2009-10: Goodbye Snow Train, Hello Ski Train

The Snow Train service which operated an overnight sleeper service between London and the French Alps has been axed by operator Rail Europe for the coming winter.

The service, famous for its high quality staff and low quality French rolling stock had been reported to be growing business as people switched from air to rail and enjoyed the added bonus of an extra day's skiing in the Alps by travelling overnight to the slopes. However Rail Europe are blaming the current economic climate for cutting the service.

The Snow Train involved taking an afternoon or early evening Eurostar to Paris and then boarding an aged chartered sleeper train down to the Alps. This was popular with students and young skiers due to the disco car and party atmosphere but lacked comfort or essentials for families and more mature travellers.

Within days of the announcement of the demise of the Snowtrain however, Eurostar were releasing details of their daytime services to the French Alps which speed down from St Pancras. It also remains possible to do a DIY snow train service yourself by taking the Eurostar to Paris and then a regular sleeper down to the Alps, although this normally involves a simple station change in Paris where the Snowtrain served used just one Paris station.
Courtesy of and © Snow24 plc

We have been discussing the demise of the Snow Train today...

http://www.j2ski.com/ski-chat-forum/posts/list/6288.page

The service I used, collected it's passengers in the sidings either beside the ferry in Calais, or from the centre of Calais. I suppose that dates me )

bandit wrote:I suppose that dates me )

Yep, you're as, er, young as I am! Did that route a couple of times on the way to Les Arcs.