Walking Frances in September 2015

[fallow]

I will be back in September to complete my 2013 Camino when I walked Roncesvalles to Logrono, Astorga to Santiago. I had to leave out a section because I didn't have enough time to do it all in one go. My plan this year is to fly Sydney to Madrid, train to Pamplona (which I loved and am keen to see again) then bus/train to Logrono. I will then walk from Logrono through to Sarria before returning home. I am looking forward to it all, especially Rabanal and the climb up to O'Cebreiro. I keep a photo I took of the view looking west from O'Cebreiro on my wall and just long to be there again.

I am not sad to have to miss out on the Sarria to Santiago section as this was my least favourite due to the numbers of day walkers, bus groups etc. It is a bit sad though that I will have no formal recognition of my Camino because of this. Oh well, I will know what I have done and that will suffice. I will have my credential after all.

Looking forward to meeting those of you who I will encounter and wish 'buen Camino'.

 

[Juno]

Hi Fallow, I was expecting a crowd from Sarria in June last year but ended up walking into Santiago on my own! I think it was because I walked further than my Camino buddies and was nearer to Santiago for the following day. It was a novelty walking in on my own. I actually liked every single day on the Camino because every day was different. I hope you do get your credential as it's a long way to come and it is quite special. I know what you mean about O'Cebreiro, I look forward to doing that section again too. Someone said when you reach Sarria it's like starting the journey back to the world you've left, which prepares you for going home. Maybe that was JB? (John Brierley). Whatever you decide, Buen Camino.

 

[Jackie96]

Fallow, since you have taken the train from Madrid to Pamplona, perhaps you can answer a couple of questions for me. I am flying into Madrid on August 25 at 9:50 AM. Do you think I will b able to make a 11:35 train connection? Do I have to take the metro from the airport to the train station? I have never been to Spain. I am coming from the US and am traveling alone. I am only worried about how to get to Pamplona. I have arranged to stay there that night and then go on to SJdP the next day. I know once I start walking I will no longer be so concerned about arrangements, but right now just the getting there seems a little overwhelming.
I appreciate any advice I can get.

 

[whariwharangi]

Fallow, since you have taken the train from Madrid to Pamplona, perhaps you can answer a couple of questions for me. I am flying into Madrid on August 25 at 9:50 AM. Do you think I will b able to make a 11:35 train connection? Do I have to take the metro from the airport to the train station? I have never been to Spain. I am coming from the US and am traveling alone. I am only worried about how to get to Pamplona. I have arranged to stay there that night and then go on to SJdP the next day. I know once I start walking I will no longer be so concerned about arrangements, but right now just the getting there seems a little overwhelming.
I appreciate any advice I can get.

Trains to Pamplona leave from Puerta de Atocha.

ALSA buses to Pamplona (via Soria or Zaragosa) leave from Avenida de America. Some, but not all, buses stop at MAD T4 enroute.

Any reasonable time appreciation will take more time than you have to make an 1135 train. You might make it but by my estimate its not likely.

See the following regarding transport from MAD to Puerta Atocha.

1200 Pamplona

1201 Pamplona is connected to Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebastian and the rest of Spain by air, bus, and train. There are bus services to Roncesvalles and Saint Jean Pied de Port.

Index 1200
1202 Pamplona Airport
1203 Pamplona Bus Station
1204 Pamplona Train Station

1202 Pamplona Airport

See the destinations tab for airline services.

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

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

1204 Pamplona Train Station

Renfe operates trains connecting Pamplona to the rest of Spain.

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

Pamplona Renfe Station
http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/80100/informacion_000111.shtml

2000 Madrid

2001 This section discusses transportation services in Madrid.

Index 2000
2002 Madrid Airport
2003 Getting Around in Madrid
2004 Train Service Madrid
2005 Madrid Train Stations
2006 Madrid Airport to train station Puerta de Atocha
2007 Madrid Airport to train station Chamartin
2008 Bus Service Madrid
2009 Madrid Bus Stations
2010 Madrid Airport Access to Bus Station T4
2011 Madrid Airport to Bus Station Avendida de America
2012 Madrid Airport to Estacion Sur de Autobuses de Madrid
2013 Madrid Airport to Bus Station Moncloa

2002 Madrid Airport

The airport in Madrid is called Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD). There are 4 terminals. T1, T2, and T3 are in one building while T4 is connected via shuttle. Terminal 4S is connected to Terminal 4 by Automatic People Mover (APM) and has a shuttle stop.

Madrid Airport (MAD)
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Madrid-Barajas/en/

2003 Getting around in Madrid

Connections to Madrid include subway (Metro), light rail transit (Cercanias), and bus (EMT).

Madrid Metro has stations at T1-T2-T3 and at T4. The trains run every 6 - 12 minutes.

Madrid Cercanias has a station at T4. The trains run every 30 minutes.

Empresa Municipal de Transportes (EMT) route 200 provides bus service from the airport T1-T2-T3 and airport T4 to Intercambiador de Avenida de America, a major urban bus, intercity bus and metro connection hub.

EMT Madrid Aeropuerto Express operates a bright yellow express bus every 13 -20 minutes from the airport T1-T2-T3 and airport T4 to Puerta de Atocha Renfe station.

Madrid Metro
http://www.metromadrid.es/en/index.html

Madrid Metro Map
http://www.metromadrid.es/export/sites/metro/comun/documentos/planos/Planomayo2013.pdf

Madrid Cercanias (operated by Renfe)
http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/cercanias/madrid/index.html

EMT Madrid provides Madrid transit bus services
http://www.emtmadrid.es/

EMT Madrid Aeropuerto Express
http://www.emtmadrid.es/lineaAeropuerto/index.html

2004 Train Service Madrid

Renfe operates Spain's national train network.

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

2005 Madrid Train Stations

Madrid has two major Renfe train stations operated by adif; Puerto de Atocha and Chamartin.

Chamartin Renfe Station Madrid
http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/17000/informacion_000295.shtml

Puerta de Atocha Renfe Station Madrid
http://www.adif.es/es_ES/infraestructuras/estaciones/60000/informacion_000070.shtml

2006 Madrid Airport to train station Puerto de Atocha

a. Puerto de Atocha is reached by Metro. Take line 8 from airport T1-T2-T3 or T4 to Nuevos Ministerios; line 10 to Tribunal; and, line 1 to Renfe Atocha.

b. Puerto de Atocha is reached by Renfe Cercanias direct from Madrid Airport T4

c. Puerto de Atocha is reached by EMT Madrid Aeropuerto Express direct from Madrid Airport.

2007 Madrid Airport to train station Chamartin

a. Chamartin is reached by Metro. Take line 8 from airport T1-T2-T3 or T4 to Nuevos Ministerios; and, line 10 to Chamartin.

b. Chamartin is reached by Renfe Cercanias direct from Madrid Airport T4.

2008 Bus Service Madrid

There are hundreds of bus companies in Spain. Usually the best tactic is to refer to bus station information at your destination for listings of bus service providers and schedules.

ALSA is a major bus carrier with service to Madrid.
http://www.alsa.es/en/

Avanza bus is a major bus carrier with service to Madrid.
http://www.avanzabus.com/web/default.aspx

2009 Madrid Bus Stations

There are several bus stations in Madrid. I've listed four. There likely are other stations that I'm not aware of at time of writing.

There is a bus station at Madrid Airport T4. See Transport and Access tabs.
http://www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/Aeropuerto-Madrid-Barajas/en/

Estacion Sur de Autobuses de Madrid
http://www.estacionautobusesmadrid.com/frameset.html

Intercambiador de Avenida de America
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intercambiador_de_Avenida_de_América

Moncloa
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estación_de_Moncloa

2010 Madrid Airport Access to Bus Station T4

There is a bus station at T4 Barajas Airport. A shuttle connects T1-T2-T3 with T4.

2011 Madrid Airport to bus station Avenida de America

Intercambiador de Avenida de America (Madrid) is co-located with the Metro. Take line 8 from Barajas airport T1-T2-T3 or T4 to Colombia; and, line 9 to Avenida de America.

EMT route 200 provides bus service from the airport T1-T2-T3 and airport T4 to Intercambiador de Avenida de America.

2012 Madrid Airport to Estacion Sur de Autobuses de Madrid

a. Estacion Sur de Autobuses de Madrid is located near the Méndez Álvaro Metro Station. Take line 8 from Barajas airport T1-T2-T3 or T4 to Colombia; line 9 to Avenida de America; and, line 6 to Méndez Álvaro. Exit the Metro to find the bus station.

b. Take Renfe Cercanias train from T4 Barajas airport to Méndez Álvaro.

2013 Madrid Airport to bus station Moncloa

Madrid Moncloa is co-located with the Metro. Take line 8 from Barajas airport T1-T2-T3 or T4 to Nuevo Ministerios; and, line 6 to Moncloa.

 

[Jackie96]

Thanks for the information.

 

[molly1952]

I

I will be back in September to complete my 2013 Camino when I walked Roncesvalles to Logrono, Astorga to Santiago. I had to leave out a section because I didn't have enough time to do it all in one go. My plan this year is to fly Sydney to Madrid, train to Pamplona (which I loved and am keen to see again) then bus/train to Logrono. I will then walk from Logrono through to Sarria before returning home. I am looking forward to it all, especially Rabanal and the climb up to O'Cebreiro. I keep a photo I took of the view looking west from O'Cebreiro on my wall and just long to be there again.

I am not sad to have to miss out on the Sarria to Santiago section as this was my least favourite due to the numbers of day walkers, bus groups etc. It is a bit sad though that I will have no formal recognition of my Camino because of this. Oh well, I will know what I have done and that will suffice. I will have my credential after all.

Looking forward to meeting those of you who I will encounter and wish 'buen Camino'.

I will also be starting in Logrono this coming September Fallow. No date decided yet, but hopefully around the second week. I will walk for about two weeks so I'm not sure how far I will get. Last year I did St Jean to Logrono and I'm really looking forward to picking up where I left off.

 

[fallow]

Hi Molly 1952 - I hope to meet you somewhere along the way. I am meeting up with 2 of my brothers plus one sister-in-law in Logrono on 5th September. We will leave on the morning of the 6th. Maybe see you out there. I see you are from Ireland and am curious about your koala picture. Are you in Aus?

 

[molly1952]

Hi Molly 1952 - I hope to meet you somewhere along the way. I am meeting up with 2 of my brothers plus one sister-in-law in Logrono on 5th September. We will leave on the morning of the 6th. Maybe see you out there. I see you are from Ireland and am curious about your koala picture. Are you in Aus?

No Fallow - no Aussie connections at all! I'm 100% Irish. The Koala was just a random picture. Perhaps we will meet along the way.

 

[Mikel Olivares]

Hi Jackie.
Maybe you can ask " KimJ " pilgrim Californian who had the same questions as you. Surely she informed you.
Buen Camino.