Robert Wawrzyniak
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Frances (2017); Mozarabe (2019); Ingles (2019)
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It happens on other routes too. Even the Blessed John Brierley has suggested taking a bus from Mansilla de las Mulas into Leon and then another out to Virgen del Camino to avoid unattractive urban walking on the Frances. And we regularly read questions about which parts of the Frances are boring and should be skipped. Not my personal understanding of a pilgrimage but it seems to be part of many peoples' mindset these days.But I really have to scratch my head and wonder why you would elect to catch a train just to avoid some uninspiring landscape.
I think they are giving that Boo - Mogro train advice at the albergue in Güemes mostly to discourage pilgrims to cross that railway bridge on foot. There is an albergue in Boo just next to the train station, so I think it is tempting for quite a few people to cross that bridge on foot (which was a common thing to do a couple of years ago).
Until several years ago, the official route went from Santander to Boo to Mogro. So what seems like an avoidance is actually an earlier version of the official route. When this was the official route, pilgrims were strongly encouraged to take the train, because the alternative was scampering across the railway bridge and hoping no train came.But I really have to scratch my head and wonder why you would elect to catch a train just to avoid some uninspiring landscape.
Exactly. They say it is illegal to cross the train somewhere between the two stops - so they said you need to take the train.I think they are giving that Boo - Mogro train advice at the albergue in Güemes mostly to discourage pilgrims to cross that railway bridge on foot. There is an albergue in Boo just next to the train station, so I think it is tempting for quite a few people to cross that bridge on foot (which was a common thing to do a couple of years ago).
In March of this year (2023) we could find no ticket machine either. If you had a Feve card already, no problem, but no way to get a ticket. One of our fellow peregrinos ran back to the albergue (thanks Paul!) and asked, and were informed passage from Boo to Mogro was free to pilgrims so just hop on and off.The train ride if like 2 minutes. And there is nowhere to buy a ticket which made me nervous - I just ended up getting on and hopping off as instructed.
Several people have already explained in earlier posts that it is because, when it was the official route, too many pilgrims walked/ran across the train bridge. But many people continue to take that route, in part because the albergue in Boo is a nice and convenient place to stop. That’s true whether you walk the asphalt version out of Santander or the coastal version, both have a natural ending point in Boo.I don't know what's wrong with making the train ride the official route?
Just make it a 500 euro fine for walking across the bridge, problem solvedSeveral people have already explained in earlier posts that it is because, when it was the official route, too many pilgrims walked/ran across the train bridge. But many people continue to take that route, in part because the albergue in Boo is a nice and convenient place to stop. That’s true whether you walk the asphalt version out of Santander or the coastal version, both have a natural ending point in Boo.
Santander to Santillana on the new official route is 36, so many look for alternatives.
Hello Robert. I plan to stay at Guemes with Father Ernesto I’m 3?days. Can you advise if they provide dinner and /or breakfastThe night before last we stayed at father Ernesto's albergue in Guemes (a highlight of the camino so far). During the pre-dinner talk on father Ernesto's life and his approach to life in general the discussion turned to the following day's route and the possibility of catching the train at Boo, travelling one stop and thereby avoiding some 7 klms of unattractive urban landscape.
We were admonished to only travel one stop and not try to walk the rail bridge (which seems, in the past, to have been some arcane right of passage).
When talking to our fellow travellers the following night it transpired that the majority had, in fact, elected to catch the train.
Now I appreciate that every camino is personal and there are a multitude of reasons to catch a train, bus, taxi or even a mule. But I really have to scratch my head and wonder why you would elect to catch a train just to avoid some uninspiring landscape.
If you adopted this mindset consistently you would perhaps do more riding than walking!
I was there last august (alone) and was stuck at the Boo train stop. Couldn’t figure out how to buy a ticket. No machine, no station person, nothing.In March of this year (2023) we could find no ticket machine either. If you had a Feve card already, no problem, but no way to get a ticket. One of our fellow peregrinos ran back to the albergue (thanks Paul!) and asked, and were informed passage from Boo to Mogro was free to pilgrims so just hop on and off.
Worked great for us, and we just looked at it as a wheeled ferry across the river.
That's good to know that you can pay on the train. When I was there in early June I was only at the station for about 2 minutes before the train arrived. I hadn't seen any way to buy tickets, so I just got on with the other pilgrims that were waiting who also didn't have tickets. I was ready to pay if someone came by, but no agent was on the train.I was there last august (alone) and was stuck at the Boo train stop. Couldn’t figure out how to buy a ticket. No machine, no station person, nothing.
Watched about 10 trains go by in an hour or so, waiting for someone, anyone that I could ask help how to buy a ticket without any luck at all.
Considered walking the bridge, but the amount of trains that passed through there quickly dissuaded me of trying it.
Without any other options, and knowing I’d just be on the train for just one stop, I figured I’d hop the train ticketless, and hope there wasn’t a ticket cop on there.
Train came, I hopped on. I didn’t get my butt in a seat for 5 seconds and, of course, there was an agent asking for my ticket!
I tried my best to explain I’d tried to figure out how to buy one and waited for an hour for someone to help me buy a ticket without any luck. Thank goodness she spoke a bit of English and said not to worry, you can pay me here on the train, that’ll be two euros.
Wow. I wasted all that time and worry just to know you can pay on the train.
Yeah, I just wished I had gotten on one of the many trains sooner instead of waiting for over an hour.That's good to know that you can pay on the train. When I was there in early June I was only at the station for about 2 minutes before the train arrived. I hadn't seen any way to buy tickets, so I just got on with the other pilgrims that were waiting who also didn't have tickets. I was ready to pay if someone came by, but no agent was on the train.
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