Biking the Camino (Camino en Bici)

Cycling the Camino covers in 12 days what walkers do in 33. You qualify for the Compostela with the last 200 km by bike — and the gear list is completely different from walkers'.

Which route by bike?

• Camino Francés — most cyclist-friendly, paved alternates available for almost every stage, 12–14 day average.
• Camino Portugués Central — gentle, mostly road, 6–8 days from Porto.
• Vía de la Plata — long, hot, low traffic, best for experienced bikepackers.
• Avoid by bike: Primitivo (too steep / technical), Norte (constant climbing), Inglés (too short).

Bike type

• Gravel bike — best all-rounder. 38–45mm tires handle the Meseta and Galician forest paths.
• Hardtail MTB — most forgiving on the original walking tracks; slower on tarmac.
• E-bike — increasingly popular, especially for the Norte; plan charging at every albergue.
• Road bike — only if you stick to the road alternates the whole way.

Cyclist's packing list

Daily distance

Plan 60–80 km/day on the Francés. Less on the first 2 days while your body adapts. Cyclists arrive at albergues after walkers — many municipales prioritize walkers and only admit cyclists after 8 pm. Book private albergues or pensions ahead.

The unwritten rules

• Walkers always have right of way. Pass slowly, announce loudly ("¡Buen Camino, bici detrás!").
• Ring a bell, never startle.
• On singletrack near walkers, dismount.
• Don't sleep in walker-only municipal albergues during peak season.

Rental & shipping

• Tournride, BikeIberia, and Bike The Camino rent bikes in SJPdP, Pamplona, León, Sarria, and Porto.
• Many offer one-way rental with Santiago drop-off (€250–400 for 2 weeks).
• Bringing your own? Use a hard case, ship via FedEx to your start hotel, return from Santiago.

Compostela for cyclists

You must cycle the last 200 km (not 100 as for walkers) and collect 2 sellos per day in the final 200 km.