Taxi? Can they find us in the middle of nowhere?

[dfortuna58]

Wondering if you are stuck, without a bed, in the middle of the Camino, in a very small town...can we expect to get a taxi to another location where beds might be available?

 

[Simperegrina]

Wondering if you are stuck, without a bed, in the middle of the Camino, in a very small town...can we expect to get a taxi to another location where beds might be available?

You’re not going to be in the middle of nowhere. You’re going to be in Spain, and the Camino Frances isn’t a wilderness trail like the Appalachian. If all else fails, suggest going to a bar and asking very nicely if someone can help you call for a taxi.

 

[dfortuna58]

You’re not going to be in the middle of nowhere. You’re going to be in Spain, and the Camino Frances isn’t a wilderness trail like the Appalachian. If all else fails, suggest going to a bar and asking very nicely if someone can help you call for a taxi.

I can only go by Google Maps...to my eyes...Zubiri looks like in the middle of nowhere.

 

[jungleboy]

There are often taxi signs with phone numbers posted on the trail or in villages, so it’s a good idea to take note of these if you think you might need a cab later that day. While there won’t be a taxi rank in these villages where you can just hop in a cab, you can call and they will come to you as soon as they can, as long as you have a little patience.

 

[Simperegrina]

I can only go by Google Maps...to my eyes...Zubiri looks like in the middle of nowhere.

As you’re seeing, Zubiri is surrounded by forests, hills and mountains. You descend from Roncesvalles to Zubiri on the Camino. But although its a small town, there are local taxi drivers nearby (numbers available via internet search, bars in Zubiri etc), and in fact the NR135 (a national highway) runs by it to Pamplona

 

[Tincatinker]

In my experience if you have cash a taxi driver can find you anywhere. That said local bars are the best resource for taxis, possibly a bed that isn’t on Berking.con and even a drink while you’re waiting for the taxi

 

[CWBuff]

I can only go by Google Maps...to my eyes...Zubiri looks like in the middle of nowhere.

You do know that every one of the Camino villages, towns, cities, hamlets, etc. ARE connected by drivable roads?
You are not in Sahara or Gobi. You're not even on Inca Trail or AT. At very worst you are moving through some paths in the fields and or through a bit of forested land. I don't think you are ever more than 5 miles from some inhabited place... well maybe the much talked about 17km after Carrion des Condes...
If need be download one of the Camino apps: WisePilgrim, Buen Camino or Camino Ninja to name a few. That'll give you an idea where you are on the scheme-of-things- Camino, not merely your current location on Google maps.
Do not panic and do not get discouraged. It's a lot easier than it seems.
Buen Camino

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@dfortuna58 , you have some excellent advice above, the bar suggestion is the most commonly used.

I presume if you don't use it already you will be downloading WhatsApp (it's so frequently used by accommodation let alone fellow pilgrims in Spain).

This has a 'share my location' function which you can send to anybody that is also on WhatsApp on a temporary basis. I have used this function, it led the driver directly to me. You could say I was in the middle of nowhere, I was 11 km from town at the time. A quick Google or YouTube search will show you how, it's very easy.

Edited to add: other than a few pleasantries I do not yet speak Spanish. I communicated solely by sending translated messages on WhatsApp, it worked very well.

 

[basquelady]

You do know that every one of the Camino villages, towns, cities, hamlets, etc. ARE connected by drivable roads?
You are not in Sahara or Gobi. You're not even on Inca Trail or AT. At very worst you are moving through some paths in the fields and or through a bit of forested land. I don't think you are ever more than 5 miles from some inhabited place... well maybe the much talked about 17km after Carrion des Condes...
If need be download one of the Camino apps: WisePilgrim, Buen Camino or Camino Ninja to name a few. That'll give you an idea where you are on the scheme-of-things- Camino, not merely your current location on Google maps.
Do not panic and do not get discouraged. It's a lot easier than it seems.
Buen Camino

On our first camino in 2013, I felt that we were mainly walking far away from main roads. On arrival in Villamayor de Monjardin, we got the key to the "castle" and then walked up the hill behind the village. It was a revelation, seeing the land spread out before us, as in an aeroplane. The nearby roads, including motorways, were revealed! So not as remote as we had felt!

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

Each of our four CFs began in September. There were crushing numbers of pilgrims hiking from Roncesvalles. We spoke with one pilgrim that started the day in Roncesvalles and he intended to stay in Zubiri, but not a single bed was available. He decided to check "the next town" and no beds were available. He ended up hiking all the way to Pamplona to get a bed. The lack of beds can continue for days. I recall one CF that pilgrims arriving at 1 pm in Hornillos del camino, but the entire town was "completo". Many pilgrims divided into small groups and ordered taxis they could ride together (and share costs) to other towns. Our last 3 CFs, we've made advance room reservations every night and never had problems. Bob

 

[El Cascayal]

This has a 'share my location' function which you can send to anybody that is also on WhatsApp on a temporary basis. I have used this function, it led the driver directly to me.

Thanks! Never knew this! Great to know!

 

[lt56ny]

Wondering if you are stuck, without a bed, in the middle of the Camino, in a very small town...can we expect to get a taxi to another location where beds might be available?

As others have said your best bet is walking into a bar. When I was on the VDLP I met a pilgrim who said he needed a taxi as his knee was acting up. We were on a secondary road. I googled taxis in the closest town and found one. I told the driver I would send the location in Whatsapp. Added the number to Whatsapp and sent the message that this was the person who just called and dropped our location. The driver said it would be about 20 minutes. My new friend told me to keep walking and I gave him my number and told him to call me if the driver did not show up. I also told him to download Alertcops if all else failed and to call them. Got a text from him in about 15 minutes that the taxi arrived.

 

[JohnLutz]

Wondering if you are stuck, without a bed, in the middle of the Camino, in a very small town...can we expect to get a taxi to another location where beds might be available?

I did when for part of the Camino I had to be on crutches and I had to meet my walking wife at our next stopping place for that day. I even rode in a taxi that was a Tesla! Just ask the local albergue/restaurant folks. Have a great time! I did.

 

[Kirkie]

4 Ways to Send Someone Your Location - wikiHow

Instead of texting or calling your friend when you're 10 or 5 minutes away, you can share your real-time location so they can keep an eye on your location. This wikiHow will teach you how to send someone your location using Google Maps,...

www.wikihow.com

 

[JulieandPeter]

We have had to use a taxi on a few occasions (stolen phone, no place to sleep, trail closed due to fire, etc). As mentioned above, we simply asked someone at the albergue or a bar to help us and within 10 minutes were whisked off in an air-conditioned vehicle speeding past terrain that took us hours to walk. I prefer the step-by-step mode of transportation, but sometimes a taxi is necessary.

However, on one particularly hot (very, very hot) June afternoon in Zabaldika we found ourselves sitting on a bench with a woman from France and a woman from Germany who had met earlier in the day. The two women had planned to stay in the albergue in Zabaldika, but it was closed. We were walking on to Pamplona where we had reserved a room for two nights. But it was HOT and late, and I was not looking forward to the annoying albeit very minor hill I knew was coming up.

One of the women was obviously thoroughly exhausted while the other was quite energetic and resourceful; speaking three languages and coming back with handfuls of fresh cherries given to her by group of women she came across while trying to figure out if the albergue was open. The energetic woman was determined not to leave the other woman (who had vowed not to move) behind. She was so caring, it was surprising to find out that they had just met.

In front of us was a bulletin board with a number for a taxi tacked to it. We called it (many times). Nobody answered. We probably spent at least an hour on that bench trying to find a taxi (in many different languages). The locals tried to help (they called the number on the board ), an albergue employee in Arre tried to help (he probably called the same number), but there were no taxis.

Eventually, we had to continue walking. The cherries, rest, and commiseration helped. When we arrived at the dreaded annoying hill, I thought, I'm not doing this again, I'm taking the road. That is when I noticed there are two yellow arrows going different directions. We chose the one that did not point to the hill and happily discovered the walk along the river into Pamplona; flat, shaded, an occasional bench, and a bus stop at the edge of town.

So this is my long way of saying take the river path AND no matter what, it will be okay, you might not find a taxi, but you'll make memories and friends trying to figure out what to do if you don't.

 

[truenorthpilgrm]

Part of the experience of the camino is letting go of control and seeing what happens. You have so much infrastructure on the Frances that you will never find yourself in a situation where you'll be out on the street. Those unplanned situations, or moments of uncertainty often lead to meeting new pilgrims, locals helping you out, kismet events....and strengthening one's confidence that things usually work out.

 

[trecile]

That is when I noticed there are two yellow arrows going different directions. We chose the one that did not point to the hill and happily discovered the walk along the river into Pamplona; flat, shaded, an occasional bench, and a bus stop at the edge of town.

So this is my long way of saying take the river path AND no matter what, it will be okay, you might not find a taxi, but you'll make memories and friends trying to figure out what to do if you don't.

I agree. The river path into Pamplona is much more pleasant that climbing that hill on a hot afternoon!

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Wondering if you are stuck, without a bed, in the middle of the Camino, in a very small town...can we expect to get a taxi to another location where beds might be available?

yep, all you need is a bar with a name or at least a reference (eg. church) in a village. you will also need a taxi number to call...

 

[MARSKA]

And patience. It took 4 requests to the bar owner and over 3 hrs to get a taxi from the Alto de Erro food truck into Zubiri. If I had known it would take that long I would have walked! The bar ownr kept telling me 20 minutes, 20 minutes.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Each of our four CFs began in September. There were crushing numbers of pilgrims hiking from Roncesvalles. We spoke with one pilgrim that started the day in Roncesvalles and he intended to stay in Zubiri, but not a single bed was available. He decided to check "the next town" and no beds were available. He ended up hiking all the way to Pamplona to get a bed. The lack of beds can continue for days. I recall one CF that pilgrims arriving at 1 pm in Hornillos del camino, but the entire town was "completo". Many pilgrims divided into small groups and ordered taxis they could ride together (and share costs) to other towns. Our last 3 CFs, we've made advance room reservations every night and never had problems. Bob

I did Roncesvalles to Pamplona in one hump in 2003 because of a bed shortage in Zubiri/closed refugio at Larrasoaña.
Back then catching a taxi was considered cheating so I plodded on and on and on and arrived at the outskirts of Pamplona at 9pm. Next day I staggered across the city to Cizur Menor!

Nowadays I'd catch a taxi at the drop of a credit card.

As others before have said "A Pilgrim Walked Into A Bar And Asked . . . . . " plus you get to have a beer/coffee while you wait.

 

[Kirkie]

And patience. It took 4 requests to the bar owner and over 3 hrs to get a taxi from the Alto de Erro food truck into Zubiri. If I had known it would take that long I would have walked! The bar ownr kept telling me 20 minutes, 20 minutes.

Even if the food truck had existed in 2006, our budget plan excluded such luxuries!

 

[CWBuff]

All the best budget plans are meant to be broken
(Codex Calestinus XXXSSDDQAA.WWYYTT)

 

[joeboybollo]

In my experience if you have cash a taxi driver can find you anywhere. That said local bars are the best resource for taxis, possibly a bed that isn’t on Berking.con and even a drink while you’re waiting for the taxi

Berking.con. yes!!

 

[natcire]

My first Camino in 2018 was unplanned and nothing was booked. All went very well for accommodation until I got to San Bol and the singular albergue, Arroyo de San Bol was full. The hospitalero was nice enough to call a taxi and while waiting for the taxi another pilgrim without reservation came by and we shared the taxi to Hontanas.

 

[domigee]

You are not in Sahara or Gobi. You're not even on Inca Trail or AT. At very worst you are moving through some paths in the fields and or through a bit of forested land. I don't think you are ever more than 5 miles from some inhabited place... well maybe the much talked about 17km after Carrion des Condes...

On that stretch, I was with a peregrina who became quite ill and was unable to carry on walking. I phoned the next albergue/bar and they sent us a taxi. Even that path is available to vehicles We only had to wait 15, maybe 20 min.

 

[WGroleau]

Wondering if you are stuck, without a bed, in the middle of the Camino, in a very small town...can we expect to get a taxi to another location where beds might be available?

At Oasis Trails, when we were full, we always made phone calls to other albergues and/or taxis for the pilgrims we could not host. I suspect 90% of albergues would do the same.

 

[Zoe7]

About how much would a taxi cost for a ride of about 10 km?

 

[CWBuff]

What difference does it make if one is "stuck in the middle of nowhere"?

Seriously IIRC in 2022 it was about 1.00-1.50 Euro/km.

P.S. to give an example of a 'situation being in the middle of nowhere'. My wife and I just returned from TMB and unfortunately had to cut it short due to her very minor injury but injury none-the-less which pretty much put a kebosh on any hiking (never mind up and down appr. 1km each day). Needed to get from point A to point B. The only transport available is a taxi. 240 Euros - take it or leave it.
And at that point - the cost is immaterial because your choices are quite limited.

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

My wife and I are planning our fifth CF for fall, 2025. Our prior four CFs were each St Jean to Santiago. In 2021, Cindi developed severe leg pain which was later diagnosed as a severe stress fracture. In 2025, we will reduce kms and hike from Leon to Santiago. Our plan is to hike 17 stages averaging 17 kms per day. Also, we have found the downhill hike from El Acebo to Molinesca to be challenging, so we hope to hire a taxi in El Acebo to transport us to Molinesca where we'll spend the night. Hopefully we can call a taxi as we rest in one of the delightful bars in El Acebo. Hiking through there is 2021 it was like a ghost town with many bars and albergues closed due to Covid. Bob