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Bayonne to St. Jean

S

sofronii

Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2018
Hi everyone!
I was looking on here: https://www.goeuro.es/travel-search2/results/788596999/train?v=wa_dw_bwg:on
and it looks like there are only four trains that run from Bayonne to St. Jean a day! Is that right?Or are there more trains, but perhaps from a different company that run at other times?
I would imagine there is no need to book it in advance, I could buy it right there right?
Also, once I get off at the Bayonne rail station, is it going to be clear where to get that train from?
Thanks in advance for your help and support!!!!
 
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You are right at the most there are 4 trains a day all from SNCF TER line 62.
The Bayonne station is small and the staff are helpful and used to tourists as well as pilgrims. Multiple video screens throughout the station display arrivals/departures as does a large board in lobby.

The adjacent station cafe boasts many handy plugs for recharging your computer or smartphone; if you have time to spare relax and have a drink or simple meal.

Bon voyage and Buen camino!
 
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The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
We arrived with the night train from Paris, and so had a few hours between trains at Bayonne. We walked through the town to the cathedral (first stamp of the Camino!), and spent some time looking around. Then we walked back through the town. Stopping, we got coffee for me, and hot chocolate for my son, and watched the market being set up. Then we bought bread, cheese, fruit, and pastries for our picnic lunch to be. Finally, we stopped at the small museum in Bayonne-- it's just a few blocks from the train station. We were back at the station with time enough to watch the pigeons for 10 minutes or so. After arriving at SJPP, we had lunch at the little park just up the river and then walked up to Orrison in time for a nice dinner. -- We didn't get many miles in that day, but we were still jet lagged, and taking it easy.
 
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I'm told the trains have been suspended while there are track repairs going on. They are supposed to be running buses to SJPP but have heard some people have had to arrange their own transportation. You might want to have alternate plans.
 
One alternative, although expensive, is to contact Express Bourricot and arrange for a shared ride from Bayonne to Saint Jean. They make this run several times daily, actually from nearby Biarritz Airport. The SNCF train station at Bayonne is a small detour on the way back, more or less.

It is pricey but very convenient.

But, you MUST book in advance. See: http://www.expressbourricot.com/
 
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I've heard very good things about Express Bourricot and if you are sharing with other pilgrims, the cost from the Biarritz airport goes down to 19 Euros per person if the van is full.
 
swweyman said:
I'm told the trains have been suspended while there are track repairs going on. They are supposed to be running buses to SJPP but have heard some people have had to arrange their own transportation. You might want to have alternate plans.
Click to expand...
Bus was fine on April 5 in fact they had two, first departed same time Train was scheduled and it was full
swweyman said:
I'm told the trains have been suspended while there are track repairs going on. They are supposed to be running buses to SJPP but have heard some people have had to arrange their own transportation. You might want to have alternate plans.
Click to expand...
Take the bus and they will tell you but it picks up in a little parking lot just to the left of the station as u walk through and they depart the same time the train was scheduled
 
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swweyman said:
I'm told the trains have been suspended while there are track repairs going on. They are supposed to be running buses to SJPP but have heard some people have had to arrange their own transportation. You might want to have alternate plans.
Click to expand...
Where did you hear that? Do you know when they would be back and running?
 
I read that it can be arranged at the airport and apparently it's cheaper to do that? #confused
 
sofronii said:
Where did you hear that? Do you know when they would be back and running?
Click to expand...
Washouts created instability in the rail bed very regularly. SNCF is fairly silent on when repairs will be complete, so "it will be done when it is done." The bus service is an excellent substitute; it follows the same route, and leaves from the train station in Bayonne. Sometimes it goes half way, sometimes the entire route. You will not find that it is disruptive to your pilgrimage.
 

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The expressbourricot is more expensive and "can be very expensive" than the rail company buses or the train. These railway company buses run only when train does not.

They depart at the railway station side car park from Bayonne Le gare, they run by railway schedule as a substitute for train only and not a regular service, there is currently industrial action on French railways network that is causing disruption to train schedules.

I used the substitute buses before and they are great and go through or near villages on trains route.

Read other recent posts regarding this subject below this post under heading " older threads on this topic".
 
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The expense for using Express Bourricot is relative. The numbers of riders per trip decides the cost per person. If you are alone, it is very expensive. If the car / van is full, it is a reasonable €18 (IIRC).


Hope this helps.
 
I was concerned about the rail strike as well so called Express Bouricot and ordered a 9 seat bus, posted here that it would be available. Then I was advised that the tickets to SJPP were being offered again, purchased one, which I will collect before leaving Paris. So, I cancelled my seat with the E-B bus. But the bus will apparently be there anyway, leaving Gare Bayonne at 2 PM, May 6.

So, a reserved ticket means a seat is there for you. If cancelled due to track repairs, they will have a bus hired to cover that reserved seat. If depending on buying a ticket uopn arriving in Bayonne, paying for a train ticket, even if cancelled, is less expensive than a bus ticket.

Getting excited now. 25 days and I am out of here.
 
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Hey thank you!
Do you know where I can find these for the dates that I need? The link, rather than the PDF, would be super helpful. Thank you!
 
When you arrive in Bayonne it soon becomes clear where to go to get your ticket to SJPDP. Just follow the other pilgrims. That’s what I did. You can easily buy your ticket right in Bayonne. Whether by train or bus (we did some of each) it’s a beautiful ride.
 
You know, the only reason I'm asking, is because, when I was looking, I saw that the last train is at 18:12. According to your PDF, there is a train later than that. So, I'm basically trying to get to the bottom of this
 
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Last train is 18.12 which is why I thought I'd stay in Bayonne my first night. With my flight times I would have been pushing it trying to get that train.
 
Lucy Keenan said:
Last train is 18.12 which is why I thought I'd stay in Bayonne my first night. With my flight times I would have been pushing it trying to get that train.
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I'm literally just looking at that right now
It seems like there is a train at around 9pm on Sunday only.
The flight i'm looking at only lands at 16:55, best case scenario - no delays, nothing, but it would be pushing it indeed for me too! I am considering to book the Express Bourricot perhaps?
 
Probably a good option if you want to get going the following day.
 
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sofronii said:
You know, the only reason I'm asking, is because, when I was looking, I saw that the last train is at 18:12. According to your PDF, there is a train later than that. So, I'm basically trying to get to the bottom of this
Click to expand...
There is a later mode of transportation on many days of the week. I have not found the exact date you want to travel, so it is hard to help you get to the bottom of this. Most of the schedule is the bus, but there also is a "voiture", which is a car (whatever that means). The voiture mode is during the daytime, but occasionally the last trip of the day. The .pdf indicates that some Sundays (Dimanche) will not have the service. It does not include any strike disruptions. Since a French strike is about getting attention, there will almost always be some service on a route, but maybe not the one you want. Spain is not having strikes. If an exact schedule is necessary, I suggest that you start from Pamplona. I doubt there will be any disruption from there.
 
kelleymac said:
It's only about 52km distance. Has anyone walked it?
Click to expand...

Yes! Take La Voie de la Nive. It’s a beautiful walk. In fact every time I see a title like this one I open the thread to say “just walk it”.
There are some fine online resources which I have linked to previously. (Can’t do easily now as we have no power)
 
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Hey I'm flying the 16th of this month, so from what I've seen, the last train on that date is 18:12
 
hello guys and gals!

i'm flying to Bordeaux the 16th too and i've got a ticket for the isilines.fr bus that arrives at Bayonne at 18:25 but sadly the last "line 62" bus to SJPDP is already gone (the 18:12 ride..).

so i'm looking to arrange some way to get to SJPDP (because i'd like to sleep there and the 17th make all the way to Roncisvalle.. since early in the morning..)

i wrote to Express Bourricot but they told me that monday 16th the last run is from Biarritz at the same time or so (18:15 IIRC) and they DO NOT get to Bayonne to get to SJPDP (but eventually the other way around.. Bayonne Biarritz ->... SJPDP).. me, looking at google map, i would say that both ways are more or less the same distance, but, anyway, i take what they say..

ANYWAY, i do not dispair (how wrong attitude for a "camino" that would be!! and i suppose we'll be a number, late afternoon in Bayonne rail station looking for a taxi ride. right?

so CU and buen camino!
 
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As of 16 April, they were still using buses to transport customers to SJPP from Bayonne. However the bus would not accommodate everyone waiting to get onboard. About 8 people and their luggage were standing forlornly in the rain as we pulled away from the curb. Until the track is repaired it might be a good idea to purchase your ticket in advance and to get to the station and out on the curb early to optimize yourchance of getting a seat.
 
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