RETURNING HOME: Practical Information
Prices for travel inevitably fluctuate (from high season to low season and from company to company) but have remained reasonably stable in recent years. However one can generally expect a hike in prices in Holy Years (demand for seats exceeding supply) and the introduction of the Euro is likely to see prices rounded up (as opposed to being rounded down). The most convenient (fastest) mode of transport is usually the most draining on both pocket and soul!
Travel to Santiago de Compostela Photo Gallery
Check on arrival in Santiago because special offers abound and your compostela may offer you some worthwhile discounts but in my experience the special pilgrim offers are mostly hype. A flavour of some of the options available follows: FLIGHTS from Santiago International A irport, Labacolla (near San Marcos).
Note: Empresa Friere offers a (more or less hourly) bus service to the airport.
It leaves outside the offices of Auto Brea in General Pardinas (just off Praza Gallicia) and 10 minutes later from the main bus station.
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS: Economy class with Iberia Santiago to London Heathrow starting at around 200 / Bilbao to Bristol with Go/Easyjet from 70 / Madrid to London Luton with Easyjet from 65 / Barcelona to Liverpool with Easyjet from 60 / Biarritz to London Stansted with Ryanair from 55.
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS: Economy internal flights with Iberia (e.g. Santiago to Bilbao) start from around 65. There are regular (daily) internal flights to all parts of Spain.
CHARTER FLIGHTS: With a wish and a prayer (and/ or some luck) you may pick up a cheap return portion of a charter flight from Santiago to the UK. possibly one of the regional airports. Don’t hold any expectations!
If jetting it back to civilisation’ is not the preferred option then considerably cheaper solutions abound. One enterprising colleague managed to talk himself into a berth on a yacht back to Ireland from Vigo!
