Traveling to the camino from the us

[scott]

Hi I would like to know what air transport I would use to get to the camino? I was checking some places and couldn't find anything online. Thank you.

 

[EllenZimmer]

I am just flying delta... I did my searches via travelocity and orbitz... Over a few weeks so i could see how much they fluxuated. Not sure when you are flying or if you are flying into madrid or paris, those seem the most popular targets. Then bus or train and or taxi to SJPdP. My flight fluxuated from about $800 to $1200 depending on when i was flying and when i was searching! So watch it for a few days before you book.

 

[RobertS26]

Hi I would like to know what air transport I would use to get to the camino? I was checking some places and couldn't find anything online. Thank you.

The answer depends on where you are coming from in the United States and where you plan on starting the Camino. If you plan on starting in St. Jean, then it's a toss up whether flying into Madrid and working your way north (by bus/train and taxi) or flying into Paris and working your way south (by train) is the "best" way. If you plan on starting in Spain at Pamplona, Logrono, Burgos, Leon, or some other staring point west of Leon, then it makes sense to fly into Madrid and use a bus or train to get to your starting point.

For me, I prefer to fly non-stop from Seattle to CDG airport, take the subway to the Montparnasse train station, take the high speed TGV train to Bayonne, and finally switch to the local train to St. Jean. The trains from Bayonne to St. Jean are usually timed to meet the high speed trains from Paris. From my house in the United States to St. Jean is a about a 26 hour day.

 

[mralisn]

Hi Scott.

Help us help you.

When are planning to walk? (month)

From what city will you fly in the U.S.?

Where would you like to start?

Do you mind longer travel times and layovers?

Have you tried kayak.com, skyscanner. com, expedia.com, (and others), or going directly to a major carriers site? You couldn't find anything online?

Give us some details and you'll see an entire family of people willing to get you headed in the right direction.

Cheers.

 

[scott]

I am planning to leave in early april but would look Kevin to know what the weather is like. I am flying from Phoenix Arizona. I am starting in st jean. Lay overs is not an issue as long as I know ahead of time.

 

[mralisn]

Got it. You have plenty of time. That's a good thing. I also saw you asked about the weather.

If you do a quick search above (for example "april camino weather"), you will find all kinds of threads giving great information.

It's fun to simply type in examples if you use a site like kayak.com (one of many). You read some other threads to see what might work for you. All kinds of options such as flying into Paris, taking train to Bayonne, then another train to SJPdP. Some prefer to fly to Paris, then transport to another airport, then fly to Biarritz, then bus to Bayonne, then train to SJPdP. Many want to fly to Madrid, then bus/train to Pamplona, and another bus to Roncesvalles to start from there.

On my walks on the Camino Frances: 1) SFO-CDG (Paris), CDG-BIQ (Biarritz). I returned the same way as it worked out I traveled a bit after the Camino making my way back to Biarritz. 2) SMF (Sacramento)-LHR (London Heathrow), bus to STN(London Stansted), fly to BIQ. I returned by flying from SCQ (Santiago de Compostela/SdC) to DUB as I wanted to spend time again in Ireland, then DUB-SMF.

There really is an infinite amount of options depending on your timeline and budget. Don't let the amount of legs or duration put you off. My examples are only a few, and they have worked for my style of travel. I'll being going back soon for my 4th walk (2nd time Camino Norte).

I am excited for you and all which will be revealed before you even leave.

Simeon

 

[scott]

So the easiest way from what im thinking is to take a plan to Madrid and then a train to saint jean?

 

[scott]

So I searched on those sites but nothing that will show in april of next year so I got as close as I can and the cheapest is going to madrid and that one is $1,130 and $1,240 to go to parris.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The lowest nominal fare will be a round trip to Madrid or Paris. However, then it takes a lot of time and effort to get to SJPdP and return from Santiago. For simplicity, fly to Pamplona and return from Santiago. From the U.S., that means American/British Airways/Iberia Airlines, since they are the only ones that have such a flight schedule. Then you need only get from Pamplona to SJPdP, and take the half-hourly bus to the Santiago airport from Santiago. It will cost a few hundred dollars more than a plain round trip to Paris or Madrid, but the journey will be simple. If you start in Pamplona, it will be even simpler! www.iberia.com and go to multiple routes.

 

[Kanga]

I am planning to leave in early april but would look Kevin to know what the weather is like. I am flying from Phoenix Arizona. I am starting in st jean. Lay overs is not an issue as long as I know ahead of time.

Camino weather:

http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/santiago/weather.html

 

[nikita5]

[quoHopete="scott, post: 197472, member: 34829"]Hi I would like to know what air transport I would use to get to the camino? I was checking some places and couldn't find anything online. Thank you.[/quote]
Hi! There a couple of airlines that service Europe you can fly into Madrid or Paris. Am flying Delta from JFK to Paris (CDG) the an connecting flight with Air France to Biarritz. From Biarritz you can take a cab to SJPDP or Biarritz airport to Bayonne, from Bayonne regional TER line 62 to SJPDP.

 

[vinsman]

Scott, I fly from Sacramento on Delta to CDG in paris. You can then take the train to Bayonne or what I am doing is taking the Air France transfer bus from CDG to Orly. You can fly from Orly to Biarritz for about $70.00. I am having Caroline at express burrocot pick me up there and drive me to SJPP. My flight does not arrive until 5:15pm in Paris so I will spend the night at the IBIS hotel near Orly and then fly to Biarrits the next day. Last year I flew into Madrid and took the train to Pamplona. Easy as well it is just getting from Pamplona to SJPP costs about 100 euros in April since there is no other way to get there. I the summer season there is a bus. I walked April 3, 2013 to May 2, 2013 last year and will leave April 22 from SJPP this year. Buen Camino.

 

[Mark Lee]

I'm going to try to do the Camino again this summer. I've been researching flights from the US. Right now I'm favoring flying to Dublin and from Dublin flying Ryan Air to Biarritz/Bayonne and taking the short train ride from Bayonne to St Jean Pied de Port. Getting back to Dublin from Santiago I can book a flight through Aer Lingus. Santiago has a nice airport that is easy and cheap to get to by public bus.

Last summer when I walked the Camino I flew in to Paris from Dubai (where I was working) and took the train from the station at CDG airport all the way to SJPDP. I had to change trains twice, at Bourdeaux and Bayonne. I flew to Paris from Santiago via Vueling Airlines.

Vueling, Aer Lingus and Ryan Air all can be booked from the websites. As far as flights from the US, I usually check on expedia, travelocity etc, get an idea of flights and prices, and then if possible book directly through the airlines through their website and not expedia, travelocity, etc. Sometimes it's a little cheaper, and it is way easier to make changes in your booking/itinerary if you need to and you can pick your seat quicker.

Hope that was of some help. I did notice it is cheaper flying in to Dublin from the US and the Ryan Air and Aer Lingus flights are pretty cheap, even for one-way.

 

[koilife]

So I searched on those sites but nothing that will show in april of next year so I got as close as I can and the cheapest is going to madrid and that one is $1,130 and $1,240 to go to parris.

For SJPdP, getting in roughly same fuss from either, but getting out is much faster if leaving from Santiago through Madrid than trying to get back to Paris.

 

[RobS]

For SJPdP, getting in roughly same fuss from either, but getting out is much faster if leaving from Santiago through Madrid than trying to get back to Paris.

I walked from SJPdP to SdC 2 years ago. I flew into Madrid, took a high-speed train to Pamplona, a bus to Roncesvalles, and shared a taxi (that was waiting there as the bus arrived) to SJPdP. With the various connections, it took the whole day. But, I was able to begin walking early the next morning.
The trip from SdC back to the Madrid airport was, indeed, a lot easier than it would have been to return to Paris.

 

[nreyn12]

Try this website to sort out the best route and fares for your international flights: http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

Once you find a good route and fare, you can buy the ticket on the airline's website or on Kayak/Expedia/etc.

 

[scott]

I read somewhere here that there is a plane that flies from either madrid or parris all the way into sjpdp?

 

[Mark Lee]

I read somewhere here that there is a plane that flies from either madrid or parris all the way into sjpdp?

I don't think SJPDP has an airport. I know you can fly to Biarritz/Bayonne which is only a short train ride to SJPDP and when you arrive at SJPDP it's a short walk into town.

 

[nreyn12]

Mark Lee is correct - there is no airport in SJPP. You fly to Biarritz, then take a bus to the train station in Bayonne, then catch a train to SJPP. Of course you can also go to SJPP by taxi.

Another option is to fly to Pamplona and take the bus to SJPP.