Taxis and Ubers

[Mark Golden Gophers]

Hi all, Second journey upcoming but with my wife. Coming from South Dakota, USA and walking from Burgos to Santiago and then to Muxia .
She won't be able to walk much and we want to move her between cities/locations via Taxi/ubers/bus or whatever possible.... What has been your experience in being able to secure a taxi/uber between cities/location? and what do you recommend to do to find at each location? Thanks for your ideas/help ! Buen Camino

 

[trecile]

You won't find Uber on most (or probably any part) you of the Camino Francés. There are often posters along the trail from taxi companies. I recommend that you take pictures of them in case you need them.

 

[Marbe2]

Do you intend for your wife to move each day to your daily walking destination? Or, might you consider her remaining for several days in a specific major locations and then meeting up. When are you walking? How mobile is your wife. Can she walk around small cities.?

 

[Mark Golden Gophers]

Do you intend for your wife to move each day to your daily walking destination? Or, might you consider her remaining for several days in a specific major locations and then meeting up. When are you walking? How mobile is your wife. Can she walk around small cities.?

Yes moving each day was the plan... We are starting walk in Burgos on 8.23.24 ... she is very mobile but just having some hip replacement residual problems. and yes she would love to walk around small cities too. Your idea of getting to larger cities might be good plan and then she hang out there till I catch up... Thanks for your input.

 

[trecile]

Your idea of getting to larger cities might be good plan and then she hang out there till I catch up... Thanks for your input.

That's exactly what my friend and her husband did a few years ago. He stayed in the major towns while she walked. They met up every 4 to 5 days or so.

 

[Marbe2]

So, she might stay in Burgos for a few days. A lot too depends upon your budget as well. I know there is a bus from Alsa.com (not weekends) that stops in Carrion de Los Condes
I enjoyed staying at

Royal Monastery of San Zoilo Hotel​

It is a beautifully remodeled monastery, withAC. Lovely rooms and great food. Not much to do there but relax and enjoy the place.

From there you can get a bus to Leon. Alsa.com, does not run daily.

Leon to Astorga Alsa bus makes several stops inbetween including Hospital de Orbigo.

Astorga to Ponferrada does not parallel Camino path. So when she departs Astorga, she can take bus directly (some stops before Ponferrada but not on Camino route).

Alsa bus Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo (stops in Cacabelos)

Alsa bus Villafranca to Pedrafita do Cebreiro (stops in Ambasmestas) 1X per day

Pedrafita to SARRIA bus - Empresa Portomarín S.A.
Stops Fonfria, Triacastela, Samos, Sarria 2xs inthe morning

Sarria to Portomarin bus - Empresa Portomarín S.A.
Also Monbus

Portomarin to Palas de Rei Bus linePedrafita do Cebreiro - Santiago E.A.

Palas de Rei to Melide - Bus line Lugo Santiago
Melide to Arzua - Bus line Lugo Santiago
Arzua to OPedrouzo - busline Lugo Santiago (monbus)

Opedrouzo to Santiago d. C. - busline monbus

Check sight rome2rio.com accuracy and for times. Some buses do not run on weekends or daily, and some run only once a day!

 

[grayland]

Most of the Camino Frances is very well covered by inexpensive local bus service. On several of our caminos my wife had some physical problems that prevented her from walking distances every day. She was always able to take a local bus to our stopping point that day and I would walk to meet her. Really not difficult. She speaks no Spanish and that was never an issue.
It does require that you know where you will meet and to check out the local bus schedules....but that is really a piece of cake in comparison to other things.

 

[Marbe2]

Actually there are a few gaps in bus service on the CF

 

[grayland]

Actually there are a few gaps in bus service on the CF

Yes...there are a couple of places..but not many. We were always able to find a local taxi that filled in.
In small towns the best source of Taxi info is usually the bar.

 

[CWBuff]

Any time I needed a taxi I walked into the nearest bar and asked the owner to call one for me. The longest I had to wait was probably 45 mins (and a nice owner slid me some tapas while I was at it - i did buy a Kaz Limon)

 

[Mark Golden Gophers]

So, she might stay in Burgos for a few days. A lot too depends upon your budget as well. I know there is a bus from Alsa.com (not weekends) that stops in Carrion de Los Condes
I enjoyed staying at

Royal Monastery of San Zoilo Hotel​

It is a beautifully remodeled monastery, withAC. Lovely rooms and great food. Not much to do there but relax and enjoy the place.

From there you can get a bus to Leon. Alsa.com, does not run daily.

Leon to Astorga Alsa bus makes several stops inbetween including Hospital de Orbigo.

Astorga to Ponferrada does not parallel Camino path. So when she departs Astorga, she can take bus directly (some stops before Ponferrada but not on Camino route).

Alsa bus Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo (stops in Cacabelos)

Alsa bus Villafranca to Pedrafita do Cebreiro (stops in Ambasmestas) 1X per day

Pedrafita to SARRIA bus - Empresa Portomarín S.A.
Stops Fonfria, Triacastela, Samos, Sarria 2xs inthe morning

Sarria to Portomarin bus - Empresa Portomarín S.A.
Also Monbus

Portomarin to Palas de Rei Bus linePedrafita do Cebreiro - Santiago E.A.

Palas de Rei to Melide - Bus line Lugo Santiago
Melide to Arzua - Bus line Lugo Santiago
Arzua to OPedrouzo - busline Lugo Santiago (monbus)

Opedrouzo to Santiago d. C. - busline monbus

Check sight rome2rio.com accuracy and for times. Some buses do not run on weekends or daily, and some run only once a day!

OMG... thank you so much for such a detailed listing!!! you are amazing!!

 

[falcon269]

Some may have the number of the devil...

 

[Mark Golden Gophers]

Some may have the number of the devil...

thanks for heads up ... I guess he tries to get us one way or another!

 

[Marbe2]

OMG... thank you so much for such a detailed listing!!! you are amazing!!

I walk with an 84year old sister. So I keep optional methods of transport available should we need it. Most of the time we don’t need it but I try to update my list before we walk. On the CF getting a taxi usually does not take too long unless you hit a holiday time or are up in the mountains, say up near Foncebadon. It depends on how many people are calling in say in very cold or rainy weather, or extreme heat. It can take a couple of hours. But for your wife, you will know ahead of time when she wants to travel so you could order a cab the night before or before you start walking in the morning.

 

[dah]

Allways Taxi

 

[dfox]

She won't be able to walk much and we want to move her between cities/locations via Taxi/ubers/bus or whatever possible.... What has been your experience in being able to secure a taxi/uber between cities/location? and what do you recommend to do to find at each location? Thanks for your ideas/help ! Buen Camino

It was 2019 on Camino Portugal central route, from Porto to SdC, when we needed transport to the end point of the day, normally about 10 - 15 km away, we dropped by a cafe or similar, and requested the storekeeper help find a "taxi". It worked everytime.

 

[Camino Joe 2021]

This exact plan worked beautifully on CF from Sarria. I started in St Jean, thirty days later the wife met me at the train station in Sarria. We scoped out an open for breakfast bar the night before to order a taxi or called for a pre arranged taxi for the next day. It was a real pleasure to meet her after a long hot day as she chilled the wine and prepared the snacks. A marvelous way to Camino!

 

[Perambulating Griffin]

Hi all, Second journey upcoming but with my wife. Coming from South Dakota, USA and walking from Burgos to Santiago and then to Muxia .
She won't be able to walk much and we want to move her between cities/locations via Taxi/ubers/bus or whatever possible.... What has been your experience in being able to secure a taxi/uber between cities/location? and what do you recommend to do to find at each location? Thanks for your ideas/help ! Buen Camino

You could have her *start* each day with a taxi from your accommodations and wait for you further down the line... to arrive into each destination together. That would likely simplify the arrangements of the transportation, and she could enjoy the towns you stop in for longer in the first part of each day before leaving, doing more sight-seeing in the places that warrant it (which you can determine depending on taste and priorities).

 

[CWBuff]

You could have her *start* each day with a taxi from your accommodations and wait for you further down the line... to arrive into each destination together. That would likely simplify the arrangements of the transportation, and she could enjoy the towns you stop in for longer in the first part of each day before leaving, doing more sight-seeing in the places that warrant it (which you can determine depending on taste and priorities).

When I walked my CF there was a couple that pretty much did just that. At any given time they felt "the need" - they would just order a taxi for the lady and off she went while he walked. They would re-unite at some predetermined point further down the road.

 

[frannie z]

Hi all, Second journey upcoming but with my wife. Coming from South Dakota, USA and walking from Burgos to Santiago and then to Muxia .
She won't be able to walk much and we want to move her between cities/locations via Taxi/ubers/bus or whatever possible.... What has been your experience in being able to secure a taxi/uber between cities/location? and what do you recommend to do to find at each location? Thanks for your ideas/help ! Buen Camino

On my second Camino from Sarria to Santiago I was really sick and had to use taxis : no problem at all for a local bar/hotel/cafe to call u a taxi and get you to where you need to be. Be patient if you’re in a small place it may take a good while for the taxi to come and it may cost you 25/30 euros to go “short distances” easily doable and the local drivers appreciate your business.

 

[artsschmidt]

OMG... thank you so much for such a detailed listing!!! you are amazing!!

I booked trains and buses before leaving home. Very easy and worked every time. I also used taxis and never had trouble getting one. Advise your wife to let you know how she is feeling before big stretches without services.

 

[Rociolamaja]

Hi all, Second journey upcoming but with my wife. Coming from South Dakota, USA and walking from Burgos to Santiago and then to Muxia .
She won't be able to walk much and we want to move her between cities/locations via Taxi/ubers/bus or whatever possible.... What has been your experience in being able to secure a taxi/uber between cities/location? and what do you recommend to do to find at each location? Thanks for your ideas/help ! Buen Camino

I used a car or buses back and forth from Cebreiro to Santiago without problem but Uber is not allowed in Galicia. Most of rides are around 20 euros. I actually took a Tesla from Triacastela back to Cebreiro. Lovely guy!
I didn’t have any experience from Burgos to Cebreiro though so I can’t say if it will be easy.

 

[oursonpolaire]

I have often seen couples managing this; one walks (generally the woman) and her companion either drives, takes the local bus, or taxis, to the pueblo of choice, where he would sit with a cerveza supervising movement in and out of the plaza until she arrives, and when he can provide a welcome and moral support, as well as having arranged accommodation.

Bus service tends to leave 8.00-9.00 and is intended to funnel people into the nearest centre for their appointments or whatever, and return them in the late afternoon. The barkeep in the main pueblo will have the schedule, as will innkeepers or hospitaleros, and the ayuntamiento. Get them to direct the rider to the parada (an elegant term for bus stop) and they'll join the half dozen or so of the locals-- be ready to make friends!

There are a couple of public transport breaks along the way, but taxis are easily arranged and for those of us accustomed to North American urban rates (and ubers!) remarkably reasonable.

The San Zoilo is gold, with a lovely restaurant, and a museum/chapel attached. The sello is impressive.

 

[CA_Pilgrim]

You won't find Uber on most (or probably any part) you of the Camino Francés. There are often posters along the trail from taxi companies. I recommend that you take pictures of them in case you need them.

Yes! I remember seeing numerous signs for taxi's as I walked the CF in 2022. One sign in particular made me laugh a bit. Wish I could find the photo I took of it but it's lost in my nearly 2,000 Camino photos. I was in the middle of nowhere walking down a very rural gravel road and in the middle of a vineyard was a taxi sign. It was pretty obvious that the sign was put there for pilgrims on this particularly rural section of the Camino. I also saw several signs on the back of cars parked in some of the major towns. Fortunately, I never needed to call one of them but I was tempted on the last few days when I injured a calf muscle but I made it to Santiago on a crawl.

 

[KWay]

Hi all, Second journey upcoming but with my wife. Coming from South Dakota, USA and walking from Burgos to Santiago and then to Muxia .
She won't be able to walk much and we want to move her between cities/locations via Taxi/ubers/bus or whatever possible.... What has been your experience in being able to secure a taxi/uber between cities/location? and what do you recommend to do to find at each location? Thanks for your ideas/help ! Buen Camino

My family is from South Dakota too. Small world! BuenCamino!

 

[1BreathAtATime]

I am going for my first time basically when you are I have downloaded both the Alsa bus app and Rome2Rio app on my phone to help me get transportation if I need it. I played with them after getting an injury during my Camino training to get a feel for how they work.