Getting to SJPDP

[EL LECHERO]

Flying from US, Looking for opinions on getting to St. Jean. I know Madrid to Pamploma then a taxi or Paris to Bayonne......etc. But would like to hear your experiences on what was better for you. Pro's vs cons. I only have 15 days to walk not including travel. Thanks in advance

 

[C clearly]

What dates, roughly, are you considering? That could affect seasonal availability of buses, for example.

 

[EL LECHERO]

What dates, roughly, are you considering? That could affect seasonal availability of buses, for example.

Next spring, March or April.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Fly into Madrid.
Walk out of the station and nab a bus to Pamplona.
Spend a night there recovering from jet lag.
Maybe spend a day exploring Pamplona (not a Monday)
Now you've seen Pamplona and can skip it when you walk back through, avoiding the waves of pilgrims stopping in the Brierley stages.
Next day, bus directly to SJPP.
That's my favorite way.

 

[EL LECHERO]

Fly into Madrid.
Walk out of the station and nab a bus to Pamplona.
Spend a night there recovering from jet lag.
Maybe spend a day exploring Pamplona (not a Monday)
Now you've seen Pamplona and can skip it when you walk back through, avoiding the waves of pilgrims stopping in the Brierley stages.
Next day, bus directly to SJPP.
That's my favorite way.

I like that! I like it a lot!

 

[C clearly]

Fly into Madrid.

I like that! I like it a lot!

Flying straight to Madrid, instead of landing first in France, might reduce the complications of travel through different countries during Covid times. If things get too complicated with testing and documentation, or if the weather is bad in the Pyrenees, you could easily make a last-minute change of plans to start from a point in Spain - Roncesvalles or Pamplona.

 

[natefaith]

Maybe spend a day exploring Pamplona (not a Monday)

Just curious, Annie - why not on a Monday? I haven't been to Pamplona yet so am unfamiliar with it, and your comment caught my attention.

 

[Monasp]

Fly into Madrid.
Walk out of the station and nab a bus to Pamplona.
Spend a night there recovering from jet lag.
Maybe spend a day exploring Pamplona (not a Monday)
Now you've seen Pamplona and can skip it when you walk back through, avoiding the waves of pilgrims stopping in the Brierley stages.
Next day, bus directly to SJPP.
That's my favorite way.

March or April not bus from Pamplona to SJPDP

 

[naplesdon]

Monday is a typical day for closing museums, public facilities, etc.

 

[naplesdon]

Look at flying to Bilbao or Bordeaux, depending on your arrival time it might help you get to SJPdP quicker by bus/train.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Just curious, Annie - why not on a Monday? I haven't been to Pamplona yet so am unfamiliar with it, and your comment caught my attention.

All the museums are closed in Spain on Mondays.

 

[Anniesantiago]

March or April not bus from Pamplona to SJPDP

Thank you for this information!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

March or April not bus from Pamplona to SJPDP

Not during the covid era maybe not. But typically in March there is a 14:30 bus and starting somewhere near the start of April there is an additional 17:30 bus. The bus is run by Conda but that is partially owned by ALSA and so you may see it referred to with both names. Generally you cannot see the schedule on the website until a few months before the date you want to book so start looking in January. When using the website and entering SJPdP for the destination you have to spell out the name as Saint. If you use St. the computer will not find the town. After entering a few letters the computer will start giving you auto-completion suggestions to pick from anyway.

So you do not have to take a taxi.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Not during the covid era maybe not. But typically in March there is a 14:30 bus and starting somewhere near the start of April there is an additional 17:30 bus. The bus is run by Conda but that is partially owned by ALSA and so you may see it referred to with both names. Generally you cannot see the schedule on the website until a few months before the date you want to book so start looking in January. When using the website and entering SJPdP for the destination you have to spell out the name as Saint. If you use St. the computer will not find the town. After entering a few letters the computer will start giving you auto-completion suggestions to pick from anyway.

So you do not have to take a taxi.

Thank you! I was pretty sure I'd done this in April but it was years ago.

 

[Wandershot]

Going from Madrid, Barcelona or Paris will take about the same amt of time and connections. Since you are going in the spring, if you do the Madrid or Barcelona connection, the seasonal bus to St Jean will prob not be running. So you’ll need to do a shared cab.

Here’s an article with logistical info https://wayfaringviews.com/how-to-get-to-saint-jean-pied-de-port/

 

[trecile]

All the museums are closed in Spain on Mondays.

That's not true.
There are many museums that are open on Mondays.

 

[Anniesantiago]

That's not true.
There are many museums that are open on Mondays.

There are???
I must say I've never found one?

I do know the following are closed on Mondays:
Burgos Museum of Evolution
Burgos Museum
Museu de Navarra in Pamplona
Museu de Chocolate Astorga
Museu Romano La Ergastula in Leon
Museu de Tiempo in Leon
Museu del Pueblo Gallego in Sto de Compostella

These are the ones I've been most interested in seeing...???

 

[Vacajoe]

Just a note of warning: inclement weather can float the Napoleon route from SJPdP to Roncevalles, dashing whatever plans you have to cross the Pyrenees with spectacular views. Before you make any plans, consult when you will be LEGALLY allowed to cross that pass and then consider a Plan B if it’s snowing. In early April 2018, a snowstorm closed that route for several days and the locals said it was NOT unusual.

 

[gloria lowe]

Rich, do the Portugués from Porto. Perfect for your time frame. You will love it. I’m crawling my way from Samos right now.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

That's not true.
There are many museums that are open on Mondays.

We always assume they will be closed.

Mainly though this is a good opportunity for me to pass on a tip from Peg. She says that she always gets good leads for cheap eats from art museum staff. She figures that they have good taste but little money.

 

[trecile]

There are???
I must say I've never found one?

I do know the following are closed on Mondays:
Burgos Museum of Evolution
Burgos Museum
Museu de Navarra in Pamplona
Museu de Chocolate Astorga
Museu Romano La Ergastula in Leon
Museu de Tiempo in Leon
Museu del Pueblo Gallego in Sto de Compostella

These are the ones I've been most interested in seeing...???

Several in Madrid are open, such as El Prado and Reina Sofia. Maybe just major museums in big cities.

 

[walkinglover]

Flying from US, Looking for opinions on getting to St. Jean. I know Madrid to Pamploma then a taxi or Paris to Bayonne......etc. But would like to hear your experiences on what was better for you. Pro's vs cons. I only have 15 days to walk not including travel. Thanks in advance

We have done flight to Madrid, train to Pamplona, and taxi to SJPP.

 

[domigee]

There are???
I must say I've never found one?

I do know the following are closed on Mondays:
Burgos Museum of Evolution
Burgos Museum
Museu de Navarra in Pamplona
Museu de Chocolate Astorga
Museu Romano La Ergastula in Leon
Museu de Tiempo in Leon
Museu del Pueblo Gallego in Sto de Compostella

These are the ones I've been most interested in seeing...???

And the castle in Ponferrada and the Portico de Gloria in Santiago

 

[mspath]

We always assume they will be closed.

Mainly though this is a good opportunity for me to pass on a tip from Peg. She says that she always gets good leads for cheap eats from art museum staff. She figures that they have good taste but little money.

Indeed. Peg is right re museum staff; when working at the Frick in NYC decades ago staff always knew bargain spots. On the camino
lorry drivers, etc. can recommend good places.

 

[mai]

I took an early Flixbus at 6:45 from Bilbao to Bayonne on 3/30, 2019. I had 2 hours for sightseeing Bayonne before taking a train to SJPP (arriving around 13:00).

We asked the pilgrim office at SJPP if we could go thru the Napoleon Route on 3/31. They said it was possible if the weather ok. Thank GOD, it was a beautiful sunshine day on 3/31, so we went thru the Napoleon Route, enjoying the view very much. Later on, we heard the Napoleon Route was closed because of heavy snow on 4/3.

The above is just my experience how to reach SJPP and of taking the Napoleon at the end of March.

 

[EL LECHERO]

Rich, do the Portugués from Porto. Perfect for your time frame. You will love it. I’m crawling my way from Samos right now.

I'm either doing the Primitivo. Oviedo to Santiago or CF from SJPDP to Burgos most likely in March or early April.......