Travelling from England - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

[nathan444]

Hi all, I'm thinking about doing the Camino and I was curious as to the best way to travel from England to Saint Jean.

I won't be going till at least the summer, but I like to plan ahead :P

I don't mind any suggestions, whether it's flying or taking the channel tunnel, I just want to know what you guys who have travelled from England have done in the past.

I actually live in Cardiff (Wales) but I can't imagine I'd be able to get a flight from Cardiff to anywhere near Saint Jean :P

[Leslie]

Have a look for flights to Biarritz - if you can get a local flight to there it is then easy to get a local train to St Jean. Other ways - train to Paris and get and overnight from Paris to Bayonne - I did that once, and don't consider it a great nights sleep to start walking next day.

[BlackDog]

Taken from the Confraternity of St James site Planning your pilgrimage

To reach St Jean Pied-de-Port: either fly to Biarritz with Ryanair, take the airport bus to Bayonne station, then the branch line train (up to 6 per day in summer) to St Jean; or take the Eurolines coach to Bayonne. Or the Eurostar to Lille, then change onto the TGV which skirts Paris to Bayonne.

[Tony]

Hi Nathan,

I've just booked flights via Ryanair from Stanstead to Biarittz, return flight from Santiago back to Stanstead; had real trouble booking from elsewhere so its a drive from Manchester early doors for me!

[Heliman1965]

Hi Nathan,

I'm doing the Camino France in May 2012 and I looked into both taking the Euro Star to Paris and then the train onto Bayonne but due to the cost and time scale I opted for a flight with Ryanair out of Stanstead.. If you go this way check the price for different days as the charges do differ as to the day you fly out.. for example I'm flying on the Saturday but if I could've taken the flight on the Friday it was £40 cheaper.. But if I'd taken the Sunday flight that was over £100 more expensive my Saturday flight..
I am taking the National Express Coach to Stanstead as it is by far the cheapest for me and I'm only traveling from Hampshire..


I have joined CSJ "The Confraternity of Saint James" yes at a cost. but by doing this I'm able to get my Pilgrims Passport before I leave the UK as I do like to have all things in place before I leave on trips..
I've also emailed the hostel in SJPP to make a reservation as my flight landed in Biarritz at 15:20hrs..


Have a great time planning your Camino )

Buen Camino

Bryan

[nathan]

i was desperate to use the train from london to bayonne, i hoped it would give me unwinding time before i start my walk .plus i could pack my swiss army knife etc.This thread got me thinking though so i looked at ryanair. one way london biaritz £43.oo.Now i have a conumdrum!

flying would save me money, but i will miss out on the seafood platter outside the station in paris gare du nord. my time on the trail is limited to 5 weeks so the extra day saved by flying is sensible.i could use the time to eat stewed sheep's feet in bougos i suppose.most of all it means i can't take my camino pole that has served me well for many a year trapsing round the basque and cantabrian regions.my pole is called steve, and when faced with a daunting walk he is a good companion...theres been many a time i've had the classic walker/pole conversation "race you to the top steve!" or "steve i'm knackered...i could use a helping hand with this bit my freind"


oh the dilema!

[BoxOfFrogs]

I too have booked with Ryan air to Biarritz from stansted. I have decided to go with checking my pack. I understand there is a potential for lost baggage, however I feel this risk is outweighed by being able to bring along my trusty walking poles and leatherman. I'm undecided on a few other items, except of course a large pack of Tetley tea bags and my jet boil! Joking, I think.

As a safety measure I will wear my boots on the plane and carry the more personal/valuable items with me in a carrier bag as hand luggage. However I have traveled with Ryan air many many times and have never had any problem with baggage except the way in which your hand luggage is scrutinised at the gate in an attempt to force to you checking at a huge cost! Still a single leg shouldn't provide too many opportunities for luggage to go missing! The only thing I have experienced when backpacking is that any bag with straps and buckles etc will normally have to be checked in at the oversize luggage counter.

Ironically, if my wife can't get the day off work it's looking like transfers from home to stansted or parking for 5 weeks is going to cost almost as much as the flights!

[Leslie]

I have been I think fairly average over the years flying in that my baggage went somewhere without me once. And then it turned up the next day and they sent it out to me. However my Dad seems to have the unlucky gene with this one and his baggage goes missing a fair bit.

And on this same subject, I bought a suitcase for about €25 in a store in Dublin about 10 years ago and it is still fine, whereas my other half is on her 3rd €200 suitcase in the same period - some expensive brand that says they last forever...

[Heliman1965]

I'm travelling to Stansted on National Express Coach only £28.. cheaper than getting the wife and all the kid out of bed for a 6hr round trip

I've purchased a rucksack flight travel bag to put my rucksack in it's made by (LifeVenture) it's the only way I could think of to stop the straps getting snagged on the conveyor belt. the bag zips up and can be locked and when you've finished with it, it folds away into its own stuff sack..

Happy packing

Bryan

[BlackDog]

Hey Brian, same thinking as me. Coach to Stansted and I already have a reinforced net bag that takes my backpack

[Happy Al]

Anybody arriving at Biarritz Airport around 13.00 hrs on 9 May 2012 and want to share taxi to SJPP. No train till late evening.