Walking El Camino Frances, Landing in Madrid, Need help

[carlos Alberto Gonzalez]

I am walking El Camino Frances in May and I am flying into Mardrid. I need to know how to get to SJPDP. I am looking for the most direct route by train, bus, etc... any suggestions or websites, numbers etc, also what hotels, hostels, etc would you recommend to stay in Madrid. I am 68 years old, walking for the first time, any help is much appreciated. I have the credential del peregrino, I have seen certain websites stating you have to register, is the pelegrino passport enough or do I need to register somewhere as well? Thanks

 

[Tincatinker]

Carlos, welcome to this forum. Try looking at the "travelling to/from the Camino" pages here on the forum to answer your travel questions. You will find all the answers you need. Though you might want to ask your own question: "why start in StJdP". Why not start in Pamplona.

No registration is required to walk the Camino Frances or any other Camino. If you do start in StJdP then the Pilgrims Office will record your visit. That is all.

 

[whariwharangi]

I am walking El Camino Frances in May and I am flying into Mardrid. I need to know how to get to SJPDP. I am looking for the most direct route by train, bus, etc... any suggestions or websites, numbers etc, also what hotels, hostels, etc would you recommend to stay in Madrid. I am 68 years old, walking for the first time, any help is much appreciated. I have the credential del peregrino, I have seen certain websites stating you have to register, is the pelegrino passport enough or do I need to register somewhere as well? Thanks

SJPdP is connected by CONDA (ALSA) bus from Pamplona to SJPdP with a seasonal schedule. There are 2 daily currently scheduled for May 2017.

SJPdP is connected by SNCF TER train from Bayonne to SJPdP usually 4 x daily all year.

Pamplona is connected to Madrid by:

-Renfe train from Atocha Madrid to Pamplona.

-PLM Autocares bus direct and, ALSA bus via Soria or Zaragosa, from Avenida de America Madrid to Pamplona. Some buses make a stop enroute at T4 Madrid Airport.

-Pamplona Airport PNA has several flights daily from Madrid.

Bayonne is connected to Madrid:

-Biarritz Airport BIQ is the closest to SJPdP. There are flights from Madrid. Chronoplus bus #14 connects Biarritz/Anglet/Bayonne Airport to Gare Bayonne.

-Renfe train from either of Atocha or Chamartin Madrid (but usually not both) to Irun/Hendaye. Some trains terminate in Irun and some in Hendaye.

-Metro Donostialdea connects Irun Colon to Hendaia if your Renfe train terminates in Irun.

-SNCF train connects Gare d'Hendaye to Gare Bayonne.

-ALSA operates buses from Avenida de America (and some from T4) Madrid to San Sebastian.

-Renfe Cercanias connects San Sebastian to Irun.

-San Sebastian Airport EAS is 5 km from Gare d'Hendaye. Take a taxi, local bus or walk.

-PESA and ALSA operate buses from San Sebastian to Bayonne. There is no central bus station in Bayonne. PESA stops at Place de Basques, a km from Gare Bayonne. ALSA site states it makes a stop at TGV station (which is likely Gare Bayonne).

 

[Mark Lee]

No, you don't have to register to walk the Camino. It's just that in St Jean they have a pilgrim's office where you do. You could do as brought up, just start in Pamplona, which is an easy bus ride straight from the Madrid airport. If you have your heart set on starting in St Jean, that's cool too. You just take one more bus to there after you arrive by bus in Pamplona.
Your easiest, most direct and cheapest option to get to Pamplona or St Jean is an ALSA bus from the Madrid airport. I've done it that way a couple of times.
Let me know if you want to take that route and I will give you the details on how.
ultreia

 

[HeidiL]

Do you have to start in St Jean?

A lot of Spanish pilgrims start in Roncesvalles instead, where there also is a pilgrim office, and yo u can make an easier start if you're not already a seasoned walker.

(We did - we lived in Spain for three years and decided we'd do as the Spanish - no regrets about that!)

 

[whariwharangi]

I'm having trouble with the psychology of suggesting to people they start somewhere else as planned.

He wants to start in SJPdP. Who are you to dissuade him from doing so?

The only exception I can see is situations involving those who plan to walk from SJPdP to Santiago in some ridiculously short time frame.

 

[C clearly]

I'm having trouble with the psychology of suggesting to people they start somewhere else as planned.

Agreed. However, when someone comes on the forum who seems to have very little knowledge of the logistics of the camino, it seems good to point out something significant they might not know (i.e. that there is no set starting point).

 

[Sue Kranz]

No, you don't have to register to walk the Camino. It's just that in St Jean they have a pilgrim's office where you do. You could do as brought up, just start in Pamplona, which is an easy bus ride straight from the Madrid airport. If you have your heart set on starting in St Jean, that's cool too. You just take one more bus to there after you arrive by bus in Pamplona.
Your easiest, most direct and cheapest option to get to Pamplona or St Jean is an ALSA bus from the Madrid airport. I've done it that way a couple of times.
Let me know if you want to take that route and I will give you the details on how.
ultreia

I will be flying into Madrid and would appreciate having the info you offered about getting to St. Jean via Pamplona. (Is there a direct route from Madrid to to St. Jean?) About how long does it take, given reasonable connections?

Thanks!
Sue (first timer!)

 

[Mark Lee]

I will be flying into Madrid and would appreciate having the info you offered about getting to St. Jean via Pamplona. (Is there a direct route from Madrid to to St. Jean?) About how long does it take, given reasonable connections?

Thanks!
Sue (first timer!)

ALSA bus all the way to St Jean.
You catch the bus right out of T4 Madrid airport. Literally 50 meters from the exit doors out of the terminal.
The bus goes from Madrid to Soria. You change buses in Soria (it's a small bus station and they park the bus right next to the bus you will be changing to).
From Soria you go to Pamplona. It's not a huge bus station at all and easy to negotiate. There you get on your bus to St Jean.
All this will take you all day. If you arrive in Madrid early morning, you reach St Jean early evening, but it is the easiest, least expensive and most direct I imagine.
ALSA website: https://www.alsa.es/en/
You book your trip from Madrid to Pamplona on one transaction, and your Pamplona to St Jean on a separate transaction. Print them out and show to the bus driver(s).
Map of Madrid T4 showing where exit and buses are:

ultreia

 

[Anemone del Camino]

No need for two changes of bus. There are direct buses to Pamplona from the airport. Or the train.

Madrid to Pamplona by bus at the airport, in Terminal 4, on level 0. The sooner you book your seat the leass expensive it will be. If the Alsa bus schedule does not work well with your landing time ypu can take a train. Take the Cercanias (suburban train) at the airport (departures every 20 minutes) to Atocha train station. Once is Pamplona you can take the bus to SJPP, although it may leave too early in the day, forcing you to spend a night in Pamplona. Worse things have happened.

 

[Anniesantiago]

You might want to consider grabbing the bus from the Madrid airport to Pamplona.
Spend a night or two there and adjust to the time change. See the city.
Then grab a bus to SJPP from there.
It's about 25 euros.
THEN, when you walk, you can stop either before or after Pamplona, because you've already seen it, and you'll be "between the stages" that most people walk, and less likely to have to fight for a bed.

That's my advice.

You can see bus schedules from Madrid to Pamplona at www.movelia.es

 

[Anniesantiago]

Here is the bus schedule for May 4, as an example, to SJPP. You can buy tickets from CONDA right at the airport.

 

[Sue Kranz]

Here is the bus schedule for May 4, as an example, to SJPP. You can buy tickets from CONDA right at the airport.

View attachment 32545

Thanks for all of this helpful advise! My flight gets in at 11:30am (I found a very low fare and want to move quickly, but the timing is tricky )

Did you find the bus schedule on a website?

Also, anyone have suggestions for an inexpensive place to stay in St Pierre?

This blog is amazing! I feel cared for already!

Sue

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

CONDA is a bus company serving Navarra. It is partially owned by ALSA, a larger Spanish bus company. The CONDA schedules are incorporated on the ALSA website and CONDA tickets can be bought online ahead of time from the ALSA website as well. When using the ALSA website to find transportation to St. Jean Pied de Port you must spell out St. in full as Saint or the town will not be found. The ALSA website in English is at URL https://www.alsa.es/en/

 

[Anniesantiago]

Thanks for all of this helpful advise! My flight gets in at 11:30am (I found a very low fare and want to move quickly, but the timing is tricky )

Did you find the bus schedule on a website?

Also, anyone have suggestions for an inexpensive place to stay in St Pierre?

This blog is amazing! I feel cared for already!

Sue

I get my bus information at www.movelia.es
You must spell out the name Saint Jean... as suggested above.
And personally, I never purchase bus tickets ahead of time.
I just get them once I arrive in Spain - even when I'm busing from the airport.
I've never found a bus too full to take me.

 

[Mark Lee]

Thanks for all of this helpful advise! My flight gets in at 11:30am (I found a very low fare and want to move quickly, but the timing is tricky )

Did you find the bus schedule on a website?

Also, anyone have suggestions for an inexpensive place to stay in St Pierre?

This blog is amazing! I feel cared for already!

Sue

If your flight get's in at 11:30 am, you probably will not be able to catch a bus out of the airport until 3:15 pm, if you are going to Pamplona. That get's you in Pamplona at around 8:00 pm I think, and too late to get a bus to St Jean. You would have to spend that night in Pamplona then, and catch the first bus the next morning to St Jean, but as said already, worse things to have to do.

 

[BucketBabe]

No, you don't have to register to walk the Camino. It's just that in St Jean they have a pilgrim's office where you do. You could do as brought up, just start in Pamplona, which is an easy bus ride straight from the Madrid airport. If you have your heart set on starting in St Jean, that's cool too. You just take one more bus to there after you arrive by bus in Pamplona.
Your easiest, most direct and cheapest option to get to Pamplona or St Jean is an ALSA bus from the Madrid airport. I've done it that way a couple of times.
Let me know if you want to take that route and I will give you the details on how.
ultreia

Hi Mark, I've booked the Also bus from T4 to Pamplona and plan to start my walk there. My flight details changed last week and I arrive a bit later at 9:05 am (at present) and bus at 10:30...will I make it to T4 without running at full speed or should I look for another option?