Puntal ferry, from Laredo to Santoña

You cross the mouth of the Asón estuary from the tip of El Puntal, in Laredo, to Santoña's seafront promenade in a few minutes, instead of going round the bay by road. It sails every ten or fifteen minutes; in season, until 14:30 on weekdays and until 18:00 at weekends. Pilgrims on the Camino del Norte have used it since the 16th century. In November 2026 it is no longer running: it returns in March 2027.

Where to catch it

The ferry has two landing stages, one in each town:

• In Santoña: on the seafront promenade, in the passage opposite the Juan de la Cosa monument, the same point the boat trips leave from.
• In Laredo: at the tip of El Puntal, at the end of the beach of the same name and next to the Asador El Tiburón. You get there directly on foot across the sand.

From the centre of Laredo, the way to the landing stage is long: either you walk the whole of La Salvé beach along the promenade and the sand, about an hour on foot, or you drive to the El Puntal area. The crossing itself takes about ten minutes.

Timetable and prices

The operator, Excursiones Marítimas, publishes this seasonal timetable, from March to October, with continuous service:

• Monday to Friday: 9:00 to 14:30.
• Saturdays and Sundays: 9:00 to 18:00.

It leaves every ten minutes, every fifteen at quieter times, and warns that timetables may change with the season and sea conditions. A single ticket costs €2.50 and a return €3.50, VAT included. Bikes pay a supplement of €1.50 per crossing or €2.50 return. You pay on board, by card or in cash. The website does not publish a reduced fare for children. Dogs may travel.

For questions, the ferry's phone numbers are 680 390 573 and 605 972 566.

For pilgrims

The ferry is an official stage of the Camino del Norte and also of the Camino Lebaniego: using it does not break the route or invalidate the pilgrimage, and it saves going round the bay by road. Out of season, between November and February, there is no ferry and you have to make that detour.

What to do on the other side

If you cross from Laredo, when you disembark you are on Santoña's seafront promenade: on one side, the Fort of San Martín and the start of the lighthouse trail; in the centre, the Anchovy Art Gallery. If you cross from Santoña, you have the more than four kilometres of La Salvé ahead of you and, at the end, the Old Town of Laredo. Check the time of the last ferry before you wander off, especially on weekdays.