A little bit of help from our experienced travellers please

Ok, heres the deal. I have enough airmiles saved up for another return trip to zone 2 for me and Mrs H, and I have been looking at alternative places to fly so that we can keep costs down etc etc.
I have looked at Innsbruck and its a non starter, and I used Munich last year. However, now that BA are charging for skis, it adds to the cost, which leaves me with 2 possible options:

Swiss via London City to either Zurich or Geneva.

I am aware of the number of resorts close to Geneva, and recall people talking of good bus links to many. I also recall a lot of people complaining about the car hire from Geneva, being expensive, a long way from the teminal, and one or two bad practises depening on which "side" you rent from.
I also seem to recall that Zurich has a fantastic railway station which links to many ski resorts.

In line with keeping the costs down, Swiss fir the bill as they still carry skis for free, according to their website anyway. I trust someone can verify this for me?

So, hiring a car would be relatively expensive out of either airport, and I was hoping someone might give me some ideas for places which are easily reached either by bus or train for either airport.

I have no fixed dates as yet, but it will probably be early Feb 2010, and may be for a week or even 3 or 4 days. If you know me, you know my requirements are for somewhere with a good ski area in terms of mileage, and also high enough up to be able to guarantee snow. I am happy to source accommodation myself, although again if anyone can recommend anything particularly good value that would be great.

So, I am looking for resort recommendations for places either cheap or quick to get to from either airport, preferably by direct bus/coach or train.

Looking at a map suggests considering Flaine, Avoriaz, Chamonix, Verbier, Villars, La Clusaz from Geneva
or considering a train to Laax, Klosters/Davos, Grindelwald area, Amdermatt, or maybe Western Austria which would open up St Anton, Ischgl or Montafon area.

Anyone got any suggestions as to where might be best and easiest, in terms of keeping costs down of course!


Cheers in advance

Tony, my experience is that the best value of airmiles is to use them to get a hire car. Worth exploring. The points cost may have gone up though, in the two years since I last did this.
It is easier to get a low cost flight than low cost car hire. London- Geneva on sale yesterday for £19.

Alternatively, if you do use airmiles to fly to Geneva, why not make it your year for Zermatt or Saas Fee? They are bound to be on your hit list, and since you would have already softened the cost, it would moderate the overall hit. Go by train to Brig.

Zermatt or Saas-Fee are very do-able from either GVA or Zurich by train. The train ride up to Zermatt from Visp is breathtaking. A car would be a Sfr liability in either resort as both are car free and parking costs Sfr.

You can work out train connection times with your flight on http://www.sbb.ch/en/

If you are using swiss trains, check the fare price. It may be more cost effective to buy a Rail Transfer Ticket over here before you depart (or not)!

Verbier or Crans Montana are even closer. You could reach Gstaad by train from GVA, very easy skiing there though!

You might even consider the Anniviers )

If you are on Swiss, consider using the Baggage Service, so you travel lighter on the train.

Both GVA and Zurich have railway stations inside the airport, it's very civilised :D

There must be hundreds of resorts within your reach between the two!

Dave Mac wrote:Tony, my experience is that the best value of airmiles is to use them to get a hire car. Worth exploring. The points cost may have gone up though, in the two years since I last did this.
It is easier to get a low cost flight than low cost car hire. London- Geneva on sale yesterday for £19.

Alternatively, if you do use airmiles to fly to Geneva, why not make it your year for Zermatt or Saas Fee? They are bound to be on your hit list, and since you would have already softened the cost, it would moderate the overall hit. Go by train to Brig.

Dave, good point but I have to fly irrespective and would much rather get free flights and cheap travel than have to pay hundreds of £ for flights and use airmiles to hire a car which I can go without.
For example the cost of car hire from Munich last December was far far less than it would have been had a cashed in airmiles and paid for flights, and I am talking several hundred pounds.
Thanks anyway, both are resorts I would like to go to.

bandit wrote:Zermatt or Saas-Fee are very do-able from either GVA or Zurich by train. The train ride up to Zermatt from Visp is breathtaking. A car would be a Sfr liability in either resort as both are car free and parking costs Sfr.

You can work out train connection times with your flight on http://www.sbb.ch/en/

If you are using swiss trains, check the fare price. It may be more cost effective to buy a Rail Transfer Ticket over here before you depart (or not)!

Verbier or Crans Montana are even closer. You could reach Gstaad by train from GVA, very easy skiing there though!

You might even consider the Anniviers )

If you are on Swiss, consider using the Baggage Service, so you travel lighter on the train.

Both GVA and Zurich have railway stations inside the airport, it's very civilised :D

There must be hundreds of resorts within your reach between the two!

Thanks Bandit, I knew you'd reply. However, I was looking for some more detailed information ideally, ie someone who has done a similar trip before and picked up a bus or train from either, who could give details etc.
Ideally I would like to know rough costs for buses or trains to various resorts, and whats involved at the other end, ie is the station in town or is a bus/taxi needed, which adds to the cost, and which train stations to use for certain resorts for example.
Not asking for much am I..... :lol:

Tony
I regularly travel to the Anniviers from GVA without a car. The rail fare covers the final leg of the trip by Postbus. It drops me 5 mins stroll to the apt. I've also travelled over to Zermatt from Grimentz without a car. I had brekkie, got the early bus down to Sierre, caught the train to Visp and the narrow guage up to Zermatt, dumped my bags in the hotel and was up on the KM ready to ski by 11.30am.

Try the link I posted earlier, type in your arrival airport and your chosen destination, and what is offered will be included by the rail ticket. It also tells you how long the journey will take, and if you need to make changes.
For Zermatt and Saas-Fee, it's advisable to get an electric taxi to shift the luggage to your accom. Last year, mine in Zermatt cost me 12sfr.

Decide where you'd like to visit 1st, Swiss Transfer Ticket will get you to/from your arrival airport to resort and back. Costs £75 ish each.

Does this help? :D

bandit wrote:Tony
I regularly travel to the Anniviers from GVA without a car. The rail fare covers the final leg of the trip by Postbus. It drops me 5 mins stroll to the apt. I've also travelled over to Zermatt from Grimentz without a car. I had brekkie, got the early bus down to Sierre, caught the train to Visp and the narrow guage up to Zermatt, dumped my bags in the hotel and was up on the KM ready to ski by 11.30am.

Try the link I posted earlier, type in your arrival airport and your chosen destination, and what is offered will be included by the rail ticket. It also tells you how long the journey will take, and if you need to make changes.
For Zermatt and Saas-Fee, it's advisable to get an electric taxi to shift the luggage to your accom. Last year, mine in Zermatt cost me 12sfr.

Decide where you'd like to visit 1st, Swiss Transfer Ticket will get you to/from your arrival airport to resort and back. Costs £75 ish each.

Does this help? :D

Now we're talking.

Think you might be right about the transfer ticket, as a return from Zurich to Saas Fee is nearly CHF200 each!

I often fly to Geneva when going to Avoriaz.
Its the closest resort I believe and a great location to explore the PDS.
You can get a taxi for about £50 return per person scheduled or get your own if there are a few of you. and i believe there are regular buses.
Other options are check out snowcoach they have a Hotel at La Fayet and can arrange transfers the train station is also 200 meters from the Hotel and i imagine would have a direct link from Geneva.
If you have a hire car its a fantastic base for exploring some of the the best skiing around.