Transport options, Lyon to Le Puy?

[markmcilroy]

We fly into Lyon on a train strike day May 7th (knowing that these strike days may change ) around midday and I am trying to sort out how to get down to Le Puy from the Lyon airport that afternoon.

1. BlaBlacar at the moment doesn't have any trips available.

2. There is a bus but this seems to stop halfway at St Etienne Chateaucreux and then you catch a train for a 9 minute trip to St Etienne Bellevue where you catch a bus to Le Puy.....but I'm guessing that this linking train won't be running due to the strike....maybe the bus will go right through to Le Puy or drop us off at a joining depot, does anyone know if it does?
We could taxi / uber the train link, I am thinking.

Any other ideas...?

thanks
Mark

 

[Kitsambler]

You could always lay over a day in Lyon to dodge the strike date. And it's a short hop from St Etienne to Le Puy, so it should be taxi-able if there isn't bus service. Tourism Office at the Lyon rail station should be able to help you.

 

[markmcilroy]

You could always lay over a day in Lyon to dodge the strike date. And it's a short hop from St Etienne to Le Puy, so it should be taxi-able if there isn't bus service. Tourism Office at the Lyon rail station should be able to help you.

Thanks Kit, yep a layover is an option but would sooner if possible spend that time in small village, good to know about the tourism office.

 

[MichaelC]

I like Lyon a lot, but I don't know that you'd really enjoy it with only a single night's layover. I see that the bus goes directly from the Lyon airport to Saint-Étienne - maybe that town would be a nice stop? I don't know much about it

 

[Mournes]

The SNCF shows the 8th & 9th May as strike days and not the 7th May.

 

[markmcilroy]

The SNCF shows the 8th & 9th May as strike days and not the 7th May.

hmmmm....yes you are right...I am sure the site I check said 7 and 8.....so we maybe ok. thanks for that.

 

[davkel]

We have a similar issue - we’ve got a rail ticket on 9 May (which actually IS a strike day). There is a blablacar currently available that evening to Le Puy, but we were hoping to get some time in Le Puy to look around. Also we’d miss dinner at the auberge we’ve booked.

So, I guess my questions are:
Has anyone traveled from Lyon- Le Puy on a strike day by train? You can find out how many TGVs, RER and Eurostar trains were cancelled in local media, but I can’t find info on TERs. I note that about one-third ran in the last strike cycle, up from one-eighth.
Is using St Etienne as a waypoint an option? If you were to go Train-blablacar or blablacar-train or even blablacar-blablacar would that work better?

I’m definitely suffering from preparation anxiety....

 

[Kanga]

I can't help with specifics, but can tell you that when we were caught by a train drivers strike it was the TGV that saved the day. My husband was trying to get to his flight to fly back to Australia from Nice and was booked on a train to get to Nice. When we got to the train station we learnt about the strike and that his train was cancelled. The quick thinking Station Master pushed Ian into the drivers cab of the TGV about to leave for Paris. Once he got to Paris he was able to change his flight to leave from there instead of Nice.

So it may be that the TGV is operated by drivers who are not part of the industrial action.

 

[Mournes]

We have a similar issue - we’ve got a rail ticket on 9 May (which actually IS a strike day). There is a blablacar currently available that evening to Le Puy, but we were hoping to get some time in Le Puy to look around. Also we’d miss dinner at the auberge we’ve booked.

So, I guess my questions are:
Has anyone traveled from Lyon- Le Puy on a strike day by train? You can find out how many TGVs, RER and Eurostar trains were cancelled in local media, but I can’t find info on TERs. I note that about one-third ran in the last strike cycle, up from one-eighth.
Is using St Etienne as a waypoint an option? If you were to go Train-blablacar or blablacar-train or even blablacar-blablacar would that work better?

I’m definitely suffering from preparation anxiety....

We have a similar issue - we’ve got a rail ticket on 9 May (which actually IS a strike day). There is a blablacar currently available that evening to Le Puy, but we were hoping to get some time in Le Puy to look around. Also we’d miss dinner at the auberge we’ve booked.

So, I guess my questions are:
Has anyone traveled from Lyon- Le Puy on a strike day by train? You can find out how many TGVs, RER and Eurostar trains were cancelled in local media, but I can’t find info on TERs. I note that about one-third ran in the last strike cycle, up from one-eighth.
Is using St Etienne as a waypoint an option? If you were to go Train-blablacar or blablacar-train or even blablacar-blablacar would that work better?

I’m definitely suffering from preparation anxiety....

Hi Davkel,you may find this web site useful,www.ter.sncf.com
Could you cancel the auberge in Le Puy and
rebook it for the next day?Given the circumstances I would hope that would be
possible.You could overnight in Lyon and take the early train the next day giving you time to look around Le Puy which is a beautiful town.There are lots of hôtels around the railway station in Lyon.I stayed just before Christmas in a brand new Ibis Budget right next door to the station.
If not ,you mentioned Blabla car ,but at the minute there is only one option,perhaps in the coming days,there will be more.
Sorry that you are so stressed but there is always a solution.Best Wishes

 

[edandjoan]

Or you could walk from Lyon to Le Puy...if you have an extra few days. Our plan is now to walk to Le puy from Geneva and then walk onto Lyon....could change if trains start to run more smoothly.

 

[Julesy McJulesface]

I like Lyon a lot, but I don't know that you'd really enjoy it with only a single nights lay-over

I am considering a single night layover in Lyon myself, is it best just to push on to Le Puy do you think? I am flying into CDG and catching a train to Lyon then onto Le Puy. Thought a stop over would facilitate rest and a bit of a look around, but if that rest is better spent in Le Puy or just an overnight and start walking?
Realistically I will be too tired to explore much in Lyon and intend to explore France a little en voiture on our way to Spain once my husband gets me at the conclusion of my walk.

 

[MichaelC]

I guess it would depend on how long your flight to Paris is! I thought a half-day was enough for Le Puy; once I was there I was ready to walk. I think Lyon works better for a full day. But also: it's easier to put all your hard travel (planes, buses, trains) up front and get it over with. If you're short on time I'd probably just push on to Le Puy and then take a rest day there.

 

[Julesy McJulesface]

Thanks for your reply MichaelC, I just at this moment booked my airfares, so it is all very real now!
Ahah good point - there is logic in getting all the awful travelling and fussing about done and then just having a full day 'off' to rest before walking, that would happen if I just push on to Le Puy. I am leaning toward that on balance at the moment.
My flight to Paris is 25 hours all up- with one 2hour stop over. I will then catch the train to Lyon, then depending on how 'fragile' I am feeling emotionally after all that travel will either switch onto Le Puy train or splurge on a Blablacar if available and if I am feeling particularly worn out.

 

[jo_nz]

Did you have to book the train from cdg to Lyon and how did you end up traveling to le puy.
leaving from NZ in June.

 

[Jose Abalo]

HI
We are 2 Australian guys who will be starting our Le Puy- SJPdP Camino later this month. We will be departing Lyon on Saturday 29th April and need to get to Le Puy. Is anyone leaving Lyon on that date and can we share a cab or similar transport to get to Le Puy?
or can anyone in this forum advice us of possible transport options?
Many thanks in advance for your support with this request.
Regards
Jose and Lawrence

 

[mspath]

Use www.Rome2Rio.com for various transport possibities. There are several trains daily from Lyon towards Puy en Velay; the R2R web site will show you stations/changes and times.

 

[Former member 104756]

Hi @Jose Abalo _ Jose and Lawrence

No need for a taxi. I recommend you use the Trainline website / app to explore your options. There are train/train and train/bus options for Lyon to Le Puy (via Saint Etienne) on 29 April. Journey times are less than 2.5 hours.

PS. I also live in Australia and use Trainline frequently to book trains in europe. It’s easy to use.

 

[Jose Abalo]

Many thanks mspath and Pelerina

 

[Josefus]

So, I guess my questions are:
Has anyone traveled from Lyon- Le Puy on a strike day by train?

Yes, I made this experience once. It’s a while back.
I took a regional train from Lyon Le Part Doric that should go to Le Puy. But in St. Etienne the train stopped and they made an announcement that the personell was going on strike.
I decided to have a lunch first and check my options later. When I came back to the station a saw a man with a blue uniform and asked him with my very limited language skills how to get to Le Puy. He told me that there’s a replacement by bus. Yes, and the bus was about to start 30 min later.
I later learned that this is the normal procedure in case of a strike event. And some weeks later a had a second chance to benefit from this service when the train from St Jean pdP to Bayonne was on strike.
Just be aware that the bus will take a lot more time than the train because it has to serve all the intermediate stations which are located mostly well outside of the direct road connection.

¡Ultreia!