Ideal way to get to Oviedo - Camino Primitivo.

[C.Scicluna]

Hola!
Hope the travellers are back on track.
I am finding it tricky to find a convenient way to travel from Malta to Oviedo in August. Is there a suggested train/bus company from any major Spanish city that takes you to Oviedo, please?
Gracias!
P.S. Sorted now, thanks!

 

[Tincatinker]

Renfe - Mi Más Renfe

PAGINAS OFICIALES DE RENFE, HORARIOS, RESERVA, VENTA, BILLETES, ALQUILER

venta.renfe.com

 

[C.Scicluna]

Renfe - Mi Más Renfe

PAGINAS OFICIALES DE RENFE, HORARIOS, RESERVA, VENTA, BILLETES, ALQUILER

venta.renfe.com

I was actually on this site haha. Thanks

 

[Pilgrim_95]

There are several options... The closest airport to Oviedo is Asturias (its a 40 minutes bus journey straight from the airport). Other option might be Santander and from there you can take a FlixBus. I recommend Rome2Rio to find buses and trains. You can then easily google the bus Company (in Spain it's mostly Alsa or FlixBus). There is also a bus connection by Alsa from Madrid, yet it's not directly from the airport.

I checked Kiwi and there are some reasonable flights for around 60 quid. Link to my flight search.

 

[C.Scicluna]

There are several options... The closest airport to Oviedo is Asturias (its a 40 minutes bus journey straight from the airport). Other option might be Santander and from there you can take a FlixBus. I recommend Rome2Rio to find buses and trains. You can then easily google the bus Company (in Spain it's mostly Alsa or FlixBus). There is also a bus connection by Alsa from Madrid, yet it's not directly from the airport.

I checked Kiwi and there are some reasonable flights for around 60 quid. Link to my flight search.

Thanks a lot for all the info! I was searching for something without wasting time at airports... managed to find a flight to Madrid and then travel by train.

 

[trecile]

There are several options... The closest airport to Oviedo is Asturias (its a 40 minutes bus journey straight from the airport). Other option might be Santander and from there you can take a FlixBus. I recommend Rome2Rio to find buses and trains. You can then easily google the bus Company (in Spain it's mostly Alsa or FlixBus). There is also a bus connection by Alsa from Madrid, yet it's not directly from the airport.

I checked Kiwi and there are some reasonable flights for around 60 quid. Link to my flight search.

Please don't use a third party, especially Kiwi to book tickets. As many have found out recently, adding a middleman makes it much more difficult to obtain a refund in case flights are canceled.
Always book directly with the airline. I use Google Flights to find and compare flights.
Flights.Google.com

 

[Pilgrim_95]

Please don't use a third party, especially Kiwi to book tickets. As many have found out recently, adding a middleman makes it much more difficult to obtain a refund in case flights are canceled.
Always book directly with the airline. I use Google Flights to find and compare flights.
Flights.Google.com

I agree that buying directly from the airline is safest. Yet, in case of Kiwi they always give you the option to obtain the information for your ticket and deal with the airline directly in case of trouble. Also, some of these providers offer guarantee on trips that use flight tickets from several airlines. Its not that black and white...

 

[ezbeer]

Hello,
The ideal way to get to Oviedo is by foot from Leon (Camino Del Salvador) only 5 days.
Buen Camino

 

[Dsavid Keyte]

Hello,
The ideal way to get to Oviedo is by foot from Leon (Camino Del Salvador) only 5 days.
Buen Camino

That is a hard walk, did it myself a few years ago

 

[Davidmm]

That is a hard walk, did it myself a few years ago

Then the bus from Leon to Oviedo is a great option.

 

[C.Scicluna]

Please don't use a third party, especially Kiwi to book tickets. As many have found out recently, adding a middleman makes it much more difficult to obtain a refund in case flights are canceled.
Always book directly with the airline. I use Google Flights to find and compare flights.
Flights.Google.com

Yeah I had one experience with eDreams (as for some reason it was cheaper through them), and it wasn't much of a dream haha! Definitely safer and better to book directly, thanks!

 

[C.Scicluna]

Hello,
The ideal way to get to Oviedo is by foot from Leon (Camino Del Salvador) only 5 days.
Buen Camino

Sounds good, but I won't have much time. For next time I'll keep in in mind, thanks

 

[C.Scicluna]

Then the bus from Leon to Oviedo is a great option.

Thanks! sorted now

 

[trecile]

Hello,
The ideal way to get to Oviedo is by foot from Leon (Camino Del Salvador) only 5 days.
Buen Camino

Did it last year. A beautiful walk!

 

[Terry Callery]

From Madrid's Chamartin's train station there are high speed (220 km/hr!) electric trains that go to Oviedo via Leon. It takes 5 hours and there are 3 trains each day. (used to be 5 times a day before Covid when I went) Assigned seats and very clean, on time and pleasurable. Get schedule at Rome2Rio.Com

The COOLEST thing about the trip is the view out the window during the last hour of the trip when you are going over/through tunnels the Cantabrian Mountains - snow capped in February when I went to do the Primitivo. It's like a train going through the Alps! It slows down considerably when it hits the Cantabrian Mountains!

I stayed in Hotel Vestusa in Oviedo which was just a 5 minute walk from the train station-- 45 Euros private room. Just 4-5 blocks from Oviedo Cathedral.

 

[Helen O'Shaughnessy]

Thanks a lot for all the info! I was searching for something without wasting time at airports... managed to find a flight to Madrid and then travel by train.

Hi ! I took that route last year. The train journey from Madrid was amazing. The first two hours routine and fast.....but the last hours, slow but spectacular ! Amazing scenery and engineering!

 

[J.Patrick]

As C.Scicluna is sorted, and I wish C. the best, I can't help but to respond to the title. Perhaps the ideal way to get to Oviedo is by foot, starting in Hendaya, France, by crossing the Bidasoa River on the Puente Internacional de Santiago? It's a gift to one's self, if one can manage the mountainous north, to walk those
weeks on the coast.

 

[Canche]

Thanks a lot for all the info! I was searching for something without wasting time at airports... managed to find a flight to Madrid and then travel by train.

I like the trains. They go directly where you want to go with no airport type hassle

 

[Canche]

Hello,
The ideal way to get to Oviedo is by foot from Leon (Camino Del Salvador) only 5 days.
Buen Camino

I’ve been planning the San Salvador for quite awhile and now have to postpone it a second time but it is a great way to get to Oviedo

 

[C.Scicluna]

Hey guys appreciate all the comments, gracias! I look forward to starting this week!
Whoever did the Primitivo, are there enough signs on the way, in order not to use a map/google maps?
If not do you know if there is a physical Camino Map for the right track/path please?

 

[Terry Callery]

I took screen shots of the online Primitivo maps for each stage. This way I did not need to be connected to the internet on my ipad mini to reference a map. The route is well mapped enough to travel without a guide book.
Be advised that this is a very difficult route due to the extreme changes in elevation. I quit it half way through and took the train from Lugo to Ferrol to the Ingles Route instead.

 

[MikeJS]

The primitivo is extremely well marked.

 

[C.Scicluna]

Good idea thanks! I'll do that too, currently marking few stages on google maps to know I'm on a close path haha. I bet it is!

I took screen shots of the online Primitivo maps for each stage. This way I did not need to be connected to the internet on my ipad mini to reference a map. The route is well mapped enough to travel without a guide book.
Be advised that this is a very difficult route due to the extreme changes in elevation. I quit it half way through and took the train from Lugo to Ferrol to the Ingles Route instead.

 

[Terry Callery]

When I did the Primitivo it was before Covid - still I am an older guy and prefer private accommodations so I can get a good night's sleep. Now with the virus, I would be even more reluctant to stay in a crowded albergue.
I can recommend these places on the Primitivo to secure a private room.

Oviedo - Hotel Vestusa 16 rooms 45 Euros small but nice
Grado - Hotel Restaurante Auto-Bar 39 rooms 20 Euros good food- tired rooms
Salas - Hotel Soto 10 rooms 20 Euros right on Camino nice old building
Tineo - Hotel Palacio de Meras 29 rooms 45 Euros very swanky- gourmet food
Pola de Allende - Hotel La Nueva Allandesa 39 rooms 25 Euros old world feel -excellent authentic food
Grandas de Salime - Hotel La Barra 11 rooms 40 euros Modern- good restaurant block away
A Fonsagrada - Albergue - Pension Cantabrico 14 rooms 30 Euros Modern clean - Pulperia Caldeira absolutely fantastic octopus restaurant that gets bagpipers in bar on Sundays.