Bilbao to St. Jean?

[lilyofforce]

Hola!

I am starting my Camino in May 2008, and have booked my flight into Bilbao, because I've read that there is a bus to Bayonne, and then another (or a train) to St. Jean. Can anyone confirm that information?

Thank you!

[Leslie]

I don't know about the bus to Bayonne, however there is a train and from Bayonne there is certainly a train to St Jean - I've been on it.

Welcome to the forum.

[lilyofforce]

Hi Leslie,

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I did find the bus schedule (there are 2 - www.pesa.es), but haven't been able to find a train. Could you let me know where you looked?

Thank you!

Karen

[Leslie]

Check out sncf.co.uk they have all the info

[klaasjakob]

Hi
I am going in July. Have booked plane to Bilbao already. What would be better, Bilbao-Pamplona-Roncesvalles-St Jean, or Bilbao-Bayonne-St Jean.

[lilyofforce]

Hi,

I did manage to find more info about the train and thought I would post it and ask if anyone knows more. The sncf site wasn't particularly helpful, as it deals with limited routes and only one or two cities in Spain.

There is a decent map of the rail system here:
http://www.alleuroperail.com/eurorai...ailway-map.htm

Not great: Renfe train from Bilbao to Hendaye or Irun (7-8 hours). From there, you would switch to a French train to Bayonne (45 minutes or so).

Slightly better: EuskoTren from Bilbao to San Sebastian (just under 3 hours), switch to Topo Train to Hendaye (30 minutes), switch to sncf train to Bayonne (40 minutes).

Honestly, I think these just make the single, 4-hour bus ride sound better.

I did find a website that says: "The coastal train route between Bayonne and Bilbao via Biarritz and San Sebasti?n is perhaps the most useful, and also gives you a great view of the countryside." [http://www.ioltravel.co.za/article/view/3549401]

The website, however, provides no links or further information, and my google searches have been fruitless. I've emailed them directly to see if I can get something more specific. Has anyone heard of this?

[thomas.randolph]

hey lilofforce

i am planning to walk the camino frances in may too, arriving from kenya via ferry from plymouth into santander (?! i know sounds round about but there are good reasons for this!)

mundicamino.com is not a bad resource. the english pages are actually pretty funny translations of the spanish.

i think that the train would be the most pleasant and possibly most scenic from Bilbao up the coast to Bayonne. Sounds like it'll take the best part of a day any how its done though hey?

here is a forum link that i enjoyed the discussion in, i'll do train all the way if i can.

http://forum.virtualtourist.com/disc...iscussion.html

[larryphd]

Looking for the fastest transportation from Bayonne or Biarritz to St Jean ....any suggestions.
Thanks
Larry

[lilyofforce]

There is a train from Bayonne - google the French rail services & you'll find it. If you do need a hotel, the one next to the train station (Hotel Paris Madrid) was cheap and clean. I don't know anything about Biarritz - I took the bus from Bilbao to Bayonne (I think this bus stops in Biarritz, but slept through most of the ride...check the Spanish buses?). Good luck!