Skiers and boarders will be able to enjoy two extra days on Austria's slopes with the launch of new rail-inclusive ski packages to three resorts in the Tirol: Alpbach, Hopfgarten, and Söll.
Skiers will travel by Eurostar to Paris and then take a City Night Line sleeper train to Wörgl station, from where it is a short taxi ride up to the resorts.
The packages, offered by ski tour operators such as Skiline, include rail travel at preferential rates, in a joint venture between tour operators and Deutsche Bahn, arranged by ski-rail website snowcarbon.co.uk.
The new rail packages will benefit families in particular: children under 15, if accompanied by a parent or grandparent, will pay only 20€ each way on the City Night Line, plus their Eurostar fare.
"Few skiers realise that Austria can be reached easily by overnight train. The City Night Line isn't a traditional "ski train" – there's no disco carriage – but it's fun, kind of romantic, and comfortable." Says Daniel Elkan, co-founder of snowcarbon.
"Travelling to the slopes by train creates a fraction of the pollution of flying or driving, and when you arrive at Wörgl station the next morning, you are minutes from the slopes."
The change of station from Paris-Nord, where the Eurostar arrives, to Paris-Est, from where the City Night Line departs, is a ten minute walk or seven minute taxi ride. Although there is a taxi-rank at Paris-Nord (15€ for a four-person vehicle), Skiline can include a pre-booked taxi pick up from the end of the Eurostar platform (60€ for an eight-seater vehicle, from British transfer company Paris City Line).
"It's great that more people are weighing up their options and considering travelling to Austria by train. The two 'extra' days skiing on arrival Saturday and departure Saturday are often the best days, as traditionally this is resort changeover day so the slopes are quieter". Says Holger Gassler if the Tirol Tourist Board (www.visittirol.co.uk).
An example journey could involve leaving London St. Pancras on a Friday at 15.31 by Eurostar and arriving Paris-Nord at 18.47 with around 90 minutes to change stations before departing Paris-Est on the 20.20 City Night Line service and arriving at Woergl at 09.41 the Saturday morning. You could leave London earlier and have time for dinner if Paris. A similar return journey leaves Woergl at 20.48 on Saturday night and arrives St Pancras at 12.28 on Sunday. The ski resorts are 15-30 minutes from Woergl station by taxi.