Alsa Prices - Santiago to Porto airport

[GailGwyn]

Hi, I'm looking at booking an Alsa bus from Santiago to Porto Airport. The last stop is Camphana (after the airport). If I book a ticket to the airport, it's a different price (more expensive) than the ticket for the bus leaving at the same time (same bus)? to Camphana.

Does anyone know if it would be ok to purchase the cheaper ticket and just get off at the airport, or is there a reason for the price difference that doesn't seem obvious?

Thanks

 

[jsalt]

Hi, I'm looking at booking an Alsa bus from Santiago to Porto Airport. The last stop is Camphana (after the airport). If I book a ticket to the airport, it's a different price (more expensive) than the ticket for the bus leaving at the same time (same bus)? to Camphana.

Does anyone know if it would be ok to purchase the cheaper ticket and just get off at the airport, or is there a reason for the price difference that doesn't seem obvious?

Thanks

What date and time of day are you looking at? Then we can try booking the same and see what we get.

 

[jsalt]

Ah, I see what you mean. I have just tried for Thu 2 March.

I have taken that bus several times and the only difference I can think of is where they want you to put your luggage, depending on where you get off. So if you get off at the airport, you may have to crawl across the luggage compartment to get your pack out from the other side of the bus. To get round that, you could just put your pack in the luggage compartment for the airport stop, rather than for the Campanha stop.

Dunno, but as I see it, it would be cheaper to get the Campanha ticket and get off at the airport.

 

[Tincatinker]

I’m seeing tickets SdC to the airport for €18 in the current sale on ALSA. My one concern with the Campanha bus is that if there is no-one on the bus with an airport ticket then the bus won’t go to/ stop at the airport

 

[henrythedog]

Depends entirely on the attitude of the bus driver. IMHO it’s unlikely to be an issue, but neither I nor anyone else will be there with you to take responsibility for our opinions.

Personally - call me old fashioned - but I’d just buy a ticket to where I want to go.

 

[dick bird]

Hi, I'm looking at booking an Alsa bus from Santiago to Porto Airport. The last stop is Camphana (after the airport). If I book a ticket to the airport, it's a different price (more expensive) than the ticket for the bus leaving at the same time (same bus)? to Camphana.

Does anyone know if it would be ok to purchase the cheaper ticket and just get off at the airport, or is there a reason for the price difference that doesn't seem obvious?

Thanks

Are you sure the bus that goes to Camphana stops at the airport?

 

[GailGwyn]

Are you sure the bus that goes to Camphana stops at the airport?

I'm not certain, but when I look at the specified route, it's the same for each, except that the airport one doesn't go on to Camphana, but the Camphana bus has the airport listed on the itinerary

 

[Kathor1]

I'm not certain, but when I look at the specified route, it's the same for each, except that the airport one doesn't go on to Camphana, but the Camphana bus has the airport listed on the itinerary

It is the same bus. You can see it when you start the booking process and pick seats for the two trips.

It is a bit odd because it says in both cases that there are only 3 stops when in fact there appear to be more. Do I understand this correctly: we are talking about a 200 km bus trip, lasting 3-4 hours, and the ticket price is reduced from €52 to €15 resp. €18? This is much longer than the distance between Pamplona and SJPP with an ALSA bus for example which costs €22.

So €15 or €18 with a difference of €3 … I’d buy the ticket to my actual destination and be done with it. Buen Camino.

 

[Former member 103025]

As a former ALSA driver, let me warn you, ladies and gentlemen, that we are aware of the tricks passengers use to avoid paying the airport surcharge fee. When they attempt to retrieve their bags by crawling through the luggage compartment trying to get their luggage stuck under a pile of bags at the wrong side of a bus, we often close the luggage compartment door (automatically from the driver's seat), trying to trap a cheater inside, and drive off. Keep in mind, if the driver is lucky, you may travel from the airport to Estação de Campanhã in the luggage compartment!

 

[GailGwyn]

As a former ALSA driver, let me warn you, ladies and gentlemen, that we are aware of the tricks passengers use to avoid paying the airport surcharge fee. When they attempt to retrieve their bags by crawling through the luggage compartment trying to get their luggage stuck under a pile of bags at the wrong side of a bus, we often close the luggage compartment door (automatically from the driver's seat), trying to trap a cheater inside, and drive off. Keep in mind, if the driver is lucky, you may travel from the airport to Estação de Campanhã in the luggage compartment!

Ah ok, I had no idea the extra cost was an airport surcharge. I certainly have no intention of trying to cheat anyone. Thank you for clearing this up.

 

[GailGwyn]

It is the same bus. You can see it when you start the booking process and pick seats for the two trips.

It is a bit odd because it says in both cases that there are only 3 stops when in fact there appear to be more. Do I understand this correctly: we are talking about a 200 km bus trip, lasting 3-4 hours, and the ticket price is reduced from €52 to €15 resp. €18? This is much longer than the distance between Pamplona and SJPP with an ALSA bus for example which costs €22.

So €15 or €18 with a difference of €3 … I’d buy the ticket to my actual destination and be done with it. Buen Camino.

It's actually double the cost for the date and time I want to travel.

 

[green_spork]

When I booked with ALSA, back in September, as a new customer, they offered me a discounted ticket price!

 

[Kathor1]

It's actually double the cost for the date and time I want to travel.

I had another look and I must say that the pricing appears to be rather strange. This time, I looked for ticket prices on 7 February, 7 March, 7 April and 7 May. The ticket from Santiago to Oporto Campanha appears to cost always €15, no matter what time of the day, what day of the week or what month it is. The price of the ticket from Santiago to Oporto airport varies, although it appears to be an identical itinerary and the same bus as the one to Oporto Campanha which is the last stop: €18, €22, €27, €33 and €44, all reduced ("Antes") from €52. A mystery.

 

[Kathor1]

Superweird what I see. If someone else wants to check this ... at the time of writing: ticket for the Alsa bus from SdC to Oporto airport with departure in SdC at 9:30, 11:30 or 18:00 costs €18. Ticket to Braga: €20 for the early departure and €16 for the other two. And the bus stops in Braga first and only later at the airport, yet this time it is the ticket to Braga that is more expensive than the ticket to the airport.

PS: Forgot to write that this is for 7 March 2023.

 

[GailGwyn]

When I booked with ALSA, back in September, as a new customer, they offered me a discounted ticket price!

Interesting. Thank you

 

[GailGwyn]

I had another look and I must say that the pricing appears to be rather strange. This time, I looked for ticket prices on 7 February, 7 March, 7 April and 7 May. The ticket from Santiago to Oporto Campanha appears to cost always €15, no matter what time of the day, what day of the week or what month it is. The price of the ticket from Santiago to Oporto airport varies, although it appears to be an identical itinerary and the same bus as the one to Oporto Campanha which is the last stop: €18, €22, €27, €33 and €44, all reduced ("Antes") from €52. A mystery.

That's why I was querying it. Another poster on this thread said it would be the airport surcharge. It seems that people travelling to the airport need to pay this, but people travelling to Camphana don't

 

[Kathor1]

That's why I was querying it. Another poster on this thread said it would be the airport surcharge. It seems that people travelling to the airport need to pay this, but people travelling to Camphana don't

This explanation fails though when applied to Braga, doesn't it. Also, it does not explain why such an airport surcharge for a daily bus would be €3 on some days or times of the day while it is €7, €10, €18 and €29 at other times or days. To me at least, these price discrepancies make no sense. Weird.

 

[Tincatinker]

I’m beginning to wonder if ALSA borrowed RENFE’s website designer. I’ve never pre-booked on ALSA and seldom on RENFE. Usually I’ve bought tickets on the day or the day before travel. I may occasionally have dipped out on a discount but I have definitely avoided hours of internet grief.

 

[jsalt]

When they attempt to retrieve their bags by crawling through the luggage compartment trying to get their luggage stuck under a pile of bags at the wrong side of a bus, we often close the luggage compartment door (automatically from the driver's seat), trying to trap a cheater inside, and drive off.

Hmm, that's a bit scary. I HAVE had to crawl through the luggage compartment to get my pack, because it had slid across to the other side during transit.

 

[Former member 103025]

In the past, I took a Monbus bus from Santiago to Vigo and an Autna bus from Vigo to the Porto Airport. Unlike Alsa, the prices for these bus companies don't change over time. The current price for Santiago to Vigo on Monbus is €7.65 and for Vigo to Porto is €14.90, regardless of whether you're traveling to the airport or the city center, and regardless of when you buy the ticket, a month in advance or on the day of travel. However, I would recommend buying the second part of your journey (Autna) in advance, as these buses can get quite full. As a bonus, you'll break up the journey in the middle, allowing you to enjoy a coffee at the brand new Vigo intermodal bus/train station.

Monbus: https://www.monbus.es/en/
Autna: https://www.autna.com/en/timetable-and-fares/

P.S. I apologize for my rather lame joke about vicious Alsa drivers. Still, I cannot guarantee what a Spanish driver may be capable of in a stressful situation

 

[green_spork]

In the past, I took a Monbus bus from Santiago to Vigo and an Autna bus from Vigo to the Porto Airport. Unlike Alsa, the prices for these bus companies don't change over time. The current price for Santiago to Vigo on Monbus is €7.65 and for Vigo to Porto is €14.90, regardless of whether you're traveling to the airport or the city center, and regardless of when you buy the ticket, a month in advance or on the day of travel. However, I would recommend buying the second part of your journey (Autna) in advance, as these buses can get quite full. As a bonus, you'll break up the journey in the middle, allowing you to enjoy a coffee at the brand new Vigo intermodal bus/train station.

Monbus: https://www.monbus.es/en/
Autna: https://www.autna.com/en/timetable-and-fares/

P.S. I apologize for my rather lame joke about vicious Alsa drivers. Still, I cannot guarantee what a Spanish driver may be capable of in a stressful situation

I travelled to Vigo in September by Mon Bus, was planning to get the train, but all the early trains were fully booked!
I arrived in the Old Vigo Bus station, not the prettiest looking building!
Is the new bus station down near the big new shopping mall complex!

 

[GailGwyn]

This explanation fails though when applied to Braga, doesn't it. Also, it does not explain why such an airport surcharge for a daily bus would be €3 on some days or times of the day while it is €7, €10, €18 and €29 at other times or days. To me at least, these price discrepancies make no sense. Weird.

Yes, you're right. Makes no sense, but just to be sure, I think I'll pay the higher price.

 

[BruceNZ]

Have been looking at going from Oviedo to Madrid and same deal with ALSA i.e. fare to Airport is DOUBLE that to any of the other stops in Bordeaux. Not sure if it's a airport imposed surcharge or do they just know that have a captive audience so it's supply and demand ??

 

[Kathor1]

Have been looking at going from Oviedo to Madrid and same deal with ALSA i.e. fare to Airport is DOUBLE that to any of the other stops in Bordeaux

There must be a typo there since Bordeaux is nowhere near Oviedo or Madrid but I can’t figure out what you meant to say.

Also, the oddity that @GailGwyn pointed out is the fact that the bus fare gets cheaper when you travel to the following stop and that is on the same bus, same itinerary, same comfort class, same cancellation conditions. I never noticed this before. Which days had you been looking at for Oviedo-Madrid?

 

[green_spork]

There must be a typo there since Bordeaux is nowhere near Oviedo or Madrid but I can’t figure out what you meant to say.

Also, the oddity that @GailGwyn pointed out is the fact that the bus fare gets cheaper when you travel to the following stop and that is on the same bus, same itinerary, same comfort class, same cancellation conditions. I never noticed this before. Which days had you been looking at for Oviedo-Madrid?

I did the reverse of this in September!
Flew into Madrid, then ALSA bus to Oviedo!
I intended to take the bus departing from T4, but due to concerns over arrival time /covid checks, I ended up booking a slightly later bus leaving from Moncloa, near Madrid University!
I got the Metro, then bus from main station!
I can’t recall if there was a price difference, between each departure location!
I used a discount code from ALSA, think it was 20% off!

 

[Kathor1]

Madrid is a much larger transport hub than Santiago; in Madrid, ALSA buses depart from various locations; some start only at the airport; some don't even pass through the airport; some start elsewhere in Madrid and then stop at the airport on their way to Leon, Burgos or Oviedo. There are different categories for ticket prices: Minima, Comfort, Super Flex, Flexible.

SdC to Porto is different: same stops, same departure and arrival times, same category. The bus goes SdC to Braga to Porto airport to final stop in Porto. The ticket price goes now and then in the opposite direction, like in this example for 5 May 2023. Hence the question: Buy ticket for final destination but get off the bus at earlier actual destination? I cannot think of an even partly plausible explanation other than that it's an algorithm gone mad or a price/demand optimisation system that relies on passengers not discovering how illogical and badly designed it is.