Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port Transfer to La Rioja, via Roncesvalles

A private Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port transfer for pilgrims, linking Saint-Jean, Roncesvalles, Pamplona and La Rioja: to start the Camino Francés or to get back to where you began once you finish your section.

The Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port – La Rioja transfer, with a stop at or start from Roncesvalles, is one of the most typical requests from people walking the Camino Francés (the French Way) in sections. Many walk the first week, from the Pyrenees to Logroño, and then need to get back to the beginning: to collect the car they left in Saint-Jean, to catch a flight from Biarritz or simply to close the loop. Others arrive in La Rioja by plane or train and want to start from the very beginning, without stringing together trains and buses across two countries.

How long does it take between Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Roncesvalles and Logroño?

What takes about seven days on foot becomes a single morning by car. These are the reference times:

Approximate, rounded times. The road between Saint-Jean and Roncesvalles crosses the Ibañeta pass and has many bends; in winter there may be snow or ice.

Why book a Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port transfer instead of using public transport?

Public transport exists, but it takes patience. To reach Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port from La Rioja you usually have to combine a bus or train to Pamplona, another bus to Roncesvalles or a cross-border transfer and, sometimes, a connection with the French train from Bayonne. Frequencies vary with the season and drop outside summer. For a pilgrim who has just walked 150 km and wants to get back to their car, or for someone arriving with jet lag who wants to sleep in Saint-Jean that same night, losing a day to connections is costly.

With a private transfer the driver picks you up at the door of your hostel or hotel, loads your backpack and poles and drops you where you have arranged. If you are flying into the region, it fits in with our Pamplona airport transfer or with an arrival at Biarritz, which we cover in our Biarritz airport – La Rioja transfer.

Which situations do we handle most often?

For the section heading west from Logroño, stage skips within La Rioja have their own page: Camino Francés stage transfers in La Rioja. And if you would rather walk light, there is also our backpack transfer between hostels in La Rioja.

Napoleon Route or Valcarlos? What to know before you start

From Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port there are two paths to Roncesvalles. The Napoleon Route, the most famous, climbs over the mountain with great views and a demanding ascent; in the colder months it is often closed or advised against because of snow and fog. The Valcarlos variant follows the valley, closer to the road, and is the usual alternative out of season. Before you set off, the pilgrim office in Saint-Jean gives information on the state of both and issues the credencial (pilgrim passport) to anyone who does not have one yet.

If we drop you in Saint-Jean the day before, you will have time to get your credencial stamped, have dinner and rest. If you would rather avoid the first mountain stage, we can take you straight to Roncesvalles so you start walking from there towards Zubiri.

How do you book a Camino transfer?

1. Message us on WhatsApp at +34 603 27 63 98 or via the contact page with the date and time you want to leave.
2. Tell us the exact pick-up point (hostel, hotel, station or airport) and the destination: Saint-Jean, Roncesvalles, Pamplona or a village in La Rioja.
3. Let us know how many of you there are and what you are carrying: backpacks, poles, dismantled bikes or suitcases for the trip home.
4. Receive a fixed price for the whole journey and confirm. Any intermediate stops are agreed in advance.
5. On the day, the driver waits for you at the door. If you are leaving early, bear in mind the hostel's closing and opening times.

Pilgrim checklist before your transfer

• Credencial and ID to hand, especially if you are crossing into France.
• Water and something to eat for the journey if you are leaving before dawn.
• Poles folded or protected so they are not damaged in the boot.
• Exact address of your destination accommodation and a phone number in case you arrive late.
• If you are leaving your car in Saint-Jean, check where you can park for several days.

Which stages do you walk between the Pyrenees and Logroño?

It helps to have them in mind when deciding where to start or where to stop. This is the most common split, although every guidebook divides it its own way:

• Mountain Navarre: Saint-Jean – Roncesvalles, Roncesvalles – Zubiri and Zubiri – Pamplona. These are the stages with the most climbing and the ones your legs notice most.
• Central Navarre: Pamplona – Puente la Reina, Puente la Reina – Estella and Estella – Los Arcos, through cereal fields, vineyards and medieval villages.
• Into La Rioja: Los Arcos – Logroño, passing through Viana and crossing the stone bridge over the Ebro.

That is about 150 km in total. Those with only a few days usually walk just the Navarre section and head back from Logroño; those looking for less mountain start in Pamplona. Either way, we can take you to or collect you from whichever point you choose.

Which vehicle is used for pilgrims?

For one or two people with backpacks, any Rioja Standard car or a Rioja Executive electric car is more than enough. For groups of friends, parishes or associations starting together, the Rioja Group van carries up to 7 people with their luggage; a 16-seat minibus will be available soon. In every case the price is fixed per vehicle, not per person.

And after the Camino in La Rioja?

Those heading home from Logroño usually need another transfer: to the airport, the station or Pamplona to catch a flight. You will find it in our Logroño to Pamplona transfer. If you are walking on westwards, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, the town of the saint, is the last stop in La Rioja, and there you can count on our private driver in Santo Domingo de la Calzada. And if you plan to ride the La Rioja section by bike, check the route conditions before you set off.

Everything we offer pilgrims, with stages, accommodation and transfers, is brought together in our Camino de Santiago section.