Latest posts for the topic "Dick Turpin!"

Dick Turpin!

Thu, 4 Oct 2012 14:49:59 GMT

Hi all,

well, it's that time of year again, planning the trip for the new year, and lo and behold, that age old issue of transfers has come up again.

We're trying to get from Geneva to Tignes, and we've come up against Dick Turpin and all his fellow highway robbers. How can a shared transfer for five come in at GBP110 each? And that's the cheapest!
Looks like it's going to be the hire car again, which is still a killer at nearly four hundred quid. Unless we can find a cheaper alternative.....

So...question is.....has anyone got any suggestions? We've got a proper sad on at the moment, but it would seem we're completely at the mercy of the transfer companies, who seem to be taking a liberty....

Re:Dick Turpin!

Thu, 4 Oct 2012 15:33:03 GMT

Not sure where you are based, but have you considered driving the whole journey? I reckon you could take 2 cars for the same cost as the transfer, plus then you could save the airfares and carry whatever luggage you can fit in the cars.

If you know anyone with a large MPV you might be able to borrow, you would all get in 1 vehicle for the trip.

Just a thought for you.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Thu, 4 Oct 2012 18:07:53 GMT

Hi Randyrat,
The best deal I could find for our group holiday was with thecoolbus.co.uk which was 280 euros one way for an 8 seater mini-bus from Geneva to Tignes. But as it happens we're all getting there in different ways and I don't think we're going to use this company (which was recommended to me by the owner of the chalet we're going to). I don't think you'd find anything much cheaper than that.

Perhaps if you say which dates and times you're travelling you could advertise the 3 spare places in the mini-bus on here and reduce your transfer costs.

What's wrong with using the bus? The Aeroski bus (AKA Altibus) is 109 euros return per person.

Best of luck with getting the transfers sorted :D

Re:Dick Turpin!

Thu, 4 Oct 2012 18:55:29 GMT

car hire?

Re:Dick Turpin!

Thu, 4 Oct 2012 18:57:30 GMT

Just had another thought.

You could try contacting some of the bigger TO's to see if they would be willing to sell you seats on one of their transfer coaches. In the past we have managed to bung a rep and get on a half full coach for a considerably cheaper rate that usual, especially as we were happy to not have a receipt :twisted:

Re:Dick Turpin!

Thu, 4 Oct 2012 19:58:44 GMT

Wouldn't it be cheaper to rent a car for a week..

:oops: Should have read your post properly!

Re:Dick Turpin!

Fri, 5 Oct 2012 09:35:34 GMT

I really must do little more investigation as I could make a killing in the airport transfer market in France by not ripping off people and charging resonable prices.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Fri, 5 Oct 2012 10:47:05 GMT

Well, it looks like it's car hire...I've exhausted all the options. For a small group like ours it's by far the cheapest option, even including fuel and "gasp" GBP60 for a weeks parking in Tignes. Ah well, on the upside it'll be quicker than a minibus, and we can stash up on food and drink before we reach Tignes, which should save a packet.....
Happy days.....!! :P

Re:Dick Turpin!

Fri, 5 Oct 2012 13:05:48 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:I really must do little more investigation as I could make a killing in the airport transfer market in France by not ripping off people and charging resonable prices.

How many can you get in a tractor? Might be a few runs per group taking a long time ;)

Car hire good option, only potential thing is that you won't use it all week in tignes. Unless you drive to vdi.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Fri, 5 Oct 2012 13:55:20 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:I really must do little more investigation as I could make a killing in the airport transfer market in France by not ripping off people and charging resonable prices.

My thoughts exactly.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Fri, 5 Oct 2012 18:55:07 GMT

NellyPS wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:I really must do little more investigation as I could make a killing in the airport transfer market in France by not ripping off people and charging resonable prices.

My thoughts exactly.

Nel you had a career change ??

Re:Dick Turpin!

Fri, 5 Oct 2012 19:03:25 GMT

NellyPS wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:I really must do little more investigation as I could make a killing in the airport transfer market in France by not ripping off people and charging resonable prices.

My thoughts exactly.

Do you think things like insurance premiums are more expensive for someone offering this service? Because of the mountain roads and conditions?
Also do you think there would be enough demand during the off season to make it feasible full time?

Re:Dick Turpin!

Fri, 5 Oct 2012 19:08:37 GMT

Snapzzz wrote:

NellyPS wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:I really must do little more investigation as I could make a killing in the airport transfer market in France by not ripping off people and charging resonable prices.

My thoughts exactly.

Do you think things like insurance premiums are more expensive for someone offering this service? Because of the mountain roads and conditions?
Also do you think there would be enough demand during the off season to make it feasible full time?

Prices are pretty much fixed out of geneva, My opinion is they are ripping us off, the only way to stop it is BOYCOTT :thumbup:

Re:Dick Turpin!

Sat, 6 Oct 2012 15:58:57 GMT

Ian Wickham wrote:

NellyPS wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:I really must do little more investigation as I could make a killing in the airport transfer market in France by not ripping off people and charging resonable prices.

My thoughts exactly.

Nel you had a career change ??

No, but its tempting -)

Re:Dick Turpin!

Sat, 6 Oct 2012 16:28:59 GMT

why do you think I'm driving....two transfers pays for the trip out

Re:Dick Turpin!

Sat, 6 Oct 2012 17:56:20 GMT

http://www.bensbus.co.uk/ are advertising GBP74 return.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:49:07 GMT

Hi,

have a look at BensBus , should get a transfer from Geneva for around GBP73 per person return ( Saturday to Saturday ), used them last year ( Geneva to Bourg-St-Maurice )...grest service.

jon

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:49:59 GMT

Hi again,

Heres the weblink ...

http://www.bensbus.co.uk/

jon.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 16:59:41 GMT

randyrat wrote:Well, it looks like it's car hire...I've exhausted all the options. For a small group like ours it's by far the cheapest option, even including fuel and "gasp" GBP60 for a weeks parking in Tignes. Ah well, on the upside it'll be quicker than a minibus, and we can stash up on food and drink before we reach Tignes, which should save a packet.....
Happy days.....!! :P

Hi Randyrat - how much are you paying for the car hire? I'd like a figure to put on my group holiday 2013 thread.

Do the hire rules specify you have to use undercover parking? If they don't (and you bring a shovel in case of mega snowfall) as far as I know you can park for nothing in the outdoor car parks.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:13:27 GMT

Hi allyG,

AutoEurope ( www.auto-europe.co.uk ) are pretty good for car hire, depending on week and size of car etc I have managed to get hire from between GBP97 - GBP170 for a week plus fuel + tolls.

jon

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:40:56 GMT

Thanks Jon :D

So, how much do you think it would cost to hire an estate sized car to drive from Geneva airport to Tignes and back for a week ski-ing, including the tolls and fuel?

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 17:45:03 GMT

AllyG wrote:Thanks Jon :D

So, how much do you think it would cost to hire an estate sized car to drive from Geneva airport to Tignes and back for a week ski-ing, including the tolls and fuel?

So, how long is a decent sized piece of string?

You need to use a website such as Via Michelin which gives Toll costs. Fuel consumption costs can be provided by Mfrs websites. Car hire co's provide up to date prices on their websites for different sized vehicles.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 18:36:37 GMT

Thanks Bandit :D

I tried out that Via Michelin site and it said it would cost a total of GBP39 each way, total GBP78, made up of:

Toll = GBP5-00
Petrol = GBP15
Road Tax = GBP20-00

It also said it would take 3 hours and 16 minutes (from Geneva airport to Tignes) and it was 108 miles, and the traffic effect was 19 minutes.

I have no idea what road tax means in this instance, or whether the petrol figures are correct.

So, I suppose if I take the mid-way point for Jon's car hire costs, GBP135, and add it to the above costs of GBP78 I get a grand total of GBP213 (without adding anything on for parking charges in Tignes).

And, if I assume that one could get a return bus ticket for GBP80 per person, then hiring a car is very marginally cheaper if there are 3 people in it but more realistically I think one would need 4 people to make it worth the trouble of hiring a car.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:09:42 GMT

AllyG wrote:
Toll = GBP5-00
Petrol = GBP15
Road Tax = GBP20-00

The easiest access by car to/from GVA airport is via Swiss Motorways. This requires a Vignette costing 40chf. It's possible to find your way onto the French Autoroute without going through the Bardonnex Border Post, good navigation skills needed.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:23:15 GMT

Hi AllyG

Heres a few cars available and current prices for an average to slightly larger car for a weeks hire from Sat 5th Jan - Sat 12th Jan 2013 ....

http://www.auto-europe.co.uk/car.cfm

jon

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:31:29 GMT

Thanks for that Jon,
I must be doing something very wrong :cry:

I put in that I'd pick the car up at Geneva airport, Swiss side (I didn't know which side was cheapest but I had to put something), on 13th January and return it on 20th January and I wanted a family size car.

The cheapest car that came up was a VW Golf and it was GBP293 for the week :shock:

I think maybe I'd better stick to the train :lol:

And thanks Bandit for explaining what the road tax meant :D

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:50:29 GMT

AllyG wrote:Thanks for that Jon,
I must be doing something very wrong :cry:

I put in that I'd pick the car up at Geneva airport, Swiss side (I didn't know which side was cheapest but I had to put something), on 13th January and return it on 20th January and I wanted a family size car.

The cheapest car that came up was a VW Golf and it was GBP293 for the week :shock:

I think maybe I'd better stick to the train :lol:

And thanks Bandit for explaining what the road tax meant :D

Hi ,

No worries, sometimes it can be better to ring them up, the French or swiss side shouldn't matter pricewise, the only difference is that hiring from the Swiss side you will automatically get winter tyres fitted ( possibly chains included as well )...from the french side they are something you need to request seprately once at the desk.

All the best jon.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:54:57 GMT

Cars rented from a Swiss rental agent, will already have a Vignette. French rentals (might) have one, or not, as payment for French Motorways is based on usage, not per year.

The Swiss Gov't have recently decided to raise the Vignette price to 100Fr. No definite implementation date yet, might be 2015, or if there will be the option of a short term Vignette for Tourists.

Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 19:56:16 GMT

randyrat wrote:
We're trying to get from Geneva to Tignes, and we've come up against Dick Turpin and all his fellow highway robbers. How can a shared transfer for five come in at GBP110 each? And that's the cheapest!
Looks like it's going to be the hire car again, which is still a killer at nearly four hundred quid. Unless we can find a cheaper alternative.....

It looks like Randyrat couldn't get a cheap quote for a hired car either. There's obviously a real art to this ...

Re:Dick Turpin!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 21:47:49 GMT

bandit wrote:Cars rented from a Swiss rental agent, will already have a Vignette. French rentals (might) have one, or not, as payment for French Motorways is based on usage, not per year.

The Swiss Gov't have recently decided to raise the Vignette price to 100Fr. No definite implementation date yet, might be 2015, or if there will be the option of a short term Vignette for Tourists.

Hi,

If anyone needs info about getting back into Geneva Airport Frenchside without getting stung for the " Vignette " Pm or email me and I'll give the route, I have posted it few times previously on other threads. Once I've got my new website up and running...the next time I go out to Bourg-st-Maurice I'm going to try and record the whole journey on videocamera and then create a weblink for people to watch......will need 2 - 1/2 hours worth of beer and snacks though :-)

jon.

Re:Dick Turpin!

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 18:07:41 GMT

The hire cars often have the vignette already attached.
Ebay is a good hunting ground for them too - although it's early in the year for them - there are often a number of people who buy them, never actually get round to sticking them in the window unless they get stopped and flog them on eBay.