The Stages of Pontecesures

Pontecesures ©Panoramio /Luis Jorge Rozas GarciaBY TRAIN

This location, which was a passing point of the first Galician railway (1873) and still conserves a level crossing, has several daily train services to Santiago and Vigo, both locations with an airport, and to Pontevedra. The closest city is that of Compostela, now in the province of A Coruña, to which it takes around 28 minutes to arrive. If travellers choose to go in the opposite direction, towards the province of Pontevedra, it takes around 40 minutes to reach Pontevedra and 1 hour and 15 minutes to Vigo. Consult timetables and prices on the Renfe website.  

BY BUS

From Pontecesures pilgrims can travel by bus to Santiago, Pontevedra or Vigo. The company that covers these journeys is Monbus (consult times and prices). To Compostela there are a number of daily services, from 07:40 until 21:48 hours. At the weekend there are still some services but they run with less frequency. To Pontevedra there are also a number of services, both from Monday to Friday and at the weekend while to Vigo there are more services at the weekend and just one during the week.

Correos offers a delivery backpacks service so you can walk without loads and enjoy the routes and stages. You can also purchase a packaging and shipment of bicycles service. The price is 42,03 euros (VAT included, shipping to mainland Spain). This is available in all offices.

In Pontecesures there are various licensed taxis. Some of the possibilities include; Manuel Jamardo (+34) 608884537; Julio Rodríguez, (+34) 609827867; Jose Manuel Fariña (+34) 650378669; Francisco Patiño-24 hour service- (+34) 650492243. For the transport of luggage throughout the Portuguese Camino one of the main options is the company Tuitrans, they cover the whole stretch between Pontelima, in Portugal, to Finisterre and Muxia after passing through Santiago de Compostela. (Susana (+34) 636839675 or Jose Manuel (+34) 646982906 from 08:00 to 22:00 hours).

The price is from 7 euros per backpack and stage, although prices may be lower in the case of groups. The company, which has an office in Tui (Obispo Lago, 5), is responsible for the transport of luggage to the place of accommodation provided by pilgrims, this service can be arranged the day before or alternatively for the whole route of the prior planned journey. They also provide a taxi services for those who need assistance to finish a stage or those requiring transport from an airport to some stretch of the Camino. Tuitrans has its own taxi and affiliates with other taxis in all of the towns on the Camino, with which they also offer special fixed prices. In addition they offer bike hire to pilgrims. The prices are from 20 euros per day plus 35 euros to collect the bikes in Santiago de Compostela. (See Tui)