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Transport from Hendaye to Sarria with dog

claragensterblu

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
august 2024
Hello, I'm planning to walk a part of the camino in august 2024. I want to travel with my dog, who is over 10kg, what seems to make the trip kind of impossible, since basically no train company takes him... I found a train from Belgium to Hendaye, France but now I'm stuck. Does anybody have an idea how to get from there to Sarria or Ferrol or A Coruna? I can also start in Irun, Spain.
Thank you in advance
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Not to mention finding a way back home afterwards, plus accommodations along the way, and what to do when you need to get food. Adding an animal makes the entire journey more difficult and definitely creates stress that keeps you from filling immersing in a pilgrimage. The Norte (from Irun) already has limited pilgrim resources and a dog may eliminate the few you will find. It may be best to either leave the dog at home or finding a place closer to home to walk where none of these would be problems.
 

Found this for travelling with dogs etc.
Hope it helps
 
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If you are planning to walk part of the Camino, you might as well start at home in Belgium. That will save you and your dog a lot of hassle.
 
There is nothing to stop you taking your dog on Cercanias lines. See: https://www.renfe.com/es/en/travel/informacion-util/pets Which means you can use local trains and the FEVE lines along the North coast. With careful research and planning you and your dog can get anywhere in Spain. Very slowly. Hendaye/Irun to Bilbao can be done in a day. Bilbao to A Coruna can be done in 3 days. Your accommodation problems remain.
 
It is a beautiful thing to do a Camino with a dog, and of course you may have many reasons for doing this that people aren't aware of so forgive any ignorance.

It is not easy though, and most people doing it have to camp (technically illegally). Some places will accept dogs though, and tbf the Sarria stretch is probably most likely for this. Buen Camino is an app that shows Albergues that take pets.

But of course getting to Sarria is the first problem. Realistically, hiring a car would be your best option, or trying BlaBla car as some will accept pets. Otherwise as @Tincatinker mentions the smaller trains along the North to one of your other start points (which would be a beautiful ride btw) - but I'm guessing these other routes will have much less pet-friendly accommodation options than the Sarria route (if any). And you have to get back.

*edit - just seen you say you can start in Irun? Hendaye is basically next door to Irun, but Irun is a long long way from Santiago compared to your other options (800km v 100km!!) - maybe something lost in translation.
 
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Hello. Can you go to FB page? In there is Alejandro, he has been doing Camino with his dog Simbita, for years and may be able to help you. Buen Camino
 
I have a friend who loves to travel with his dog, which is big and old.. He uses a bicycle with a trailer attached.

It's a shame that more albergues don't take dogs, and that travel with them is not as easy in Spain as it is in France. But none of the many pilgrims I've met camping with their dogs have had any difficulty doing so, and they find it a wonderful experience to walk long-distance with their dog.
 
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For a couple of days in 2019 I walked similar stretches to a young, female pilgrim who was cycling and she was accompanied by her dog. We met along the way and exchanged pleasantries and met in accommodation at night.

She was staying in albergues and on both nights when we stayed in the same albergue her dog slept outside in the yard.

While she (cycling) and her dog were faster than me, we met again at night because she adjusted her distance each day to suit her dog.

We parted company after the two days where we coincided and I didn't ask her about accommodation for her dog and so I can not offer any advice on that. @davejsy is experienced in this area and so trust his advice.

Some people on the forum may try to discourage you from doing a pilgrimage with your dog but you have your own reasons for doing this and so please don't be discouraged. It takes more planning than walking on your own but it is possible.
 

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