Buying a train ticket - Paris to Le Puy

[BHop]

Hi all,

You've all be very helpful so far. I'm wondering if anyone who went to Le Puy from Paris if they pre-booked their train ticket or were they able to just purchase it at the airport. I'm going to skip visiting Paris and get right down to Le Puy soon after landing. I see some booking options online, but in the event that I am delayed with customs, I'd like to have the flexibility. Sigh, I'm regretting purchasing a 1 way ticket now. I'll have a bunch of documents in order (Bank Statements, Le Puy Hostel reservation, etc.), but I still may be hassled. Guess we'll see!

Thank you in advance for you responses.

 

[whariwharangi]

Note: you can buy a ticket at the station prior to boarding.

SNCF TGV trains from CDG 2 go to Lyon Gare de Part Dieu.

4100 Lyon to Le Puy-en-Velay

4101 This section describes transportation from Lyon to Le Puy-en-Velay.

4102 Trains

Le Puy-en-Velay is best reached by SNCF provided trains and autocars (bus). Most of the trains to Le Puy leave from Lyon Gare de Part Dieu, however some schedules have trains leaving from Lyon Gare Perrache.

It is possible to buy SNCF tickets to Le Puy from the TGV station at Lyon's Airport, however, trains travel via Paris, an eight-hour detour.

Trains from Lyon to Saint Etienne Chateaucreux may be via SNCF TGV or SNCF TER services.

Trains from Saint Etienne Chateaucreux will involve SNCF TER services either by train or bus.

The trip from Lyon may involve one or more transfers from one train to another at Saint Etienne Chateaucreux and Firminy.

At time of writing tracks (June 2014) from Firminy to Le Puy are under long-term maintenance. Typically service on the final leg, either from Saint Etienne Chateaucreux or Firminy, is provided however, SNCF operated train currently provides service provided by bus.

See schedule: TER 10 (Lyon - Le Puy)

SNCF
http://www.sncf.com/

SNCF TER Rhone-Alpes
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/rhone_alpes/fr/Default.aspx

 

[BHop]

All I needed to know, thank you. I know it's been posted elsewhere, but thought I'd check to see if anyone has had recent experiences.

 

[TMcA]

My wife and I flew into CDG last month on May 13. We were not asked about a return ticket. Same last May when I was traveling alone. This may or may not have to do with our nationality. It took about an hour and a half to deplane, clear immigration, wait for our one checked bag (this took the most time), and then pass through French customs. The SNCF train station was about a 7 minute walk from where we exited the arrivals area.

For my trip last year I did buy my train ticket online and allowed myself about 3.5 hours to process through immigration, etc. and to get to the CDG train station. FWIW I bought my train tickets this year (also online) through Capitaine Train because my U.S.credit cards wouldn't work with the SNCF website. This rejection of my credit cards was a new wrinkle. With Capitaine Train you just print out your email ticket and board the train. No need to compost your ticket. The Capitaine Train customer service was excellent in terms of clarifying a few things for me. On the last trip we were headed for Cahors, so we went into Paris and did a bit of shopping before heading for the Gare Austerlitz and our train.

One more possibly helpful suggestion. If your arrival in Le Puy is late in the evening, make sure you communicate to wherever you are staying that you will be arriving late and ask for confirmation that you can get in.

Bon chemin!