Train Option on the Norte from Boo to Mogro

[Robert Wawrzyniak]

The 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!

 

[Bradypus]

But I really have to scratch my head and wonder why you would elect to catch a train just to avoid some uninspiring landscape.

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.

 

[Luka]

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).

 

[trecile]

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).

Yes, I think that's why the advice is given. I walked the extra distance and didn't take the train.

 

[peregrino_tom]

Robert,
I think it would be helpful if you changed the name of thread to something more specific about the technical issue you have described. Calling it "The Norte's Dark Secret' will have lots of people clicking on it to find out if there was something like a terrible historical event that has recently been uncovered on the route.
Secondly there have been various changes to this route over the last few years, but whichever option you take, it is a longer than average stage: Gronze says its version is 36.3km, and if you take the option to return all the way to the railway line at Mogro (and join the old official route) then it is more like 40km. Not everyone wants or feels the need to walk that distance, particularly as the extra bit - from the river bridge and all the way back to the railway at Mogro - was originally just an option. Then they made a more concerted attempt to stop people walking over the railway bridge, after which a modified route that goes directly from Oruna to Mar has become 'official' camino.
So there are clear and specific reasons why, in this case, pilgrims would choose to catch a train for 2 minutes over the river. Cheers, tom

 

[peregrina2000]

But I really have to scratch my head and wonder why you would elect to catch a train just to avoid some uninspiring landscape.

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.

I am kind of surprised that Gronze no longer posts that alternative. You can find it on wikiloc. It’s broken into two stages here. Santander to Mogro (23 km) and Mogro to Santillana (19 km). I guess it’s because there were too many pilgrims who disregarded the instructions to take the train and went across the train bridge on foot.

And just to be clear — this is not a long train ride, it’s a two minute ride from Boo to Mogro that keeps you off the train bridge.

I have done all three — walk (quickly) across the bridge, take the train, and take the looping alternative. If my memory is correct, the newly signed loop involves a LOT of asphalt, but then that doesn’t distinguish it from a lot of the Norte. I don’t fault anyone who prefers the earlier official route.

But what makes me scratch my head is wondering why so many pilgrims walk the Gronze route and miss the chance for a spectacular coastal walk from Santander to Boo. Then the next morning, either hop on the train or scamper across (not recommended) and continue on to Santillana.

 

[Former member 92300]

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).

Exactly. They say it is illegal to cross the train somewhere between the two stops - so they said you need to take the train.

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.

The path around wasn't marked on whatever app I was looking at that day - so the train seemed like the best option.

 

[watekebb]

I don’t see how a brief a train ride across a river differs meaningfully from a brief ferry ride across a river— which, as we know, is an accepted part of several caminos, including the Norte. The objective is not to skip the walk through a location but just to skip the swim to the other bank!

I personally feel differently about taking the train at Boo for the purposes of legally crossing that bridge than I would about taking the train out of Bilbao in order to skip the “ugly” outskirts of town. I plan on doing the former and don’t feel conflicted about it at all, but I’d feel like I’d skipped ahead if I did the latter.

(And that’s just my feelings about myself taking the train over the bridge versus metro out of Bilbao… It does not impact my walk in the slightest if other people train/bus/taxi some portions. Generally people have very valid reasons for doing so. Besides, no one has appointed me the gatekeeper of Camino purity.)

 

[David with new Kit!]

We also took the train, two stops, no guilt whatsoever. It also helps break up what can otherwise be a long section (for us). The ticket machine is on the platform (2022)

 

[tjz]

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.

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.

 

[CTLawGal]

I took the train from Santander to Boo and then walked about 6 miles to my destination. I didn’t build in any rest days and the previous days had been long and hard so this was a way to rest a bit and avoid a dreary walk. After having walked between Bilbao and Portugalete which was plenty dreary, it seemed like a good choice and no regrets. Partial rest day can be a good thing! Depends were you are and how you’re feeling. That was about a week or so ago, headed into Oviedo tomorrow and not yet feeling like I need another partial rest day yet. No trains or buses for it on Primitivo anyway I think

 

[isawtman]

I don't know what's wrong with making the train ride the official route?

 

[peregrina2000]

I don't know what's wrong with making the train ride the official route?

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.

Santander to Santillana on the new official route is 36, so many look for alternatives.

 

[Magwood]

I walked across the bridge back in 2016 and was rather anxious about it. I wouldn’t recommend it. Last year I had already decided to take the train. I arrived at Boo having just missed a train and needed to wait the best part of an hour for the next one. Whilst waiting two high-speed trains whizzed through the station. I don’t know if these trains cross the bridge or follow a different route, but it would be extremely scary to be walking across the bridge when one of these came past - there isn’t much room to the side of the tracks. I actually stayed on the train for several stops without a twinge of guilt. I bought my ticket on the train from the conductor.

 

[isawtman]

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.

Santander to Santillana on the new official route is 36, so many look for alternatives.

Just make it a 500 euro fine for walking across the bridge, problem solved

 

[Texas Walker]

I remember that segment. The bridge is really, *really* long with basically nowhere to jump except into the river if the train comes. Common sense applies here: hop the train at Boo de Pielagos over to Mogro, then get off and continue walking the Spanish countryside. (By the way, having seen the "the train station is right on the road" directions, we just stayed on the road into Boo, which put us on the correct side to catch the train. Other folks who took the "scenic" way 1) walked what seemed like a lot farther, and 2) came into the station needing to jump over the tracks to get to the platform. But that was 2018, the routing of the scenic path may have changed since then. And we like the towns and villages along the way. We finished that day in Santillana del Mar.)
BC

 

[Anne Mclennan]

The 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!

Hello Robert. I plan to stay at Guemes with Father Ernesto I’m 3?days. Can you advise if they provide dinner and /or breakfast
Thank you

 

[Robert Wawrzyniak]

Hi Anne
Yes, they provide both dinner and breakfast (it's a donation for both your accommodation and meals). You will definitely enjoy the experience!

 

[StumpyDave]

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.

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. Yes, she was in full uniform, not a scam. So, I don’t know about free for pilgrims, but at least you don’t have to try and figure out how to buy a ticket in Boo. I wasted all that time and worry just to know you can pay on the train.

 

[trecile]

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.

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.

 

[StumpyDave]

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.

Yeah, I just wished I had gotten on one of the many trains sooner instead of waiting for over an hour.

 

[trecile]

I was there on a Sunday, and I'd read that there was only one train per hour, so I didn't want to miss my chance!