CGCompostela GuideSantiago arrival, Camino finish, old-town stay decisions

Getting around

Getting around Santiago

Santiago's old town is small, walkable, and largely pedestrian, so most of a visit happens on foot. City buses, taxis, and the airport bus cover the longer hops, and a car is more hindrance than help inside the historic center.

Last checked September 12, 2026

Luggage storage: Correos

Rúa do Franco, 4 · near the Cathedral

Backpack / small suitcase
36 × 53 × 20 cm · €4 / day
Large suitcase
47 × 70 × 27 cm · €6 / day
Bicycle / walking stick
€7 / €1 · per day, VAT included
23/03–30/11
Every day: 08:30–20:30
01/12–31/03/2027
Mon–Fri: 08:30–20:30 · Weekends/holidays: 10:00–18:00
Closed
25/12 · 01/01 · 06/01

Book online and show the code when dropping off your luggage. Collect before closing. Checked: 16 September 2026.

Correos: book and check conditions

If staying in Santiago, also ask your hotel whether it stores bags before check-in or after check-out, and whether there is a charge.

On foot in the old town

The historic center around the cathedral is compact and mostly pedestrian, with stone streets that reward walking and discourage driving. Almost everything a first visit wants, from the cathedral to the squares, markets, and restaurants, is within a short stroll.

After a long Camino your feet may have other ideas, so pace the first day gently and keep distances short. The old town is best taken slowly anyway.

Buses and taxis

City buses serve the intermodal station and outer neighborhoods, with line 6A connecting the station and airport. They can help with heavy bags or accommodation outside the center. Use licensed taxis and confirm the fare and the nearest permitted drop-off point for an old-town address.

For the airport, compare line 6A with a taxi for your departure time, group size and luggage. A taxi still depends on traffic and old-town access restrictions; check the bus timetable and leave a margin for the connection.

Why you do not need a car

A car is a liability in the historic center: much of it is pedestrianized or restricted, parking is limited, and the streets are narrow and steep in places. For a Santiago city stay you simply do not need one.

A car only earns its place if you plan to explore the wider Galician coast and countryside afterward. For the city itself, walking plus the occasional bus or taxi is all it takes.

Sources

Reviewed source trail