Thoughts on logistics to get started

[coldweather]

Hello:

I am helping friend plan the logistics for her walking the Camino. She is American and has never traveled outside of the USA. She does not speak any Spanish.

Alternative A: I was considering have her fly from New York to Dublin (great price!) and then, on the same day, fly Dublin to Santiago. She can stay in Santiago for a day to shake off some of the jetlag. She can then take a bus or train from Santiago to Leon. She can visit the cathedral and then start walking to Santiago. Would it be too much of a disappointment to be in Santiago and then leave it to start walking. I remember the thoughts of seeing the Santiago Cathedral helped propel me down the road to get there. If she has already visited, would it make a difference.

Alternative B: She can fly from NY to Madrid. She can then take the train from Madrid to Leon. She can spend a day or 2 in Leon and then start walking to Santiago. One downside is there is a gap in train schedule and, while jetlagged, she would have to wait for an afternoon train and arrive in Leon around 8pm. When I fly from the USA to Europe, I know I have trouble staying awake that long. Also, she would need to navigate getting to the correct Madrid train station and purchase her ticket. This option is more expensive.

Thoughts and experiences are appreciated. Thank you!

 

[jcat]

How about flying into Madrid and spending a day there exploring the city and getting acclimated? Then train to Leon the following day. Plenty to see in Madrid and easy to get around even without any spanish skills.

 

[Tincatinker]

Or take the ALSA bus to Leon, from T4, which saves navigating to Chamartin.

There are many more flights on all sorts of routes that will get you to Madrid. And whatever route you opt for buy a through-ticket. That way if an inbound leg is delayed the next bit is the airlines problem, not yours.

 

[Mark Di Marzio]

How about flying into Madrid and spending a day there exploring the city and getting acclimated? Then train to Leon the following day. Plenty to see in Madrid and easy to get around even without any spanish skills.

This sounds like a pretty good option .
I think that spending a day in Madrid would be fantastic for your friend - it would allow her to relax a bit & the train to Leon is easy to get from Madrid the next morning .
Also ...seeing Santiago cathedral for the first time after the first time walking of the Camino is a magical and unforgettable experience . Good luck with it all

 

[Kiwi-family]

If cost is her primary factor your first option can still work sans disappointment. It is actually easy to avoid seeing the cathedral! We walked into Santiago on one Camino and did not look at the cathedral (despite walking right past it) because we were not yet finished - we were still to walk out to Finisterre and back.
Instead of spending the day in Santiago, is there a connecting bus or train the same day to Leon? That would make it really easy to still look forward to Santiago.

 

[RJM]

Fly to Madrid. Don't go to Santiago and backtrack.

 

[GettingThere]

If your friend is unfamiliar with international travel I think @Tincatinker has the best idea: fly direct to Madrid then bus direct from the airport to León. No need to negotiate unfamiliar city transport to get to a train, no need to change flights. If the more expensive flight is an option I would definitely say do it this way.

 

[nycwalking]

B.

Spend a night in Madrid if funds are sufficient. See a few sights if time permits.

Then off to Leon. Tell her to see Leon's cathedral.

Buen camino her.

 

[AndreaCT]

I started writing a reply giving another option with a hotel pick-up and a stay in Madrid, but I'm with Tincantinker and GettingThere. I'm thinking that for someone who has not travelled in another country where English is not spoken, keep it simple. It's easier than one thinks to get a bus at the airport that goes to Leon. She can nap on the bus. Leon is a beautiful city with so much to see and it's not overwhelming in size. The walk from the bus station in Leon to the historical area where the cathedral is located is straightforward. There are many small hotels with reasonable rates close to the Camino. She can have a day to get her bearings, or start walking the next day. She will also likely see other pilgrims leaving town and can walk with them. When she is finished her walk and flies home, she can spend a couple of days in Madrid because by that point, she will be a pro at navigating.

 

[T0M]

I can't imagine going to Santiago first. For me, it seems like a very bad idea.

 

[andycohn]

You can fly New York to Madrid non-stop on Norwegian for as little as $170. Like all discount airlines you pay extra to reserve a seat in advance or to check a bag, but still seems like a no brainer to me.