Latest posts for the topic "Coach from London to Resort"

Coach from London to Resort

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:44:02 GMT

Dear All,

I was wondering if anybody has had any positive experience travelling from London, overnight, to their ski resort or thereabouts.

I ask because the idea of leaving London on a Friday evening, sleeping overnight, and arriving at my resort early / mid afternoon appeals. However, I haven't really travelled by coach for years, and my memory of coach travel is of being quite cramped. I did an overnight once and it was awfull. I've seen adverts for 'luxury' coaches with extended leg room, but I suspect they will still be cramped.

Any useful comments gratefully received.

Re:Coach from London to Resort

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:54:11 GMT

Take eurostar to paris and a night sleeper from Paris to resort. Dump bags at accomm and have some extra ski time.

You can then either repeat in reverse or take a TGV to Paris and get to London early evening.

Re:Coach from London to Resort

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:59:59 GMT

Dorset Boy wrote:Take eurostar to paris and a night sleeper from Paris to resort. Dump bags at accomm and have some extra ski time.

You can then either repeat in reverse or take a TGV to Paris and get to London early evening.

Ditto. You might as well get the train, much more comfortable.

Re:Coach from London to Resort

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 11:35:17 GMT

Dorset Boy wrote:Take eurostar to paris and a night sleeper from Paris to resort. Dump bags at accomm and have some extra ski time.

You can then either repeat in reverse or take a TGV to Paris and get to London early evening.

Hi,

I agree take the Eurostar, leaves London St.Pancras Friday night and
and will take you direct to the Tarentaise stopping at Bourg-St-Maurice.

The overnight goes all the way through, think it stops at Moutiers and Aime then onto BsM, have had a place in BsM since 2003 but always Drive or Fly-Drive so plans permitting hoping to do the Train this season.

Think the price for standard seat etc is around GBP160 return pwer person, which isn't bad at all , and you do get a day or so extra skiing which is a bonus.

jon

Re:Coach from London to Resort

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:35:50 GMT

Do you manage to sleep ok on Eurostar?

The reason I was looking at coaches is that they will take you directly to your resort. Looks ok on paper, but I suspect the seats will be cramped.

Re:Coach from London to Resort

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:48:40 GMT

I have just posted on this very similar thread:

http://www.j2ski.com/ski-chat-forum/posts/list/11817.page

I had no problems with the snowcoach. We'd already had three ski holidays that year so doing a coach trip was cheap enough for us to afford a fourth. When looking for the cheapest options I found flights cheaper than the train at the time. Not considered the train since.

Re:Coach from London to Resort

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:54:51 GMT

You could have the same problems on a coach as on the train I guess, all depends who you end up travelling with.

On the train we have experienced both, one year we were in the naughty carriage when there were a load of very excited and drunk 20 somethings up all night making the most revolting mess, one of them managed to get into the overhead luggage rack for a kip. But we've also been in a quiet carriage and had sleep after a few drinks.

You can obviously move around more on the train, but I would imagine the coach would be a bit tamer being in a smaller space.

I'm curious about travelling by coach now, I'm off to have a look :)

Re:Coach from London to Resort

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 14:56:42 GMT

I'm like you PaulBryanBill, my preconception is that it would be horrible... but I have a friend that does it for four-day breaks and says it's great...it arrives early on day 1 and you can ski on departure day too.

Think he goes "Snowcoach", worth seeing if there are any reviews on them, but I'm sure there are plenty of others.

Re:Coach from London to Resort

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:18:45 GMT

I used ski weekends last yr for a trip to bides les baines, travelled by coach from London Victoria. The coach was comfy, we upgraded seats to the extra leg room seats and it was fine. I'm a nightmare at sleeping but still managed to get off. Ok I layer down on the floor but was ok. The coach was half empty for both legs which I certainly think helped. I can't imagine being on a full coach.

My tips would be to wear something comfy, take a pillow and make sure you have plenty to eat and drink. Also if you have them take an iPod etc or whatever entertainment you have.

At the end of the day for GBP100 door to door can you honestly complain? Yes it's no flight but its cheap and convenient.

Re:Coach from London to Resort

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:49:23 GMT

jonG wrote:Hi,

I agree take the Eurostar, leaves London St.Pancras Friday night and
and will take you direct to the Tarentaise stopping at Bourg-St-Maurice.

The overnight goes all the way through, think it stops at Moutiers and Aime then onto BsM, have had a place in BsM since 2003 but always Drive or Fly-Drive so plans permitting hoping to do the Train this season.

Think the price for standard seat etc is around GBP160 return pwer person, which isn't bad at all , and you do get a day or so extra skiing which is a bonus.

jon

I have tried sleeping in the economy seats on the Eurostar night train. It was total agony and I ended up spending the night on the floor in the buffet car wrapped up in my ski jacket. What we do now is go out on the day train and come back on the night train (so we can ski for 7 days) in the more luxurious standard premier seats (in which I can actually sleep) and which include supper and breakfast given to you at your seats. We went out on New Year's Eve this way and with the reduction for being a member of the Ski Club of Great Britain, and buying the tickets early when they are at their cheapest, I paid GBP189 per head. But the more usual price for this is GBP250 per head, which is quite a bit more than the plane.

My younger daughter went on a uni ski trip before Christmas with Offthepiste.com which involved a planned 24 hour coach and ferry trip which turned into an actual 28 hour one because of the adverse weather conditions here in the U.K. , in the English Channel and on the roads up to the resort. She says she managed to sleep - but it would have pretty much killed me!

Ally

Re:Coach from London to Resort

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:04:42 GMT

Came back on Eurostar last week (premier ) and really enjoyed the experience ...got on at 10pm at Bourg (excellent pizzeria over the car park) and arrive St Pancras ..7am ...managed 5 hours sleep..going out was better ...plus 8 days skiing

I might consider the coach ..so long as I can have extra leg room