Latest posts for the topic "snow train"

snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:16:32 GMT

I have just come back from Courchevel and I am already in need of my next ski fix! On the way to Courchevel we briefly stopped in Moutiers bus/train station and I didn't realise until having a quick look around you can go there direct from London on the train.

1. Has anyone ever done it and would they recommend doing it?

2. Is it worth it? As I am very much tempted to give it a try and see what it is like to go skiing with no faff at the airport and no luggage restrictions.

Just depends on how easy it is to then get to a resort from there.

Any opinions?

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:25:29 GMT

Have done it and will be doing it again on Saturday. Much much prefer it to flying. Check in is a doddle in St Pancras (30 mins before). Leaves 10am, arrives at Bourg St Maurice at 6.50pm european time. Very quick transfer to about 7 no. resorts (listed on Eurostar site somewhere). We stayed at Les Arcs 1950 last year - about 30 mins via taxi although we could have used the funicular. Going to Val D'Isere on Sat. Apartment owner is picking us up in his 4x4 so approx 30 mins transfer again I hope.

I think you can get off earlier at Moutiers for Meribel and maybe one other?

No luggage issues - suitcases go straight into the rack by the door to the carriage.

For the sake of another GBP60 each we upgraded to premier seats - more legroom, only 3 seats across, free breakfast, lunch and dinner, free wine at lunchtime, free tea and coffee throughout the day. We booked too late this year so are going out standard, coming back premier. I think we've paid approx GBP500 for the two of us (using discount for being members of Ski Club Of GB)

I hate flying although we've gone for this option for our family skiing trip to Norway in Easter.

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:26:49 GMT

Of course I say 'free' food in post above but it isn't really as we've paid for the upgrade......

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:30:04 GMT

We went to Courchevel 1650 on the Eurostar a few years ago and it was an incredibly relaxing and stress free experience compared to the usual airport bunfight followed by coach transfer. We used to have relatives in London so our car was parked at their house and it was a short taxi ride to the station. We boarded at about 10 in the morning and arrived at Moutiers at about 5.30 in the afternoon. Directly outside the station is a taxi rank, or the cheaper option of the buses also right outside the station, which certainly serve the 3-Valley resorts. No doubt someone else on here can provide a more detailed list of buses/resorts for you!

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:41:18 GMT

I look forward to going on it on Friday to La Plagne..you can get off at Moutiers Aime and Bourg .Sounds as though its great ..my first time on the Eurostar...Mind you I just found out that to put my skis on East Midlands train down from Sheffield is going to cost me GBP10 ..they need a ticket..liberty

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:42:55 GMT

Daved - you doing the overnighter?? I hear that a good night's sleep is elusive on that particular service!

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:45:32 GMT

I can sleep anywhere and we are going Premier ...I hear its a bit quieter in there...its worth it ..makes it an 8 day holiday

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:52:29 GMT

I've just had look at the site, mainly to get price compression. I'm I doing it correctly as there seem to be literally no seats available. Do they only depart on certain days?

Also it only seems to let you book three months in advance?

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:53:42 GMT

Bus timetable can be found at www.altibus.com

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 16:55:02 GMT

There are two versions: One is the direct Eurostar 'Snowtrain' from London and the other (which I have used) is the SNCF one from Calais to Moutiers. When I looked recently, a February Adult Eurostar 2nd.Class Return was GBP164.50 and took 8h 12m excluding the time and cost transfer in Paris from Nord to Gare de Lyon. Some dates look fully-booked and the only train on offer was 15:30 from London arriving after Midnight in Moutiers.

I have done the Calais-Moutiers Snowtrain on a Boys Trip where the package included parking in Dover; onto a coach; Sea Cat Channel Crossing; the coach to a goods yard and then train overnight to Moutiers. Accomodation was a shared 4-bunk compartment. One carriage was converted to a Bar and Disco. Schedule was a Friday evening drive to Calais after work and arrival in Moutiers about 7-8am Saturday.

The advantage was we got to Courcheval about 10:30, dropped-off our luggage at the hotel, got hire stuff and the hotel gave us a room to change. We were on piste lunchtime. On the Saturday back we did a half-day's ski, and reversed the journey back to get home Sunday. So overall, an extra day's skiing on a week's trip. And if you're young and in a group, then you probably would enjoy the overnight partying on the train.

Cons: I pretty much didn't sleep on the couchette, partly because of drunken people going to/from the Party Coach, partly because it's really cramped. It was a lot of hassle carting ski gear and luggage from car> coach> train> coach> hotel.

But I imagine that the Eurostar Snowtrain is much more civilised. Although I wonder if you wouldn't opt for the GBP235 Premier Class option if you had to spend 8 hours on the train?

Overall, I prefer to fly: My February trip is costing GBP56 LGW>GVA Return BA, GBP67 adult return from the airport to Verbier. I'll be writing off the day travelling, of course, even if only 5 hours of it is actually sat on the 'plane/train/telecabine. Also, I don't live in London - if you did, I can see that you might well prefer the Eurostar Snowtrain than trekking to Heathrow, Gatwick or LCY.

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 17:01:57 GMT

Smokey Barr wrote:I've just had look at the site, mainly to get price compression. I'm I doing it correctly as there seem to be literally no seats available. Do they only depart on certain days?

Also it only seems to let you book three months in advance?

Seats get snapped up very quickly. We booked ours for the weekend back in September. There are only 2 services - Fri overnight departure and Sat morning departure.

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 17:04:18 GMT

Msej449
--------------------

Hmm, I think I'm with you re flying. It's quicker for a start, and I can check-in online with BA which saves a lot of guffing around in the airport, and you don't seem to make that much of a saving via rail, certainly if you upgrade to premium.

We also tend to go midweek for 5 days so's to miss the weekenders, the trains don't seem to go midweek.

Having said that, I bet some of the scenery is good.

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 17:19:03 GMT

It depends where you live. It's no quicker to fly when you live in deepest Lincolnshire I can tell you!

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 17:21:13 GMT

I have done the Eurostar, albeit many years ago, and would definitely do it again if I was heading out to one of the suitable resorts and was not in a position to drive.

I did the out overnight Friday, returning Saturday night trip, and had the fortune to go first class, so we had lovely reclining armchairs and managed to sleep pretty well in both directions.

We were skiing in Courchevel before 10 am on the saturday, and the hotel allowed us a place to shower and change the following saturday, so we did get in a nearly full 8 days skiing :D

I have also done the ski train from Calais, but unless it was the only option, I doubt I would do that one again. We were so wrecked after that trip (mainly drink) we didn't manage to get out on the slopes till mid day sunday :shock:

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 17:28:14 GMT

bedrock barney wrote:It depends where you live. It's no quicker to fly when you live in deepest Lincolnshire I can tell you!

Good point. I'm in the big smoke so take local airports for granted.

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 17:46:12 GMT

ive looked at the train a few times but its a non starter if you live in Newcastle as its 3 hours to KingsX/St Pancrass before you start and, if you dont want to vernight in London, an expensive train down as its peak time.

No cheaper for me then and no quicker - oh and I like my sleep so the party train is a no no

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 17:53:18 GMT

Newcastle just too far I suspect. We catch the 7.04am from Newark which gets to Kings Cross at 8.37am. GBP41 return for the two of us (cheap as long as you book early) 10 min walk across the road to St Pancras and plenty of time for breakfast before boarding Eurostar at 9.30am.

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 17:55:02 GMT

Its 2 hours for me down to London by train ...about the same cost as paring my car at the airport for a week ..I then have to walk 50 meters to Eurostar ..I'm hoping to sleep better on the train than the usual problems with the early morning flights ....having to get up at 3am then drive to the local airport then wait for 2 hours before you are squeezed on and then a 2 hours wait at the arrival airport while the next flight arrive ,,,and the 2 hour transfer...and so on

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 19:31:22 GMT

Hi All,

I've had an apartment in Bourg-St-Maurice since 2003 , and this year I/we are looking at the train for early March for a change, I must admit I quite like the idea of getting onto the train and then not having to do anything for the next 9 or 10 hours or so....

....certainly seems better than waiting around at airports etc so will see how it goes :D

jon

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 19:51:46 GMT

Never been on Eurostar, seems pricey, and awkward because you have to make your way across Paris to meet ongoing TGV service.

Went on the Charter overnight Couchette service several times way back :shock: Ferry from Dover, meet train in goods sidings at Calais, 6 berth couchettes, Disco carriage, no sleep......

Ski badly with a buzzing head on the Saturday :mrgreen:

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 20:22:40 GMT

bandit wrote:Never been on Eurostar, seems pricey, and awkward because you have to make your way across Paris to meet ongoing TGV service.

Not if you book one of the direct trains to Moutiers/Aime La Plagne/Bourg St Maurice! The train I went on was from Waterloo (now St Pancras) and stopped at Ashford then next stop Moutiers :lol:

They still run the direct service, as seen in the following timetable..

http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/destinations/direct_services/ski_train/ski_train_timetables.jsp

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 20:34:09 GMT

I'm confused (not difficult) - is this a different service to the Eurostar one that the TOs use?

I have been by train before a few times having booked the package through the TO, and I know you can book direct through Eurostar, so is this a different train?

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 20:36:09 GMT

Just looked at the link Far Queue put on the above post, it's never an hour and a half to Val D from Bourg, probably more like 40 mins.

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 20:53:12 GMT

Far Queue wrote:

bandit wrote:Never been on Eurostar, seems pricey, and awkward because you have to make your way across Paris to meet ongoing TGV service.

Not if you book one of the direct trains to Moutiers/Aime La Plagne/Bourg St Maurice! The train I went on was from Waterloo (now St Pancras) and stopped at Ashford then next stop Moutiers :lol:

They still run the direct service, as seen in the following timetable..

http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/destinations/direct_services/ski_train/ski_train_timetables.jsp

FQ, France is the wrong country for me :mrgreen: I would need to change onto the TGV Lyria in Paris.

Re:snow train

Wed, 4 Jan 2012 21:04:34 GMT

bedrock barney wrote:Newcastle just too far I suspect. We catch the 7.04am from Newark which gets to Kings Cross at 8.37am. GBP41 return for the two of us (cheap as long as you book early) 10 min walk across the road to St Pancras and plenty of time for breakfast before boarding Eurostar at 9.30am.

To get to Kings X for 9 I'd have to get the 6am which is about GBP200 return - no cheap deals on that service- I use it a lot with work