Take the Train to Les Arcs (then the Express to La Plagne)
Eurostar (www.eurostar.com) have opened bookings for direct rail access from St Pancras to the heart of the French Alps earlier than before. Bookings for winter 2011-12 can be made now.
The availability of rail tickets now circumvents a long standing issue for those who wanted the option of rail travel, but wanted to secure bookings for accommodation in resort well in advance and have the option of taking advantage of early booking lower-prices on airlines if rail travel options proved unsuitable.
As well as being more environmentally friendly, advantages and cost savings in rail travel include quick central-London check in, compared to the trip to the airport, check-in, security, wait, flight, baggage collection, transfer routine of flying, which can take the eight hours the train trip does and with all the bits of the trip added together, can easily equal or pass the return fares starting from £149 on Eurostar. For added savings and convenience, Eurostar allows ski passengers to carry on-board an extra item of luggage in addition to the normal luggage allowance - such as a pair of skis or a snowboard - at no extra cost.
Eurostar's daytime and overnight services, serve the French ski towns of Moûtiers, Aime-La-Plagne and Bourg St Maurice. Eurostar stations are located a short bus ride from the resorts avoiding lengthy transfers to and from the airport. Ski resorts close to the rail stations include Courchevel, La Plagne, Tignes, Meribel, Les Arcs, allowing people to choose a resort that matches their needs.
The direct seasonal ski services will run from Saturday 17 December (day services) and Friday 23 December (night services) until Saturday 14th April 2012. There is only seated accommodation on overnight trains.
Eurostar's overnight services arrive in the Alps early on a Saturday morning and depart late on a Saturday evening, making them perfect for winter sports enthusiasts looking for an extra couple of days on the slopes. On the Saturday day service, passengers can sit back and enjoy stunning views of the French countryside en route.
"French ski resorts are some of the most popular in Europe, and more and more travellers are seeing that high speed rail is the perfect way to reach them, with a minimum of stress and limited impact on the environment. On average, a Eurostar journey accounts for just one tenth of the carbon emissions of an equivalent flight and allows travellers to arrive close to their resort, relaxed, refreshed and ready to hit the slopes." Said Mary Walsh, Eurostar's Director of Communications.