Help to get from Muxia to Bordeaux

[DragonLily]

Calling all Camino experts for help....

Hi, my name is Lily and I leave on May 20 headed to Paris then Bayonne and St Jean Pied de Port! The plan is to finish in Muxia by July 1 or 2. My next immediate adventure is to go to Bordeaux to meet a friend by July 3 or 4 and rent a bike and travel a few days along the canal in France.

I am looking for best and cheapest ways to get from Muxia to Bordeaux. Do I have to go back via Santiago? What is the bus schedule and website to look this up? I am sorry but I cannot read Spanish. From my research so far, I can take an ALSA bus from Santiago to Irun that runs at 18:00 overnite and arrives 07:00. Then I can catch a train that goes to Bordeaux at 11:18. I just need to know the bus company name and schedule from Muxia to Santiago. The involves two travel days. Maybe there is another way?

Buen Camino to my fellow pilgrams and may our paths cross often.

 

[mspath]

Dragonlily,

The bus route would be Muxia to Cee to Santiago via Monbus. Here is their Spanish website >> http://horarios.monbus.es/

Extracted from their timetable for July 1
buses leave from Muxia for Cee at
7:30, 10:30, 16:30 . Journey takes 45 minutes
buses leave from Cee for Santiago at
7:20, 8:40, 12:05,15:20, 17:05, 19:20 . Journey takes 3 hours

In Santiago the Galicia Tourist Office at 30 rua de Vilar near the cathedral has a good free multilingual list of all services including the buses along the route Santiago>Finisterre>Muxia route. Their muli-lingual staff is very helpful.

From Santiago there is a RENFE train which goes everyday to Irun/Hendaye which is the Spanish/French border. This leaves Santiago about 09:45 am and arrives at the border about 21:00 pm. In Hendaye you can get the SNCF train to Bordeaux

The RENFE train needs reservations. It is easily booked directly at the rr station in Santiago. As long as you are NOT traveling at a peak time such as a holiday you should have no trouble booking this train two or three days before you wish to travel.

For more info here is a RENFE timetable link in English. >> http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/horarios.html

Here is the French SNCF timetable. >> http://www.voyages-sncf.com/

Good luck and Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[DragonLily]

Thank you so much Margaret for your quick reply.

Unfortunately I was unable to navigate the Monbus site due to lack of Spanish knowledge. Could I trouble you to ask if this schedule runs daily? And how much does it cost for each leg of the bus ride, to Cee and then to Santiago? I am most interested in this piece of my travel puzzle.

My research did show the train options from Santiago to Hendaye and then Hendaye to Bordeaux but the schedule forces me to find overnite accommodations in Hendaye. The timing of the bus route from Santiago to Irun and then a train from there to Bordeaux seems better, especially if I have to take two buses from Muxia back to Santiago. I guess I was hoping for as little connections as possible. :?

Regards,

Lily

 

[mspath]

Lily,

As you wished I have re-searched the Monbus web, >> http://horarios.monbus.es/
No exact prices are given. Dates are cited in the European fashion with day first

There is no bus listed from Muxia to Cee for June 30, ie 30/06
The bus from Muxia for July 2 leaves at the same times as I posted above for July 1.

From Cee on Sunday 30/06 the bus leaves for Santiago at 12:05,17:05, 19:05; on Tuesday July 2 ie 02/07 the bus leaves at the same time as posted above for July 1.

When in Santiago check all these times either at the Galicia Tourist office as mentioned above or at the Santiago bus station.

Using the Monbus timetable is quite easy; you can do it! Type the place you are leaving from in DESDE. Type the place you are going to in A. Both these slots have alphabetical lists in place of all towns served as you type it will appear. Click the IDA circle for one way or the IDA y VUELTA circle for round trip. Enter the date from the calendar in the slot marked IDA. Hit BUSCAR to search. Bingo the relevant info will appear!

Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[DragonLily]

Once again many thanks Margaret!

I think I have worked out a plan from Muxia to Bordeaux.

Your expertise is invaluable for those of us on the Forum.

Cheers,

Lily

 

[Priscillian]

Here's a completely different possibility! Consider Muxia to Cee, then Cee to Ferrol (via Coruña on Vazquez). From Ferrol you could get the train which follows the coastline to Oviedo. I believe from Oviedo you can train it to Irun. After that I am sure the connections would be easily found to Bordeaux. Just a thought if you wanted to try the "North Route".
And don´t worry too much about the details ... that's half the fun!

 

[DragonLily]

Here is another route that I am considering and I would like your comments and advice:

Muxia to Porto to Bordeaux

I don't think I can get to Porto from Muxia by bus by 12:00 for a flight on RyanAir at 13:20.

So maybe Muxia to Santiago , overnight, then Santiago to Porto and then fly to Bordeaux?

Or even Muxia to Porto, overnight, then fly to Bordeaux?

Thanks for your help!

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Last year I caught an ALSA bus overnight from Santiago to Irun- I never got much sleep though! Then I caught the little local train to Hendaye Station and got an SNCF train to Bordeaux.
Margaret

 

[DragonLily]

Last year I caught an ALSA bus overnight from Santiago to Irun- I never got much sleep though! Then I caught the little local train to Hendaye Station and got an SNCF train to Bordeaux.
Margaret

This was my original idea to take the overnight to Irun and sleep. What kept you up Margaret?

Lily

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I just found it hard to go to sleep sitting up in an aisle bus seat. All around me were Spanish people soundly sleeping and I was wide awake- until about 4am when I finally dropped off for a couple of hours until we reached Irun about 7am!
Margaret