Traveling from Egypt

[Mina Sameh]

Hello my name is Mina, from Egypt.
I'm heading from Egypt to walk the camino next August. I was wondering though about the Visas, I know the camino will take me about a month, so i guess I'll need a 6 week visa or something, conscidering anything that might make my pace slower on the camino.
The past times I took a schengen visa took it for only a week each time (according to my hotel and flight bookings before applying to the visa), but for this time I won't have hotel bookings so I don't know if the embassy will give me such a long visa.

My question though comes IF I get the visa From Egypt, would it be better to head to France or Spain? Which city? and after that how do I reach Saint Jean? (Cheapest routes )
Anyone knows much about air fares??

 

[jl]

Can't help you with your questions Mina, but am putting in a plea for you to post what happens with you and your schengen visa. I am faced with a similar dilemma, and would love to hear if the authorities accept you walking the Camino and staying in albergue accomodation. When you have no idea how far you will walk each day it is very hard to book accomodation - even if one could, in (municicpal) albergues! Please let us know what you end up doing.

Welcome to the forum, and enjoy you planning, Janet

 

[WolverineDG]

I can't help you with your visa problem, but if you are leaving Egypt from Cairo, I'd check & see which flights are cheapest to Paris, Madrid, & Barcelona. I just did a quick search on Expedia, & could only find direct flights (on EgyptAir) to Paris. Madrid & Barcelona require stops in other countries (depending upon which airline you use).

Buen Camino!

Kelly

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The Pilgrim Office does not list any pilgrims from Egypt in 2010, so you may be a trendsetter! In the USA, when a Schengen Visa is necessary, application must be made in person. So, you probably should start at the embassy or consulate of France or Spain to get information. The Swiss embassy has this information:

http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/rep ... isegy.html

Good luck, and have fun!

 

[Mina Sameh]

Thanks alot for the quick replies

I called the Spanish embassy today and the first free time for an interview was july 28th! Feels like all of Egypt is booking interviews there haha. Anyway so I will be picking my application tomorrow or after and start checking what other papers do I need for the visa.

Does anyone know if I get the Schengen visa from the Spanish embassy can I land in France? or do I have to land in the country issuing my visa??

 

[Arn]

Mina,

Here's what I found:

The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed on 14 June 1985 near the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, between five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community. It was supplemented by the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement 5 years later. Together these treaties created Europe's borderless Schengen Area, which operates very much like a single state for international travel with border controls for travellers travelling in and out of the area, but with no internal border controls.

That said, it appears that a visa issued by Spain is recognized by all EU members.

Buen Camino and welcome

Arn

 

[jl]

hi Mina, it is usually said that one should get the Schengen visa from the country you first land in, or the country you plan to spend the most time in if you are only passing through that first country.

If you google Schengen visa and go to their websiteyou will find all the things you need to know there, including which countries are schengen countries - the list has expanded over the past few years - but sadly the time allowed in the combined schengen states hasn't!

Good luck, Janet

 

[Mina Sameh]

Guys I'm really thakful for your replies...and I know I might be demanding or a little stupid with my questions haha...its my first time to travel alone and to be preparing everything for the trip on my own so I'm using this place as a resource for info about anything I might need to know...

Ok so for the visas I decided I'd go for the spanish visa and land in Madrid just to avoid any problems that might occur.

Now I have another question...is there anything along the way that needs pre-booking from here?? (Apart from any booking I'll make for a couple of days stay in SDC itself)

The whole walk from SJPP to SDC would take around 1 month right?? I mean for my flight bookings, I should allow myself around 35-38 days in Spain and that would be enough?

Ah and one last thing (thats on my mind right now), I'll be there by mid-August, so I guess ill be walking till mid-September...whats the weather like at those times?

Sorry for asking so many questions...I hope I'm not bothering any of you...and thanks in advance

 

[Mina Sameh]

by the way whats the average age of pilgrims?? like just to know what to be expecting...

 

[Deleted member 3000]

In 2010:

Age 30-60 58%
Over 60 12.5%
Under 30 29.5%

August probably will have a slightly higher proportion of younger pilgrims.

 

[WolverineDG]

Mina, just an FYI that SJP is in France, not Spain. I don't think this could cause a problem, since you'd be there so briefly, but you never know. I would contact the French embassy/consulate to see if you need a visa for such a short stay.

Kelly

 

[Mina Sameh]

Thanks alot falcon

Kelly, yes I know it's in France, my problem was with where to first land when I have a schengen visa from the Spanish embassy..because I heard that I should land in the country I'm issued the visa from. I wanted to land in France to have easier access to SJPP but just to avoid any problems in the airport I will land in Spain and then reach SJPP from there. There will be no problem for me passing the French/Spanish border since I have a schengen (for all schengen countries).
Thanks .

 

[WolverineDG]

that's good to hear. I tend to be a worry wort & didn't want something to happen to mess up your camino.

Kelly

 

[Mina Sameh]

Now I have another question...is there anything along the way that needs pre-booking from here?? (Apart from any booking I'll make for a couple of days stay in SDC itself)

The whole walk from SJPP to SDC would take around 1 month right?? I mean for my flight bookings, I should allow myself around 35-38 days in Spain and that would be enough?

Ah and one last thing (thats on my mind right now), I'll be there by mid-August, so I guess ill be walking till mid-September...whats the weather like at those times?

Sorry for asking so many questions...I hope I'm not bothering any of you...and thanks in advance

Can anyone kindly answer me?? Specially the weather question
Thanks

 

[Deleted member 3000]

August will be hot. Many Europeans take a holiday in August, and many head for Spain and the Camino, so there will be lots of fellow pilgrims and a lot of competition for beds. The municipal albergues do not take reservations, but private albergues, hotels, and hostales do take reservations. With some internet research and Google map searches, you can find contact information. Booking before you leave will create the problem that you have a set schedule that ignores the possibility that you will not walk at the pace you predict. If you wait until you are on the Camino and book a couple of days in advance, you can solve that problem. Having a cell phone will help.

Accommodations can be found at sites such as these:

http://www.mundicamino.com/ingles/rutas.cfm?id=15

http://www.gronze.com/albergues.htm

 

[Mina Sameh]

Hello again
I'm not in the flight selection phase...cheapest flights from Egypt to Spain land in Barcelona so i was wondering whats the easiest way to get from Barcelona to SJPP?

i looked for older posts containing info about Bar - SJPP and they included 10.45 hour trains into France and similar stuff...I wonder if anyone kows an easier way?

i searched on ALSA and didnt find busses from Barcelona to pamplona...help??

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Trains from Barcelona to Pamplona: Cost from E32 for tourista class.
They depart at 7.03am, 12h30 and 22h30.
Arrive: 12h16: 18h30 and 05h34.

Getting to Pamplona by bus http://www.vibasa.es/horarios2.php?ididioma=2

salida vehiculo libres tipo
07:30 Base 30 Estandar
15:00 Base 36 Estandar
15:45 Base 17 Vibasa Excelence
22:45 Base 18 Estandar

 

[annakappa]

Hello Mina, Have you already booked your flight, because I'm wondering if you really want to start in SJPP, it might be worth you flying to Paris and then taking the train. It might work out cheaper and quicker in the end. I think that your proposed 35/38 days is almost cutting it fine. You could save 2 days by starting in Roncevalles.

August will be hot.

Well, yes, August will be hot, but Mina lives in Egypt and there it's even hotter. (I lived for 3 years in Egypt and the temp could reach up to 45o C. during the khamseen - a very, very hot desert storm), so I guess that Mina will be able to cope with the hot weather! Anne

 

[Mina Sameh]

@ Anne
thanks alot for the advice about Paris...I have thought alot about landing in Paris and reaching SJPP from there but since I'll get my visa from the spanish embassy then I have to land first in Spain and then move freely between Schengen countries...
So i have to land in Spain, still didn't book though so I'm looking for the easier and cheaper way, either Madrid or Barcelona

 

[Deleted member 3000]

From Spain, the ground transportation to St. Jean is from Pamplona/Roncesvalles. Madrid is a more convenient airport for getting to Pamplona with about 5 flights on Iberia Airline. Almost all Iberia flights within Spain go through Madrid.

 

[anniethenurse]

Almost all flights within Spain go through Madrid.

...or Barcelona... I usually fly Spanair.

 

[Mina Sameh]

Thanks alot and sorry for asking so many questions
so another question now that have probably been answered before but I'd like to make sure of the info I have, how do I reach SJPP from pamplona??

I decided to land in Madrid and take the bus at 19:45 to Pamplona.

I know theres a bus i found on ALSA at 2pm daily...any other options?? since I'll reach pamplona at 00:45, so if I'll use that bus I'll have to spend a night in Pamplona.

if not and I'll have to spend the night, any recommendations for cheap hostels?

 

[Mina Sameh]

So tomorrow I'll be in Santiago!! I did it from sjpp!! This is by far the best experience I've had in my whole life!!
And I think I have enough to also walk to finisterra...

Thanks for all your help

 

[WolverineDG]

that's wonderful news! Congratulations!!!

Kelly

 

[SabsP]

Congrats Mina!!! Keep us posted.