How do I get to St Jean?

[CriostoirMacAodha]

Hi Everyone.

I hope I am not about to ask a question that has been asked to death. I will admit I only did a quick search of this forum for it. This is really for the Irish I guess.

How does one get to St Jean? If I book a flight Belfast to Paris now, it is only £50. Which is incredible. I know it will cost more when I go back to it. But is this the best place to fly too? How do I then get to St Jean? There doesn't appear to be a direct train, from my checking the SNCF website.

So, everyone will have there own opinion, but where is best to fly to from Ireland, and how do you get on to St Jean?

Any advice is welcome.

Go raibh maith agat, do chara trid Criost.

Is Mise

Críostóir MacAodha

 

[BlackDog]

As someone who is currently planning London to Saint Jean for September, it would appear that the easiest is fly from Paris to Biarritz Parme airport and take a bus/train to Bayonne station and a train to St Jean.

Getting back from Santiago is then the next issue :!:

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Biarritz is more convenient than Paris.

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Hi Chríostóir,

Do you really have to go in March?
Have you thought that there may still be a lot of snow on the Pyrenees. |I'm not sure about that others will tell you.

The fare from Paris to Bayonne and on to St, Jean will most probably be as much again as the fare to Paris.

If you could hold your horses until April you could get a Ryanair flight to Biarritz on Wednedsay 4th April from Dublin for €44.99 ( euro not pounds sterling) at 12.25.

If you cannot make it from your home to Dublin airport on the day you would be most welcome to stay here in Skerries, (on the railway from Belfast to Dublin) the night before and I will drive you to the airport in time for your flight.

From Biarritz airport you take a bus to Bayonne where you get a train to St. Jean Pied du Port

 

[Anniesantiago]

From Paris, I took a wonderful fast train to Bayonne, and then a local train to SJPP the next morning. I know it's possible to make the connections in one day also.

 

[dazzamac]

Hi Chríostóir,

I echo Lydia's advice. The last time I flew from Dublin to Biarritz with Ryanair and got the train out to St Jean the next day. I decided that I'd like to see a little of the Biarritz/Anglet/Bayonne region before starting the Camino but with an afternoon (flight) arrival and a late train, it's possible to make it to St Jean from Dublin within the day. From what I remember, the train fare was under €10 and the flight was about €100 all-in but that was at the end of August.

In terms of convenience, it's possibly the easiest way and you'll no doubt meet fellow Pilgrims on the flight or at the airport. An added bonus (should you choose to see it that way) of flying with Ryanair is that your pack will definitely have to weigh less than 10kgs as cabin baggage. This should encourage you to pack light and small, giving you less to carry along the Camino itself.

That said, I have the advantage of local bus route that serves Dublin airport, making getting to and away from it that much easier.

 

[sillydoll]

From my book - How to get Home.
Airlines that fly from Santiago’s Lavacolla airport

Aer Lingus Dublin [seasonal]


I did a search using 3rd May as a date:

From Santiago de Compostela to Dublin
Fare 15.99
Taxes and Charges 20.00
Flight Total 35.99

Total Price: EUR 35.99

 

[CriostoirMacAodha]

Well, it seem's March is just not going to be realistic. I simply can not afford it. I am budgeted for everything, and was stupid enough to forget budgetting for getting there, which I thought would be the easy part.

If I go on the 4th of April, as suggested, it will cost me £60 to get there from Ireland. However I can not guarantee I can go in April and so I am unable to book in advance. I really do not know what to do now.

Lydia, your offer is beyond generous, and I thank you most graciously for it

Go raibh maith agat, do chara trid Criost.

Is Mise

Críostóir MacAodha

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Chríostóir,

Your welcome or as they say in Spanish ' De nada'.

I know I would definitely be at home April 4th. Can't guarantee other dates. But keep in touch and some day you will get going on the Camino de Santiago.

God bless and keep you,

Lydia

 

[geordie63]

Hi Chriostoir,

If it's any help last week I booked a flight from Dublin to Biarritz for Monday 26th March & it cost less than €30 inc all taxes (or €45 with a checked in bag) one way arriving in Biarritz approximately 3.30pm.

From there, as mentioned by previous posters you can take a bus from the airport to Bayonne train station (approx €1) & then a train to St. Jean (approx €10) but this means not getting there until shortly after 7.30pm if all connections are on time.

There is also a kind of taxi service that takes passengers directly from Biarritz airport to St. Jean, a journey time of about an hour. Price depends on the number of passengers. For a person travelling alone it would be over €65 but if say there were 4 passengers then the fare would be approx €17 or for 5 passengers approx €15. I think this is the option myself & my travelling companions will take. Their website is http://www.expressbourricot.com.

Hope this helps & I wish you well on your travels.

Dave

 

[Mournes]

Criostoir
A flight from London Stansted on 6 March to Biarritz
with Ryanir is 12.99 sterling.Easyjet fly Belfast to Stansted.I am sure
you can get a cheap flight with them.
Alternatively London Stansted Ryanair 3/03
Biarritz at 2pm for 27.99.I walked the Frances
in 2006 St Jean to Santiago.I flew to Biarritz and then
train Bayonne to St Jean.Arrived St Jean about 10pm
and the acceuil des pèlerins at St Jean provided us
with accomodation at that late hour.
Bonne chemin.

 

[Mournes]

PS
First flights out Belfast/Stansted on 3rd and 6 March 18.99 sterling.

 

[Sojourner47]

Criostoir
A flight from London Stansted on 6 March to Biarritz
with Ryanir is 12.99 sterling.Easyjet fly Belfast to Stansted.I am sure
you can get a cheap flight with them.
Alternatively London Stansted Ryanair 3/03
Biarritz at 2pm for 27.99.I walked the Frances
in 2006 St Jean to Santiago.I flew to Biarritz and then
train Bayonne to St Jean.Arrived St Jean about 10pm
and the acceuil des pèlerins at St Jean provided us
with accomodation at that late hour.
Bonne chemin.

Today's prices (9 Jan):
Stansted - Biarritz March 3rd: £31-79 plus £6 booking fee
ditto March 6th: £18-39 plus £6

 

[mik209]

How do I get to St Jean from SFO and back?

I want to leave from San Francisco airport on the night of 3/3/12... can anyone help me with flight plans to St. Jean Pier de Port and from Santiago on 3/29/2012. I'm not very versed in making flight planes. Do i try to use expedia/travelocity with multiple flight option or pay separate flights incorporating Ryanair. Help me I' lost. AND is there anyone else flying from SFO around that time, would love to hook up and compare notes.

 

[jpflavin1]

Mik209:

I would fly Delta from SFO to Barcelona $722 (3/3/12). Then train from Barcelona to Pamplona. Then taxi, bus, or Express Buricott (sp.) to SJPdP. From Santiago 3/28 to Barcelona Ryan air 26Euros, Vueling 26-49 Euro's, Span air $60Euro's. All can be found through Kayak with the exception of Ryan air.

You might want to consider starting in Pamplona since you will only have about 24 days to walk. If you choose that option it will cut three days off your Camino. Many people start here.

Hope this helps. If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to PM me.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[tpmchugh]

My son started this thread so maybe some would like an update. He flew out of Belfast for Gatwick early yesterday morning (got me up at 4am on my birthday) then on to Toulouse early this morning. Unfortunately there was some industrial action on the trains today so his was cancelled. They gave him an alternative to Bordeaux then south again to Bayonne. Guess what, train delayed at Agen so he missed his connection so sitting in Bordeaux waiting for 9pm express to Bayonne arriving 10.40 tonight. Hopes to find somewhere to stay and make SJPP tomorrow morning. Murphy's law at work today, anything that could go wrong went wrong. As long as thats all and nothing else goes wrong he will make it all the way. He never lets anything beat him

 

[Brighitte]

I did what Annie did. I flew into Paris, then took a train to Bayonne and a bus to St. Jean. (Except I did it all in one day). It was stressful, but it seems like any way of getting to St. Jean is annoying! Best of luck!