Best time to reserve flights, trains, accommodations, etc.?

[raycanuck]

Apologies if this topic has been covered before.

I’m interested in the earliest/recommended date someone can reserve the following services:

1) flights
2) inter-city buses
3) train (e.g., Bayonne to SJPP)
4) accommodations (when possible, e.g., first night SJPP, last night SdC)
5) bike rentals (for beginning in SJPP or along CF)
6) other?

Thanks in advance!

 

[naplesdon]

There numerous threads that already exist for each of your questions. Do a little research on this Forum. Providing a time frame, like which year, which month, which airport/country and other? might get you a few more specific responses.

 

[raycanuck]

There numerous threads that already exist for each of your questions. Do a little research on this Forum. Providing a time frame, like which year, which month, which airport/country and other? might get you a few more specific responses.

Thanks for your reply although like the experiences of a few other members who are relatively new to this Forum , I find the tone of a few responses can be a bit discouraging and not necessary.

I have done some research but did not find a convenient location where this question is asked and answered. I thought others might also be interested in the question.

As well, since it was a general question about when these types of reservations are open (usually applies regardless of airline, rail sites, on-line accommodation bookings, etc.) specifics wouldn’t matter. But for those interested, Camino would be May 2025 SJPP to SdC coming from Canada.

Thanks again in advance.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

Apologies if this topic has been covered before.

I’m interested in the earliest/recommended date someone can reserve the following services:

1) flights
2) inter-city buses
3) train (e.g., Bayonne to SJPP)
4) accommodations (when possible, e.g., first night SJPP, last night SdC)
5) bike rentals (for beginning in SJPP or along CF)
6) other?

Thanks in advance!

1) Can't help with that - I live in Europe, but I think it's very different transatlantic.
2) About a month before travel (assuming you're sure exactly when you need to travel).
3) You don't need to book this local train, but you will be able to book at least a few weeks in advance if you like.
4) For the best choice around 3 months in advance, but anytime up until arrival. If you plan to break the first day at Orisson or Borda, you'll need to book well in advance.
5) Sorry, not a cyclist.
6) Depends on the time of year.

 

[CalgaryLynn]

Fellow Canuck here, if you put a single question in the search bar, you will get much valuable information. You have a year to gather intel and will most likely get answers to all your questions.

 

[Tincatinker]

Thanks for your reply although like the experiences of a few other members who are relatively new to this Forum , I find the tone of a few responses can be a bit discouraging and not necessary.

I have done some research but did not find a convenient location where this question is asked and answered. I thought others might also be interested in the question.

As well, since it was a general question about when these types of reservations are open (usually applies regardless of airline, rail sites, on-line accommodation bookings, etc.) specifics wouldn’t matter. But for those interested, Camino would be May 2025 SJPP to SdC coming from Canada.

Thanks again in advance.

@raycanuck l’m kind of with Don on this. Your question(s) are virtually un-answerable, though @Molly Cassidy has had a go, and dates and route were crucial information that you didn’t provide I’ll offer some suggestions:
Flights; put your outport, destination and dates into Skyscanner and you’ll get alerts as book able flights become available.
Intercity buses or trains generally book able one calendar month in advance. Not always necessary but you’re choosing to travel in May when there are multiple public holidays in France and Spain that can screw things up.
The Bayonne St Jean train can be booked about one month out. It can be rammed, it can be virtually empty.

Orisson won’t take bookings for next year till next year and books out fast. Dunno about Borda. I’ve always walked via Valcarlos because I see no point in climbing unnecessary hills. I also see no point in booking Santiago until I have some idea of when I might get there.

Bikes: the bike companies themselves are best placed to answer that one. If you have specific requirements regarding frame size etc it might be worth making enquiries now and committing when your travel dates are locked in.

And as for “other”: I have a table booked at Como Sapiens in Atapuerca for October.

There is no one place on the forum where the answers to all your questions can be found. There couldn’t be. And the many members of this forum who try to offer as much help as they can whenever they can remain entitled to, at least occasionally, asking their own question: “What?!?!?!”

Happy planning and Buen Camino

 

[trecile]

For May 2025 I recommend starting either mid April or after May 15th. The beginning of May is one of the busiest times for starting from St Jean Pied de Port.
If you want to split the stage between SJPdP and Roncesvalles start checking the websites for Auberge Borda and Refuge Orisson in November. Book up through Pamplona, and allow yourself more time than you think you'll need to finish the Camino.

 

[dougfitz]

Some quick takes:

• most airlines have schedules up for about 12 months. My wife and I are frequent flyer club members of a couple of airlines. Where we have a higher status, we get an extra month of visibility compared to the public access web sites. Subscribe to any/all airlines you are considering now and put up with the spam, but look out for the sales and deals. Know how flexible you are on dates if you want a better deal.
• buses - schedule visibility varies. A couple of months is good, just the next month is not unusual. Prices vary, with earlier bookings typically costing significantly less. Booking the day beforehand can be three or four times the price of tickets booked earlier.
• trains - I found most schedules visible out to six months, but I didn't do a consistent check of this, and six months was more than enough for what I needed. Prices don't seem to vary approaching departure dates in Portugal. Not sure about Spain. That said, where seats need to be reserved, booking earlier gives you more choice.
• Accommodation - I book a couple of days at the start, then somewhere I can cancel or amend at the end. In between it varies from no booking and just walking to somewhere like a xunta that doesn't take booking, to having bookings for the next day or few days.

When is best? My wife and I are retired, and we can take advantage of good flight deals and fit the rest of our schedule around that. When I had work constraints, I would normally plan for:

• a rest day every 10 days, although I am happy to walk for up to a fortnight without one
• a 'sick' day
• at least one extra day in Santiago, perhaps two - there is a lot more to see there even just visiting pilgrim associated sites.
• a couple of days to a week to visit family and friends (I have a son living in England and worked there for a couple of years some years ago, and still catch up with people I know there.)

Good luck with your planning.

ps. I would heed the advice to search on more limited topics - none of what you asked hasn't been answered time and time again. While it might surprise you, you are not unique in what you have asked. You won't necessarily find what you need by asking omnibus questions, and concluding with 'and anything else?' Many of us started with questions like that, and you have been treated gently, in my view, compared to some others.

 

[raycanuck]

Some quick takes:

• most airlines have schedules up for about 12 months. My wife and I are frequent flyer club members of a couple of airlines. Where we have a higher status, we get an extra month of visibility compared to the public access web sites. Subscribe to any/all airlines you are considering now and put up with the spam, but look out for the sales and deals. Know how flexible you are on dates if you want a better deal.
• buses - schedule visibility varies. A couple of months is good, just the next month is not unusual. Prices vary, with earlier bookings typically costing significantly less. Booking the day beforehand can be three or four times the price of tickets booked earlier.
• trains - I found most schedules visible out to six months, but I didn't do a consistent check of this, and six months was more than enough for what I needed. Prices don't seem to vary approaching departure dates in Portugal. Not sure about Spain. That said, where seats need to be reserved, booking earlier gives you more choice.
• Accommodation - I book a couple of days at the start, then somewhere I can cancel or amend at the end. In between it varies from no booking and just walking to somewhere like a xunta that doesn't take booking, to having bookings for the next day or few days.

When is best? My wife and I are retired, and we can take advantage of good flight deals and fit the rest of our schedule around that. When I had work constraints, I would normally plan for:

• a rest day every 10 days, although I am happy to walk for up to a fortnight without one
• a 'sick' day
• at least one extra day in Santiago, perhaps two - there is a lot more to see there even just visiting pilgrim associated sites.
• a couple of days to a week to visit family and friends (I have a son living in England and worked there for a couple of years some years ago, and still catch up with people I know there.)

Good luck with your planning.

ps. I would heed the advice to search on more limited topics - none of what you asked hasn't been answered time and time again. While it might surprise you, you are not unique in what you have asked. You won't necessarily find what you need by asking omnibus questions, and concluding with 'and anything else?' Many of us started with questions like that, and you have been treated gently, in my view, compared to some others.

Thank you for your detailed response.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

5) bike rentals (for beginning in SJPP or along CF)

I'll direct you to an older post of mine about bicycle rentals (2019). The links may lean heavily to rentals near Burgos. I've never rented nor rode bikes on the camino so I can't give any recommendations.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/how-much-of-the-camino-frances-can-i-cover-in-19-days.65129/#post-796954

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

If you want to split the stage between SJPdP and Roncesvalles start checking the websites for Auberge Borda and Refuge Orisson in November.

On the lower route and not as critical to book as Orisson or Borda is the Valcarlos albergue. It is reservable but, to tell the truth, I can't remember any post mentioning it ever being full.

Albergue municipal, Luzaide/Valcarlos :: Camino de Santiago

Información completa del albergue municipal de Valcarlos: dirección, contacto, características, precios, plazas, equipamientos, ....

www.alberguescaminosantiago.com