To: St. Jean from Mtl, Canada and getting back from where???

[DarBur]

HELP, help, help.

I want to travel from Montreal to begin the Camino, either in St. Jean or in Pamplona and then leave from the nearest airport to Santiago (or Finisterre should I go the extra miles). Is there anyone who has done this? Any travel advice. Please and thank you

 

[CaminoGen]

The cheapest and fastest way I found was to travel with Air Transat or Corsair with an open-jaw ticket from Montreal to Bordeaux and Paris to Montreal. You then take the train to Bayonne and SJPP. It's a long day but you get into SJPP at around 4PM. Getting out of Santiago is easiest to do via Paris since there are direct flights. A plane ticket from Santiago to Paris is around 90$ and it doesn't rush you for your return; you can sleep at one of the CDG airport hotels and take the shuttle back for the 1PM flight home. You can also fly in and out of Paris and fly to Biarritz, take the train from Bayonne to SJPP.

 

[whariwharangi]

I went from Vancouver to London. Heathrow

From London (Stansted) I went to Biarritz (Bayonne) by Ryan Air.

I wasn't sure where I would be when my trip finished and was considering to travel for a while after the camino. Easy Jet, Ryan Air, and a host of other discount airlines fly from various airports to London. I think Ryan Air has a flight from Santiago to London.

I went bus from Finisterre and train from Santiago to get to Madrid in one long day. I flew Easy Jet to London from Madrid.

One advantage of London is Britain is not a Schengen country so time spent there does not count toward your 90 days.

Santiago is well connected with several planes, trains, and buses daily. All you have to decide is when and where.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

On Iberia:

Montreal › London

Departure
22:10 / Montreal , P Trudeau International
Arrival
9:35 Day / London , Heathrow , Terminal 5

Departure
11:10 / London , Heathrow , Terminal 5
Arrival
14:45 / Madrid , Barajas , Terminal 4

Departure
16:35 / Madrid , Barajas , Terminal 4
Arrival
17:30 / Pamplona

Duration
13h: 20m

JOURNEY2 -
Santiago de Compostela › Madrid

Departure
9:15 / Santiago de Compostela
Arrival
10:30 / Madrid , Barajas , Terminal 4

Departure
12:40 / Madrid , Barajas , Terminal 4
Arrival
14:05 / London , Heathrow , Terminal 5

Departure
18:15 / London , Heathrow , Terminal 5
Arrival
20:20 / Montreal , P Trudeau International

Duration
17h: 5m

Take the bus from Pamplona to SJPdP.

There is no airport near Fisterra.

Buen camino.

 

[Marcilb]

I am leaving Ottawa Canada on April 24th flying Air Canada from Montreal to Toulouse and then the train to Bayonne- SJPP. i fly back from Santiago with good old Ryanair to Madrid at a cost of 50 euros.
Buen camino

 

[corneliab]

Hello, we are leaving April 11 Calgary - Montreal - Paris and then the train to Bayonne. No idea how to get from Santiago (hopefully!) to Paris on the way back yet

 

[miamijhp]

Check your flights here:

http://matrix.itasoftware.com

You are going to have an idea, what connections you have to get. Once you find what do you need, copy the information and give it to travel agent.

YOU CAN NOT BUY TICKETS HERE (YOU ARE NOT A TRAVEL AGENT). IT IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION

 

[lightup25]

I'm flying Toronto - Montreal - Paris and catching the train to SJPP. I'm not going straight back home after my camino, but from what I've looked into, you have quite a few options to get back to Montreal via larger cities, eg. Madrid and Lisbon. Santiago de Compostela is well connected with transportation.

 

[corneliab]

What date are you going litnup?

 

[lightup25]

What date are you going litnup?

I'm starting from SJPP on the 19th, so I'll be about a week behind you.

 

[DarBur]

Awesome, thanks all for the advice - air transat seems to be the most direct and least expensive for now. One last question: I thought that when booking a ticket from Canada to Europe you had to book a return trip - has anyone ever left it open?

Love this forum - also if anyone is planning on being crazy like me and doing it early July (I teach so this is my travel time) - let me know I will look out for you on the camino!

 

[Victor Morgado]

Do not just begin in Pamplona. you will miss a great beginning...plus Pamplona is always a huge distraction that sets the tone...there is no immediate plunge into the Camino if you begin by Pamplona, but rather a delay illusion of the Camino for a few more days...also the climb from st Jean prepares you to the climb after Pamplona ( El monte del Perdón) it is actually not such an easy climb and it is probably the last tough etapa until galicia..

 

[MiriaBD]

Hola peregrinos, I will fly Atlanta to Madrid, and planning take a train to Pamplona to start El Camino. I have only 9 days, someone knows if I can take any transportation between towns. I'm traveling with 2 teens, Gracias

 

[lightup25]

Awesome, thanks all for the advice - air transat seems to be the most direct and least expensive for now. One last question: I thought that when booking a ticket from Canada to Europe you had to book a return trip - has anyone ever left it open?

Last time I went to Europe I got a one-way ticket there, and I had no problem getting a one-way ticket back when I was ready to leave. I know that both Air Transat and Icelandair let you get one-way tickets without punishing you with insane prices. You can also check flight search engines regularly to see what's available. Last time, I was able to get a cheap one on Skyscanner and flew with Spanair (but operated by Air Canada).

 

[Deleted member 3000]

can take any transportation between towns

Yes, in general. The route parallels vehicle traffic routes, so there are buses readily available most places.