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Getting from Madrid to Urdos/Somport to walk Aragonés

peregrina2000

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In another thread I was asking about visiting Zaragoza, because my idea was to go Madrid - Zaragoza on arrival day from US, and then Zaragoza to Urdos (over the French border) the next day. When some of the comments turned to transportation, I thought it would be a good idea to have that discussion in a separate place.

Zaragoza is on the Madrid-Barcelona AVE line, so getting there will be easy. But from Zaragoza onward, it looks a bit more complicated.

The Zaragoza to Jaca train seems to be out of service. @trecile took the train to Huesca and bus on to Jaca, but trains from Zaragoza to Huesca that I see now all seem to leave late in the day. I would want to go from Zaragoza to one of these points - Jaca, Canfranc Estación, or Somport.

@JWilhaus has suggested bus from Zaragoza to Jaca, and that looks like a good alternative. Avanzabus has departures at 8:30 or 11 and take about 2 1/2 hours to Jaca. From there bus to Somport at noon or 2:50.

I know there are still months to go, and that RENFE schedules are unpredictable and late to be posted, but it’s good to know that there is a bus alternative.

And I read somewhere that the views from the left side are the best from Zaragoza, if that matters.

Getting from Jaca or Canfranc Estación to Urdos or Oloron may or may not be possible. I know that because of the September 2024 rains, the road between Urdos and Spain is not currently open. Latest I heard was that sometime in early 2025, one lane would be open for local traffic. Even if the road isn’t open, I suppose you could get a cab from Canfranc Estación or Jaca to the point in France where the road collapsed, and then walk back. That would mean you could walk “over the Pyrenees” even if you can’t get to a town in France to start from.

Anyone with better info than I can find, please let us know!
 
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Thank you for beginning this thread! I am interested in the same, and have little notion of how to manage the matter of the closed roads.
I was considering flying into France, heading for Leon and doing some of the LePuy route, then finding transit to the Aragones on the French side... but I don't know if that's feasible now.
Awaiting thoughts...
 
Perambulating Griffin said:
I was considering flying into France, heading for Leon and doing some of the LePuy route, then finding transit to the Aragones on the French side... but I don't know if that's feasible now.
Awaiting thoughts...
Click to expand...
Hi, PG;
I think that if you can fly into France, you will have a much easier time getting to some point close to Spain/Somport. That’s because the road outage is between Spain and Urdos. The road outage has not blocked walkers, apparently, see this thread for more info on the road collapse after Urdos.
 
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Just a note, the Zaragoza station is multimodel with both bus and train leaving from the same giant building. Also easy to get a bus downtown and back right outside the door. There is a hotel in the station as well and we stayed there one night and it was fine and not as expensive as I expected. Another time we stayed at an AirBNB in the old town.

The train to Canfranc (if running) is/was only 2 cars long. No assigned seats and it is a Mediadistance line. We traveled once with a car load of teens on a school trip. They got off at one of the "flag stops". (If the flag is posted, the train stops, if not the train goes on.)

In 2022, we road the train twice back and forth when we walked and served on the Aragones that summer. The last time, we took the bus. The bus was cheaper and faster. Different views, but equally interesting.
 
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Rick of Rick and Peg said:
@peregrina2000, I just started a post (three words worth) to ask you why you didn't want to fly into France when your post interrupted me. Is it because Zaragoza is high on your priorities?
Click to expand...
No, it’s just because it makes a lot of things more convenient with mailing stuff that I bring for friends in Spain, sending my duffel bag to my ending point so I can stuff it with olive oil, etc etc. I will check the multi-city option, though.


BombayBill said:
My plan to tackle the same route is to fly to CDG and then catch the same day flight to Pau (PUF).
Click to expand...

Thanks for that suggestion. I can do that too, getting to Pau at 6:10 p.m. Then next day to Urdos, presumably by bus? If I had more time I would start in Oloron Ste. Marie, though @trecile’s experience does give pause.
 
As I said on the other thread, I purchased a train ticket from Zaragoza to Canfranc Estación, assuming that I would be on the train the entire way. But when I reached Huesca I was told that I would have to transfer to the bus. As @J Willhaus said, it's an intermodal station, so I just had to walk through the station and around a corner for the bus.

I'm looking on Rome2Rio.com and they are currently showing a couple of morning departure times. I took the 8:55am train from Zaragoza.

I think that you don't need to worry, and should look closer to your departure date because we know how Renfe operates!
 
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peregrina2000 said:
I just put you on the Calendar and see you’re starting in Pau. Have you thought about stages from there to Urdos? I’m just wondering how many days it would add.
Click to expand...
So far I’m considering
Pau - La Commande- Oloron - Sarrance- Urdos- Estacion Canfranc
A slow start to gather resolve for the climb.

Then on to Pamplona- Batzan backwards to Nive Espellete to Irun.
 
Lots of direct trains from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport to Lyon, then regional trains to Le Puy, changing at St Etienne. It's a beautiful scenic trip up the upper Loire valley. Allow 5-6 hours for the whole trip.

As for transferring to the Aragonés, you need to head to Pau, on the main railway line between Toulouse and Bayonne, then train and/or bus down the Aspe valley to Bedous, Urdos, or wherever you want to start. Many railway stations on the Puy route will take you to Toulouse. (Figeac and Cahors spring to mind, investigate the SNCF website for more information.)
 
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We took a TGV from Gare Montparnasse heading to Tarbes. We got off in Pau and caught a local train to Oloron where we started. The local did continue to Bedous if you want/need to start closer to the Somport Pass.

Obviously, south of Bedous is where the problem(s) begin. Also, my opinion @BombayBill, Bedous to Canfranc Estacion is a challenging day but that may be my 68 years talking. Because of trail outages early this year, we had to bypass some of the route. We walked to Accous where we literally hitched a ride to Etsaut. Not wanting to walk the very busy road, we took a bus to Urdos. Under early spring conditions, Urdos to Candanchú was a beautiful but long day.

If you stay in Etsaut/Borce, le Randonneur is tiny and the food is marvelous.

Hope my ramblings contributed in some way.
 
I did this route in October....challenging for sure to get to. I ended up taking the train from Madrid to Pamplona and catching a bus to Jaca. Stayed in Jaca two nights....first day I took the shuttle bus to the summit at the French border and walked back to Jaca. I really wanted to see Zaragoza but it didn't seem to easy to get from Zaragoza to Jaca. Hope this helps. If you take the train to Canfrac Estacion...you are still 7 kms from the summit and that part of the walk is beautiful. Good luck!
 
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I have taken your “challenging” comments to heart in my planning guide. But have I got this right? I’m not planning Bedous to Estacion based on your and others comments. To ease the pain I’m planning on Sarrance to Urdos or Borce and then up to Estacion. Is this a better plan?

And sorry for hijacking this thread. We could move this discussion to

LIVE from the Camino Thread 'Oloron-Sainte-Marie to Santiago'

What a wonderful day to start our Camino. We left OSM this morning at 09:00 in perfect weather, 50/10 when we left, 65/17 +/- in Sarrance with partly cloudy skies (pouring now at 21:00).

Words to the wise, do not be fooled by this short stage. The climb out of OSM is fairly steep and on paved roads. We found nothing open for food or drinks the entire way so plan accordingly. The last 5k is beautiful but difficult in the mud and caution should be taken, a slip to the left could easily put you in the fast flowing river below. It’s a beautiful walk, I’m sore as heck on day one...
 
There is a Parador in the remodeled, fantastic Canfranc Estacion and likely other private accommodations there. But just 4 km down the valley there is the delightful, remodeled Elias Valina Public Albergue. I understand it is currently closed due to the lack of pilgrims -- caused by the road and trail problems in France. You might find a cold beer in Candanchu but probably no accommodation in that megalopolis ski resort in the off season. The public albergue in Jaca is very nice. Buen Camino
 
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The Albergue Elias Valina is always closed over the winter. It closed a month early this year because the trail was closed due to landslides. It reopens April 1, as usual. Let's hope it's safe by then to make the hike.
 
@BombayBill, for some reason I thought you were starting from Bedous and going to Canfranc Est., Urdos to Canfranc Est. is more doable IMO, it will still be a full day. If it’s wet, it will take longer.

The restaurant in Etsaut that I mentioned is very local and very good. We were in early, looking for a beer and asked if the would be open for dinner, he started to say no, then said “come back at 7:00 and I’ll make you dinner. We were back at 7:00, only the 2 of us and we were served, cheese, escargot, duck, a desert, local wine and a cognac. It was around 40€ total. The best 20€ I’ve spent on dinner on the Camino. The owner/chef sat with us for a while and at 8:00 he said “now you must go, I have a wife at home to cook for”. A very memorable day.

I look forward to reading about your Camino.
 

What's the best time of the year to start from Somport?
 
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brian560 said:
What's the best time of the year to start from Somport?
Click to expand...
You’ll get several replies, we started on April 1st from Oloron, much earlier than that I would think could be iffy, certainly at the pass. @trecile was a month +/- behind us. I know that on April 9th, all the Pyrenees were snowed in. Crossing the mountains you always need to be prepared. I don’t know when it becomes sketchy in the Fall but someone will comment.

Always be prepared for changes in the mountains. We were lucky but prepared. Our crossing on April 3rd was beautiful. From Somport, you lose elevation quickly so rain is more likely…or not.

Enjoy your Camino.
 
I'll be in Madrid 21 March so way too early. I'll walk Salamanca -SdC via Invierno instead. Next time perhaps. Thanks for your help.
 
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Dear peregrina 2000,
Between Urdos (the first place to rest down from Somport, lovely cafe and a hotel) this past September a week before the slide, my wife and I walked through the .9K abandon train trestle between Udos and Borce. Between Borce and Sardance there are a couple of dicey sections on the path as well as just before all Oloron. It is possible to walk the highway at those section; not fun but doable. We took a bus from Zaragoza to Jaca and the next morning catch the 9:30 am bus to Somport.
 
Do you mean Lyon?
 
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Doing a little more digging for schedules. The old schedule of the TER bus line 550 went from Canfranc Station to Oloron Ste. Marie. About a half hour ride from Canfranc Station.

Seems like three buses will be involved to get to France from Zaragoza. But I may be missing something obvious.

1. Zaragoza to Jaca 8:30, arrive at 11 am. I had a terrible time with the Avanzabus website but found what looks like a reliable listing of buses.




2. Jaca to Canfranc Station at noon.



3. Canfranc Station to Urdos 15:01-15:18.




A taxi from either Jaca or Canfranc Station would shorten the journey considerably. Thanks to @andycohn for info on a reliable taxi driver in Canfranc Station.



And there are of course several taxis in Jaca, too.
 
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Here's a couple of posts that could be helpful from my thread looking for information on getting from Zaragoza to Oloron-Sainte-Marie

Post in thread 'Making my way from Barcelona to Oloron-Sainte-Marie'

Post in thread 'Making my way from Barcelona to Oloron-Sainte-Marie'

Here you go, I was sent just now from local resident:

There are actually four daily buses in that direction, the first three terminate at Bedous, but from there there is a connecting train.


Post in thread 'Making my way from Barcelona to Oloron-Sainte-Marie'

Post in thread 'Making my way from Barcelona to Oloron-Sainte-Marie'

I think that I have this worked out for Zaragoza to Oloron-Sainte-Marie, assuming that the current train and bus schedules will be in effect in May.

Zaragoza - Canfranc: Train at 8:55 am, arrives at 11:30 am

Canfranc - Bedous: Bus at 14:36, arrrives at 15:16 (I'll have some time to kill in Canfranc)

Bedous - Oloron-Sainte-Marie: Train at 15:52, arrives at 16:20
 
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