Campsites near train-stations in France, Spain and Portugal

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Hi and welcome to railcc!

There are probably thousands of stations in these countries...
Which cities, areas do you want to visit? I would think about that first and then start looking for campsites.
If you want to visit larger cities, good luck finding campsites just 1km away from the station. ;)
Also, if you limit yourself that way you would miss out on such great places such the Dune de Pyla close to Arcachon (for instance)...

Flo

iescsboe
Traveller
2 comments

We prefer to do it the other way around ;) First finding campsites, then plan our trip.
There are not so many campsites near trainstations, so if we already have a set travel plan, we limit ourselves in finding nice places to stay with our tent. I was just hoping that one of the train-travelers here already had some experiences in travelling through France, Spain and Portugal and knows hidden/adventurous campsites.

For famous, fantastic or awesome locations without campsites nearby we are willing to say in hostels/hotels. But it would be great if we could camp at least on 50% of the nights during our interrail-trip!

So tips for campsite near trainstations are still welcome!

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

OK...I\'ll have to start with one of my favourite campsites/spots then: Camping Morteratsch on the Bernina Railway in Switzerland... ;)

In France, you could look at the campsite in La Couronne-Carro on the Cote Bleue...
There is also supposed to be a nice campsite in Menton, just above the city.

I should also mention the Dune de Pyla close to Arcachon - not exactly within your 1km radius but it would be a shame if you\'d not pass by there.

Never travelled through Spain/Portugal by tent so cant help you there... :(

Pendolino
Traveller
17 comments

I haven\'t traveled with a tent by train so far, but I have met and I know people who have. Along the French and Spanish (Mediterranean) coast it is not difficult to find campsites. France might also not be a problem, I think. Portugal is not a problem if you stick to the coast between Porto and Lisbon, and the Algarve.

In Spain and Portugal the problem is, as soon as you head inland the campsites become really sparse, and so do train stations. On top of that, stations along regional railway lines in Spain are often served by only a few trains per day. If you don\'t want to go to the costas, I think your best bet will be Andalucia and the northern coast. But then again, train stations in the Spanish interior are sparse.

There are quite some cities with campsites, though, like Toledo, Burgos, Zaragoza and Porto, but then you stay further away from the city center.

I would recommend the northern coast of Spain. There is a railway along the coast from Bilbao to Ferrol near A Coruña, which is a narrow gauge railway line run by the national railway company Renfe. The section from Bilbao to San Sebastián (the latter worth checking out, though) is run by the private company EuskoTren. It is a scenic railway line running along the coast and along mountain ranges like the Picos de Europa. It has quite some stations along the route, and also quite some campsites, so it might be easier to find a spot there. But be aware, that since it\'s a narrow gauge railway line, traveling the whole distance takes at least 3 days. Most sections only have 2 trains per day, so keep that in mind.
Don\'t miss out on the Praia das Catedrais near Ribadeo. Llanes is also worth checking out, with amazing beaches, too. I checked and it happens there are many campsites in the area. The whole coast is amazing, especially the Galician part, much more interesting than the coast in the south and the east, in my opinion.
The narrow gauge railway line between Bilbao and León might also be very scenic, but I haven\'t traveled that section yet.

One really cool campsite is Camping Islas Cíes on the island of Monteagudo near Vigo. It is not a cheap campsite, since it is the only way to stay on the island. It is situated on an amazing island, easily reached by ferry from Vigo.

Also worth checking out is the area near Bayonne and Biarritz. It is a popular area, and also inland in the Pyrenees there are quite some options. I know some people who have camped along the railway line from Bayonne to St Jean Pied de Port, but I don\'t know where exactly.

Though I didn\'t have much specific recommendations, I hope I could help you further in your research.

iescsboe
Traveller
2 comments

Thanks so much for your answers and great tips Flo and Pendolino!
We will definitely be able to use some of this information while planning our interrail-trip :)

Flo
Traveller
10724 comments

Let us know what route you will travel and which nice campsites you have found. ;)