Getting To Pamplona

Pamplona is conveniently located in the northern part of Spain, close to the French border and within 500kms of both Barcelona and Madrid. Its proximity to several major cities makes it fairly easy to get to Pamplona by a variety of transportation options. Once in the town itself, it is easy to get around most of the interesting sites on foot. The limited public transportation is adequate for getting you to places farther out of the town.

By car

The city of Pamplona has a radial road network which leads outwards to Huesca, Zaragoza, Logrono, San Sebastian and France. The main A-15 motorway connects Pamplona with Zaragoza, Madrid and Barcelona to the south and with San Sebastian to the north. The city is linked to Logrono by the N-111 and to Jaca by the N-240.

The La Barranca Expressway makes it easy to get to Bilbao and Vitoria, while the Leizaran Expressway will get you to San Sebastian in under an hour. Access to France is also simple via the Belate Tunnel.

If you drive into Pamplona, you will find that parking can be a hassle. You should contact your hotel in advance to reserve a parking spot in their garages, as even these spaces fill up quickly. Once your car is parked, you probably wont need it to get around town. Most people either walk or use a bicycle, as many of the locals do.

By rail

Three trains arrive each day from Madrid and Barcelona. The trip takes around 3 to 4 hours. Pamplona also receives three trains a day from San Sebastian to the north and six daily trains from Zaragoza to the south. All trains in Spain are operated by the states RENFE (tel: +34 90 224 02 02) and you can check out their website for more details on services (website: www.renfe.es). Pamplonas train station is located in the Plaza de la Estacion. The number 9 bus runs from the train station to the city centre, but for other destinations, its best to hire a taxi.

By bus

Pamplona is well connected to several major Spanish cities. Four buses arrive each day from Barcelona, eight from Zaragoza and seven from San Sebastian. A number of other cities are served by bus from Pamplona, as nearly 20 different private bus companies converge on the towns main bus station, the Estacion de Autobuses at Calle Conde Olivetto in the city centre. Bus routes also serve the smaller regional towns around Navarre. For more information, call the Tourist Office (tel: +34 948 42 04 20).

By air

Pamplona is the air hub of the Navarre region and is serviced by around five Iberia flights per day during the week from both Barcelona and Madrid. International connections can be made from either of those major cities. Pamplonas airport is called the Aeropuerto de Noain and is located just over six kilometres from the city centre.

Facilities at this small regional airport are scarce, but there are ATMs and a bank to handle currency exchanges. The single-terminal also has a couple of restaurants and shops. There is even a VIP lounge in the terminal offering personalised catering, newspapers and flight information. There are plenty of parking spaces at the single car park for those who decide to drive to the airport.

The only way to get from the airport into town is to take a taxi. Taxis are located outside the Arrivals Hall of the terminal.

Taxis

Taxis are rather hard to find in Pamplona. They are unlikely to stop for you if you try to hail them on the street, especially during fiesta week. There are taxi stands at the airport, train station and the bus station. The best way to hire a taxi is to call for one in advance (tel: +34 94 823 2300).