving regularly from Bayonne which is near Biaritz. If you fly to PARIS you can get a train to Bordeaux and then change to Bayonne

 

[Deleted member 13441]

Howdy Dee Anne!

I'm a Texas Pilgrim who has *yet* to walk the camino francés, but it sounds like we might see each other in Spain this spring! I'm walking late May through all of June SJPP to Fisterra. My plan is to fly into Madrid, and then take a combination of bus, train, and taxi to Pamplona >> Roncesvalles >> SJPP. I don't know any specifics yet; first priority is figuring out how to get from the airport to the bus or train station in Madrid! haha!

 

[markss]

Texas to SJPP - easy enough: Forget going through Paris. American Airlines has competatively priced non-stop DFW - Madrid flights. Dallas to Paris is generally more expensive and a whole lot less convenient in getting to SJPP.

Once arriving in Madrid's airport, no need to go into the city of Madrid. There is a bus from the Madrid airport which will take you directly to the bus station in Pamplona where you can catch a bus which will take you directly to SJPP. If you arrive in Pamplona too late to catch the SJPP bus, then you can catch the 6 PM bus to Roncesvalles continuing from there with a taxi onto SJPP. There are taxis waiting in Roncesvalles allowing you to join other pilgrims, thus sharing the taxi cost of travelling from Roncesvalles to SJPP.

Buen Camino.

 

[Jeff Stys]

I'm a Texan - live in Houston.

My first Camino was 6 years ago and I have tried to spend a few weeks on the various caminos each year. First walked from Leon to Santiago and then Pamplona to Leon. In April, I will walk from Somport (camino Aragones), join up with the Frances to Santiago and then continue on to Finesterre.

I always fly to Madrid via Newark on Continental.

I'd be happy to respond to any questions you might have.

We recently hosted a group of Houston (past and future) pilgrims at our home. I found 15 people in the Houston area and one from Corpus Christi. We have another event scheduled for this Saturday so if there are any other pilgrims in the area, send me a PM and I will get you the details.

 

[Deleted member 13441]

Texas to SJPP - easy enough: Forget going through Paris. American Airlines has competatively priced non-stop DFW - Madrid flights. Dallas to Paris is generally more expensive and a whole lot less convenient in getting to SJPP.

Once arriving in Madrid's airport, no need to go into the city of Madrid. There is a bus from the Madrid airport which will take you directly to the bus station in Pamplona where you can catch a bus which will take you directly to SJPP. If you arrive in Pamplona too late to catch the SJPP bus, then you can catch the 6 PM bus to Roncesvalles continuing from there with a taxi onto SJPP. There are taxis waiting in Roncesvalles allowing you to join other pilgrims, thus sharing the taxi cost of travelling from Roncesvalles to SJPP.

Buen Camino.

There's a long-distance bus station at the airport? This is a godsend! I was dreading having to get on the Metro and find the bus station in the city somewhere. Thank you!

 

[camino07]

Just wondered if there is a bus to Seville from Madrid airport? Has anyone gone there by bus instead of train?
Heather

 

[Bozzie]

Thanks for all the good travel info. I appreciate the options and your experience!
Buen Camino...
Dee Anne from Dallas
"Bozzie"

 

[heatherrnw]

Hello Texans! I will be walking my first Camino at the end of April. I found that coming from Austin was more expensive to fly into Paris and WAY more expensive to fly into Biarritz. About $3000 more expensive! I ended up opting to fly into London and take a plane to Biarritz from there. The only downfall of it is that I have to take a bus from one airport to get to another in London then get on the plane to France. But believe it or not, it was actually less expensive then taking the train AND it gets me there about 3 hours earlier. With flying into Paris it would have been more expensive with the cost of the plane ticket as well as the cost of the train ticket and I would not have reached Bayonne until almost 11:00 pm. With a full day of plane travel I wanted the least amount of travel for the next day.

I did look at the price to fly into Madrid and it was around the same price as flying into London. It just seemed a little more muddled to get to SJPDP then coming from the France direction. Though appeared rather easy if starting from Roncesvalles.

Looks like I will be a few weeks ahead of you on the trail as I start out at the end of April.

Buen Camino!

Heather

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Texas Pilgrims who've walked the Camino Francés

Jenna Bush. Love that backpack and iPod.

 

[heatherrnw]

Jenna Bush. Love that backpack and iPod.

LOL! To each his own I suppose. :lol:

 

[Chacharm]

Hello Texans! I will be walking my first Camino at the end of April. I found that coming from Austin was more expensive to fly into Paris and WAY more expensive to fly into Biarritz. About $3000 more expensive! I ended up opting to fly into London and take a plane to Biarritz from there. The only downfall of it is that I have to take a bus from one airport to get to another in London then get on the plane to France. But believe it or not, it was actually less expensive then taking the train AND it gets me there about 3 hours earlier. With flying into Paris it would have been more expensive with the cost of the plane ticket as well as the cost of the train ticket and I would not have reached Bayonne until almost 11:00 pm. With a full day of plane travel I wanted the least amount of travel for the next day.

I did look at the price to fly into Madrid and it was around the same price as flying into London. It just seemed a little more muddled to get to SJPDP then coming from the France direction. Though appeared rather easy if starting from Roncesvalles.

Looks like I will be a few weeks ahead of you on the trail as I start out at the end of April.

Buen Camino!

Heather

We are also leaving Austin (tomorrow) and starting out on the Camino on April 20th. Got a fair price on a direct on AA from Dallas. Hope to see you there.

 

[yogabanana]

@ Heather. I am taking the same route via London from Canada . Are you staying in Biarritz or continuing on to SJPP and starting to walk the next day? Just wondering because I can't decide ! I am walking SJPP through to Roncesvalles the first day and am concerned about jet lag

 

[Anniesantiago]

I'd like to have information on that bus from Madrid airport to Pamplona, please?

 

[SabsP]

Annie,
Alsa website states that bus leaves from Terminal 4 to Pamplona. Average of 5.30 h. driving time.

 

[oursonpolaire]

@ Heather. I am taking the same route via London from Canada . Are you staying in Biarritz or continuing on to SJPP and starting to walk the next day? Just wondering because I can't decide ! I am walking SJPP through to Roncesvalles the first day and am concerned about jet lag

SJPP to Roncesvalles is a full-day exercise, and not the sort of thing you can do after arriving in town at lunch. I would suggest either bunking in SJPP or Orisson (about 8km out of SJPP-- do a search for posts with details on this) the first night.

I recall on the Camino Aragonese back in 2005, a few European pilgrims in Ruesta pontificating about the uncouthness of Texans (referring to the then US President) only to be pulled up by a gentle and literate (and very fluent in Spanish) retired scholar from San Marcos TX who happilly pointed out the presence of a real Texan on the Camino. They quickly realized that their embarrassment could easily be resolved by the spontaneous offer of a round for the table.

 

[MCVet]

Another Texan here. Will be starting the Camino from SJPP on June 9th or there about, rocking a Texas patch on my pack.

 

[texastrekker]

well howdy y'all!

i'll be starting the camino from sjpdp around august 22 going to muxia & finisterre. flying into madrid and back from barcelona.
will have the texas flag on my backpack.

looking forward to seeing y'all--hey i might even bring some shiner beer and luling bar-b-que!

yeeHa!

 

[tyrrek]

hey i might even bring some shiner beer and luling bar-b-que!

yeeHa!

Ha ha! That would be great if someone carried a crate of beer along the Way. Best way to meet people and make friends for life, although you may break your back!

Buen Camino to all you Texans! Just a thought, though. Has anyone warned St James that you'll all be turning up? :lol: