Transportation and Reservation Questions

[maximillian2]

I will be leaving for Madrid on May 8 and will be arriving at Barajas, Madrid Airport at 9:05 a.m. I think I'm not as prepared as needed for my walk because I don't even know how to go from Barajas Airprt to St. Jean de Pied Port. I already bought the Brierley Guide.

I am a 59 year old grandmother who is doing this alone. Could someone please give me a detailed walkthrough on how to get to SJPP. Do I need to buy tickets ahead of time and do I need to make reservations for my stay at SJPP?

Another thing, how do I get a badge and compostela passport and shell?

Thank you for any help you guys can give me.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Take the bus from T-4 terminal at Barajas to Pamplona. Take the bus from Pamplona to SJPdP; the Easter week service returns on May 1.

http://www.alsa.es/en

http://www.alsa.es/en/buy-and-schedules ... ernational

 

[Peregrina 2013]

Hi Maximillian2,
You can travel to Pamplona from Madrid, Barcelona or many other places of Spain by train or bus. Check the RENFE (Spanish National Rail Company) website for timetables, routes and fares. The train from Madrid to Pamplona takes around 3 hours 20 min. and it is very comfortable and its price is around 50€ more or less depending on the type of seat you buy. For reservations (better if you do it earlier) you can go to: http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/point ... equest.htm?

To go to the Atocha train station from the airport yo have the choice of a taxi (expensive), or take a bus (it stops at the train station) right from the airport for about 5€.

Once in Pamplona I know there is a bus that goes there, but when I try the Alsa website I have no luck, so maybe just today they´re having issues. You should consider this service: http://www.expressbourricot.com/ This is a shared van service that comes out pretty reasonable if others are going.

Depending on when you are leaving for Spain and where you live, you may find the Friends of the Camino in your country; here is this link that might help you. Be advised, though that it takes about 3-4 weeks to get your Credencial (Camino passport). You may also be able to get it in St. Jean de Pied Port. As for the Vieira de Santiago - or the shell, you won´t have any trouble at all finding one right away when you arrive to your first albergue.

I hope some of this information is useful to you. Have a wonderful experience and may the sun shine upon you! It is great that you are going solo, I will be doing the same thing in a month and have no concerns whatsoever in regard to safety!

Ultreia!

Mary

 

[maximillian2]

Thank you very much for your help!

 

[maximillian2]

Thank you very much Mary. This helps me be confident with my preparation.

 

[maximillian2]

I'm lost. I went to the ALSA website to get a reservation for Pamplona to St. Jean de Pied de Port (SJPP), but it is not showing this destination. Should I be looking for another name of the town other than St. Jean de Pied de Port, or should I spell it another way?

Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Pamplona to SJPdP is an international route, so you need to go to the international tab. If you do a search with no date, you will get the scheduled service for Easter week. No schedule beyond that week is on the ALSA site yet, but the bus lines' website says that the route will resume on May 1. Taking them at their word, the route will appear on ALSA at about that time, but probably not much before. Until May 1, there will not be scheduled bus service except for the Easter week schedule.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Last year, I had a lot of difficulty purchasing ALSA tickets online from the USA. I suggest you do not panic, but just wait until you get to Pamplona.

When you arrive in Madrid, there will be people wearing leprachaun green jackets. They are helpful. If you don't see them, find a customer service help desk and ask about the bus to Pamplona. Like Falcon suggests, take the bus from T-4 terminal at Barajas (Madrid) to Pamplona.

WATCH OUT FOR PICKPOCKETS AND HELPFUL STRANGERS!
The Madrid aiport is full of them.
I suggest you go to YouTube and watch the videos on pickpockets and their mode of action.

You would be smart to book lodging in Pamplona this time of year.
Anything in the old part of town will be fine.

Once you are in Pamplona, I'd personally give myself a day and night to adjust to the time change.
There is a lot to see there.
Then, on the Camino, you won't have to stop here, but can stop at beautiful Trinidad de Arre, and put yourself into position for walking "between the stages" instead of Brierley's busy stages!

Once you are settled in Pamplona, walk or taxi to the Pamplona bus station.
Go downstairs to the main station.
Find the help desk - they speak english there.
Ask them about purchasing the ticket to SJPP.
They will tell you which window to go to if it is not clearly marked on one of the windows.
Buy your ticket for the next day (or for that day if you want to leave then)

Your other option is to post on this forum the day you want to go to SJPP from Pamplona and see if anybody else is going. Then you can share a taxi. I would bet there ARE people leaving for SJPP or Roncesvalles almost every day from Pamplona.

You also could just start walking from Pamplona! Considering the weather reports, it might not be such a bad idea...

 

[maximillian2]

I'm going through the safety tips for Madrid. I am wondering if anyone has developed a way of concealing their rucksacks while moving from one terminal to another.

I plan to stay in Madrid overnight to get rid of my jet lag. Now I'm wondering if this is a good idea. I already have all my reservations in Madrid and train to Pamplona. Only thing missing is my train ticket from Pamplona to SJPP (Alsa schedule is not yet posted for May)..

Thank you for any thoughts you can share.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Don't be afraid to stay in Madrid.
It's a wonderful place!
But like ANY big city,you just need to be aware of the pickpockets and how they work, that's all.
No need to be paranoid, just be aware.

As far as concealing your rucksack, I'm not sure what you mean.
You could wrap it in saran wrap :lol: but the best thing is just to be sure your money, credit cards, and passport are tucked safely away in your money belt and UNDER your clothes. There's probably nothing else in your rucksack that people want.

As far as getting from Pamplona to SJPP, is there a train?
I'm only aware of the bus.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Some folk recommend putting your pack's raincover over it as protection against anyone stealing fom it, especially if it has zips.

 

[maximillian2]

Hahaha I was not clea of m concern. I meant conceal my rucksack so I don't obviously stand out as a tourist.

Thank you AnnieSantiago for the encouragement. I think all I have to do is be aware of the activities.

I stayed on my own in Rome for 21 days and thank God I didn't have an incident.