Train there, plane back - booked.

[Sparkly]

Despite a lot of planning and research, I realised that I had to commit to the Camino by actually booking travel. My plan was to get the train from NW england and plane back. I looked at some affordable options, then procrastinated for quite a few weeks. Checking back, I couldn't find a good combination of cheaper tickets for the whole route and considered leaving it until later in the year (then no doubt push things to next year). I had one final look, and the availability just seemed to open up for setting off on one specific day. The costs either side for a number of weeks were way above what I could afford.

So, on May 10th, I'm getting the train to London, Eurostar to Paris, then overnight sleeper to Bayonne, then train to SJPDP. Returning from Santiago C to Stansted, bus to London, and train back home. Had a bit of a panic when one leg of the journey rejected my credit card, probably due to an unusual purchase by having 5 windows for different parts of the trip open at once and booking too fast!, but I used another card and it all went through. phew.

[Covey]

When I first started walking the Camino some six years ago, the cost of Eurostar tickets were prohibitive and it was always cheaper to fly. When I first looked, it was nearly €300 one way from London to Bayonne, of which €200 was just the London - Paris leg. Last time I looked London - Paris on Eurostar was £65 one way.

I am very fortunate in that I can plan a long way in advance for holidays so take two months off each year and go either July/Aug or Sept/Oct. If you can book sufficiently far ahead, then London to Bairritz usually costs about €40 one way, so I can travel from London to St Jean for about €60.

Getting back is usually Santiago to London for around €50 one way, but three years ago I met a Canadian girl who had an artificial leg who was finding the going a bit tough, so I walked the 10/12kms a day with her for a week and missed my flight date back to the UK. A last minute ticket on Ryanair cost me over €200 one way instead of the €30 ticket I gave up the week before.

Those who are retired find planning much easier because they have far less time restraints, but unless you are a teacher or between jobs, taking off 35 days to walk the Camino Frances is almost impossible.

[drsalome]

what are your suggestions on getting to SJPDP from Toulouse France?
thank you
salome

[HuskyNerd]

There are several trains per day from Toulouse to Bayonne, from which you can catch the train to SJPdP. The direct options are about 3:20 in length. The indirect trains route through Pau, Bordeaux, and Tarbes and vary in length of layover. The www.raileurope.com site can help you make your choice and purchase your ticket.

Flight from Toulouse to Biarritz (from which you can transfer to Bayonne for the SJPdP train) are much more expensive and involve a transfer at Paris Orly or Lyons.

Buen camino!