Ski/boarding europe what a hassell

AllyG wrote:

Their final suggestion was that I buy her tickets myself, using my Visa card, and she refunds me. Well, I am prepared to do quite a lot to help her, but that's going a bit too far!


Ally

Don't you dare!!! :!:

benny12345 wrote:i'd be high end, exclusive. someone gives you aggro in a lift queue you can call me. not enough curry on your currywurst, the same.

4 people makes all the difference when you're hiring cars, travelling to/from airports in the UK, sharing ski bags on planes, etc. doesn't make a stroke of difference in organising hotels etc but then they're already reasonably priced when you deal direct and save them costs in affiliates and or agents. god knows where or what (!) i would be staying in for £25 in the uk with DB&B whee in Europe it's easy. pay a bit more you get a bit more but we're all there for the snow aren't we. if when the rate comes back will be even better

I do agree with you but I'm just saying that going from 4 to 8 and using a minbus is even cheaper, 8 to 30 and a coach is cheaper again. I know the discounts I can get for blocks of 30 or 60 beds 5 or 6 times over and it's nothing compared to thousands of beds a tour operator can get. I'd say a TO has size problem though, there could be a cracking B&B for half the price but it's useless to them as it only as 20 beds.

This all works best when you don't compare like with like which is why most people are mostly right regardless of the conclusion they've come to :lol:

Your right there was no number I had to look it up. But after ages of looking found it

But any way got through and got a quote and I neally fell over

$1500 for the two of us

Thats just about a plane trip over there.

My husband is now back down from work so he is going into the agent to have a talk and get a Itemised quote for the trains from her.

:x God this is doing my head in!!!
we will get there in the end

That sounds a bit steep.

The TGV from Paris to Chamonix should be around 200 quid for two people. The bus from Chamonix to Courmayeur should be about 20 euro's return and then I think you can use a Swiss Transfer Ticket for about 70 or 80 quid a go plus some change for a train from Chamonix to Vallorcine to get into Switzerland.

Really, the whole schedule is bad, Courmayeur and St Mortiz are great but as a taster for European skiing but I could have picked better places with better transport links.

I can't help wondering if I shouldn't be offering this as a service if all that's needed is booking hotels and transport, if I don't have to do any other work that's not a bad business.

I am wondering if it is so expensive because they have quoted her for a global pass for two people, so they can travel in France and Switzerland, and they still haven't worked out the details or the cost of the individual tickets. They will, however, have to book the TGV trains, so they need to get tickets now in case they run out, or only the expensive ones are left.

Ally

little ski - have you heard of IBAN transfer? almost all small hotels will take deposits made by iban,likewise car rental places. if the train thing really is too hard, take the hit on the discount and just buy it at the first train station you see.

contact a small hotel in resort directly - use a website like tiscover - get up early or stay up late and ring and speak to them. or email 20 in the same night. try to get a translation in the local language but also put what you want, clearly, in english too. if its german language they will almost certainly have some english anyway. french language love you to try, it amuses them.

if you try 20, or more, afterall it's only copying and pasting. you will get some responses. also you will have a good idea of the price already so only write to ones that you feel you can afford. no german or french? stick it in google translator, they will have a right good laugh. once you've got it booked, ASK THEM about transfers. they will have something, even if it's paying their eldest son to pick you up from the airport.

btw i've only ever needed to do numbes like that if i happen to be going at a major holiday like new year or fasching/pancake day!

once you've got the hotel sorted it's all downhill from there. either hire a small car from whichever airport you plan to use or look into local bus transfers. cars are cheap and much more flexible.

good luck. get the hotel where you want to be then it's easy. they WILL help you.

That sounds a con, when I book TGV journeys from here the price is the same a couple of weeks before as it is a couple of days before and I don't bother making seat reservations. I don't travel on weekends as a rule though.

Little ski wrote:

But any way got through and got a quote and I neally fell over

$1500 for the two of us

Thats just about a plane trip over there.

Littleski,
If that's 1500 Australian dollars, it's not too bad (although I'm sure it could be done for less), that's about £400 each. I had to pay £300 train fare for each of us, return, London to Moutiers direct to ski in the 3 Valleys.

I've sent you a private message.

Ally