Kondho
Traveller
1 comments
Posted 6 years ago
Hey guys!
I\'m starting my interrail trip on next Tuesday (4th of July). First I go to Bordeaux in France where I\'m going to be around three days. Then I will travel from Bordeaux to Valladolid. Since the trip between Bordeaux - Irun requires a seat reservation I was planning to travel from Bordeaux to Hendaye (France) and walk to Irun (Spain), which is around 3 km away from Irun and the trip doesn\'t require a reservation. Then, I was planning to take a train from Irun to Valladolid, but that is a night train going all the way from Irun to Lisbon, I just hop off in Valladolid. For this trip (Irun - Valladolid) I need a reservation but I cannot get it anywhere or I just don\'t know where to get it. I could order it from ACP rail.com but I don\'t have time to wait until they send the ticket. I will also be in Spain on the same day when I need the reservation so I think it is too late to get this reservation then. So I have two questions related to what I just wrote
1) How/where can I get a seat reservation for the train from Irun to Valladolid (7.7.2017 at 18:45)
2) Is it possible to just cross the border between France and Spain by foot or is there some kind of control?
Thank you in advance!
Flo
Traveller
10723 comments
Hi and welcome to railcc!
I hope you have supported our work by purchasing your Interrail pass through our partner link: [ux]http://rail.shop/interrail[/ux]. ;)
Where do you start your trip`? You should be able to get the reservation at a station in France (Bordeaux), at least if you are lucky and get a competent person at the ticket desk.
I just checked and for todays departure from Irun to Valladolid - Lisbon there are still seats available so chances are that you\'d even get the reservation on the day of departure in Irun; and even without a reservation you could ask to travel standing/in the bar coach until Valladolid (although I wouldnt bet on it, remembering the often quite grumpy train staff on this train).
Travelling from Hendaye to Irun is easy; you can either walk (there are no permanent border/custom controls as it is a Schengen border); check on Google Maps or a similar service, the foot bridge is located next to the railway bridge of the Euskotren service.
The Euskotren service would be a much more comfortable option; trains leave from a separate station [u]https://rail.cc/en/hendaye/euskotren-hendaye-railway-station/l2946[/u] just a few metres away from Hendaye SNCF station [u]https://rail.cc/en/hendaye/hendaye-railway-station/l2945[/u] (leave the station then turn right). A ticket from Hendaye to Irun is about 1,50€ and trains run half hourly until late. In Irun, get off the train at Irun Colon station [u]https://rail.cc/en/irun/irun-euskotren-railway-station/l3336[/u]. Exit the station, turn right, then after about 200m left and you can already see the RENFE station [u]https://rail.cc/en/irun/irun-renfe-railway-station/l509[/u] and walk to the central platform.
Flo
Kondho
Traveller
1 comments
Hey and thank you Flo for your response .
Unfortunately, I bought my ticket here (Rotterdam) at the central station. I prefer buying things locally.
Currently, I\'m studying in Rotterdam as an exchange student and the year is coming to an end. I am starting my trip from Rotterdam, and I\'m going to take a train from Rotterdam to Paris where I have to change the train and continue my trip to Bordeaux. I have already managed to get the reservations for those trains.
Getting the reservation for the train from Irun to Valladolid in France sounds perfect and I hope I\'m able to do that. But after reading some forums I think there is a high chance the train will be full. I\'ve also considered ordering the reservation via ACP rail and ask them to deliver it to an address of a guy hosting me in Bordeaux (couchsurfing). I just have to get his permission to use his personal information (address).
I already checked on google maps the distance between Hendaye and Irun. Since I have around 3 hours time between the arrival and departure, I can walk and enjoy the view. Besides, that day will be mostly sitting in trains so I don\'t mind walking.
Cheers!
Flo
Traveller
10723 comments
Oh, so I hope the guys at Rotterdam station can provide the same information, support and care about Interrail travellers than we do. ;)
So if you\'re staying in Rotterdam you could also buy your reservation there; NS International is charging a booking fee though, so regarding the price this would probably total about the same as the reservation via [ux]https://rail.shop/acprail/reservation[/ux] would cost.
Walking between Hendaye and Irun is no problem if you have time...however if you want, you could also take the Euskotren service from Hendaye to San Sebastian/Donostia and head for the beach there - no problem if you have three hours of time. :)