Best way to get from southern England to SJPP?

[PEI_Heather]

Hello! I am getting ready for my departure in now less than a month--bought my plane ticket yesterday! The butterflies can now officially start!

Before I go to St Jean Pied-de-Port, I will be in England to do a course on 6-7 October. I'll leave on the evening of the 7th or on the 8th, to make my way to France and SJPP, to start my Camino walk.

I am researching ways to get from Bournemouth, Dorset (where my workshop is) to SJPP; I'm trying to find the easiest, fastest and most economical way, if I can. I'm not sure if the three go hand in hand in hand, but it would be nice if they did.

I could take the train to Portsmouth, England then ferry across to France (La Havre or Caen) and take the train to Paris -> Bayonne -> SJPP. Or, I could return to London, take one of the small holiday airlines (like Easy Air, for example) over to Bilbao and get to Bayonne then SJPP by bus and train.

There is a ferry to Spain but because it has limited departure days, and not on the day I finish my course, it would mean an extra couple of days hanging around in England and traveling to SJPP. Budget-wise, that's not in the plan!

Has anyone any experience flying the small airlines? The prices are great but I recall someone telling me that baggage is really expensive to take, so the deals are not as good as they look on paper. If the cost equaled out to that of the ferry and train, and decreased the travel time, I'd certainly consider it!

Thank you for your help. I have learned so much about the Camino and how to prepare for my own trip through this forum! (Is anyone leaving SJPP on October 9th?)

Cheers!

 

[Tia Valeria]

If you are prepared to fly to Bilbao have you explored the Portsmouth - Bilbao ferry option, or ferries to France or Spain from other ports? Might work out cheaper than getting to airport and flight etc. Our only experience has been Plymouth to Santander but there are Plymouth to France ferries as well as Portsmouth France/Spain. National Express buses may work better than trains between Bournemouth and UK destinations
Buen Camino

 

[mralisn]

Hello,

London Stansted to Biarritz via Ryan Air is fairly simple and inexpensive. From Biarritz, a 20 minute bus ride to Bayonne train station. From Bayonne train station, a beautiful 1.5 hour ride through the countryside gets you to SJPdP. A five minute walk and you'll arrive wherever you'll be staying for the night. Very easy!

 

[PEI_Heather]

Hi Tia,
Yes, have explored these ferries and they leave only two days a week in October, that I've found. Plus the price was a lot more than I expected. Taking the ferry to France from Portsmouth is the easiest way that I've found of all the ferry routes , esp since I will be traveling (probably still a bit jetlagged!) from Bournemouth.
Thanks for your help...maybe when I get to England, things will be a bit easier, as everything will be right in front of me vs only on a computer screen!

 

[PEI_Heather]

Thanks Mralism! This sounds like the route of choice. Do you know if there is a weight restriction on baggage? I'll be flying with about 16lbs. I wasn't able to find anything on the RyanAir website. I'll look again; probably not looking in the right spot. I could send them an email too... Ah, modern technology! You just have to love it!
Cheers!

 

[Tincatinker]

Personally I would avoid flying UK to Europe (so much airport time for so little flight)

You have an easy and enjoyable rail route: Bournemouth to London Waterloo; Northern Line to Euston; short walk to St Pancras; Eurostar to Paris; Metro 9 to Gare Austerlitz; night train to Bayonne
(a chance to practice sleeping in a bunk bed with a bunch of smiley strangers); Bayonne to StJdP.

Looks complex but it's all bookable online and cheap if you do. I made the trip from the south coast UK in the spring for under £150 including supplies enroute.

Buen Camino.

 

[mralisn]

Ryan Air weight restriction on baggage is posted as follows:

"CABIN BAGGAGE:
The following cabin baggage restrictions apply per person (no infant allowance):
Strictly one item of cabin baggage per passenger (excluding infants) weighing up to 10kg with maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm* is permitted. (handbag, briefcase, laptops, shop purchases, camera etc). MUST be carried within your permitted 1 piece of cabin baggage). IMPORTANT - Extra/oversized cabin baggage will be refused at the boarding gate, or where available, placed in the hold of the aircraft for a fee of £50/€50. If you are unsure, check at the Bag Drop desk before going through security."

From this, you are allowed 22lbs. No one ever took a second look at my bag. Mine might have been a little lighter than yours. I even jumped in the restroom to quickly put on some extra clothes to make sure my bag was light enough and able to squish into the overhead baggage compartment. No problems at all.

I think the entire flight might have been less than three hours @ about $85US (50Pounds).

What else can I help with?

Keep a smile,
Simeon

 

[PEI_Heather]

Thanks Tincatinker; I will indeed take that into consideration. I love traveling by train, even at night. I took the train across Canada a few years ago; one of the best trips ever!

But the flight to get over in a quicker time is starting to win out. Thanks for the baggage info, Simeon. I had to laugh at your note about adding on clothes to your body! Too funny! (But I can understand!)
The flight is definitely do-able.

What else can you help with? Hmm. How are you at painting/cleaning/gardening/laundry/bookkeeping/dishwashing/lawnmowing/volunteering? All of those I am looking at doing tomorrow. And the next day. And the next! Oh, and I forgot, walking/packing/repacking/list-checking (twice!)! :lol: :lol:

Happy Saturday and Buen Camino!

 

[mralisn]

Ha! Besides the bookkeeping, this sounds like my day tomorrow as well!

If you can catch the early afternoon flight from Stansted to Biarritz, you'll arrive in time to take the evening train from Bayonne to SJPdP.

Another small but very important piece of advice, always have chocolate to share! I do.

 

[PEI_Heather]

Great idea. I'm more of a potato chips/crisps person, but chocolate is a whole lot easier to carry!

 

[himely]

Sounds like everyone is suggesting flying to Biarritz...am also going around that time, from London City Airport to Puy (70 quid)...then airport shuttle and train from Puy via Bayonne to St Jean pdp 17 euros. Have my own question, anyone know how long shuttle takes from airport to station in Puy? Thanks

 

[PEI_Heather]

Oo! I hope we bump into each other, Himely! I will be the tall skinny jetlagged-looking Canadian who appears completely befuddled...
Hmmm, waaaaydaminit... That could be any of us! :lol:

See you in Bayonne or SJPP!

 

[magdelanye]

I too have been trying to find info on ferries to Bilbao, ways to get quickly and cheaply to Spain.
My flight is directy from Van to Paris, and aroud the same time as Heather.
My Camino plans are to resume from where i left off 5 yrs ago...but that is in Manjaran, no flights to there! I am needing to decide pretty quick whether to start then from Bilbao or Leon.
I also need to know what the weather is like around there,if realy cold yet.
My first camino was in June and I was freezing a lot of the time.

 

[PEI_Heather]

I made a decision (had to!). I'm flying out of London Stansted on the 12:15 Ryan Air flight to Biarritz. £16. I also checked my bag, just in case I get to the airport to find out it's too big to be a carry on. So my total cost, CAD is under $64. You can't even leave my province for that! I will arrive in Bayonne at 3:15 and will head to SJPP after that. I'm not sure why the trip will take three hours...it it a 'milk run'? Stops in every little town along the way? Does't matter. It's am inexpensive three hour way for me to get to where I'm going (part one)!

 

[mralisn]

Hi again,

I could be wrong, but your flight is 2 hours. I believe you cross a time zone from London to Biarritz which adds 1 hour.

Bus ride to Bayonne less than 20 minutes.

Train to SJPdP about 1.5 hours. (Is this he 3 hours you mention?)

You'll probably have some time when waiting for the train to get some food supplies for the next day if that is when you'll be walking.

I'm thinking you will arrive in SJPdP near half 7 in the evening.

No matter how long it takes, I'm fully envious!

Keep a smile!

 

[PEI_Heather]

Thanks Simeon! I was wondering if there was a time zone crossed or not. The three hours is noted on the RyanAir info so doesn't take into account the bus or train rides in France... Even with the time change, it still seems like a long time for a short distance; I guess it depends on the plane being used. But no matter; I will be getting to where I am going. And thanks for the tip about the grocery shopping; I will take advantage of the time to do that.
Cheers!