case/suitcase storage vs. forwarding service logistics

[gringodevil]

Hola Bicigrinos,
I am flying into Madrid with a bike that breaks down into suitcase-sized bike case, as well as carry on suitcase. My plan (or lack thereof) was to store those items in Madrid. Meanwhile, I was going to take my fully assembled bike and put on train and ride to start of the ride, Pamplona-ish, ride the camino, and take train?/bus combo with bike back to Madrid. I have read that you can take fully assembled bike on train, unless it is packed, and on a few buses, if they are not overloaded, they will allow you to take your bike. Any personal experience with that? My bike frame could break down to require less space

Plan B: On this forum I have seen a service or two (Serfas?) that forwards your luggage to the end, Santiago, and apparently stores it until you arrive. Any personal experience or specific recommendations for companies and what they are charging for that?

For the experienced Bicigrinos who have done this, what would you recommend?

Thanks so much for your input

Russell

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Plan B: On this forum I have seen a service or two (Serfas?) that forwards your luggage to the end, Santiago, and apparently stores it until you arrive. Any personal experience or specific recommendations for companies and what they are charging for that?

No personal experience but Ivar, the creator of this forum, has a service. See
http://www.casaivar.com/luggage-storage-in-santiago-de-compostela/
And the link to ask him is --- http://www.casaivar.com/luggage-storage-in-santiago-de-compostela/contact-me.html

Ivar had more information on a recent thread but my brain has died and I cannot come up with it.

 

[Saint Mike II]

There are three different styles of train in Spain - AVE (equal to French TGV) - bike not permitted (unless it breaks down to smallish luggage size); Media Distance - bike - packed down to a size of less than 1200 mm (4 feet) - so it can go into the luggage spaces at the end of each carriage; local commuter trains - bikes permitted (but I don't think they travel all the way from Madrid to Pamplona). I travelled from Madrid to Pamplona back in 2015 - with my bike - it was around 1500 mm in length. Lucky for me there was a cooperative conductor who allowed me to move the bike into the seating area (the train was more than half empty).
My suggestion - keep the bike packed until you reach Pamplona - once the bike is assembled you could send the bike-pack to Ivar (in SDC) - either via Spanish Post or a currier service - and when you reach SDC you pay Ivar (check elsewhere for current fees) for storage and then repack the bike for travel back to Madrid. If you look on the RENFE (Spanish Trains) they will have more info that might be more current than what I am relying on. Hope this helps. Buen Camino.

 

[gringodevil]

Hi Rick and Saint Mike,
thanks for your input--there is such a wealth of knowledge here on this forum--you have presented option C, which actually may work better--I will look into the fees for that. Saint Mike, I have read of people taking their bikes on longer distance trains to the start of the Camino Frances, and they seemed to imply it was fully assembled, but your response makes wonder whether they lucked out with their conductor. I also read of people taking long distance buses and storing their bikes below, but i will have to pay for storage somewhere, and maybe it is better to go Option C and be ready to go in Santiago.

 

[Saint Mike II]

@gringo - ALSA buses will take your bike (again preferred packed); but there is a problem - they will charge you the bike fee - but then do not guarantee to carrying your bike as they limit it to two bikes per bus. But if you are getting on at Madrid Airport (or the city) you might have better luck. Cheers