Mi mother and I are planning to spend a couple of days in Pamplona. I was looking at the train rides and they have a tourist and a prefered class. Is there a big difference between the txo of these?<BR>We are planning to take the train early in the morning from Barcelona, spend the night in Pamplona and then come back to Barcelona in the evening train. Is this to crazy? I know it is a 5 1/2 hour ride.<BR>Thank you so much for your help.

gladyola27 - I do not have an answer for your question but would like to ask a question of you instead. A friend and I are planning a similar trip - Barcelona to Pamplona and back to Barcelona. We haven't figured out the 'transportation' piece to Pamplona and back. I'm curious to know if you booked your train in advance and how you did this? We were thinking of renting a car but prefer not too if not necessary. Also, do you know of hotels in Pamplona. As you can see, I'm behind on my planning. All I have done so far is book the airfare. Thank you.

I haven't booked our train tickets yet.
I think I will be getting them when we get there.
For the hotels you can look up
pamplona hotels.com, I can't remember the name of the hotel that we picked but the site is really good.
Let me know what you decide to do with the barcelona pamplona trip. For us driving is out of the question, I just want to sit back and relax.
good luck
Gladys

gladyola,
I'd actually chose the preferente class on that train if you're going for San Fermin. And if going then, I'd also get those tickets just as soon as you arrive in Barcelona-the very first day! There may be only preferente seats left then if the first week of July. Seats are very much at a premium for July 5-15.

When we go up to Pamplona from Madrid by train for the Running of the Bulls (we have yearly jobs there during the festival), we buy preferente seats. The trains from BCN and Madrid are always super crowded at that time (with rowdy, or perhaps just &quot;exuberant&quot; passengers in the turista cars) and for a 5 1/2 hr. trip, preferente with fewer seats is much more relaxing! But that's a really long trip for just 1 night in Pamplona!.

Dezi,
Did you find availability at the Hotel Albret?
The less pricey 2 star Tryp Burlada usually has rooms on the opening weekend when others don't because it's 2 km. from the Plaza del Castillo, but it is on the bus line.

Good luck to both!

We are heading from Barcelona to Pamplona and are looking into the night train. We would like to get a sleeping room but I noticed that on the Renfe site they listed a few different types of bed, can anyone explain the differences to me?

First Double, Deluxe Double

Also they show both Litera and Cama, what is the difference here?

Wendy

Hi Wendy,
I'm certainly not the renfe expert, but I'll attempt an explanation, then others can correct and clean up!
The difference between first class and deluxe compartments may be that the deluxe have a shower in the compartment and first class have showers at the end of the car. Both have wash basins. I know that to be the difference between &quot;gran clase&quot; and &quot;preferente&quot;.

A &quot;litera&quot; is a couchette or rather uncomforable bunk bed, usually 6 per compartment, shared by individual passengers of the same sex.

A double with &quot;camas&quot; is a compartment for a couple with just two fold-down beds, which is what you want to book, isn't it?

I usually fly from Barcelona to Pamplona. short usually smooth flight about an hour. Morning flight and evening flight. I take the morning flight get into Pamplona after the day's running because I stay five days. Check flights if you plan to fly. Ditto from Madrid. Be sure to confirm the days of the running of the bulls. Eh, torro, torro !!!!

Maribel, I have contacted the agency you recommended by email and by telephone to request reservations at the Hotel and I am waiting confirmation. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Thank you very much for recommending the hotel and agency. They have been extremely nice and helpful. I hope to here news from them tomorrow. I will post back to let you know. Again, many thanks.

Also, any recommended towns to visit before we return to Barcelona? San Sebastion?

Hi Dezi,
If you have a chance, I highly recommend beautiful, elegant San Sebastian. It's just 1 hr. by Roncalesa bus from Pamplona or an under an hr. drive. After San Fermin every year, that's where we head. We stay in next door Hondarribia for a week and commute to S.S. by local bus. Hondarribia is also charming-a picture postcard perfect, surprisingly sophisticated and prosperous little Basque fishing village. San Pedro street in the Marina quarter with its pretty fishermen's homes with geranium festooned balconies painted in green, blue, red and brown is delightful-a great photo op. Fantastic tapas bars too! Hondarribia also has a very atmospheric historic Old Quarter above complete with castle-Parador once inhabited by Charles V.

Hope your lodging works out and
Gora San Fermin!

Thomas,
Do you still run every day and what part of the encierro route do you run? Have you seen this year's winning design for the fiesta poster? A little more creative than last year's I think.
As always, have fun, but stay safe!

Thank you! We definately want a Cama then and will only need a First class vs. deluxe.

I thought I could buy the tickets online but it looks like I have to wait until I am in Barcelona?

Hi Wendy,
For that particular overnight train, the Pio Baroja, it looks like Tiknet doesn't sell tickets on line (for the day Talgos, yes, but night train, no).
Unless you want to go through Rail Europe and pay their inflated prices for the convenience of tickets in hand before you leave the US, you'll need to wait until arrival in Barcelona.
In Spain you can also buy Renfe tickets at any travel agency, including the one on 2nd planta at the huge El Corte Ingles dept store on the Placa Catalunya in Bcn (short walk from the Meson Castilla) or in the Corte Ingles books/music store below the P de C at Av. Portal de l'Angel on the 1 planta.
That's where I've purchased my Renfe tickets to avoid long lines at Sants station.

Last year I flew from BCN to Pamplona July 5 on the morning flight, but I paid $160 for my one-way ticket on Iberia. Since Iberia is the only carrier on that route, there are few bargains, particularly for one-way tickets.

Wendy,
So that you can compare the train vs plane fare, or for anyone planning to fly one way from Barcelona to Pamplona during San Fermin,
(checked July 5-15)
the airfare has incresed from last yr.
the morning Iberia flight now costs $223 and the afternoon and evening flights $163.

Maribel: hola! WE used to start near the city hall because that is where michener said was the safest. That year a young american was killed there. We stopped running altogether because of the tripping and pushing by the crowds, not the bulls. We missed last year due to Carol's surgery at the clinic in San Sebastian (not bull related). This year is uncertain altho we love San Sebastian as a pre and post Pamplona visit. We made wonderful friends in SB and in Bilbao. Needless to say love Spain.

By the way, there is limited seating on the planes to Pamplona as you know. Much seating on the many buses from SB. Still get seats which are assigned and can be purchased prior to the day of departure. Enjoy your visit, LUCKY!!!

Maribel - just wanted to say thank you very much for the information and advice on our Pamplona trip! I did confirm the hotel with Nieves at Tur&iacute;sticos Erreka. She has been extremely helpful and accommodating to which I am most appreciative.

Plans: We arrive in Barcelona and will be there for a few days. We plan to take the overnight train to Pamplona. We will purchase our train tickets when we arrive in Barcelona as well since we cannot purchase the overnight in advance. We plan to watch the running in Pamplona one morning from a balcony and we will stay a few days through the closing ceremony. We will then head to Hondarribia and San Sebastian for the remainder of our trip by car. We plan to fly Iberia from San Sebastian to Barcelona for our return. We purchased a non-stop on Iberia from San Sebastian to Barcelona for $107 US each.

Thanks again and safe travels to you!

I'm studying abroad in Barcelona for the summer, and just returned yesterday from 2 days at San Fermin in Pamplona. We took the train, tourist class..it's quite spacious and comfortable, and even showed a movie each way. The trains were full, but we were able to book our tickets just a few days before. The ride was just under 6 hours but definitely managable. I didn't see the 1st class seats in the train but would never consider upgrading..it was quite comfortable (although loud at times) in the tourist class.

I put my pictures online if you're interested:

http://community.webshots.com/user/daneuropa/