Santiago for independent cruisers

As it´s something usually asked, I have written some notes, about my own city in my blog and orientated for all cruisers calling in Coruña and Vigo and wanting to visit Santiago. I hope you find it useful for your stay.

http://www.waveandwind.net/p/santiago-for-independent-cruisers.html

Keltic, Gracias for posting your detailed information. We have visited A Coruna on two cruises, spent the first time exploring A Coruna and last year we took the train to Jerez. We will again be in A Coruna on a Sunday (in May) and will probably take the train to Santiago. Our question is does going on Sunday cause any difficulties with visiting the Cathedral?

Hank

No problem. No charge no restrictions even in th sunday services.

Thank you. I found your notes very informative and looking forward to visiting Santiago. Just so that I am clear, take a taxi from the Port to the train station and then the train which is about a 90 min ride to Santiago. The round trip fare is ~10 euro. Is this right? Do that trains run often?

I really do appreciate that you are willing to share so much.

Hi Keltic,

Thank you for the blog and great pictures. For the first time I'll be visiting Santiago as a stop in a cruise. Our ship will stop in Coruna for a full day in August. We are planning to take the train. I didn't realize the train statio in Coruna is that far from the port! Do you know if there will be taxis at the port? In case there aren't, is there a bus that could take us to the train station?

Cvg1,

You can check train schedules at http://www.renfe.es

Thank you. I found your notes very informative and looking forward to visiting Santiago. Just so that I am clear, take a taxi from the Port to the train station and then the train which is about a 90 min ride to Santiago. The round trip fare is ~10 euro. Is this right? Do that trains run often?

 

I really do appreciate that you are willing to share so much.

We were in this port last year (our 2nd visit) and took the train to Jerez. We decided to walk to the train station because we had about an hour until our train (the walk took us about 30 min) and we enjoy walks after being cooped-up on a ship. The walk is flat, but it is a good distance (probably a little more then a mile) around the harbor to the train station. Assuming good weather and the time we would walk every time. But if in a hurry we would certainly try to get a taxi (not always easy).

Hank

Thank you. I found your notes very informative and looking forward to visiting Santiago. Just so that I am clear, take a taxi from the Port to the train station and then the train which is about a 90 min ride to Santiago. The round trip fare is ~10 euro. Is this right? Do that trains run often?

 

I really do appreciate that you are willing to share so much.

Hourly trains and buses from either La Coruña o Vigo to Santiago. Right. Stations location.

-At Vigo, at about 20 minutes walk and I would say about one and half mile. There´s a bus which gets close to the Station but then you have to walk a bit. So the quickest thing it´s taxi to the Station. As you get off the ship, you will see a shopping centre on the right. Walk to the end and taxi stand is at the back of it. About 100 metres. Bus station is at the end of Rua de Madrid, far away from the port.

-At Coruña. Station is more far away. No way to walk since it´s at the entrance of the city, and port is at downtown. Buses are a bit tricky because they run in circular basis. The good thing of La Coruña appart from only 35-40 minutes to Santiago, is that train and bus stations are in the same place, just opposite crossing a bridge, at about 200 metres distant from each other. This means that you have hourly trains and buses. I am not sure about the schedule, but I know that both don´t run at the hour. This means that if trains run at half past, buses run at the hour. So you have double service in the same way.

Santiago bus station is at the north (about 500 metres from Cathedral), and train station at the south about 1,5 km from the cathedral, which is approximately at the centre. So both are fine to arrive to.

To safe money, a good tip at Coruña (if you have a long call) is getting a bus at Avenida de la Marina to Estación de Autobuses (bus station), number 1 (Puerta Real to Estación de Autobuses facing the balconies row houses going leftwards). Get to the Bus Station, get a bus, as you get to Santiago, walk to the old town. To go back, try the train, and at the station of La Coruña get the bus 5 to port. Same place you got in the morning.

http://www.coruna.es/es/3ciudad/buses/buses.htm

http://rutas.vitrasa.es/calculo.aspx

Coruña bus company, and Vigo bus company.

Keltic,

Thank you for the details, very helpful. Do you need to buy a ticket for the bus in Coruna to go to bus/ train station or do you pay the driver? Do you know if there are taxis usually lined up at the port in Coruna?

Keltic ~ Thank You SO much for posting your blog!! You can read how proud you are of your city and I can't wait to see it in September! Your photos are wonderful - Thank you!!!

Thank you so much photopeg. I will be updating the information in the article. I have just separated the information concerning to how to get, into three separate sections. I have in mind posting a map, with a suggested route, but I am not really good at computering, so it takes a bit of skill.

Anyway, you´re right I love my city. It´s peacefull, quiet, nice and easy to live at. Something which is not always guaranteed in our crazy world. You will love it.

Keltic,

 

Thank you for the details, very helpful. Do you need to buy a ticket for the bus in Coruna to go to bus/ train station or do you pay the driver? Do you know if there are taxis usually lined up at the port in Coruna?

You just pay the driver on the bus. It´s not like in Italy where you have to get a ticket at the newsagent. It´s about 0,95 cents. It was like that a couple of months ago. To get a taxi at Coruña port, and I missed this detail, you have to go the arched line of white balconies houses, called La Marina. You just see them when you get off. Simply walk there, cross the small garden, and taxis are around Puerta Real, in the same place where buses run. I may need to post a harbour map of both ports.

Thanks Keltic. Some years ago I took the bus from Santiago to Coruna and then a bus from the bus station left me in an area that looked just like what you describe. I remember there I picked up a tram(tranvia) that rode alongside the Paseo Maritimo. I got off by the Torre de Hercules. is it the same place you are talking about?

Yes Fotopeg, Santiago is gorgeous and very special. I fell in love with it during my first visit. This will be my 4th visit, I never get bored!

Yes, the historical tram at Coruña it´s close the port. Just walk right around the port, direction Castillo San Anton (San Anton Castle). It goes around the city, at least along the west part of the penninsula. It´s nice to get to the Torre de Hercules, the old lighthouse.

Heat has just come. Well, I have added a new picture. Trains, and what they look like.

Heat has just come. Well, I have added a new picture. Trains, and what they look like.

I am going to Spain on vacation next year. I was wondering if you knew how far from Vigo to Muros by car.

Well, it´s not really feasible. It´s on the Ria de Muros on the west of Santiago. Get the Atlantico Motorway, to Santiago, then Noya, and then Muros. I would say 88 km to Santiago, 32 to Noya, and then 32 to Muros. Allow about two hours. Muros is nice, but not as to make such a long drive from Vigo.

For those coming in 2011, it´s the 800th Aniversary of Santiago Cathedral. Many alternative programs will be implemented for tourists. The most interesting thing is visiting the cathedral basements, until now closed to the public.

Ask at the Tourist Board for details.

Well, it´s not really feasible. It´s on the Ria de Muros on the west of Santiago. Get the Atlantico Motorway, to Santiago, then Noya, and then Muros. I would say 88 km to Santiago, 32 to Noya, and then 32 to Muros. Allow about two hours. Muros is nice, but not as to make such a long drive from Vigo.

Thank you! :)

For those coming in 2011, it´s the 800th Aniversary of Santiago Cathedral. Many alternative programs will be implemented for tourists. The most interesting thing is visiting the cathedral basements, until now closed to the public.

 

Ask at the Tourist Board for details.

That' great news. I'll be there in August ( unfortunately just for one day). Have they started doing these visits? If yes, do you know if long lines form?

Also, do you know if they finished the renovation of the Portico de la Gloria? When I was there last in 2009 it was covered with scaffolding.

Thanks!

I have tried to book a place for myself and everything is fully booked until July, so I highly recommend to to book as quickly as possible. Some more scaffolds. At Platerias Square they are finnishing the new City Museum, and the Berenguela Clock tower is now with some scaffolds as well.

I am not sure about the Portico. I was in the mass last sunday, but I really didn´t pay attention. I will check it for you.

Keltic, We really do appreciate your help and we have printed out your entire web site guide. We will be in A Coruna on a Sunday (May 29) and are planning to visit your city (its our 4th visit to your part of Spain). We were able to download the train schedule from the Renfe web site but cannot find the bus schedule (between A Coruna and your city). Do you have a link to the bus schedule? And do the buses start from the bus station that is next to the A Coruna train station?

Hank

For those coming in 2011, it´s the 800th Aniversary of Santiago Cathedral. Many alternative programs will be implemented for tourists. The most interesting thing is visiting the cathedral basements, until now closed to the public.

 

Ask at the Tourist Board for details.

How long would it take to drive from Barcelona to Santiago?

How long would it take to drive from Barcelona to Santiago?

WOW! That would be an ambitious drive. If you drove fast, and made very few stops, you could make it in about 12 hours (each way). You would literally be driving all the way across Spain. In terms of miles it would be approximately 710 miles (one way).

Hank

Thank you!

Keltic, We really do appreciate your help and we have printed out your entire web site guide. We will be in A Coruna on a Sunday (May 29) and are planning to visit your city (its our 4th visit to your part of Spain). We were able to download the train schedule from the Renfe web site but cannot find the bus schedule (between A Coruna and your city). Do you have a link to the bus schedule? And do the buses start from the bus station that is next to the A Coruna train station?

 

Hank

Yes, the bus number 1 from Puerta Real gets you to Bus Station. At the bus stop you have Bus Station at the back, and a green bridge which goes over the entrance motorway. Just crossing the motorway and you will have the train station. I am checking the schedule for you. I have noticed that there are not schedules for that day, but they are usually the same, so I have checked for the 22nd. Here they are

06:35 07:25 A Coruña-Santiago AP-9 LMXJV

06:45 08:15 A Coruña-Ordes-Santiago LMXJV

08:00 09:00 A Coruña-Santiago-Pontevedra-Vigo (Por A9) LMXJV

08:00 09:30 A Coruña-Ordes-Santiago LMXJV

.

09:00 09:50 A Coruña-Santiago AP-9 LMXJVS

.

10:00 11:00 A Coruña-Santiago-Pontevedra-Vigo (Por A9) LMXJVS

10:00 11:30 A Coruña-Ordes-Santiago (Enlace Ordes) LMXJV

11:00 12:00 A Coruña-Santiago-Pontevedra-Vigo (Por A9) DLMXJVS

11:15 12:45 A Coruña-Ordes-Santiago LMXJV

12:00 13:00 A Coruña-A9-Santiago-Noia-Muros

Para mas información : 902 29 29 00 - monbus@monbus.es

I haven´t posted more for the rest of the day, but roughly speaking there´s one every hour. Some go through AP9 non stop motorway service others go along local road serving also local villages. That´s way they take half an hour more. You have a mail and phone for checking the day. But I would say, there will be the same services.