Pamplona to St. Jean on a Sunday night

[StFina]

I will be arriving in Pamplona about 6:00 PM on Sunday, May 28 and need to get to St. Jean that evening. Unfortunately, the Conda buses do not run on Sunday. Is there any option to a 150 Euro taxi? Due to time constraints, I must start walking from St. Jean on Monday, May 29th. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[whariwharangi]

CONDA buses run from Pamplona to SJPdP 7 days a week. Usually the last one leaves by 1800. Last summer it was 1730. See ALSA schedule when it is updated in mid April.

Other options are to travel to SJPdP via Bayonne. There is SNCF train from Bayonne to SJPdP. Sundays, last train leaves Bayonne 2110.

Bayonne is accessed by SNCF train from Gare d'Hendaye.

Bayonne is accessed by Transports64 bus from Gare d'Hendaye.

Bayonne is accessed by ALSA bus and PESA bus from San Sebastian/Donostia.

Renfe operates Cercanias train from San Sebastian to Irun. Metro Donostialdea operates commuter rail from Amara station in San Sebastian or Colon station in Irun to Hendaia station (co-located with Gare d'Hendaye.

CONDA (ALSA) operates buses from Pamplona to San Sebastian hourly.

Since your journey starts from somewhere other than Pamplona, it may be worth considering travel direct to Irun or San Sebastian.

There is an Airport at Biarritz and another at Irun (San Sebastian airport). Flights from Madrid to both.

 

[mspath]

I will be arriving in Pamplona about 6:00 PM on Sunday, May 28 and need to get to St. Jean that evening. Unfortunately, the Conda buses do not run on Sunday. Is there any option to a 150 Euro taxi? Due to time constraints, I must start walking from St. Jean on Monday, May 29th. Any advice is appreciated.

Check out the successful housing/transport services offered pilgrims by Corazon Puro. They can meet you in Pamplona, host + feed you and drive you to SJPdP next morning. See more here-- http://www.corazonpuro.es/Enghome.html

Good luck and Buen camino!

 

[OTH86]

Corazon Puro is a wonderful place!! Istvan & Barbara are incredible hosts! I've stayed with them three times!
Here's their website: http://www.corazonpuro.es/AlbergueEng.html
You might send them an email: corazonpuro@corazonpuro.es or call +34 948 392 113 letting them know your arrival time in Pamplona and that you need to be in SJPP that same evening. ~ Buen Camino!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

CONDA buses run from Pamplona to SJPdP 7 days a week. Usually the last one leaves by 1800. Last summer it was 1730. See ALSA schedule when it is updated in mid April.

CONDA is Navarra's bus line but it was bought out and the ALSA bus line is one of the owners. CONDA schedules can be brought up on the ALSA website and tickets can be bought online through it. Further below I describe how to find the current Pamplona-SJPdP schedule. ALSA may not show service for dates too far in the future.

I do see a year-round schedule at http://www.conda.es/eventos.php?tipo=3&id=438 (in Spanish) but I'm not sure how up-to-date this page is (although it does give a copyright date of "Lunes 23 de Enero de 2017" at the bottom of the page I think it really refers to when the page gets served rather than when the content data was updated.)

The page shows that from March 1 through November 2 there is a bus departure from Pamplona to Saint Jean de Pied de Port listed at 14:30 and from April 1 through November 2 there is another departure at 17:30. Later in the year there are departures at 10:00 and 12:00.
* 10:00 (1/6 - 30/9) (1 June - 30 September)
* 12:00 (20/6 - 5/9) (20 June - 5 September)
* 14:30 (1/3 - 2/11) (1 March - 2 November)
* 17:30 (1/4 - 2/11) (1 April - 2 November)

Note that this schedule does not show any service between 3 November through the end of February.

To get the current Pamplona-SJPdP schedule go to https:/www.alsa.es/en/ and click in the "Point of departure" type-in box. A pop-up allows you to pick a "Departure country" of "Spain." Then in the "Point of departure" box start typing "Pamplona" (without the quotes). As you type the name the pop-up starts showing fewer and fewer names until you can either finish typing or click on one of the names shown in the pop-up. Next do something similar in the "Destination" type-in box and pick "France" in the pop-up. Go back to the "Destination" type-in box and (this is the secret) type in the name "Saint Jean de Pied de Port" (without the quotes). If you abbreviate "Saint" as "St" or "St." then Alsa won't find the town.

A caution when viewing Spanish schedules and calendars. The week runs from Monday to Sunday; not Sunday to Saturday. This bit me once but since the easiest fix was to book an extra night in Barcelona I didn't mind.

 

[StepheninDC]

Corazon Puro is a wonderful place!! Istvan & Barbara are incredible hosts! I've stayed with them three times!
Here's their website: http://www.corazonpuro.es/AlbergueEng.html
You might send them an email: corazonpuro@corazonpuro.es or call +34 948 392 113 letting them know your arrival time in Pamplona and that you need to be in SJPP that same evening. ~ Buen Camino!

I'm hoping to use them, too. (FYI they're on winter break now and advised me in an email to contact them again next month)

 

[AlexanderAZ]

Corazon Puro is a wonderful place!! Istvan & Barbara are incredible hosts! I've stayed with them three times!
Here's their website: http://www.corazonpuro.es/AlbergueEng.html
You might send them an email: corazonpuro@corazonpuro.es or call +34 948 392 113 letting them know your arrival time in Pamplona and that you need to be in SJPP that same evening. ~ Buen Camino!

Since Corazon Puro is (sadly) no longer an option ideas for a solid Plan B?

 

[Kanga]

Yes, we've just received notice that Corazon Puro will not be opening this year. See this thread: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-be-open-this-year-message-from-istvan.45270/

If time really is a constraint, why not start at Roncesvalles?

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Maybe you can rework your schedule to get into Pamplona sooner? You didn't say how you would get to Pamplona but maybe you could fly in instead of taking a bus or train.

 

[MikeShaw]

I'm flying into Pamplona, arriving in the AM (22MAY17), and just assuming that by late May I'll find a bus or train to SJPP. Not too worried. If this is a busy season for the Camino, I'm guessing there will be lots of ways to get to SJPP from Pamplona if I start in the morning. Am I being too optimistic? It's more stressful for me to worry about bookings, making and keeping them. Thanks!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I'm flying into Pamplona

In Pamplona I suppose there must be taxis at the airport but the street bus does not stop at the airport. It does run by it though and should only cost a bit over a euro. It is line #16 and will stop across from the Pamplona bus station. From the airport you have to walk either north or south along the main road to a bus shelter. From Google street view it looks like the southern stop is more interesting. You want the stops on the other side of the road from the airport.

Here is an interactive map point out the above mentioned places:
https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?label=on&markers=42.811545,-1.645396^Bus station^Long, low glass building||42.811988,-1.645007^Line 16 bus stop||42.763717,-1.634184^Line 16 bus stop||42.773928,-1.635128^Line 16 bus stop||42.770318,-1.645714^Airport

Here is some information from the the Pamplona street bus website:
http://www.infotuc.es/descargas/fichas/16_1.pdf
http://www.infotuc.es/index.php/es/horarios-y-recorridos/linea/16

You will probably have OK luck buying a ticket at the station or you could try rounding up a few other pilgrims and share a taxi. I think the bus costs about 22 euros and a taxi 100 euros.

 

[whariwharangi]

I'm flying into Pamplona, arriving in the AM (22MAY17), and just assuming that by late May I'll find a bus or train to SJPP. Not too worried. If this is a busy season for the Camino, I'm guessing there will be lots of ways to get to SJPP from Pamplona if I start in the morning. Am I being too optimistic? It's more stressful for me to worry about bookings, making and keeping them. Thanks!

There are two CONDA (ALSA) buses planned for operation from Pamplona to SJPdP in May. One leaves Pamplona daily at 1430, the other at 1730.

If the decision comes down to overnight in Pamplona or overnight in Irun or Bayonne ... the other option is to go by way of Bayonne. CONDA bus from Pamplona to San Sebastian, Renfe Cercanias from San Sebastian to Irun, Metro or Taxi from Irun Renfe Station to Gare d'Hendaye, 3 km on the other side of the border. SNCF train from Hendaye to Bayonne. SNCF train from Bayonne to SJPdP. The main advantage is greater frequency of service; the first train leaves Bayonne at 0745 arr 0845, leaving enough time to walk to Roncesvalle same day. On Friday and Sunday the last train leaves Bayonne at 2110; much later than the last bus from Pamplona.

 

[Camino Chris]

Check out the successful housing/transport services offered pilgrims by Corazon Puro. They can meet you in Pamplona, host + feed you and drive you to SJPdP next morning. See more here-- http://www.corazonpuro.es/Enghome.html

Good luck and Buen camino!

FYI- I was planning to use Corazon Puro this year again as Istvan and Barbara are wonderful hosts and offer the convenient ride to SJPP. However, I received news from Istvan that they are staying in Hungary this year due to family health issues and will not be opening for the 2017 season. (There is also a thread pertaining to this.)

 

[mspath]

Yes, thank you for this post; I am aware of this sad change and earlier have sent Barbara and Istvan a note.

 

[bbates225]

FYI- I was planning to use Corazon Puro this year again as Istvan and Barbara are wonderful hosts and offer the convenient ride to SJPP. However, I received news from Istvan that they are staying in Hungary this year due to family health issues and will not be opening for the 2017 season. (There is also a thread pertaining to this.)

I hope the family health issues aren't too serious and pray for a good outcome. However, I am sorry to hear this news as staying with them and then having them transport me to SJPdP has been my plan for the longest time. On to plan B (for bus), unless I meet up with other pilgrims that want to share a taxi.