Transport to El Camino de Santiago, Spain

How to get to El Camino de Santiago from outside Europe

If you are coming to El Camino de Santiago from another continent maybe the best thing is to
fly to Madrid or Barcelona and then travel by train or bus to reach St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
which I explain below. Another option would be to fly to London, Paris, Frankfurt or
Amsterdam and then take a connection flight to Madrid, Barcelona (Spain) or Biarritz (in the
Southwest of France).

I recommend these airports because they are some of the biggest airports in Europe and they
have airlines flying to nearly all the regions in the world. Although there are other smaller
international airports in the south of France such as Pau Airport or Toulouse Airport and in
the north of Spain such as Barcelona Girona, Bilbao or Victoria Airports that may suit to
depending on your origin.

View Transport to the Camino in a larger map

How to get to El Camino de Santiago from Europe

If you are starting el Camino de Santiago in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port the best airport to fly
is Biarritz airport in the south west of France, very close to Spain. Ryanair has low cost
flights to Biarritz from Dublin, London Stansted, Birmingham, and Marseille, but if you are
coming from a different part of Europe you can check in the airport website which airline
suits best to you. Other airports near the starting poing of the Camino de Santiago are: in the
south of France, Pau Airport or Toulouse Airport and in the north of Spain Barcelona, Girona,
Bilbao or Victoria Airports.

Once you are in Biarritz airport you can take the bus from the airport to Bayonne (actually the
airport is closer to Bayonne than to Biarritz) and then a train from Bayonne to St-Jean-Pied-
de-Port. The journey by train will last for about an hour and it is an extremely nice journey
since it runs along the north side of the Pyrenees and you can see very near the mountain
range with its snowy peaks and its green slopes. Check the TER web site for timetables and
fares for the train from Bayonne to St. Jean Pied de Port.

If you come from continental Europe you can also reach St-Jean-Pied-de-Port travelling by
train. Check the French rail SNCF website for timetables, fares and connections.

If you come from Spain or you have flu to Madrid or Barcelona airports it is very easy to
reach Pamplona which is a Camino major city and capital of the region of Navarra. It is
situated in the third stage of el Camino de Santiago very near to the Pyrenees.

How to get to El Camino de Santiago from Spain

You can travel to Pamplona from Madrid, Barcelona or many other places of Spain by train or
bus. Check the RENFE (Spanish National Rail Company) website for timetables, routes and
fares. The train from Madrid to Pamplona takes around 3 hours and it is very comfortable
and its price is around 50 euro.
However, note that if you book the train online more than 15 days in advance you can get the
Tarifa Web (Web Fare) with a 60% of discount or more than 7 days in advance with the
Tarifa Estrella (Star Fare) with a 40% of discount. Furthermore, you can also book it online
within the previous 24 hours and get the Tarifa de Ultima de Hora (Last Minute Fare) with
a 50% of discount. But these discounts are subject to a maximum number of places so it is not
assured that you can always get them.

You can also travel by bus to Pamplona from many cities and towns of Spain. Usually it is not
as comfortable and fast as the train but a bit cheaper (it takes about 5 hours from Madrid to
Pamplona and cost around 27 euro). Check the bus companies websites for routes, timetables
and fares.

Once in Pamplona it is not so easy to reach St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. There are no train lines
crossing the border line to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port (since St-Jean is a really small village) and
therefore it is a common practice to take a bus from Pamplona to the little village of
Roncesvalles and then share a taxi from Roncesvalles to St. Jean Pied de Port with other
pilgrims which will be very handy and not very expensive. So don’t be shy and even if you
are coming alone, once in Roncesvalles when you see other pilgrims just arrived ask them if
they are interested in sharing a taxi. However, lately we have been informed that there is a
new bus route by Conda running between Pamplona and St-Jean-Pied-de-Port especially for
pilgrims:

The bus service operates in 2015:

10:00 AM (1st June – 30th September)

12:00 PM (20th June – 5th September)
14:30 PM (1st March – 2nd November)
17:30 PM (1st April – 2nd November)

The bus leaves from the main bus station in Pamplona and costs €22.
Tickets can be ordered from Conda’s web site or can be bought at the main bus station of
Pamplona. More info: http://www.conda.es/

Another option is taking a train or a bus from Madrid (or wherever you come from) to San
Sebastian which is a big and extremelly beautiful city of the Basque Country very near the
border with France. Then, from San Sebastian is very easy to reach Bayonne either by bus
(that costs just around 7 euro and takes 90 min.) or by train. Once in Bayonne, there is a
direct train line that takes you to St. Jean Pied de Port. The train takes 1 hour and costs around
7 euro and the journey is very pleasant since you can see the Pyrenees.Check the TER web
site for timetables and fares.

If it is too difficult for you to reach St-Jean-Pied-de-Port you could also consider to start el
Camino de Santiago in Roncesvalles, which is the second village on the Camino and the
first in Spain. It is a very historic Camino de Santiago village with a great medieval pilgrims
hospital and it is also a traditional starting point for the Camino. There is a bus line from
Pamplona to Roncesvalles so just go to the Pamplona bus station in the city centre and ask
when the next bus to Roncesvalles is due.

Other starting points for El Camino de Santiago

As I have already said other times, there is not a fixed starting point for the Camino de
Santiago. You can start it from wherever you want, any small village along the Camino is a
potential starting point. Feel free to choose your starting point depending on the time you
have to do it and the places you are more interested to walk through. Visit our pages
for planning el Camino de Santiago and the Camino de Santiago Stages for more help.

I will just give some information about other common starting points and how to reach them
from Spain.

 Pamplona is also a common starting point for el Camino de Santiago. It is a big city
very easy to reach on the 3rd stage of el Camino. Check the train and bus websites for
timetables and fares.

 Logrono, in La Rioja, is a good starting point for el Camino de Santiago if you want
to save a week of walking. It is a very big city very easy to reach. Check
the train and bus websites for timetables and fares.

 Burgos is one of the monumental capitals of el Camino de Santiago with one of the
most impressive cathedrals in the world. If you start there you can save nearly two
weeks of walking. Very easy to reach.

 Carrion de los Condes is an important historic town in el Camino de Santiago. It is

also easy enough to reach by bus and it is approximately the middle point in el
Camino de Santiago. Check the bus website for timetables and fares.

 Leon is another important monumental city in el Camino de Santiago and another

very common place to start if you have around 10 or 15 days to do the walk. It is 300
km from Santiago de Compostela and the landscape from then onwards is
breathtaking. Very easy to reach by bus. Check the bus website for timetables and
fares.

 Ponferrada is big town in el Camino de Santiago with a big new albergue and a
knights templar’s castle. It is around 200 km from Santiago so very appropriate if you
have 8-10 days for el Camino de Santiago. Easy to reach by bus. Check
the bus website for timetables and fares.

 Finally, another very common starting point to the pilgrimage is Sarria, a small town
in Galicia. It is around 100 km from Santiago de Compostela and it is so popular
because it is the last village from where you can walk enough to get
theCompostela in Santiago’s cathedral. The Compostela is a document issued by
the Catholic Church that certifies that you have walked unless the last 100 km to
Santiago de Compostela and it has a high religious significance.

To finish, I also want to note that the Santander and Valladolid Airports can be a very good
option if you are flying from Europe and want to start el Camino de Santiago in a middle
point between Logrono and Leon. Ryanair flies to Santander and Valladolid very cheap and
from there you can get a bus to your starting point. See the site of the Spanish airports to
check all the routes and destinations.

Coming back from El Camino de Santiago

There is an airport in Santiago de Compostela from where Ryanair flies to some European
airports and to many others Spanish airports. If there is not a direct flight from Santiago de
Compostela to your hometown I would recommend to fly from Santiago de Compostela to
Madrid or Barcelona or other Spanish cities with Ryanair which will usually be very cheap
even in summer and then check for flights from there to your city. Should you need to book
accomodation once you have finished el Camino de Santiago for the nights before your flight
you can have a look at where to stay in Santiago de Compostela for more information.

You can also travel to Madrid by bus or train although it will be a very long journey (around 7
or 8 hours). Check the train and bus websites for timetables and fares. Otherwise you could
also flight back to Europe from Santander or Valladolid.

Camino Guide Part 4: How to travel to the Camino de Santiago

31 Mar , 2014

Please note, as of 2015 we have an updated Camino guide available. Download the full guide
here, or access travel information on our more up to date blog.

Part 4: Travel Information

Shell on a wall

It is easy to access the Camino de Santiago; no matter where you are travelling from.

With so many different Caminos on offer, there is an infinite amount of possibilities when it
comes to getting to a starting town of one of the Camino. Flight carriers mentioned below are
of course subject to change as airlines update their routes, but should routes have changed
www.skyscanner.net is a helpful resource for flight information.

Visas and Passport

All nationalities require a full passport or ID card valid for at least three months after your
intended departure from Spain.

Citizens of countries in the European Union and the European Economic Area and the
European Free Trade Association do not need a visa for Spain. Australians, US Citizens and
Canadians do not need a visa as long as their stay is not for more than 90 days.
Passport and visa requirements do change so although this information is supplied in good
faith. Please check with your local Spanish consulate or advice authority.

Travel Insurance

No matter where you are travelling from, make sure you arrange travel insurance for peace of
mind.

How do I get to St Jean Pied de Port?

With the beginning of the Camino Francés on the French-Spanish border there are several
different ways of getting to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

From the UK to St Jean Pied de Port

Via Biarritz:

 Fly to Biarritz from London Stanstead.

 From Biarritz Airport take a bus to the town of Bayonne.
 From Bayonne you can connect with St Jean Pied de Port by Mountain Railway.

Journey time: 2-3hrs. (Excluding flight)

Via Paris:

 Fly to Paris
 High Speed train to Bayonne
 From Bayonne you can connect with St Jean Pied de Port by Mountain Railway.

Journey time: 8-9hrs (Excluding flight and connection between Airport and TGV high speed
train)

Via Madrid:

 Fly to Madrid
 From Madrid 3hrs train journey or 8 hrs bus journey to Pamplona
 From Pamplona you can take a bus to Roncesvalles.
 From Roncesvalles you can take a taxi to St Jean Pied de Port

Journey time: more than 10hrs (Excluding flights and connections in Madrid)

We recommend travelling via Biarritz. It is the quickest and simplest way to reach the starting
point of the Camino Francés. Travelling via Paris or Madrid will take more time and effort.

Travelling Internationally
If you are travelling from outside Europe you must fly to London, Madrid, Barcelona or Paris
where you will then connect to St Jean Pied de Port.

Arriving at: Transfer:

London  Fly to Biarritz from London Stanstead.

 From Biarritz Airport take a bus to the town of Bayonne.

 From Bayonne you can connect with St Jean Pied de Port by Mountain
Railway.
Madrid  Public transport from Airport to Atocha Train Station
 3hr train journey from Atocha train station to Pamplona or
 5hr bus journey from Terminal 2 Madrid to Pamplona,
 From Pamplona take a local Bus to Roncesvalles

 From Roncesvalles you must take a taxi to St Jean-Pied-de-Port.

Barcelona  Public Transport or Taxi to Sants Train Station or Barcelona Nord Bus
Station.
 3-4hr train journey to Pamplona or more than 6hrs bus journey to
Pamplona.
 From Pamplona take a local Bus to Roncesvalles

 From Roncesvalles you must take a taxi to St Jean-Pied-de-Port.

Paris  · Bus/Train/Metro to train station
 TGV (high-speed train) from Central Paris to Bayonne.
 · Once at Bayonne, a mountain railway takes you to St Jean Pied De
Port.

 · There is also a TGV from Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport to St Jean

Pied De Port via Bordeaux & Bayonne.

We Recommend: flying to Paris (Airport Charles De Gaulle) and then taking a high speed
train (TGV) to Bayonne in the Pyrenees. From Bayonne you can then take the mountain
railway to St Jean Pied De Port.

How do I get to Sarria?

You can fly into Santiago Airport from London Stansted with Ryanair, London Gatwick with
Easyjet, or internally from many other operators. Fly from Madrid, Barcelona and Paris with
Iberia or Vueling. Ryanair also fly internally Madrid-Santiago.

To reach Sarria take a bus from Santiago de Compostela to Lugo. From Lugo you connect to
Sarria with a local bus: www.monbus.es/index2.htm
To reach Sarria from Santiago can catch the ALSA bus to Lugo and then another bus to
Sarria.

Total journey time from Santiago to Sarria: 3hrs

To Reach O’Cebriero

On www.alsa.es/portal/site/Alsa/ O’Cebriero’s stop is called ‘Piedrafita do Cebreiro’. From

here it’s about a 5km walk or taxi journey up the hill to O’Cebreiro

Returning from Santiago de Compostela

returning to the UK:

 Ryanair operate a regular direct service up to 5 times a week between London Stanstead
Airport and the Airport Santiago de Compostela.
 Easyjet operate a direct service up to 3 times a week to London Gatwick
 Veuling fly direct from Santiago de Compostela to Paris CDG.
 Veuling and Iberia airlines fly direct from Santiago de Compostela to Madrid and Barcelona.
 You can also take a trains or bus from Santiago de Compostela to Madrid.

Returning to Paris:

Return to Madrid/Barcelona:

Train journey to Madrid – 7hrs.

Bus journey to Madrid – 8hrs.

You can consult www.aena-aeropuertos.es/csee/Satellite/infovuelos/en/which which will give

you a comprehensive list of other airlines and destinations.

Travel links:

Rail Europe: www.raileurope.com

French Rail: www.sncf.com

Spanish Rail: www.renfe.com

Spanish Bus network: www.alsa.es

Portuguese Rail: www.cp.pt

Travelling to the Alternative Routes

 Camino Portugés is easily accessed from the airports of Lisbon and Porto.
 The Via Podiensis can be reached from the airports of Paris or Lyon by train via St Etienne.
  The Camí de Sant Juame is one and a half hours by train from Barcelona.
 The Camino del Norte and the Camino Primitivo can be reached from the airports of Biarritz,
Bilbao, Santander and San Sebastián.
 The Camino Finisterra and Camino Inglés can be reached from the Airport in Santiago de
Compostela.
 The Via de Plata can be reached from the Airport of Seville and the Camino Levante from the
Airport of Valencia.

For more information on which route to take, kit lists and more you can download our full
Guide to the Camino, or you can view our Camino Tours on our website to see which inspires
you!