How to plan a walking trip by train and bus
Plan around two distinct locations: the start of the first stage you intend to walk and the end of the last. Search transport for both before choosing departure times and buying tickets.
AppyPilgrim · Text updated on
Identify the section you will actually walk
Open the walking route and your chosen stages. If you are only walking part of it, use the start and finish towns of that section, rather than those of the complete route. Note the exact names and compare them with the map.
A town may have several stations or stops, including ones far from the centre or trail. The town’s name alone does not establish where to get off. Appy’s route pages help you identify stages; transport search checks options for your travel date.
Connect your arrival station to the walking start
Think of the journey as a sequence: your departure point, train or bus, arrival station or stop, local transfer, and trail start. Check each step. A station in the same municipality does not prove that the walking route starts beside it.
If you need a local bus, verify the stop, direction, operating days and timetable with its operator. If you plan to walk from the station, account for that distance separately from the stage and check the pedestrian route. A line on a map is not automatically part of the official walking trail.
Plan the return before fixing your final walking day
Search the return journey from where your walk ends. The departure time tells you when to be at the station or stop, not when to reach the trail’s finish. Include the transfer between them and a margin that fits your plan.
Do not treat an average walking time as a promised arrival. Breaks, diversions and your own pace can change the day. If getting home depends on one departure, consider a shorter final stage or an overnight stop before travelling back.
Read the conditions for each part of the journey
Before purchasing, compare the date, stations, stops, passengers and the change or refund conditions shown with the offer. If the journey involves separate tickets, check each one’s rules: do not assume a connection is protected.
Train and bus availability depends on the journey and date you search. This guide does not list guaranteed connections or fixed prices. Appy searches available offers; for local services outside those results, check directly with the operator.
Keep the walking itinerary and transfers together
In the Appy app, you can explore route maps, stages and elevation and search train or bus travel. On the website, compare walking routes and open their individual stages before moving to transport search.
Prepare a note with four items: first walking stage, travel to its start, final walking stage, and journey home. Recheck route and transport updates close to departure. The walking routes below are examples to explore, not assurances that a transport connection is available.
Your plan, step by step
- Start and finish of your chosen section identified
- Exact stations and stops checked
- Transfers between public transport and the trail included
- Return journey searched for the right date
- Individual ticket conditions read before purchase
Routes to compare in the catalogue
Appy catalogue figures for the full route. Open a route to choose individual stages; the stage count does not include travel days.
| Route | Distance | Stages |
|---|---|---|
| Via Francigena | 1033 km | 46 |
| Cammino di San Benedetto | 301 km | 16 |
| Cammino di Oropa della Serra | 64 km | 4 |
Continue planning your trip
Take your walk with you: download Appy
Explore maps, stages and elevation in the app, and plan your train or bus journey.