Plane Versus Train To The Alps: The Movie

It's another of those eternal questions in ski travel, ski or board? fondue or raclette? hat or helmet? ...and of course plane or train?

Fans of rail travel to the mountains have long argued that you can get from central London to some of the best known areas in the Alps as quickly by rail as you can flying, and with a lot less stress.

Now two ski journalists, Neil English and Daniel Elkan, have put the theory to the test with a race from London to Meribel battle, each aiming to be the first to reach Fish & Pips chalet and be the first to be sipping champagne in the hot tub.

Neil's route was a flight from Gatwick to Geneva and then a private minibus transfer, while Daniel, who is the co-founder of the snowcarbon.com website which promotes rail travel to the Alps, caught a Eurostar to Paris, changed stations and then took a TGV down to Moutiers, from where it is a 20-minute taxi ride to Meribel.

A cameraman followed each journalist, the film captures the drama, frustration and banter – exposing the advantages and limitations of each mode of transport.

"As a kid, I used to take the train to ski resorts with my family," said Neil English. "I loved it, it was always so exciting. But when Daniel challenged me to a race, I was up for proving that however enjoyable train travel might be, the plane is a lot faster."

"There plenty of ski resorts in the the Alps that you can reach as quickly by train as you can by plane if you live near London," says Daniel Elkan. "The conventional wisdom says that flying is much quicker, but measured door-to-door, that is a complete myth."

While there is also a direct ski train from London to the 3 Valleys, the slightly longer, indirect (via Paris) route was chosen deliberately because equivalent journeys can be made to resorts all over the Alps. "Only one region of France has the direct Ski Train from London but many other ski regions are accessible by Eurostar + TGV just as quickly, so this race has relevance to many regions and resorts," says Elkan. "And these journeys are comfortable, easy and fun."

"As a region, we want skiers to be aware of all their travel options. Travelling by train can make the journey part of the holiday," says Vincent Lalanne, director of Les 3 Vallées Association. "The film highlights the fact that these indirect routes are perfectly viable – so as well as an exciting race, it helps inform skiers about their travel options."

The film can be viewed on the homepage of www.snowcarbon.co.uk where you can see who won.

Thanks very much for that - it was most amusing!

But I couldn't get your link to work - so here's another one:

http://snowcarbon.co.uk/blog/plane-vs-train-race-alps

I went by train to France for skiing. I can see the advantage of squeezing extra days skiing in.
However I won't be doing it again. Ever.

It's not for all that's for sure. We always offer it as an option and a few (me included) usually take it up.
Bottom line for me is if I'm only having 1 week as I am this season, being able to do 8 days on the slope rather than 6 it's a no brainier.
But it isn't a particularly pleasant experience, sleep is very hard to come by. But then neither is air travel.
On the plus side there aren't the same limits on luggage, so I can take a few extra bits and pieces.
Food wise we each take a course or a suitable liquid accumpliment, so that turns into a bit of a banquet.
The alternative is grabbing a couple of hours sleep before getting down to Gatwick for a 4am check in, (leaving Norwich around midnight), then enduring the 'hurry up and wait' that is air travel.
I do like the sense of travelling you get with the train, of always being on the move. With air travel, being sat at an airport for 2 hours prior to an 1.5 hour flight has always struck me as a bit ridiculous. Then there's the transfer he other end, you are still a long way away. With the train, the last bit is a short hop, 50 mins for us this year.
Try it if you haven't before, some will like it and keep going back, some will hate the experience, hate me for suggesting it, and never use the train again...

Well - I am giving the train a punt this year. For the same reason as Andy; 8 days and not 6!

Going the overnight way so a longer journey time wise but hopefully not too painful and will be worthwile.

Ooo I loved it! How exciting!

Me too..I went snowtrain in January and really enjoyed the experience...as Andy says better than getting up at some ungodly hour to be herded like cattle into a tin can and then to have to wait at some airport with hundreds of other "customers" (cattle) for the next plain to arrive and then have a 3 hour coach journey...and to have to endure the same on return...

I think it depends on where you live. For us 45 min to Bournemouth and then into Geneva means we could be in a Grand massif or Portes de Soleil resort in between 6 and 7 hours from our door.

Train means 30 mins to the station, 2.5 hrs to Waterloo, time across London, then check-in etc, so probably barely in France in 7 hours.

We often fly out Friday instead and get the extra day that way, with a night in a cheapish hotel in resort on the Friday.

BTW, I ran two of tghe chalets in that first photo with my better half. They are superbly located!