England to Sarria to Santiago de Compostela and back to England

[Lance Chambers]

I flew out of Stansted with Ryan Air for Santiago de Compostela - 34 English pounds (about 45 Euros).

The easiest way to get to Sarria, I thought, was by train (very cheap about 15 Euro I think). There is a bus, from the airport to the bus station that then goes onto the train station. So very easy to get to the bus and the train station from the airport.

The only problem was that the train I caught in the afternoon got me into Sarria mid-evening and I had no idea where to go but just head straight up the road that heads into town from the train station. Keep going until you can see a large church up on a hill to your right. Head up to the church and if you stand with your back to the church door you will see a street directly ahead of you. On the right hand corner of the start of that street, just after the piazza in front of the church, is a hostel (you wouldn't know this by looking at it). It's also a small bar serving wine, beer, and pre-made bread rolls with meat or vegetables into. 10 Euros for the night. The next morning turn right out of the front door keep walking and you'll see the first yellow arrow showing you the route to Santiago.

When I finished the Camino I went to the airport to get a flight back - Veuling wanted to charge me 500 Euros! So I travelled to Santander to catch a ferry back to the UK.

To get to Santander try this: bus (Compostela to Ferrol), train (Ferrol to Aviedo), and bus (Aviedo to Santander). I ended up heading for the airport in Santander as the ferry didn't go on a Sunday (the day I arrived) and caught a RyanAir flight back to Stansted (200 Euros) - still a rip-off given the cost to get to Santiago but a lot cheaper than Veuling.

NOTE: The train trip from Ferrol to Aviedo is worth the trip. There are 105 stations over 400 kms and we stopped at most of them. I think this may be a record for frequency of stops on any train in the world.

 

[Bradypus]

Sadly I'm not surprised at the prices you were quoted at the airport for flights. Tickets bought at the airport on the day will almost always be sold at full price. Booking only two or three days before may cost a fraction of the price. For tech junkies like myself using a smartphone app like Kayak or Skyscanner simplifies the business. I have flown from both Santiago and A Coruna to London for less than £40 in off-season, booking only three days before. While walking I prefer not to book accommodation ahead to leave my options open but flights are another matter altogether.

 

[Lance Chambers]

Sadly I'm not surprised at the prices you were quoted at the airport for flights. Tickets bought at the airport on the day will almost always be sold at full price. Booking only two or three days before may cost a fraction of the price. For tech junkies like myself using a smartphone app like Kayak or Skyscanner simplifies the business. I have flown from both Santiago and A Coruna to London for less than £40 in off-season, booking only three days before. While walking I prefer not to book accommodation ahead to leave my options open but flights are another matter altogether.

One of my issues is that I never book a return flight and I know that if I did I could get a better price. I don't pre-book because I never know when I will finish a hike. I may take 10 days or 20. However, booking a few days before I know I will arrive makes a lot of sense. Thanks for your response I will be a bit more sensible next time. But I must admit the trip to Santander was a real adventure. Gun shots in Santander, hookers on the way to the port, the incredible train trip that filled up with teenagers about 15 stops before Oviedo, etc., etc.

 

[Tia Valeria]

For those who want to catch the ferry in Santander be aware that it is not only Wednesday only for the trip to Plymouth, or Monday to Portsmouth, but it is also seasonal. Next ferry is in March to Plymouth! I think that the Portsmouth ferry runs a limited service all year.
We love that train journey from Ferrol to Oviedo and also on to Santander.
Gun shots in Santander what was going on?.......

 

[Annette london]

I flew out of Stansted with Ryan Air for Santiago de Compostela - 34 English pounds (about 45 Euros).

The easiest way to get to Sarria, I thought, was by train (very cheap about 15 Euro I think). There is a bus, from the airport to the bus station that then goes onto the train station. So very easy to get to the bus and the train station from the airport.

The only problem was that the train I caught in the afternoon got me into Sarria mid-evening and I had no idea where to go but just head straight up the road that heads into town from the train station. Keep going until you can see a large church up on a hill to your right. Head up to the church and if you stand with your back to the church door you will see a street directly ahead of you. On the right hand corner of the start of that street, just after the piazza in front of the church, is a hostel (you wouldn't know this by looking at it). It's also a small bar serving wine, beer, and pre-made bread rolls with meat or vegetables into. 10 Euros for the night. The next morning turn right out of the front door keep walking and you'll see the first yellow arrow showing you the route to Santiago.

When I finished the Camino I went to the airport to get a flight back - Veuling wanted to charge me 500 Euros! So I travelled to Santander to catch a ferry back to the UK.

To get to Santander try this: bus (Compostela to Ferrol), train (Ferrol to Aviedo), and bus (Aviedo to Santander). I ended up heading for the airport in Santander as the ferry didn't go on a Sunday (the day I arrived) and caught a RyanAir flight back to Stansted (200 Euros) - still a rip-off given the cost to get to Santiago but a lot cheaper than Veuling.

NOTE: The train trip from Ferrol to Aviedo is worth the trip. There are 105 stations over 400 kms and we stopped at most of them. I think this may be a record for frequency of stops on any train in the world.

Yes, vueling is often quiet expensive. Flights to stansted also go from Oviedo with easy jet. .Still it was an adventure. Even booking the day before can be beneficial. We once got a flight from Vigo which is not too far from Santiago with Vueling to Heathrow which was not too expensive. Best wishes Annette

 

[Lance Chambers]

For those who want to catch the ferry in Santander be aware that it is not only Wednesday only for the trip to Plymouth, or Monday to Portsmouth, but it is also seasonal. Next ferry is in March to Plymouth! I think that the Portsmouth ferry runs a limited service all year.
We love that train journey from Ferrol to Oviedo and also on to Santander.
Gun shots in Santander what was going on?.......

It was very early in the morning when I got to Santander and I headed to the Port building just to make sure that was where the ferries left from. I saw the name of the company, 'Brittany Ferries' on the window and knew I was right where I should be when the office opened in the morning but I was really tired so walked around the building looking for somewhere I could get some sleep.

Around the back, in a small cul-de-sac, I found some tables and plastic chairs so I grabbed a couple of the chairs and pushed myself into a corner so I had could rest my head on the wall, plunked by butt down onto one of the chairs and put my feet up on the seat of the other one. I knew I wouldn't get any sleep but at least I could rest and relax.

About 15 minutes later I heard a pistol discharge but I wasn't absolutely sure because I was resting so deeply. A few minutes later I heard another shot. That woke me up!

There was a low wall that allowed me to keep my head down and peer out over the street and in the direction the shot came from. I couldn't see anything. So I though I must be mistaken. Be aware that I know what a gunshot sounds like rifle or pistol and these were shots from a pistol.

I decided to just bunk down again which I did.

About 2 minutes later I realised I was being a fool as I was in this cul-de-sac and if anything happened I be in serious trouble. So I grabbed my backpacks (small day pack and larger backpack) and headed, at full speed, back to the bus station where I discovered there wasn't going to be a ferry to the UK that morning anyway.

 

[Tia Valeria]

@Lance Chambers .....

 

[Lance Chambers]

@Lance Chambers .....

Yup. That about describes it all.