Booking train

[dreaming]

Hello everyone. Finally I have booked to fly to Paris from Australia. Do I book the train to Bayonne in advance or wait until I get there in case plane is delayed?
Do I take gaiters when I am taking rain pants?
Thanks for your help

 

[J Willhaus]

Hi @dreaming,
I think you can buy in advance or buy on site. When are you going? I have never taken gaiters summer or winter, but others may say differently.
Janet

 

[dreaming]

I am going late September. Thanks for your reply.

 

[trecile]

I would spend the night in Paris near the Montparnasse train station and book the train for the next day. The trains can sell out, and advance tickets are usually less expensive.

 

[Pelerina]

Hi @dreaming - another Aussie here. From Australia, I find Trainline the most user friendly site / app to book. Is it this September you are walking? If, it's September 2024, you won't be able to buy the ticket until at least 3 months before (sometimes 2 months).

Also, just a note you've said you are booking through to Bayonne. That's a good strategy. I wouldn't be tempted to book all the way from Paris to SJPP. The train that runs between Bayonne to SJPP is sometimes cancelled (usually due to debris / repairs on the track) and a cancellation can mess up your whole booking if it's seen as one. You can book the Bayonne SJPP separately. Also, when the train is cancelled, SNCF will (almost/always) provide replacement bus.

All the best with your planning.

 

[TMcA]

Trainline also my choice for booking trains.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

1) If there is concern about plane delays, wait till you arrive in Paris to purchase the ticket at the Station, (Gare). When I did this leg of the trip, I stayed in a hostel near the Gare Montparnasse. I got there by bus from the airport, direct. Next morning, I walked to the station, 2 or 3 blocks and purchased the ticket.

2) No need for gaiters as all paths are pretty much open. Also, the popular rain wear is a poncho that covers the pack as well as you. The climate is sub tropical so rain pants will feel like a sauna.

​

​

 

[Balzanom]

I would book a train ticket in advance. We waited and all trains were booked.

 

[JerryStroebele]

I wear super lightweight gaiters in heavy rain to keep the rain from running down into my boots. Works. The rain in Spain falls mainly on the del Norte. Buen Camino

 

[dbier]

Can't comment on trains, but we've had occasional sideways driving rain on the Primitivo for parts of the last two days, with mud and temps in the high 40s- low 50s Fahrenheit. Not exactly subtropical. And it didn't seem to matter what people wore...we were all soaked to the skin in one area or another.

 

[isawtman]

I took gaiters on the Camino Frances and sent them to the end of my hike.
I took a poncho and many times I wished I had my regular rain coat.

 

[timpans]

I am going late September. Thanks for your reply.

Haha, only a fellow Aussie would ask about leg gaiters! We use them in Summer for snakes and Winter for puddles! I wont be bringing any here though - going next month. Enjoy

 

[dreaming]

Thanks for your replies. I am going this September and have walked in August twice before. I even took my rain pants then and sometimes wore them when everything was in the wash. The SNCF shows minimal tickets for trains yet Trainline says fully booked so probably should book ahead. Michelle, what was the name of the hostel you stayed at near the station? Planes to Biarritz look expensive.
Thanks all for your advice.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Trainline also my choice for booking trains.

Mine, too!

 

[Saint Mike II]

G'Day @dreaming !
The flight from Oz can be more than a bit daunting, how well do you handle jet lag?? I would support the advice about overnighting in Paris near Gare Montparnasse. I stayed there in 2017 as I had booked a 7.15 train,. Buen Camino.

 

[Genie208]

I’m flying Brisbane to Paris 29 Sept arrive at 2pm on 30th. Getting a train from CDG airport to Montparnasse and booked a train to Biarritz departing at .415pm arrives at 10.15pm. Booked 2 nights in Biarritz and then on to SJPDP on the mon, I’m staying nr the airport so will get lift from there
Hope this helps as maybe an option. I checked all transport options w Rome2Rio app.

 

[DwainS]

Mine, too!

Mine too, and I did miss my train because my plane was delayed 4 hours in Toronto on my way to Madrid. But with the Trainline mobile app I just clicked cancel ticket at Toronto airport and my refund was done by the time I landed in Madrid. Can't say enough how easy it was. Also bought my bus ticket to SJPP on Trainline so my train and bus tickets were all on my Trainline mobile app.

 

[Tincatinker]

Haha, only a fellow Aussie would ask about leg gaiters! We use them in Summer for snakes and Winter for puddles! I wont be bringing any here though - going next month. Enjoy

Ah, you’ve not read the threads about “puddle snakes”?

 

[dreaming]

I ended up booking my train to Bayonne the next day after my flights thanks. Any suggestions on where to stay in Paris with easy access to Montparnasse station the next day?

 

[trecile]

I ended up booking my train to Bayonne the next day after my flights thanks. Any suggestions on where to stay in Paris with easy access to Montparnasse station the next day?

I stayed at Hotel Campanile Montparnasse in May - it was less than a 15 minute walk to the train station.

https://paris-14-maine-montparnasse.campanile.com/en-us/