Which trains/buses to take?

[BroncosPilgrim]

My wife and I are planning on doing about half of the camino Frances in a couple of weeks but we are a bit confused with the transportation system.

We will be arriving in Paris on the 18th of this month. We are planning on spending a couple of days in Saint Mammes and leave on the 20th or 21st to begin the camino. I am most confused by the different types of trains that are available in france (RER, Metro, SNFC, TGV, etc). I am still trying to figure out how to get from the airport in Paris (CDG) to Saint Mammes but that is outside of this post I suppose so I can figure that out. I am assuming that in order to get to St. Jean Pied de Port from St. Mammes I will have to travel back to Paris. I read a reply by mspath to this post (traveling-to-from-the-camino/topic2958.html). And she suggested that you can take the TGV (http://www.voyages-sncf.com/) from Paris to St. Jean Pied de Port. If I read her post correctly she suggests that there may be a overnight train from paris to SJPDP. I have checked this site http://www.raileurope.co.uk (which is where I get routed to from the TGV site for the english version) and it seems that the only train from Paris to SJPDP that weekend of 20th leaves on the 20th at 8:19am and gets there at 7:33pm and no trains for the 21st. Is this correct? Am I looking at the right sites? are there other options on trains for those dates that may be more flexible with times? Also would you recommend booking these in advance or would it be best for me to wait until we get there?

Our plan is to get to Burgos this year. We fly out of Madrid the first week of May. What would be the best (and less expensive) way to get from Burgos to Madrid international airport? Bus or train? Does the train go all the way to airport like in CDG?

Thank-you for any help you can provide

 

[mspath]

BroncosPilgrim,

I am calling up information re the trains to answer you now. Answer will be available within 30 minutes.

Margaret Meredith

 

[BroncosPilgrim]

Margaret.

Thank-you for your help!

 

[mspath]

On Saturday April 20 there are the following trains which leave Paris Gare Montparnasse for Bayonne
TGV 8533 leave 10h28 arrive Bayonne 15h32
TGV 8537 leave 12h37 arrive Bayonne 17h32
TGV 8541 leave 14h28 arrive Bayonne 19h32

On Saturday April 20 from Paris Gare Austerlitz the night train
Intercites 4053 leave 21h54 arrive 08h09 on 21 April

The connection from Bayonne to SJPdP is made with the TER line 62. Here is their current schedule. from February 1, 2013 until July 6, 2013 >> http://telechargement.ter-sncf.com/Imag ... -42307.pdf.

Here is the translation

From 1 February to 6 Juillet/July 2013 the TER line 62 departure schedule leaves Bayonne at the following times.

07.14/ arrives 8.33/ Lundi, NON fetes/Monday, NOT holidays/Circule aussi le 2 avril et le 21 mai/also 2 April and 21 May

07.45/arrives 9.04/ Mardi a Vendredi/Tuesday thru Sunday, and holidays/Ne circule pas le 2 avril et le 21 mai/ NOT 2 April or 21 May/aussi le 29 avril et le 20 mai/ also 29 April and 20 May

10.48/arrives 12.07/Lundi a Samedi/Monday thru Saturday/pas les jours fériés/NOT holidays

14.55/arrives16.14/.Tous les jours et Fêtes,/Everyday and holidays

18.07/arrives 19.33/Lundi a Samedi,Monday thru Saturday, NOT holidays

21.10/arrives 22.29/Vendredi/Friday/pas les jours fériés/NOT holidays

21.10/arrives 22.28/Dimance et Fêtes, in autocar/Sunday and holidays /in bus/

All trains do NOT go every day.

Bon voyage,

Margaret Meredith

 

[BroncosPilgrim]

Margaret, once again thank-you.
I really appreciate you taking the time to do this. I will review the information and let you know if I have any questions.