Transportation to SJPP

[ejg1890]

I will be booking my flight tickets to Europe for approximately a September 1 start date. My initial plan is fly into Paris and take a train to SJPP. However from Paris there appears to be only 1 train per day that leaves Paris about 1:30pm arriving at 7:45pm (19:45). This train also appears to sell out quickly. Curious for people flying (or have flown) to Europe, is/was the plan to fly into Paris, Barcelona or Madrid? How do you plan or have your traveled previously to SJPP? It doesn’t seem as easy as I once thought to get to SJPP. Thanks.

 

[trecile]

The train that I'm taking from Paris (Montparnasse station) to Bayonne leaves at 10:08 in the morning, then I connect to a train to SJPdP.

It's possible that the full schedule for your date hasn't been released yet.

 

[ejg1890]

The train that I'm taking from Paris (Montparnasse station) to Bayonne leaves at 10:08 in the morning, then I connect to a train to SJPdP.

It's possible that the full schedule for your date hasn't been released yet.

I’m using SCNF Connect website. I selected multiple days between late May and August 31; there only 1 train per day leaves around 2:00pm and arrives around 8:00pm. Montparnasse Station as well.

 

[trecile]

I'm finding quite a few trains from Montparnasse to Bayonne on August 30.

https://www.sncf-connect.com/app/en-en/home/shop/results/outward

Click to enlarge

 

[trecile]

And here you go including the connection to SJPdP.

https://www.sncf-connect.com/app/en-en/home/shop/results/outward

I think that you need to click/tap on "Display previous journeys" to see the earlier times.

 

[ejg1890]

And here you go including the connection to SJPdP.

https://www.sncf-connect.com/app/en-en/home/shop/results/outward

I think that you need to click/tap on "Display previous journeys" to see the earlier times.

Ok. I see the difference. I had Paris to SJPP. Once I do Bayoone then I get all the options.

 

[trecile]

Ok. I see the difference. I had Paris to SJPP. Once I do Bayoone then I get all the options.

There are fewer options when you put in Paris to SJPdP because you need to connect to the train at Bayonne - I see three options for the complete journey.

 

[NicP]

I flew to Barcelona, train from there to Pamplona (takes a couple of hours) then bus or taxi to SJPP. It was pretty straight forward, and seemed like a great choice when I heard about the issues people I met who also started around the same time as me had getting from Paris to SJPP due to a strike in the French rail system that day / week…

I just looked at the ALSA app- it looks like there is a bus daily at the moment leaving around midday, that takes less than two hours, from Pamplona to SJPP, several trains a day leave both Madrid and Barcelona to Pamplona, although there was not a great deal of choice if you want to arrive to SJPP the same day that you arrive in Spain- you could need to break up the journey somewhere….

 

[Jensjaunt]

Hi eig1890 - a way to consider if you have not yet booked flights I found quite economical - I’m flying from NAmerica west coast as well - and actually am flying direct to Dublin and then getting a direct flight to Biarritz then a short train to SJPD. Good luck! J

 

[Ianinam]

Apart from the train question: are you aware of the fact that starting September 1st is the busiest period of the year? It will be difficult to find a bed in the 'bottleneck' between Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port ans Pamplona unless you make reservations! Much better to start two weeks later.

 

[ejg1890]

Apart from the train question: are you aware of the fact that starting September 1st is the busiest period of the year? It will be difficult to find a bed in the 'bottleneck' between Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port ans Pamplona unless you make reservations! Much better to start two weeks later.

Ok. Thanks. I had not realized its the busiest. I had heard June - August, while the should months (April/May and Sept/Oct) are still good weather and fewer crowds. I had planned on reservations for the first several days then see how things progress from there.

 

[trecile]

. I had not realized its the busiest. I had heard June - August, while the should months (April/May and Sept/Oct) are still good weather and fewer crowds

The summer months are busiest for the Camino routes once you get to Galicia, due to many people wanting to walk the final 100 km to Santiago during their summer holidays, including large church and youth groups. But for starting from SJPdP the beginning of May and September are the busiest.

This graph is a few years old, but it shows the pattern of Pilgrims starting from SJPdP. That highest bar is the first week of September.

 

[ejg1890]

yikes. Thanks