Most Direct and cheapest way to St. Jean from Toronto

[MAK16]

I am planning to begin my camino 2nd week in Sept 2016. I have read many of the threads on how to get there. I would like the most direct and economically route. It seems traveling to Paris? Is it cheaper to leave on a weekend or weekday. Do the trains/buses once in France run every day? Really appreciate advice and guidance. I am told to book as soon as possible flights, train and hotels/albergues in St. Jean and Orisson.

 

[Tincatinker]

Hi @MAK16 , welcome to the Forum. Cheap flights are one of the 21st centuries great myths. Prices start at cost plus profit and rise. So yes, book early but not so early that life may sneak a curve ball on you. Avoid public holidays at either end of your flight and decide what you can afford and how much inconvenience of flight time and layover you are prepared to endure. Paris is easy to get to from Toronto, Bayonne is an easy train ride from Paris, StJdP is an easy train (sometimes bus) from Bayonne. Flight landing times will dictate whether you spend a night in Paris / Bayonne / StJdP.
A night at Orisson is not compulsory. Many walk the the Napoleon route in one day; some walk the Valcarlos route and don't suffer all that angst. Try searching Orisson on this forum to see what I mean.

 

[MAK16]

Hi @MAK16 , welcome to the Forum. Cheap flights are one of the 21st centuries great myths. Prices start at cost plus profit and rise. So yes, book early but not so early that life may sneak a curve ball on you. Avoid public holidays at either end of your flight and decide what you can afford and how much inconvenience of flight time and layover you are prepared to endure. Paris is easy to get to from Toronto, Bayonne is an easy train ride from Paris, StJdP is an easy train (sometimes bus) from Bayonne. Flight landing times will dictate whether you spend a night in Paris / Bayonne / StJdP.
A night at Orisson is not compulsory. Many walk the the Napoleon route in one day; some walk the Valcarlos route and don't suffer all that angst. Try searching Orisson on this forum to see what I mean.

Hi @Tincatinker ,
thank you for the reply. Not retired as yet so the time I am taking off is not unlimited nor is budget. I came back from my trip to Peru in October and to reduce costs on the trip the group I booked with had a stop to and from Peru. It took over 24 hours to get home. Yes it saved on cost but I don't want to spend 8 hours in a layover again. So I will pay extra for a direct flight. Do the trains run daily?

will check out comments on Orisson.

 

[Castilian]

Hello! Welcome to the forum! I wish you a pleasant a fruitful stay on the forum.

Do the trains run daily?

Yes, they do. BTW, if you arrive to CDG airport and you want to avoid changing stations in downtown Paris, you could take a train from the airport to Bordeaux and change in Bordeaux to another one to Bayonne. And in Bayonne to another one to SJPP. But whether this option works for you (or not) will depend on your travel day and on your arrival time to Paris.

 

[MAK16]

I looked on Captain Train (got that through another thread here) and there is a train to Bordeaux - St. Jean. Is that already in St. Jean? Where we start the camino? What is SJPP? When I put CDG to Bayonne as the end destination the trip went from CDG -> Bordeaux St. Jean -> Bayonne. So it seemed that it was taking me away from St. Jean. Kind of confused by this.

 

[mspath]

Bordeaux- St Jean is the name of the main rr station in Bordeaux.

SJPP or SJPdP is Saint Jean Pied de Port, France, from which many pilgrims begin the Camino Frances.

Bayonne is the location of the station from which you take the local train to SJPdP.

Thus by rail from CDG you travel to Bordeaux - St Jean, then to Bayonne and finally to SJPdP.

Bon voyage and Buen camino!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Air Transat, direct flight TO to Madrid. Then bus to Pamplona. You can start there or taxi back to SJPP or work with Corazon Puro. For some reason I have always flown for 850$ or so and playing with the system at this time with September dates it gives me 1100$. But Leaving on Victoria day it gives me 766$ which is much better (it's what I paid today for a MTL to Calgary flight on Westjet in April! - What is wrong with that picture?!).

Try Airtransat to Paris, then adding 120$ or so for train, or price a budget flight to Biarritz. You gain a day if starting in SJPP, because via Pamplona ypu have to spend the night there, make it over the mountain, spend the day in SJPP, or make it a short day to Orisson... I get over jet lag just fine sleeping on the train during 1 day, not need to lose an other one. And I like making it fro SJPP in one leg, but for some it's too much, hence the Orisson option.

But Airtransat is your friend. Mind you, from MTL I have to fly back to TO or to Frankfurt, then ..... On Air Canada, so ot's not about to happen.

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Hi Mak16
I'm also traveling at that time in September and I will be flying Toronto Paris and then the train in the way mentioned above by mspath.
Buen Camino
Chris

 

[MAK16]

Many thanks folks. I had found the air transat flight to Paris and that is the best option from Toronto. Checked the trains but you can't book the train until 3 months before. That is a far as you can book it. also looking at flights to Biaritz. Do you take a bus or train or cab to Biarritz?

 

[MAK16]

Sorry meant to say from Biarritz to SJPP

 

[Christian Hiriart]

I'm planning to take the train. For no other reason that I like trains and I don't get to ride them that often... I'm also planning to stay a day in St. Jean to Acclimatize with time differences and take in a little of the town which I think is quite interesting.

Buen Camino

 

[IngridF]

MAK. .. if you live in the GTA or surrounding area please take the time to attend the Toronto 's Camino information session in late Feb. Agenda and date soon to be posted.
As a club we also do one on one coffee chats with veteran pilgrim...myself being one. I live in Markham..
Feel free to get in touch.
The club also has a fb page Toronto Camino Pilgrims...check us out.
As a club we also walk together each Friday, 15 to 20 kms...great training and shorter walks twice more during the week.
Toronto Paris (or Biarritz if y get a good rate)...then train to Bayonne (depending when y arrive in Paris...during the day or overnight)..then train to SJPDP . or many of the other variants. If y arrive in Biarritz, there is a local bus outside the airport to Bayonne...1 Euro......or arrange taxi share directly to SJPDP.

A lesser known route is Toronto -Pamplona via air...yes it is possible...tight connection..but possible and then the usually bus to starting point.

Buen Camino

 

[t2andreo]

If you land in Paris at CDG, take the "Le Cars Air France" line 4, from the sign outside baggage claim / customs at the CDG terminal to Gare Montparnasse. You get the TGV there. The ride is about 30 minutes and costs Euro 17.50 one way. The coach has huge luggage bays underneath.

Just FYI, I usually check my rucksack onto the flight over, in a lightweight, nylon laundry bag. Once I arrive, I keep the "cover" on until I arrive at the train station. It keeps my rucksack clean and makes it more difficult for prying eyes and hands to get at what is inside. After removing it, the laundry bag can serve as a rucksack liner, or laundry sack along the way...yes, it weighs nearly nothing...LOL.

Check the transport out here: http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/en/passengers/access/paris-charles-de-gaulle/public-transport

Or here: http://en.lescarsairfrance.com/

I hope this helps.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

If you land in Paris at CDG, take the "Le Cars Air France" line 4, from the sign outside baggage claim / customs at the CDG terminal to Gare Montparnasse. You get the TGV there .

You can take the TGV right at the Charles de Gaulle airport, in Terminal 2.

 

[t2andreo]

You can take the TGV right at the Charles de Gaulle airport, in Terminal 2.

But, does that direct train go directly to Bordeaux, requiring a change for Bayonne there?

For me, I depended on two things: the connection times from the arrival terminal (usually T-1 for me) and the train station; and the train schedule for arriving at Bayonne, so I could make the connection to the TER #62 to St. Jean Pied de Port.

I always found taking the Les Cars Air France to Montparnasse less stressful than making the connection to the TGV at CDG. The CDG train station is not as convenient as it first appears, at least IMHO.

 

[Penny Kingma]

I'm travelling from Toronto to Paris, flights booked. I'm not able to book the train yet as they say it's too early. I'm a little worried about language barriers. I speak neither French or Spanish, will I find my way. I have a Spanish book due to arrive...but nervous.

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Congrats on having your flights book, that is when the Camino trip becomes real. I would not worry too much about language barriers even though sometimes they could be a challenge, France and Spain are countries with a very large tourist industry, there will be most time someone that speaks English to offer directions.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I'm travelling from Toronto to Paris, flights booked. I'm not able to book the train yet as they say it's too early. I'm a little worried about language barriers. I speak neither French or Spanish, will I find my way. I have a Spanish book due to arrive...but nervous.

There are websites in English you can use to book your TVG ticket. No need to book for Bayonne to SJPP.