Travel from US to Pamplona

[donnasanjuan]

Happy New year all!

We will be walking from Pamplona to Logrono in September of this year and will be purchasing our flight this month. We live in San Francisco, California and have plans to spend a week in Barcelona after our walk ends in Logrono. Originally we were going to fly into Barcelona and take a train to our starting point in Pamplona but I was advised it would be easier to fly into Bilbao. This will be me and my husband's first trip over seas and trying to gauge distances and travel time between destinations has been daunting. I have tried navigating the Renfe train website but am unable to put in real dates that far out.
Would love to get some advice on the best way to go.

Thanks!
Donna

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Donna,
Welcome to the forum. You will find a lot of different suggestions for this travel by looking through the "Traveling to and from the Camino" section of the forum, https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/traveling-to-from-the-camino.19/ but I'll give you my favorite bit of advice. You should check the "multi-city" option for airplane travel (available on all airline sites and on the major travel sites like kayak). Put in San Francisco - Pamplona as your outbound and Barcelona to San Francisco for your return trip, and you may find that the fares are not much more as just flying in and out of the same city.

Getting from Logrono to Barcelona will not be difficult when you're done walking. Good luck with the planning! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[waveprof]

Bilbao/Bilbo is much closer to Pamplona/Irun, and easier to get to than Barcelona. Also, it is a really, really nice (though manageable) city. Since you'll be spending a week in Catalunya later, why not fly into Euskal Herria?

 

[wawpdx]

I agree with waveprof. I think Bilbao is a great choice for your introduction to Spain, especially given that you will be getting over 9 hours of jetlag. You can easily get a bus from Bilbao to Pamplona.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Happy New year all!

We will be walking from Pamplona to Logrono in September of this year and will be purchasing our flight this month. We live in San Francisco, California and have plans to spend a week in Barcelona after our walk ends in Logrono. Originally we were going to fly into Barcelona and take a train to our starting point in Pamplona but I was advised it would be easier to fly into Bilbao. This will be me and my husband's first trip over seas and trying to gauge distances and travel time between destinations has been daunting. I have tried navigating the Renfe train website but am unable to put in real dates that far out.
Would love to get some advice on the best way to go.

Thanks!
Donna

getting to pamplona from barcelona is much harder than getting to pamplona from bilbao, or even madrid. try with closer dates n the renfe site, schedules should not change drastically over the next few months.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

On Iberia Airline it takes about the same amount of time to fly from San Francisco to Bilbao as it does to fly from San Francisco to Pamplona. The difference is that you will be in Pamplona on the latter, and won't have to worry about a bus or train connection! The fare is about $1217 for SFO to Pamplona, returning from Barcelona to SFO.

Buen camino.

 

[PANO]

Hi Donna, welcome to the forum.
Barcelona and Bilbao (the Guggenheim Museum is a must) are both fascinating, yet completely different cities and you will never regret to combine them in your schedule, if that is possible. September is a most favourable month too.
Renfe runs a very efficient and reliable network basically running a summer and a winter schedule. (September is Summer still)
Within a season, the schedules of long-distance runs linking Barcelona, Pamplona, Logroño and Bilbao (Alvia fast trains) remain stable. I recommend you to work out a tentative travel schedule an assumed approximate dates; then, when its time to buy your flight tickets, check the trains again.
I never had a problem of getting seats when purchasing train-tickets a day before, so don't stress yourself unnecessarily with rigid planning and give yourself a bit of flexibility. (If you are below 26 Y. old, inquire for the Tarjeta Joven, if older than 60, for the Tarjeta dorada, both entitling for substantial discounts; plan ample time to enquire and purchase tickets at the stations)
To reserve hotels in the big cities, booking.com has always worked fine for me; the night in Pamplona before starting the Camino, the homely Casa Paderborn will tune you to the Peregrino life; in Puenta la Reina, the Albergue Santiago Apostol (it even has a pool!) is nice and clean and in Villatuerta, don't miss the Albergue Casa Magica (hope that Simone, the Hospitalera is still there)
Happy planning and buen Camino.

 

[waveprof]

Bilbao (the Guggenheim Museum is a must)

This is true even if you don't like art (which how sad would that be).....the building itself is that important and has helped transform the downtown.

A walk along the river and into the old quarter of Bilbo is one of life's great experiences (though that might be topped by a walk along La Concha in San Sebastian/Donostia )




Barcelona is an amazing city too btw, the gaudi park is really incredibly memorable. I wasn't trying to start a competition, but since you are already going to Barcelona anyway.....



The other beauty of your plan is that by flying into Bilbo, stopping in Logrono, and proceeding to Barcelona, it won't matter if you don't speak/understand a lick of Spanish......so long as you are fluent in Basque and Catalan

 

[Scott Sweeney]

Trouble going to Pamplona from Barcelona? Trains runs hourly to Zaragoza and same from Zaragoza, and its cheaper.

 

[whariwharangi]

Its about 2:30 hours by bus from Bilbao Airport via San Sebastian. Its about 4:00 by train from Barcelona ... and about 5:00 by bus. With much variance in the schedules.

Bilbao is definitely closer to Pamplona than Barcelona. However, factors of price and convenience will be more important factors.

The bus and train schedules will change at least twice between now and September. You can use today's schedule to plan and verify dates sometime in early August.

1203 Pamplona Bus Station

See the 'Rutas' tab for bus services. The bus station is underground and does not have a large above ground presence.

Estacion de Autobuses de Pamplona
http://estaciondeautobusesdepamplona.com/Inicio.aspx

======================================================
1650 Bilbao to SJPdP via Pamplona

1651 This section discusses transportation from Bilbao to Pamplona

Index 1650
1603 Bilbao Airport
1652 Bilbao Airport to Bilbao Termibus
1605 Bilbao Termibus
1654 Bilbao to Pamplona
1653 Bilbao Airport to Pamplona via San Sebastian Bus Station

1603 Bilbao Airport

Bilbao Airport (Loiu)(BIO)
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Bilbao/en/Home.html

1652 Bilbao Airport to Bilbao Termibus

Bizkaia buses #A3247 travels from Bilbao airport to Bilbao Termibus where it terminates. Termibus is located in same area as San Mames station.

1605 Bilbao Bus Station

Termibus Bus Station
http://www.termibus.es/index.php?idi=es

1654 Bilbao to Pamplona

Autobuses Burundesa provides service from Bilbao Termibus to Pamplona.

Autobuses La Union y La Burundesa
http://www.autobuseslaunion.com/es/

Renfe provides train service from Bilbao to Pamplona via Miranda de Ebro

1653 Bilbao Airport to Pamplona via San Sebastian Bus Station

(this is the fastest way to get from Bilbao airport to Pamplona)

PESA connects Bilbao Airport (Loiu) to San Sebastian bus station hourly. (and does not go to Bilbao Termibus)
http://www.pesa.net/pesa/public_home/ctrl_home.php

ALSA connects San Sebastian Bus Station with Pamplona Bus Station.
https://www.alsa.es/

Renfe
http://www.renfe.com/

==========================================================

2303 Barcelona Airport

Barcelona Airport (BCN)
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Barcelona/en/Home.html

There is a shuttle connecting Terminal 1 to Terminal 2.

There are several bus companies providing service direct from Barcelona Airport. (However ... not to Pamplona) See the Airport website transport and access.

2304 Getting around in Barcelona

Connect from Barcelona Airport to Train and Bus Station - Sants - with Renfe Cercanias/Rodalies R2 from Terminal 2. The train runs every 30 minutes. Time to Barcelona Sants is 22 minutes.

Connect from Barcelona Airport to Bus Station -Nord - with Renfe Cercanias/Rodalies R2 from Terminal 2. Transfer at Sants to train R3 or R4 to Arc de Triomf stop then walk 300 meters along Av de Vilanova to the station.

Alternatively, connect from Barcelona Airport to Bus Station -Nord- with Aeroport bus from either T1 or T2 to Placa Catalunya. Walk from Placa Catalunya via Arc de Triomf to the bus station, a twenty-minute walk (1400 meters) or take the Metro L1.

Shuttle Bus from Airport to Barcelona Center
http://www.aerobusbcn.com/

Transportes Metropolitans de Barcelona Bus Network
http://www.tmb.cat/es/home

Barcelona Transport
http://www.transportebcn.es/

Autobuses Metropolitanos
http://www.amb.cat/s/home.html

Barcelona Metro
http://w110.bcn.cat/portal/site/Tur...0854371550VgnV6CONT00000000000RCRD&lang=es_ES

Renfe Cercanias/Rodalies Barcelona Light Rail
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/cercanias/barcelona/index.html

2355 Barcelona to Pamplona by Train and Bus

Travel from Barcelona to Pamplona by Renfe train or by bus. Trains leave from Barcelona Sants. Buses leave from Estacion de Autobuses Barcelona Nord and Vibasa makes a stop at Barcelona Sants. ALSA (which gives schedules from Barcelona to Zaragosa and Zaragosa to Pamplona) and ViBASA are major service providers on this route.

Renfe
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/index.html

ViBASA (Monbus website)
http://www.monbus.es/es

ALSA
http://www.alsa.es/en/

 

[donnasanjuan]

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful advice! I am feeling much less stressed about booking our flights now with a much clearer picture. This forum is such a wonderful resource!

Peace,
Donna