Safe to walk in Ponferrada at night?

[Klara_Camino]

Hello dear Pilgrims,

Would it be safe to walk in Ponferrada from the train station to the hotel alone (and as a woman) for about 20 minutes at around 9:30 PM? And how safe is Ponferrada at night in general?

The trip should take place this week, in case the time of the year is important for such a question.
Thank you!

 

[Juspassinthru]

I don’t know where you’re walking to but leaving the station there’s one sketchy tunnel to the left as you leave the station, if you go right towards the Hotel Temple Ponferrada you avoid that, if you’re headed towards the Castillo it’s a bit further but on well traveled main streets. If it’s a concern, take a taxi and put your mind at ease.

 

[K Turner]

I'd probably arrange a taxi. I'm in Ponferrada right now actually. I took a taxi today and the driver, Luis, was really nice and enjoyed pointing out interesting things we went by. If you don't have a taxi contact, his number is 34 671 70 80 70.

Buen Camino!

 

[Klara_Camino]

I'd probably arrange a taxi. I'm in Ponferrada right now actually. I took a taxi today and the driver, Luis, was really nice and enjoyed pointing out interesting things we went by. If you don't have a taxi contact, his number is 34 671 70 80 70.

Buen Camino!

Thanks!
Just to understand, are taxis not easily to be found just outside the station?

 

[Klara_Camino]

I don’t know where you’re walking to but leaving the station there’s one sketchy tunnel to the left as you leave the station, if you go right towards the Hotel Temple Ponferrada you avoid that, if you’re headed towards the Castillo it’s a bit further but on well traveled main streets. If it’s a concern, take a taxi and put your mind at ease.

Thanks!

 

[Juspassinthru]

Thanks!

Mucho gusto

 

[C clearly]

I would not be afraid to walk in Ponferrada, and I am 71. I have never heard anything about Ponferrada being dangerous! At 9:30 pm, I would expect to see families still be out and about.

 

[nycwalking]

Ponferrada is just fine.

I’ve walked all over the city night and day, you’ll be okay.

Buen camino.

 

[peregrina2000]

Totally agree with C clearly and nycwalking. 9:30 is still before dinner in Spain, there will be many many people out and about, at least if it isn’t raining or snowing. If you want to take a cab for the ease of it, you will find many parked right outside the station. But if safety is your concern, this is a centrally located place, well connected to the rest of town, so I wouldn’t give it a second thought. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[LTfit]

I've been in Ponferrada many times, most recently for 2 weeks as a hospitalera in January. I always felt safe there and as Laurie has said 9.30 is for most before dinner time! It is a short walk into town.

 

[DebR]

Hello dear Pilgrims,

Would it be safe to walk in Ponferrada from the train station to the hotel alone (and as a woman) for about 20 minutes at around 9:30 PM? And how safe is Ponferrada at night in general?

The trip should take place this week, in case the time of the year is important for such a question.
Thank you!

I like Ponferrada and have stayed there several times as a single female; never once feeling unsafe. I did have a delicious garlic shrimp dinner on the square once, with muy vino Tinto, and walking back to my bed in the company of several happy peregrinos was perfectly fine...

 

[David Tallan]

I would not be afraid to walk in Ponferrada, and I am 71. I have never heard anything about Ponferrada being dangerous! At 9:30 pm, I would expect to see families still be out and about.

I can't speak to the relative safety and danger in Ponferrada as a solo woman traveler. I can speak to what C clearly is referring to above in terms of families still out and about. It is one of the ways that Spanish culture differs greatly from the culture her in Canada where I am living. Public spaces are family spaces well into the night in Spain. I've seen kids running around and playing in the plazas after 11 pm, long after what would be the bedtime for similarly aged kids here. It might have something to do with the fact that at 9:30 pm (after our kids' bedtime at that age) Spanish families are just starting to think about supper.

How you want to translate that kind of culture of family use of public spaces into your own personal safety assessments I leave to you and your lived experience as a solo woman traveller, experience I don't share.

 

[lt56ny]

I have no idea where the train station is located or where you will be sleeping. I would say take a cab. It is night time and it can be easy getting lost. Use that time walking from the train to walking around and finding a nice place to sit outside and eat or have a glass of wine near your hotel after you check in.

 

[K Turner]

Honestly I have no idea about taxi availability at that time of night. I just left Ponferrada yesterday via train. Honestly I may err on the side of caution simply because of the career fields of my household, which leave us skeptical. All I can say is to trust your judgment. If you opt to walk alone, be aware of your surroundings, as always, regardless of where you are. If there's a taxi waiting, that's great (side note that at 1600 there were no taxis waiting at this small station). If not, you have the number of a taxi company, should you feel more comfortable.

I wish you safe travels and a buen camino!

 

[Mycroft]

Wondering if any of this has changed in the last 3 years.
I'll be arriving at the Ponferrada rail station about 7 pm in a couple of weeks. Never been there. Since I will have been sitting pretty much for the previous 2 days, I'm hoping to walk to the albergue, which I think will take me 20-30 minutes. I saw on the map the pedestrian tunnel Juspassinthrough mentioned. Presuming families are still out walking that time of night and the relative safety is still there. Any updates?

 

[trecile]

Wondering if any of this has changed in the last 3 years.
I'll be arriving at the Ponferrada rail station about 7 pm in a couple of weeks. Never been there. Since I will have been sitting pretty much for the previous 2 days, I'm hoping to walk to the albergue, which I think will take me 20-30 minutes. I saw on the map the pedestrian tunnel Juspassinthrough mentioned. Presuming families are still out walking that time of night and the relative safety is still there. Any updates?

Sunset will be around 9 pm in a couple of weeks. I don't think that you have anything to worry about at 7 pm.

Sunrise and sunset times in Ponferrada, September 2024

Calculations of sunrise and sunset in Ponferrada – León – Spain for September 2024. Generic astronomy calculator to calculate times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset for many cities, with daylight saving time and time zones taken in account.

www.timeanddate.com

 

[C clearly]

I would still do the walk, and I'm 74 now!

 

[Mycroft]

I would still do the walk, and I'm 74 now!

 

[Mycroft]

Sunset will be around 9 pm in a couple of weeks. I don't think that you have anything to worry about at 7 pm.

Sunrise and sunset times in Ponferrada, September 2024

Calculations of sunrise and sunset in Ponferrada – León – Spain for September 2024. Generic astronomy calculator to calculate times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset for many cities, with daylight saving time and time zones taken in account.

www.timeanddate.com

Hooray. I am going by my sunset in the desert SW USA, so am happy to be incorrect in this case!
Many thanks.

 

[trecile]

Hooray. I am going by my sunset in the desert SW USA, so am happy to be incorrect in this case!
Many thanks.

Remember that Spain is in the wrong time zone for its longitude. It should be in the same time zone as the UK and Portugal, but it's in the sane time zone as Germany. That's one reason why it stays light so late and sunrise is also late.

 

[mspath]

Remember that Spain is in the wrong time zone for its longitude. It should be in the same time zone as the UK and Portugal, but it's in the sane time zone as Germany. That's one reason why it stays light so late and sunrise is also late.

For more on the political reason why this difference exists see this 2016 article from The Washington Post.

 

[peregrina2000]

For more on the political reason why this difference exists see this 2016 article from The Washington Post.

The funny thing is that they have been predicting a change for years and years, yet nothing happens. Sort of like how people predicted twenty years ago that closing shops from 2-4 or 5 every afternoon would soon be a thing of the past!