Getting from Bayonne to St Jean Pied-de-Port

[Amc]

I have a train ticket from Paris to Bayonne but wondered if I can just buy the ongoing train ticket to St Jean,,, when I get to Bayonne or should I pre purchase this as well? I am travelling at the end of September.
Thankyou

 

[CWBuff]

Either way
Some of us prefer to get the whole trip while others like to Give themselves a bit of an option and flexibility
Depends on how fast you want to get to SJPDP or perhaps if you want to spend time in Bayonne
There is really no right or wrong here

Good luck and Buen Camino

 

[gerardcarey]

The Valley Rattler usually waits for the Paris-Bayonne train to arrive before leaving for SJPdP.
However, sometimes the Paris train arrives later in the day - after the last Valley Rattler for the day has left. Problem. Expensive taxi/ perhaps share taxi fare.
I cover all my bases by getting an early-ish one stop (8am-ish) train from Paris Montparnasse.
I pre-purchase the Bayonne/SJPdP ticket, ensuring it's departure matches my anticipated arrival time in Bayonne.
It's my favourite train journey in the whole world!
Regards
Gerard

 

[Ianinam]

You can easily buy your ticket from the vending machine at Bayonne railway station. Costs are approx. € 12,00.
Departure times: 8:52,12:29, 14:22, 17:13, 18:37, 20:18.

If you arrive late in Bayonne and stay overnight in Bayonne: buy your ticket upon arrival for the next morning. In the morning it can be crowded with pilgrims, queing up at the vending machine.

 

[Corned Beef]

As with most European rail networks you can download an app and buy an e-ticket on the day (or even on the train). For St Jean / France it is SNCF Connect - but set it up with your details and payment card first.

Download the e-Ticket to an e-Wallet or take a screenshot and store in your photos (works surprisingly)

 

[Amc]

Thankyou so much. We will arrive in Bayonne around 4 pm but will wait and buy our tickets to St Jean when we get there. There is a train around 6 pm. I just wasn’t sure if the train would get booked out and that it should be done in advance.

 

[Ianinam]

No, not necessary and certainly not by the end of September.

 

[JLuis]

Bayonne-SJPP it’s a regional train. No assigned seats. First boarding, first seated. If more tickets than seats they produce a bus to take remaining passengers to SJPP.
If you see a small train on the tracks, like 20 min before departure, go for it. The pilgrims will gather near the closed doors. Start saying Hello to everyone.
All will be excited, nervous, wonderstruck

 

[jwcurry]

I will be walking from SJPP to Bayonne. The Voie de la Nive along GR-65.

Why? Because I am joining the Frances by way of the Camino Baztan.

I'll post as I'm in process. Not ready yet, as I'm still working. Not too much longer however and that's the plan.

 

[Mercutio]

Bayonne-SJPP it’s a regional train. No assigned seats. First boarding, first seated. If more tickets than seats they produce a bus to take remaining passengers to SJPP.
If you see a small train on the tracks, like 20 min before departure, go for it. The pilgrims will gather near the closed doors. Start saying Hello to everyone.
All will be excited, nervous, wonderstruck

I've booked a SNCF ticket Paris -> Bayonne and TER Bayonne -> SJPP, with a 20-minute connection time. Recently SNCF let me know that the first train will not arrive until 10 minutes later than planned, cutting my connection to 10-minutes. I whisked through the Bayonne station once to catch the train replacement bus outside a few years ago, so I do not have a good sense of the station layout. Is 10 minutes cutting it too fine to locate the TER train to SJPP? Can you tell me about the station layout? Thanks.

 

[CWBuff]

not at all
you basically will move from say Platform 1 to platform 2 - down the steps and IIRC to the left.
its not a big station so not too many choices "to get lost"

 

[Tincatinker]

Get off train, get on train. No adventures. They’ll usually hold the TER until the incoming train has arrived and will allow 10 minutes for milling about and low-key panicking. Do not expect problems unless you are travelling on a day like today. If it all goes to Neasden there’s a great hotel just across the Place from the station

 

[Orford girl]

I have a train ticket from Paris to Bayonne but wondered if I can just buy the ongoing train ticket to St Jean,,, when I get to Bayonne or should I pre purchase this as well? I am travelling at the end of September.
Thankyou

I did this a number of years ago and just took the Flex Bus to my starting point. There are a number of buses and you get to see the country side. Buen camino.

 

[Corned Beef]

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