USA to St. Jean...best way to get there?

[iris]

Would appreciate hearing from experienced travelers (or not okay too!) about the best way to get to St. Jean Pied de Port...flying in from the US.
Also if staying one night before departure to pick up passport, etc. is it easy to find lodging?

[Covey]

There are really three gateways to the Camino Frances for the long distance traveler. London, Paris and Madrid.

If you fly into London, you catch a flight with Ryanair from London Stansted or Easyjet from London Gatwick to Bairritz (France). From Bairritz Airport you catch the bus to Bayonne railway station (20 minutes) and then catch the local Ter Aquitaine train to St Jean Pied Du Port.

From Paris you can fly to Bairritz or catch the TGV train to Bayonne.

Madrid is more of a problem as you have to cross in to France to get to St Jean, and in Spain, all roads go to Madrid!! From Madrid you can fly or get the train or coach to Pamplona, and then either a bus or taxi to Roncesvalles. From Roncesvalles you get a taxi over the peaks down to St Jean.

Do not fly to Barcelona!!! It is amazing the number of people who pop up on this site saying they are arriving in Spain at Barcelona.

[iris]

Covey...thanks so much. Just another quick question...have your heard of coming in also from Toulouse (hope I spelled that right!)

I have an aversion to coming into Spain first if we're starting from St. Jean in France...it feels like backtracking...and I want to come over the Pyrenees for the first time on foot...and it won't be the same if I experienced it by car or bus!

[Covey]

There is no reason why you could not arrive in Toulouse, but it will take about 8 - 10 hours and four changes of trains to get over to Bayonne!!

The reason why I stated that there are the three "gateways" for long distance travelers is that most airlines have cheap(ish) flights to the main European tourist centers, and in Europe, the low cost local airlines tend to operate within Europe, so the trick is to get the cheapest long haul flight you can in to London, Paris, Madrid and Dublin, and then pick up a cheapie flight to Bairritz.

My flight from London Gatwick to Bairritz in September was €50.

[iris]

Thanks Covey...I read somewhere Toulouse was easy, easy...I agree 4 changes of trains and the hours is too much. Thanks again for good advice!

[Castellana]

Actually, if you fly to Madrid, and catch a connecting flight to San Sebastian/Hondarribia, you are but 1 km from the French border, and thus Hendaye, from where it is very easy to catch the connecting bus to your starting point. I fly there all the time, because my parents live in San Sebastian.

[Covey]

Iberia have a number of direct flights each day from Madrid to San Sebastian which takes roughly one hour and in June costs from €64 (one flight) to €233 for a one way trip on the same day. London to Bairritz is roughly €50 one way.

From San Sebastian Airport it is around 65kms by road to St Jean, and all roads seem to go via Bayonne. Because of the geography of the Pyrenees there is usually only one road in and out of the towns guarding the pass through the hills.

You pays your money and takes your choice

[sunnyroyce]

...I appreciate your information on getting to St-Jean from USA. you said 50 euro to Biarritz from London, do I need to purchase the ticket in advance or it can be done at the spot and which of the air port in London? Your answer will greatly appreciated.

[Covey]

There are two airlines that I know fly from the UK to Bairritz.

Easyjet fly from London Gatwick which is South of London, and Ryanair fly from London Stansted which is North East from London. They are both "low cost, no frills" airlines and the cost of a ticket gets more expensive the nearer the date you want to fly.

I booked Gatwick to Bairritz in January for a September flight and it cost just under €50.

Put "Easyjet" or "Ryanair" into Google and you can buy your tickets on line and print out your boarding card at home.

Read the terms and conditions carefully, and with Ryanair you have to have printed out your boarding card BEFORE you get to the airport. Last August, when they brought in the new rule, they were charging passengers €50 PER boarding card to print them out at the airport or you did not fly. Daylight robbery!!