I am still trying to avoid a 6:17am train ride from Santiago de Compostela to Vigo in order to catch the next train at 9:02 at Vigo-Guixar to Porto. It is possible to take a 7:33am train from Santiago, but will arrive in Vigo Urzaiz and thus, will need to transfer to the other railway station and only have 30 minutes. Walking distance is approximately 1km or 12 minutes. Is this doable? We walk quickly, but just not sure if it is possible.
Thanks again.
I haven't done it, but in your position, I think I'd try it - with a Google Map print-out in hand, since the road does not run straight. Go to the door of the car before the train stops so you can hop right out and make the most of your time. (I did not check schedules to see how long you would wait if you miss that connection, but I'm assuming it's long.)
Thank you both for your responses! We have not traveled in Spain before and so appreciate your help.
Hi all
Would OP and others please share their knowledge/experience on an identical issue please?
We'll be arriving at Vigo at 8.46 am by night train from Madrid. We want to take the Porto train at 9.02. Will 16 minutes be enough to make the switch? We want to take the train because I read a part of the route is very scenic. Is Vigo station very big and difficult to navigate for someone there for the first time?
Thanks.
Vigo is a busy industrial city, but Urzaiz is not a large station, and I assume Guixar is not, either. Still, I think your odds are not good because:
Your inbound train may not be on time. We're not talking Switzerland here. With so little time to play with, even a 5-minute delay would be disastrous. Unless the train to Porto departs late, which obviously could happen.
You'll be dealing with luggage and may be limited in how much rushing you can do over that 1-km. distance.
It can take a minute or two to get oriented inside a train station and figure out which door to exit. Then, once outside, you have to know which direction to start off in. Here you will need some sort of mapping app with GPS available offline. (I use CityMaps2GoPro, but you may already have something you like.) I honestly don't remember whether I went through Guixar Station this summer, but I did use Urzaiz, and the area around it is a bit tricky. Take a look at the proposed walking route on Google Maps. It is not straightforward. The route is convoluted enough and the time is so short that I'm not sure hopping into a taxi would help.
The online schedule for Autna bus indicates that there's a noon departure on weekdays (though I always like to verify schedules in-country and in person). That can be your back-up plan. The bus station is inconveniently located vis-à-vis the train stations, about a mile from Urzaiz. I have a vague recollection that it's significantly uphill. You can get there by city bus, but I'm not sure whether you can get one from Guixar. A taxi would perhaps be a better plan with luggage.
Hi all
Would OP and others please share their knowledge/experience on an identical issue please?
We'll be arriving at Vigo at 8.46 am by night train from Madrid. We want to take the Porto train at 9.02. Will 16 minutes be enough to make the switch? We want to take the train because I read a part of the route is very scenic. Is Vigo station very big and difficult to navigate for someone there for the first time?
Thanks.
Your post appeared twice. I responded to the first one. Refer to the post just above your most recent one.
If you want to go to Porto, take the night train from Madrid to Coimbra-B then change to the train to Porto.
Thanks Acraven and Sam.
Apologies about unwittingly posting twice.
From what I've figured out, the train from Madrid arrives at Guixar and the Porto train leaves from the same station. So, hopefully that gives us a few extra minutes.
Yes, I had taken note of the ALSA bus time just in case we don't make it to the Porto train in time.
I want to take the Vigo-Porto train because I read that a part of the route is quite scenic.
