Train Change in Monforte de Lemos

[ebrandt]

We are going to be working at an albergue in Miraz on the Camino del Norte. At the end of our service, we will be travelling from Guitiriz (near Miraz) to Irun to start our own camino. Our preference is to take the train. So here is my question. We can train from Guitiriz to Monforte and switch in Monforte heading to Vitoria. The issue is that the switch time in Monforte is only 15 minutes. Its a tiny place so this seems OK if trains are running on schedule. I wonder if anyone on the forum has any experience with this change -- is it doable? If its too quick we could leave the albergue in the mid evening the night before, stay in Monforte and pick up the train to Vitoria the following morning. Thanks for any input folks have. LizB

 

[Corned Beef]

Check the ADIF site (https://www.adif.es/w/20300-monforte-lemos?)

Shows there are only 2 platforms.

Have stopped there before and the station is some distance from the town so you should be able to change as long as you don't leave the station.

stay in Monforte and pick up the train to Vitoria the following morning.

There is a Parador in Monforte if you are feeling flush.

 

[VNwalking]

I wonder if anyone on the forum has any experience with this change -- is it doable?

I've never had to change trains in Monforte; the station is not a big one, though, so In your shoes I would not be too concerned.

That said, Monforte is a very nice town with a Parador, a wine museum, and some amazing art. It would be a very nice bridge between service and walking to treat yourself to a comfortable night in town. My view - not even from the Parador!
View media item 9674

 

[ebrandt]

We will be walking back through Monforte on our Camino! But a night in the Parador after 2 was of hospi duty might be nice!

 

[J Willhaus]

Looks like a long trip either by train or by bus! I would think 15 minutes would be plenty of time, but you could ask at the train station for advice, too.

 

[VNwalking]

Looks like a long trip either by train or by bus!

In 2019, I went from Santiago to Irun by train.
It was a long journey, I think 10 or 11 hours, leaving in the morning and arriving in the evening. But it went by in an eyeblink - and was never boring. It helped that for much of the way the train and the camino I was to walk (Vasco/Via de Bayona-Francés-Invierno) were often roughly following each other, if not side by side. It was a sneak preview, going in reverse.

Only one caution, @ebrandt: the landscape can look far steeper and more intense from the train than it feels on foot. I remember saying to myself on the stretch between Salvatierra and Beasain "What was I thinking?! " It was a hill, yes. But not that bad.