[Gocamino] Advice Needed

[E. O. Pederson]

Based on walking last autumn:1. Astorga is a good bet in terms of access by public transit, though it may mean a couple of long and difficult walking days in order to get to Santiago in 10 days (12 or 13 days would be a better schedule).  Astorga is one of the gem cities of the Camino, and the stretch from Astorga to Molinaseca is one of my favorite parts of the Camino, though it can be a little challenging. Another public transit option is Ponferrada, a fairly uninspiring town a couple of days closer to Santiago, but starting there you miss Astorga and the Montes de Leon, and half of the first day's walking would be through dreary Ponferrada suburbs enroute to Villafranca del Bierzo (the last half is through lovely vineyard territory). A bus or taxi somewhere before Sarria (must walk the final 100 km and get double stamps daily from there on to receive the Compostella) could be used to cut out a bit of the trek, for example there is a bus between Ponferrada and Belorado allowing one to skip the dreary suburbs noted above.2. It is a long bus ride to either Ponferrada or Astorga from MAD, and it may require a transfer at some intermediate place, but the service is good and based on my experience the transfers very smooth. Check ALSA (alas.es) for schedules. Remember that the long distance buses leave from terminal 4 (new terminal), and if you arrive on some airlines an intra-airport transfer is necessary as terminal 4 is a long way from the older terminals. Transfer is free but time consuming. If you are arriving on other than Iberia, British, or American airlines which arrive at terminal 4, check your arrival terminal. If it is not terminal 4, add at least an hour for the necessary transfer. RENFE (train:  RENFE.es ) is also an option to Astorga, but it requires first going into to a central Madrid train station. There is a RENFE station at terminal 4 with service into the city, and Madrid Metro can also be used to get from the airport into the center of the city, and there is good and inexpensive bus service to Cibeles and the RENFE station Atocha.3. Taking into account comments above, it is safer to ensure a seat, easier and a little cheaper to book ahead, but last September there seemed to be ample seating on all of the busses leaving during the hour or so I had to wait for mine to Pamplona. At the bus stop the automatic machine for bus ticketing would not accept credit or debit cards when I arrived, and thus for anyone without a prebooked ticket it was necessary to use cash. That may have been a temporary glitch, as the machines indicated they accepted cards. For a fee the Corte Ingles travel bureau will also issue tickets, I was told. It is upstairs in the new airport terminal.4. At the end of the trek from Pamplona last autumn, I stayed at a tiny hotel with good rooms, it  would be called "charming" in a US hotel brochure, above a good restaurant. Aside from being a little noisy in the evening (in mid-October it was hot in Santiago, and the room windows were open) it was a fine place to stay, clean, pleasant, with a private shower in my room (sorry I do not have a phone number or email for it): Casa FelisaPorta de Pena, 5Santiago de CompostelaThere were several other small hotels on Porta de Pena which looked attractive from the outside. While it is in the old city, the street is about 5 minutes from the sometimes overly-noisy area closer to the Cathedral.5. As I have always left Santiago by train, I do not know exactly how long it takes to the airport, but Lavacolla is about 15 km out from the center by road. Be advised that the local bus company has inexpensive bus service to the airport, and that is likely to be your best option unless your flight is at some hideous early morning hour.Hope the information is useful
Buen Camino
E. O. Pederson

> From: pkwright5540 at gmail.com
> Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:06:22 -0500
> To: Gocamino at oakapple.net
> Subject: [Gocamino] Advice Needed
> 
> Good Evening Fellow Camino's!
> 
> I am in the final planning stages and had some questions before I book our flight, bus and hotel, etc.  My 15 year old daughter and I are leaving the US on June 6th.  We will be flying into Madrid, taking a bus (I presume) and then walking 10 days to Santiago.  From there we will take a flight to Paris and stay a couple of days before we head home.
> 
> Here are my questions:
> 
> 1.  Is Astorga the best 10-day out from Santiago starting place?
> 
> 2.  Is taking the bus from Madrid airport to Astorga my only and best option for getting there?
> 
> 3.  Do I need to pre-book the bus ride from the airport to Astorga or can I purchase it when I arrive (I'm reluctant to purchase ahead of time because of the possibility of flight delays and then missing our bus)
> 
> 4.  Where do you recommend staying in Santiago...we would love our own room and warm shower...
> 
> 5.  How long does it take to get to the airport in Santiago from the Cathedral?
> 
> That's all my questions for now...any answers and other recommendations would be much appreciated!
> 
> Thanks,
> Kimberly
> 
> 
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