Leon to Zamora Bus

Zamora isn’t listed anywhere on the website as a destination. It actually comes up as an invalid destination when looking at the bus tracker.

I used the ALSA virtual assistant via WhatsApp and the response was (translated into English for you): I am sorry, at this time Zamora doesn’t appear as a destination from León.

When it asked to verify origin and destination it came back with, “I didn’t find any results at this moment.” It then directed me back to the website.

jaimeelsabio, thank you for your input, especially the virtual assistant response.

A bit of googling gives autocars esvivas- https://www.autocaresvivas.es/rutas/

https://www.autocaresvivas.es/media/download/77594

Thanks, isn31c. When ALSA came up short, I did look up the company you listed, but they don't seem to have any means of booking online, nor a phone app either. Strange these days.

Checked train options, but these are very limited. I guess Zamora is a bit of a backwater. There is one connecting service on the day (with only 20 minutes to transfer). I would book the train, but it arrives a little late for my taste, and the short transfer time makes me nervous, especially being the only service. Any advice is highly appreciated!

There’s always a private transfer, but it probably isn’t cheap.

If you did that see if you can do a drive by of Castillo de Coyanza Valencia de Don Juan. It’s an architecturally nice castle. It’s on the outskirts of the town.

Private transfer is definitely out of my range. I have done some more research, and it seems that if I route through Madrid and buy 2 separate tickets on RENFE (Leon-Madrid and Madrid-Zamora), my options increase significantly. I can have a good buffer to transfer (Chamartín for both journeys) and still arrive at a much earlier time in Zamora. My only concern is that the RENFE algorithm is not showing these options because I am missing something. Any thoughts on this? Thanks.

It might be worth contacting the company about ticketing arrangements.

My guess is that it is like the Costa del Sol, and the north coast of Spain, where I've just gone along to a ticket office at the bus station a day or two before for journeys of similar length, and bought a ticket in person. Or indeed in both cases just buy on the day.

If the method works (for a service probably mainly used by locals) then why re-invent the wheel?

Good point. I have written to both bus companies. Hope they reply. I can always take the train. Thanks, all!

My guess is that Renfe won't through ticket on a train which goes an extra 200km south, then the same 200km north which routeing via Madrid entails.

There is an alternative service (thanks to DB, German Railways, which confirmed a hunch), which they also won't through ticket (probably due to the long connection)- Leon depart 0814, Vallodolid 0924/1038 Medina del Campo 1104/1415 Zamora arrive 1440

I see what you were referring to. You were looking at the 15:42 MD 18006 León - Zamora service where you’d change trains to Regional 18322 in Medina Del Campo. Medina Del Campo isn’t terribly large. I looked at photos and there appear to be only four tracks. Twenty minutes should be plenty of time to change trains. The single ticket option is definitely less expensive than two separate tickets and going all the way into Madrid.

Another option, but more expensive and requiring another train change would be the 08:14 León - Medina Del Campo, but would require a train change at Valladolid-Campo Grande, arriving in Medina Del Campo at 10:07. Then, you could take the 14:15 Medina Del Campo - Zamora train. That unfortunately would give you 4 hours sitting around Medina Del Campo or exploring the town. I’ll add there is a well preserved castle 1.1km/.6 miles from the train station.