Margaret.S
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Frances. April/May 2016
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Hi Margaret, the only place I booked was the albergue Orisson. I wanted to stay there that's why I booked it.A question like this has probably been posted before, a couple of hundred times, but...
My plan is to fly from Oslo to Biarritz around April 24. So far so good!
..But then there is a bus to Bayonne? And a train to SJPP? And there I will arrive late/early and need a bed I guess. And then some 35+/- days ahead I'll be heading home again if all goes to plan, with a prebooked return flight? (From Santiago? Or train and then a flight from Madrid?)
What needs to be booked before I leave, and what can I just turn up for and pay directly?
i agree that the most exciting thing was wondering what our beds would be like each day ,and knowing that if we wanted to go a little further or stop a little sooner we could!we never had a prob finding a bed,even in pretty busy times,loved the freedom.Not sure what time you are arriving in SJPdP, if it's late then you might want to book ahead of your arrival, if you're there early morning the the Pilgrim office will direct you to accommodation.
there is an option on the first day walking of breaking up the trip and staying at Orrison, which is 8 km from SJPdP, this you will have to book and pay for in advance.
The other option is straight on to Roncenvalles, I think this is about 27 km from SJPdP.
As for booking along the way it is up to you how you play this, I walked for 42 days last year and didn't make any advanced bookings. My daily 15 miles was normally completed by mid afternoon and I never had to walk further for a bed. I was never short of a place to stay and I might add that most of my stays were in Muni Albergues.
I did find it quite exciting not knowing what village/town I was going to be staying in that night. I guess because I stayed away from the recommended stage in the book I ended up with more options and fewer pilgrims.
Hope this helps.
Chronoplus bus schedule found here. #14 Anglet Airport to Gare Bayonne. Or Bus #C Anglet Airport to Gare Biarritz.
http://www.chronoplus.eu/
SNCF TER Aquitaine Schedules for train from Gare Biarritz to Gare Bayonne and Gare Bayonne to SJPdP are found here.
http://www.ter.sncf.com/aquitaine
Note bus C to Gare Biarritz and train to Gare Bayonne is faster (depending on schedule) than bus 14 but is more expensive.
You actually land in Biarritz and then go to the nearby train station in Bayonne and travel to SJPdP. A short train ride from what I remember. Less that 2 hours if memory serves me right. I believe some people share taxis down to there, too. Way cheaper if shared from what I understand.Thank you for all the answers and info!
Good to know about not needing to buy tickets for the bus and the train. I'll book the flights "there and back again" and to madrid, and then the first night i SJPdP when I know what time I'll arrive. For some peace of mind and a place to "land" before the real journey starts.. How long does it take from Biarritz to SJPdP?
..After that I was hoping to let go of a lot of worries, including where I end up at the end of a day. So I'm going for no reservations. I hope that is possible i May, with increased popularity and 2016 being a holy year? I don't mind walking straight past the usual stops to smaller or more rural places. But I'll keep in mind the possibility to call and book when I'm there
Why do you want to stop a night i Orisson? To break up the first day of walking or is it a special place/albergue?
I took the overnight bus from Santiago to Madrid on a night in late November, 2015. Every seat on the bus was full and I was glad that I had bought my ticket ahead.
You actually land in Biarritz and then go to the nearby train station in Bayonne and travel to SJPdP. A short train ride from what I remember. Less that 2 hours if memory serves me right. I believe some people share taxis down to there, too. Way cheaper if shared from what I understand.
Once you arrive in SJPdP the train station is just a few minutes walk away from town. SJPdP is not a large place. Easy to get around.
I've never found the need to stop at the albergue at Orisson, and you do have to make advance reservations to stay there. I'm sure it's nice, but it only takes me 3 hours or so to reach it, which is too early for me to stop my walking day. I've never had a problem reaching Roncesvalles by 4:00 pm or so, and the great majority of pilgrims do walk all the way there. At least from what I observed.
Members of this forum just like the place and recommend stopping there.
Once you start walking your Camino, you will quickly figure out how you want to do it and where you want to stay.
cheers
Ah, ok. I'm thinking plane to madrid (That was a possibility, jes?) I quess that is quicker, because maybe if I'm lucky and have the time I get to see the coast too, using just one day to travel home not two.. But who knows, thats up to my feet
Will doYes there are flights from Santiago to Madrid. See Ryan Air.
Iberia Express has flights as well. I think they run a bit later in the morning and day than the Ryan Air flights.Will doThanks
No there is not a need to book the Bayonne to SJPdP train. Seats are not reserved on it. You might purchase a ticket for it when you purchase other rr tickets if you wish. However in Bayonne you can also purchase the ticket on your day of departure either via a machine by credit card or from a live clerk.
So, I ended up with: 24. of April. Airfrance Oslo-Paris-Biarritz, I land 17:45. Looks like the bus goes 18:26 and 19:26, the last train 21:10? (Hope that works, or that I meet some "taxi pilgrims", if not I guess I figure something out and take the train the next day) Home by air. Ryanair Santiago-Madrid, Norwegian Madrid-Oslo.
Hi mspath,
I found an interactive equivalent of the map you sent - http://www.ratp.fr/plan-interactif/carteidf.php?lang=uk
I have a few more questions:
1) When I try the interactive map and I search for St-Michel, 3 results come up:
a) Saint-Michel
b) Saint-Michel Notre-dame
c) Saint-Michel-sur-Orge
I can see that (a) and (b) are very close to each other but it's not very clear where one has to get off to get to Montparnasse... but it looks like (b) is more logical. It seems like (b) is on the RER B line itself, while (a) is on Metro Line 4. Is this correct?
View attachment 24342
2) When I type Montparnasse on the search box, it comes up with 2 results:
a) Montparnasse-Bienvenue
b) Gare Montparnasse (this is NOT in the jpg map you sent)
Now, only (a) is on the Metro Line 4, so I assume this is where I get off, is that correct?
View attachment 24343
3) Assuming I'm correct so far, does it mean that I then *walk* all the way to the TGV/SNCF station at Gare Montparnasse, or is there one more short ride I have to take?
View attachment 24344
I'm sorry for the very detailed questions - I don't speak French and I have not been to Paris before.
Thank you so much in advance.
How long is the train or bus ride from Santiago to Madrid?You didn't say what time you arrive in Biarritz, but if it is to where you get to SJPdP in the evening you may definitely want to make reservations somewhere there before you arrive.
If it's early in the day in all likelihood you will probably be able to find an albergue with no problem.
If you don't know what day you will arrive in Santiago, but know what day you need to get back to Madrid from there, and want to fly to Madrid, I would definitely make airline reservations beforehand. It's also cheaper to do that (the flights from Santiago to Madrid can be very cheap sometimes...Iberia Express and Ryan Air). If you want a bus or train to Madrid I don't think you need to make prior reservations.
Otherwise, no other reservations needed on the Camino.
How long is the train or bus ride from Santiago to Madrid?
I had thought of an overnight train, but apparently routing has changed.
I never took the bus or train. Only flew back to Madrid. If you book early, the airfares can be very inexpensive. Less than a train ride.How long is the train or bus ride from Santiago to Madrid?
The point at St Micheal is intersection of three train lines; RER B RER C and Metro line 4. You need to get off the RER B at St Micheal Notre Dame (your description (a)) and walk to the St Micheal Metro line 4 station (b).
Montparnasse Bienvenue is Metro line 4 station and is the station where you get off the Metro. Gare Montparnasse is a major train hub including the Metro Station. Anecdotal information is that its a long (15 minutes?) walk from the Metro to the train station. It includes at least one flights of stairs (or escalator).
Here is SNCF website. If you click the yellow 'plan de gare' it leads to a virtual tour.
http://www.gares-sncf.com/fr/gare/frpmo/paris-montparnasse
If you want further orientation you can look each of these stations up on wikipedia.
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