Spanish postal service now transports backpacks from Porto
The backpack transport service offered by the Correos postal company along the Camino de Santiago now also covers the stretch from Porto to Santiago de Compostela. Starting this week, pilgrims beginning the route in the Portuguese city can rely on this logistical support.
This service, called El Paq Mochila (backpack transport service), ensures the daily collection and delivery of luggage between registered accommodations, allowing walkers to complete the route without carrying weight. It had already been operating along several sections in Spain and now also covers the Portuguese Camino, between Porto and Santiago de Compostela.
According to the company, the Portuguese Camino from Porto includes 11 to 12 stages and covers approximately 240 kilometres. “This is a peaceful and beautiful route, with some challenging sections, passing through important Portuguese towns such as Barcelos, Ponte de Lima and Valença do Minho,” states Correos. Porto is currently the main starting point for this route, which “enters Galicia via the International Bridge over the River Minho, with Tui as the first Galician town on the itinerary”.
In Portugal, the service is operated by the subsidiary Correos Express. Luggage is collected each morning from 8:00 a.m. at the accommodation specified in the booking, and delivered to the next stop before 3:00 p.m. Bookings are accepted until 8:00 p.m. the day before, via a multilingual online form available in nine languages, at www.elcaminoconcorreos.com.
Created in 2013, El Paq Mochila is one of the most widely used services by pilgrims: in 2024 alone, over 200,000 people made use of it. The goal is to make the Camino easier, particularly for those with physical limitations, recovering from injury or simply wishing to walk without a heavy load. In addition to this service, Correos also offers Paq Peregrino (pilgrim shipping service), which allows suitcases or parcels to be sent to Santiago or other points along the route, and Paq Bicicleta (bicycle shipping service), which handles the transport of bicycles to the starting point or back home. Luggage storage services are also available at various Correos offices.
With this service now available from Porto, the Correos group strengthens its presence along the Portuguese Camino, currently the second most travelled route by pilgrims, after the French Camino.
