Bike transportation logistics - back to the United States (rental car? Ship?)

[ctmalone]

I am trying to figure out some of our bike logistics and need help.
Currently we are starting our route out of Bilbao and we are flying with our bikes into Bilbao and starting our journey there. Our plan is to fly with them in cardboard boxes.
Once we complete the Camino del Norte we plan to go down to Lisbon and have a small vacation then fly out of the Lisbon airport. We will not need our bikes after we are done with the Camino and are trying to figure out what the best route is to get them back to the united states.
I have seen a lot of options to ship to other European cities from Santiago de Compostela but nothing for shipping to the united states. Is this even an option?
The other option we are thinking is getting a rental car and driving down to Lisbon with the bikes then flying with them. I am not sure of what the best way to rent a car across countries in Europe is but would like to not do it.
I have heard that people have had many issues with bikes on trains (even in boxes), so we are thinking it is best to avoid the trains.

Has anyone else ever brought bikes back to the united states and have any recommendations?

Thank you!

 

[naplesdon]

My only comment is: renting a car in one country and returning it in another country can be really expensive. Make sure you get a full explanation of the drop-off cost before you sign a contract. Some trains have areas for bike but not all trains, buses seem to be more friendly towards bikes if they are partially disassembled wrapped in plastic or boxed. There was a recent thread from someone who bought 4 bikes at a Decathlon in Bilbao and wanted to try to sell them when they arrived in SdC. The advice was to give them away because there is surplus of used bikes in there with no takers. If your bike is really important to you, flying it from Lisbon is certainly a possibility, selling it in Lisbon would be a better option than selling it SdC, for sure.

 

[Friend from Barquinha]

Bikes on trains in Spain seem a no-go, but are totally okay in Portugal.

The very simplest might be to use your bikes from Santiago down across the Galicia/Portugal border, then train with bikes to Lisbon, then take them on your flight. Portuguese trains will not require you to break down your bikes. Quite a lot of them have specialized carriage spots for bikes.

I think shipping them unaccompanied Spain>North America will likely cost at least half the price of the bikes--unless they are valuable ones.

The other thing you could consider, if they are NOT extremely valuable, is just donating them to someone in Santiago; I'm sure there are those who could use them.

I concur with the statement above about trans-border car rentals. Even if allowed, they're quite pricey because you're doing a one-way rental with a drop-off fee.

 

[ctmalone]

Bikes on trains in Spain seem a no-go, but are totally okay in Portugal.

The very simplest might be to use your bikes from Santiago down across the Galicia/Portugal border, then train with bikes to Lisbon, then take them on your flight. Portuguese trains will not require you to break down your bikes. Quite a lot of them have specialized carriage spots for bikes.

I think shipping them unaccompanied Spain>North America will likely cost at least half the price of the bikes--unless they are valuable ones.

The other thing you could consider, if they are NOT extremely valuable, is just donating them to someone in Santiago; I'm sure there are those who could use them.

I concur with the statement above about trans-border car rentals. Even if allowed, they're quite pricey because you're doing a one-way rental with a drop-off fee.

They are quite valuable. We are doing a more road focused version of the ride with aero bags with our nicer road bikes.
Adding 100ish more miles of biking to get down to Portugal might not be the easiest option, but i didnt know that about the trains in Portugal. Thats very helpful!

If we are to bike the boxes in spain would they then give us issues on the train? We dont plan to ride while doing the smaller Portugal vacation so we dont mind if theyre boxed until the flights.

 

[ctmalone]

My only comment is: renting a car in one country and returning it in another country can be really expensive. Make sure you get a full explanation of the drop-off cost before you sign a contract. Some trains have areas for bike but not all trains, buses seem to be more friendly towards bikes if they are partially disassembled wrapped in plastic or boxed. There was a recent thread from someone who bought 4 bikes at a Decathlon in Bilbao and wanted to try to sell them when they arrived in SdC. The advice was to give them away because there is surplus of used bikes in there with no takers. If your bike is really important to you, flying it from Lisbon is certainly a possibility, selling it in Lisbon would be a better option than selling it SdC, for sure.

I had not thought about the Busses in spain. That might even be a easier way for us to get into Portugal for the trains or single country rental car.

The rental car was going to cost a lot more than we wanted. Sadly the bikes are not sellable as they are nicer road bikes that we travel with a lot.

 

[Skinnybiker]

Probably the best way to to return bikes to the US is the same way you brought them to Spain. Suggest you use Paq Bici (Correos) from Santiago to Lisbon then check them on to your flight already boxed. Correos allow 15 days storage as part of the deal, about €48 within mainland Spain, perhaps a bit more to Portugal. The main Correos office in Santiago has the boxes, tools and packing materials.

Another option could be to ride from Santiago on into Portugal then use the Portuguese postal service, it's good but I've not used it for bikes. This part of the Camino is, IMO, one of the best. If you're interested I can contact a friend for more detail. Richard