Best route from Sydney, Aus to St Jean

[Jme.W]

Hi Guys,
Planning on doing my first Camino later this year! Very excited and nervous!
As such i've been researching the best way to get to St. Jean from Sydney Australia and back again from Santiago! I've checked out quite a few different routes and have looked at flying into Paris then catching the train to St. Jean as well as a few other routes. I'm just wondering what fellow Sydney siders found to be the best route and also any preferred airlines! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks heaps!

 

[Lance Chambers]

I flew into Paris from Perth, WA.

Caught the train to Bayonne from Charles DeGaulle Airport, tranfered about 15 minutes after arrival to train to Bairitzz about 10 minutes after I arrived - just look for the platform with all the people carrying backpacks - for the train to St Jean. Arrived in St Jean around 4 PM.

I found this the easiest to plan and execute. Some people suggest flying into Madrid, train to Pamplona and then bus to St Jean.

To get home I took the train from Santiago to Madrid and flew out of Madrid for home.

Try Google Flights to help work out multiple city itineraries: https://www.google.com/flights/

I have 'set some flights up for you so you can see how it works:

https://www.google.com/flights/#sea...G1EY31,MADBRU0SN3732-BRUAUH0EY58-AUHSYD0EY454

Hope you have as wonderful a time as I have done.

Buen Camino.

 

[Robo]

First time I flew into Paris. Stayed a night. TGV train to Bayonne then train to St Jean.
All worked great.
Qantas/Emirates via Dubai
Came back Santiago to Madrid, Bangkok, Sydney.

Second time. In and out of Madrid. But we only started at Sarria. Train up to start point.
Back via lots of places....... we tend not to just go to walk the Camino.

This year. Sydney, Bangkok, Paris return using Thai Airways. Thai Airways are good.
We'll train down from Paris.
I would then plan to fly from Santiago to Paris if returning right away.
But we're heading off to a few other places, ending back in Paris to fly home.

So in summary.

If you are just flying in and out for the Camino, Paris or Madrid both work well.
My preference? maybe Paris.
You get to see another country....and who doesn't love Paris.
I would train down to St Jean and fly back from Santiago to Paris.

When flying in to Paris I stay close to Gare Montparnasse.

The TGV leaves from there to Bayonne.
(some people take the TGV direct from CDG Airport)
I like to have a night to get over jet lag and there are some great places to eat near the station !

I stay at Best Western Bretagne Montparnasse, as there are great places to eat in that road and a creperie right across the street!
Lots of options around there for accomodation though.

Buen Camino.

 

[Peter CapeTown]

Maybe this might be of some help.
While many long distance travelers select Paris as their EU entry point, I found Paris not necessarily to be the simplest route (for me at least). I have travelled to Paris a few times before.
I am coming from a different corner of our planet - Cape Town, also a long distance journey. I considered various options. At the end i decided to go via Madrid, Spain and fly Madrid to Biarritz, France - which is just a 30min shuttle drive from St Jean. (Cape Town - Johannesburg - Madrid - Biarritz & Santiago - Madrid - Johannesburg - Cape Town)

 

[Robo]

Maybe this might be of some help.
While many long distance travelers select Paris as their EU entry point, I found Paris not necessarily to be the simplest route (for me at least). I have travelled to Paris a few times before.
I am coming from a different corner of our planet - Cape Town, also a long distance journey. I considered various options. At the end i decided to go via Madrid, Spain and fly Madrid to Biarritz, France - which is just a 30min shuttle drive from St Jean. (Cape Town - Johannesburg - Madrid - Biarritz & Santiago - Madrid - Johannesburg - Cape Town)

Sounds like another good option!
I just enjoy the TGV
Feels more like being on an adventure!

 

[Peter CapeTown]

Sounds like another good option!
I just enjoy the TGV
Feels more like being on an adventure!

Agree, also love the TGV! When booking the TGV online - check prices for both 1st and 2nd class. Last time i booked, 1st class was basically the same as 2nd class as everyone was booking 2nd class only (was for Paris - Nice, August 2015).

 

[Jme.W]

I flew into Paris from Perth, WA.

Caught the train to Bayonne from Charles DeGaulle Airport, tranfered about 15 minutes after arrival to train to Bairitzz about 10 minutes after I arrived - just look for the platform with all the people carrying backpacks - for the train to St Jean. Arrived in St Jean around 4 PM.

I found this the easiest to plan and execute. Some people suggest flying into Madrid, train to Pamplona and then bus to St Jean.

To get home I took the train from Santiago to Madrid and flew out of Madrid for home.

Try Google Flights to help work out multiple city itineraries: https://www.google.com/flights/

I have 'set some flights up for you so you can see how it works:

https://www.google.com/flights/#sea...G1EY31,MADBRU0SN3732-BRUAUH0EY58-AUHSYD0EY454

Hope you have as wonderful a time as I have done.

Buen Camino.

Hi Lance,
Thank you so much for all of your advice! And for the google flights! Really appreciate it

 

[Jme.W]

First time I flew into Paris. Stayed a night. TGV train to Bayonne then train to St Jean.
All worked great.
Qantas/Emirates via Dubai
Came back Santiago to Madrid, Bangkok, Sydney.

Second time. In and out of Madrid. But we only started at Sarria. Train up to start point.
Back via lots of places....... we tend not to just go to walk the Camino.

This year. Sydney, Bangkok, Paris return using Thai Airways. Thai Airways are good.
We'll train down from Paris.
I would then plan to fly from Santiago to Paris if returning right away.
But we're heading off to a few other places, ending back in Paris to fly home.

So in summary.

If you are just flying in and out for the Camino, Paris or Madrid both work well.
My preference? maybe Paris.
You get to see another country....and who doesn't love Paris.
I would train down to St Jean and fly back from Santiago to Paris.

When flying in to Paris I stay close to Gare Montparnasse.

The TGV leaves from there to Bayonne.
(some people take the TGV direct from CDG Airport)
I like to have a night to get over jet lag and there are some great places to eat near the station !

I stay at Best Western Bretagne Montparnasse, as there are great places to eat in that road and a creperie right across the street!
Lots of options around there for accomodation though.

Buen Camino.

Hi Rob,
Thank you for all of the information and advice! Will definitely help to inform my decision!

 

[Jme.W]

Maybe this might be of some help.
While many long distance travelers select Paris as their EU entry point, I found Paris not necessarily to be the simplest route (for me at least). I have travelled to Paris a few times before.
I am coming from a different corner of our planet - Cape Town, also a long distance journey. I considered various options. At the end i decided to go via Madrid, Spain and fly Madrid to Biarritz, France - which is just a 30min shuttle drive from St Jean. (Cape Town - Johannesburg - Madrid - Biarritz & Santiago - Madrid - Johannesburg - Cape Town)

Hi Peter,
Appreciate all the info! Thank you

 

[eze]

Hi Guys,
Planning on doing my first Camino later this year! Very excited and nervous!
As such i've been researching the best way to get to St. Jean from Sydney Australia and back again from Santiago! I've checked out quite a few different routes and have looked at flying into Paris then catching the train to St. Jean as well as a few other routes. I'm just wondering what fellow Sydney siders found to be the best route and also any preferred airlines! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks heaps!

Hello,

Please have a look to this link below. I asked for french but no doubt you can request it in english and australian dollars.

Buen Camino

 

[eze]

Hello,

Please have a look to this link below. I asked for french but no doubt you can request it in english and australian dollars.

Buen Camino

sorry missed the link

https://www.rome2rio.com/fr/s/Sydney/Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

 

[Gumba]

Hi Jme.W - we are starting our Camino in a few weeks. We are flying out of Melbourne.

We chose Qatar airways with a stop-over in Dosa. We chose this airline because they have an excellent reputation and were the cheapest of Qantas/Emarates/Etihad/etc. I prefer the 15 (or 17 I cant remember) hr flight/stopover/5 hour flight combination.

We are staying overnight at a hotel near Montparnasse and catching the 7.50 train the next day. I discounted catching the train at CDG because 1) more expensive, 2) less timetable options. 3) from memory they were longer journeys. I want a 7.50am train as - coming from Australia, we would wake REALLY early so that wouldn't have been an issue, plus, we get in at 1pm so will have a good chunk of the afternoon to explore, have lunch and go to the Pilgrim's office before, no-doubt, a very early night.

 

[Jme.W]

sorry missed the link

https://www.rome2rio.com/fr/s/Sydney/Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Hhahah no worries Will check it out - thank you!