That's harder now, or at least more costly, assuming regionals resume providing the CTP. You'd have to pay for CTP on your own.

I guess you could maybe attend the regional's CTP and then try to go back home and take the ride with a plane and DPE you know.

The benefit of having the ATP before your new-hire sim checkride is that the examiner has slightly more leeway on a type ride, than on an ATP ride.