Getting to Madrid from a village.

[John Lunde]

I walked as far as Nararrex last Spring but had health difficulties and could not continue. Turns out I needed open heart surgery. This spring I will continue but not sure how far I will get in the amount of time I have.
I will be walking from Navarrex to somewhere past Burgos this year and will probably have to leave the Camino in a rural area. I expect to need some kind of ride back to Burgos to get to my flight out of Madrid at the end of April. Does anyone know about buses or other transport along the Camino between Burgos and Leon? I assume I can easily get bus or train to Madrid from either of these cities.

 

[Tincatinker]

@John Lunde all the best to you. I guess you are referring to Navarette and that auto-correct is having its usual fun. You may find this site useful www.horario-autobuses.com/bus/horario-autobuses/castillia-y-leon as it seems to cover all the potential service providers.

 

[SYates]

All the best and glad that you are recovering well, check also out rome2rio.com for a variety of travel options. Just to clarify, did you mean Navarrenx in France or Navarette in Spain? Buen Camino, SY

 

[Castilian]

You have direct buses and direct trains from Burgos to Madrid as well as from León to Madrid. Take a look at www.renfe.com for train info (schedules, fares...) and at www.alsa.es/en for bus info for those routes. Don't overlook either the direct buses and trains from Palencia to Madrid because some villages along the route have direct buses to Palencia (see below).

From Frómista, you can easily go by train to Madrid changing trains in Valladolid (or in Palencia). Take a look at the web of RENFE for schedules and fares (make a separate search for each leg if necessary). You can also go from Frómista to Madrid by bus changing buses (and bus companies) in Palencia. Alsa makes the route from Palencia to Madrid. Frómista to Palencia is made by www.linecar.es but they don't show the schedule online.

If you end somewhere between Burgos and Frómista:

• Autobuses Amaya (http://autobusesamaya.com) has buses from Tardajos and Castrojeriz to Frómista and Burgos (no service on Sundays and service on Saturdays just seasonal).
• Autocares JG (www.autocaresjg.es) makes, if I'm not wrong (confirm it locally), the route between Itero de la Vega and Palencia. Once in Palencia you could take a direct bus or train to Madrid (see above).

If you end after Frómista:

• There are direct buses from Carrión de los Condes to Palencia. Check schedules locally. If there wasn't bus service from Carrión de los Condes to Palencia on your travel date, Alsa has direct buses from Carrión de los Condes to Sahagún as well as to León and to Burgos. Check schedules on the web of Alsa.
• Alsa has direct buses from Terradillos de los Templarios to Sahagún and León 6 times per week.
• There are direct trains to Madrid from Sahagún.

Tips:

• Schedules other than those of Alsa should be confirmed with the relevant bus company (or companies) because their webs aren't (always) fully updated.
• Bus service on Saturdays and Sundays is more limited and on some routes can be non-existent.
• Sometimes RENFE publishes schedules not a long time in advance. Be patient!
• If something went really bad and you had to leave somewhere between Logroño and Burgos, PLM autocares (http://plmautocares.com) has direct buses to Madrid from Nájera, Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Belorado. And Autobuses Jiménez (www.autobusesjimenez.com) offers buses service to Burgos from other towns on the camino between Logroño and Burgos like, for example, Villafranca Montes de Oca or Castildelgado. The online schedules of both PLM and Autobuses Jiménez are reliable.

 

[Phillypilgrim]

Hi John. I'm really happy to hear that your surgery and recovery is going well, so well, that you will walk a year later! I am facing OHS soon as well. I have been assured that once recovered I will be able to train and walk again in Spain. You are my inspiration!
Pam

 

[SYates]

All the best and speedy recovery @Phillypilgrim May Santiago watch over you, SY

 

[John Lunde]

SYates, I meant Navarrenx in France since that is where I had to stop last Spring before reaching SJPdP. Thanks for the help.

Phillypilgrim, I wish you good luck in your OHS. Mine was to repair a valve in very bad shape as I learned after I got home but no other heart disease so that helps. I'm nearly 10 weeks post now and the thing pumps like a demon. Working on rebuilding my stamina. Not sure what that will be thus unable to predict with accuracy where I will end up on the critical day. Set your mind to it and you will be able to make it .. walk amount you are able each day.

 

[John Lunde]

Thank you for the detailed information Castilian. I will check out these sources of information. In France I have been successful with hitchhiking on several occasions including last Spring to get from Navarrenx to Orthez and the train to Toulous. I wonder how good an option that is in Spain.

 

[Phillypilgrim]

John, that's great. Aortic valve by any chance? A valve replacement is what awaits me.

 

[murraydv]

I walked as far as Nararrex last Spring but had health difficulties and could not continue. Turns out I needed open heart surgery. This spring I will continue but not sure how far I will get in the amount of time I have.
I will be walking from Navarrex to somewhere past Burgos this year and will probably have to leave the Camino in a rural area. I expect to need some kind of ride back to Burgos to get to my flight out of Madrid at the end of April. Does anyone know about buses or other transport along the Camino between Burgos and Leon? I assume I can easily get bus or train to Madrid from either of these cities.

Not sure if this is much help John. For trains to Madrid, try the Renfe website. The train timetable doesn't go out very far (end of Feb at the moment) , but you can at least see the routes. The website is http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/
In terms of transport from rural areas, you might be lucky with public transport. I typically organise a taxi. Last year, I got a taxi from La Calzada de Bejar to Salamanca (about 70 klm) and a train to Madrid.

I haven't tried this, but I am exploring it for 2016, as I will need to get from San Salvador de Palazuelo to Zamora. Might be worth taking a look, it is specifically for Spain. http://www.taxiproxi.es/application-iphone-android-taxi-proxi.php

I am sure that other people will have much better advice. Glad to see that the health is back on track.
Buen Camino.
Dave Murray

 

[John Lunde]

John, that's great. Aortic valve by any chance? A valve replacement is what awaits me.

Mitral valve. The doc who did the surgery said afterward he didn't know how I walked into the Hospital. It will be rough at first but you get better fast. By 8 weeks after you should be doing well. I'll be on the Camino again at 22 weeks.

 

[SYates]

Get well soon you two! Prayers and good wishes flying your direction. Buen Camino, SY

 

[KinkyOne]

@John Lunde
You mentioned hitchhiking which I did a few times but only in Muxia/Fisterra/Cee region. Usually the foreigners stops and on very few occasions Spaniards. I would say that hitchhiking in Spain is time consuming. So if you have enough time it could be fun but otherwise this might be of some help:
https://www.blablacar.es/

Ultreia!

 

[John Lunde]

@John Lunde
You mentioned hitchhiking which I did a few times but only in Muxia/Fisterra/Cee region. Usually the foreigners stops and on very few occasions Spaniards. I would say that hitchhiking in Spain is time consuming. So if you have enough time it could be fun but otherwise this might be of some help:
https://www.blablacar.es/

Ultreia!

I have had good luck in France several times over the years but will only hitchhike if all other methods fail. The advice I have gotten here has helped a lot and I think I have it covered. Thanks to all of you.

 

[DurhamParish]

Buen Camino John, and best of luck Phillypilgrim.