We will be in Pamplona arriving April 17 after hiking just the first few days of the Camino from St Jean Pied de Port. We then want to get to Bilbao. We had originally planned on renting a car in Pamplona (and eventually returning it a week later in Santiage de Compostelo). However, it appears the car rental companies in Pamplona are closed for the Holiday weekend (April 18 is Good Friday). So we've made arrangements to rent a car on April 18 (Friday) at the Bilbao airport. So it seems our best bet is going to be to hire a car/driver to take us. ( Trains were incredibly inconvenient--many many hours and buses just not going to work for a couple of older folks). anyone have experience with this? There seem to be a lot of options but I'm just not sure who would be reliable. I could use Viator but I know they take 20+% and I'd rather book more directly. Any advice much appreciated. Thanks. LSC
Posted by
New York
51 posts
We have used Daytrip before and they were very reliable and good. They contract with drivers as well and take a percentage, but it's a reliable service.
Posted by
la rioja
631 posts
Posted by
Washington DC
28697 posts
Spanish intercity buses have very comfortable seats in my experience. I find them easier to use than trains when I have a suitcase larger than a carry-on (which is always). You just roll the bag alongside the bus and lift it into the luggage hold. That's much easier than wrestling a bag onto a train and trying to find a place to put it.
Posted by
Bilbao
833 posts
I still wonder why train is the first option, when bus is the most logical one in most cases, so frequently overlooked by US visitors. Our bus transportation system is extremely safe, clean, modern, cheap, very frequent and take you practically anywhere. Even for a couple of "older folks" (my mum is 82 and goes by bus everywhere), you´ll find them really comfortable.
Posted by
Bilbao
833 posts
In any case, a taxi will work just fine and cheaper than a private driver. You can ask first about the price to take you to Bilbao, your hotel concierge can be of help with that.
Posted by
OP
Washington, DC
2 posts
To get a bus to the airport to pick up our rental car requires two buses and there seems to be some limited service on Good Friday. Will a taxi really take me all the way to Bilbao airport on a holiday?
Posted by
Bilbao
833 posts
It´s "not" a holiday as a classic holiday, it´s a very busy time for everyone, so I see no reason why a taxi should not take you to Bilbao if arranged beforehand. Do not expect empty streets or anything, just the opposite, lots of people in the streets and very lively atmosphere. Spain is not what many people still think...we love our religious traditions, but few people are actually religious (94% of weddings are civil and less than 20% of babies are baptized nowadays)
Posted by
Cleveland
375 posts
Yes you can get a taxi. We had our hotel arrange a long taxi rather than busing it for convenience from Pamplona to city a couple hours away. I'm sure you can get one to Bilbao too. Not as cheap as a bus but for a small group that values time and convenience, it is an option.
Buen Camino