train from Bilbao to Pamplona

[pieter pannevis]

This information was available at the saintjames website:
The tourist office in pamplona:
 Pamplona
Pza. San Francisco s/n.
Tel: (948) 20 65 40
Fax: (948) 20 70 34
For Hotels:  http://www.hotelespamplona.com
Hope you have a good Camino
Pieter from Holland


Dear Athens,

Do you have your ticket ready or you can change it? If it wasn't enough,
I will come to you with a third suggestion, more direct and faster than
yours. You will be flying a long way already.

Take a plane to Madrid, then a connection to Pamplona. It is the closer
airport to Saint Jean Pied de Port. From Pamplona, you have 3
alternatives:

+ take a cab straight to Saint Jean. It's a 70km, 1:30h ride. You can
call when you reach Madrid to negotiate the price and be sure it'll be
possible to do it. Here are some phone numbers:

Mr. Pedro Telechea
              . (948) 76 00 07

               . 929 87 81 81 (celular)

Don't pay more than:

                Pamplona - Roncesvalles US$ 35,00

                Pamplona - Saint Jean US$ 56,00

                Roncesvalles - Saint Jean US$ 25,00

There are other phone numbers you can call if Mr. Pedro is busy, from
cities nearby:

               948 79 02 18 (from Valcarlos)

               948 76 40 53 (from Garaioa)

               948 76 40 58 (from Garralda)

Always ask for the price before, and don't be ashamed to bargain. If you
don't reach any of the people before, you still can get there and talk
to one of the many cab drivers. There should be no problem.

+ take the bus, either from Madrid or from Pamplona, to Roncesvalles,
and from there to Saint Jean the only alternative is to take a taxi.

+ take the train, either from Madrid or from Pamplona, to Saint Jean.
The route is described on Katia's mail.

>From the airport to the city of Pamplona, there is no other alternative
than a cab.

Of course getting a cab directly to Saint Jean or Roncesvalles is more
costy, but also more confortable. You can spot the pilgrims on the
airport by their clothes and backpacks, and then offer to share the cab.
They take up to 4 people.


>                                       1st.  Fly to Madrid followed by
> a very efficient European Train to Pamplona. In Pamplona you will find
> a bus that leaves hourly to Roncesvalles. Once you are in
> Roncesvalles, hire a cab to take you to St. Jean Pier de port.

This is not a bad route, but if you are taking the train, I would go by
train all the way to Saint Jean. It is a lovely sightseing.

>  OR
> 2nd.  Fly to Paris, catch the train to Bayonne and, once in Bayonne,
> take a local train to St. Jean pied de port. The train from Bayonne to
> St. pied de port leaves every half hour, but end their service at
> 10:00 PM.
> It might be difficult to find a room or bed if you arrive late in the
> evening, so it at all possible try to arrive during the day. This will
> also provide ample time to absorb the local Ambiance, obtain your
> Pilgrim's passport and locate the beginning of the Camino.

This seems more expensive to me, but you won't have to change from one
composition to the other as often. It is a longer trip, though. If I
arrived in Paris, I would get down and stay there for at least 2 days
before leaving to Saint Jean. Paris is lovely and is worth the visit!!
Their International Hostel, "Le Petit Prince", is a very good one.

Getting to Saint Jean earlier is surely nicer. You should look for the
French Association of the Camino, they will stamp your credential,
provide you with one if you don't have it already, and tell you about
the best places to stay. They are in the Rue de la Citadele, next to
where the late Mme. Debril used to receive the pilgrims. Now there's
another lady that continues with her work, but I don't know if she tells
about the cheaper places. Saint Jean is an expensive city.

Mind that you will have to buy all your supplies for the next day's hike
over the Pyrinees the day before, for you won't find a place to do it in
the morning. I would buy it even before getting to Saint Jean, in
Pamplona or in Paris.

>                        Now which one is Less expensive? IM still
> Looking in to it.
>                                Athens :)

You will have to get all the prices and do the sum, for it'll depend on
the air fares you have. Updated prices of trains and buses are on the
sites I indicated to Katia on a previous mail. I don't have them, sorry.

Besos to all!!

Dani