Latest posts for the topic "Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps"

Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Mon, 8 Oct 2012 11:42:30 GMT

Tickets go on sale this Thursday 11 October for a new Eurostar (www.eurostar.com) weekly ski service to the Swiss Alps this winter.

The new rail service , created through a partnership with the international high-speed train service, "TGV Lyria, is a flashback to the days before air travel became feasible for the masses 40 years ago, but will be a lot faster than the original ski trains 50 - 80 years ago.

The new weekly ski service will carry ski and snowboarding enthusiasts from St Pancras International and Ashford International to the heart of the Swiss Alps and the Valais region with an easy connection at Lille Europe in France.
Resorts including; Verbier, Zermatt, Saas Fee and Gstaad will be served on the new route from Saturday 22 December until Saturday 13 April 2013.

From Lille the "TGV Lyria" service will take passengers to the Swiss stations of Aigle, Martigny, Visp and Brig for quick onward transfers to their ski resorts. For added convenience, Eurostar and TGV Lyria will allow ski passengers to carry on-board an extra item of luggage in addition to the normal luggage allowance - such as a pair of skis or a snowboard - at no extra cost.

"Our research shows ski customers are seeking a more civilised way to reach their resorts by travelling by high-speed rail from London to the heart of the Swiss Alps. Our direct ski services to the French Alps have grown in popularity year on year and we expect this new service to the Swiss Alps to have similar appeal," said Nick Mercer, Commercial Director for Eurostar.

Return fares start from GBP189. Travellers can indulge themselves on their way to and from the slopes by travelling Standard Premier with fares from just GBP299 return, where they will enjoy more spacious seating as well as light meals and drinks served at their seat.

Eurostar's direct ski services to the heart of the French Alps are also open for sale. The direct day and night services carry ski and snowboarding enthusiasts direct to the popular French ski towns of Moutiers, Aime-La-Plagne* and Bourg St Maurice, with return fares starting from GBP149. The 2012/2013 seasonal ski services will run from 22 December (day services) and 21 December (night services) until 13 April 2013.

Re:Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Mon, 8 Oct 2012 12:09:58 GMT

Thanks very much for posting that up. It's most interesting.

According to the website below, the Swiss train will be leaving St Pancras 3 hours earlier, at 06-57, than the direct train to the French Alps which leaves at 10 a.m.:
http://www.greentraveller.co.uk/blog/eurostar-launches-new-weekly-ski-service-swiss-alps

Departure times for the new service to the Swiss Alps:

Outbound (Saturdays only)
Dep St Pancras 06:57
Dep Ashford 07:28
Arr Lille 09:26
Dep Lille 10:02
Arr Aigle 15:47
Arr Martigny 16:13
Arr Visp 16:57
Arr Brig 17:08

Inbound (Saturdays only):
Dep Brig 12:51
Dep Visp 13:02
Dep Martigny 13:41
Dep Aigle 14:01
Arr Lille 18:55
Dep Lille 20:30
Arr Ashford 20:35
Arr St Pancras 21:06

Re:Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Mon, 8 Oct 2012 12:19:42 GMT

The Lyria service used to start from Paris, which meant skiers hauling luggage across Paris from the TGV. Moving the connection to Lille is common sense. If only the prices were a little less breathtaking :roll:
I
It's just do-able for me, though if there are any delays on route, I would be faced with a 200chf taxi ride from Sierre. Cheaper to get a hotel!

Re:Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:51:14 GMT

This has gone 'live' today - I had an e-mail about it from Eurostar.

I tried pretending to book a ticket, out of interest, and if I wanted to go to Zermatt or Saas Fee on the 12th January I would buy a return ticket to Visp for GBP189 and the total journey time (including changing at Lille) would be 9 hours.

http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/destinations/swiss_alps.jsp

Re:Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 11:13:13 GMT

Saas-Fee and Zermatt are a good bet because the rail and train connections run into the evening. If the service was delayed, you could still reach your destination. Currently, the last bus out of Sierre for me is 19.10, and SBB are not telling anyone what the new timetable will be!

Re:Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 12:33:41 GMT

The SBB winter timetable won't be online until the 24th October. In the meantime you can download the proposed version in PDF format http://www.projet-horaire.ch/fr/consultation-de-l-horaire/ if you only want the Post bus timetable to Grimentz http://www.fahrplanentwurf.ch/fileadmin/fap_pdf/2013/12.452.pdf

Re:Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 13:54:11 GMT

Thanks Swingbeep :thumbup: I see a big lunchtime shaped hole in the timetable (again).

Re:Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 18:22:35 GMT

Why isn't there an overnight service? The whole point of going by train for me is 8 days skiing!

Re:Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 12:29:51 GMT

bandit wrote: Thanks Swingbeep :thumbup: I see a big lunchtime shaped hole in the timetable (again).

That's because it's lunchtime. Many people still go home for lunch, the schools close, many of the smaller businesses and shops close and some of the larger companies insist that their employees take at least a 45 minute break.

Re:Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 15:56:10 GMT

SwingBeep wrote:

bandit wrote: Thanks Swingbeep :thumbup: I see a big lunchtime shaped hole in the timetable (again).

That's because it's lunchtime. Many people still go home for lunch, the schools close, many of the smaller businesses and shops close and some of the larger companies insist that their employees take at least a 45 minute break.

The trains still run, and there are always lots of people looking at their luggage and the Bus timetable, and wondering what to do for the 2 hours until the next Bus arrives!

The hole in the timetable disappeared for a while last winter :D

Re:Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:24:53 GMT

The timetable is issued provisionally to enable people to comment on things such as large gaps like the one you mention and the timetable is sometimes changed as a result. When next year's is issued you could inform the department of transport in Sion about the need for a bus service to the val d'Anniviers over lunch time. It would obviously help if you got the local tourist authority involved. You could even write to your old mate Jean-Michel Cina, he came up trumps last time.

Re:Back To the Future – New Rail Service to Swiss Alps

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:43:47 GMT

SwingBeep wrote:The timetable is issued provisionally to enable people to comment on things such as large gaps like the one you mention and the timetable is sometimes changed as a result. When next year's is issued you could inform the department of transport in Sion about the need for a bus service to the val d'Anniviers over lunch time. It would obviously help if you got the local tourist authority involved. You could even write to your old mate Jean-Michel Cina, he came up trumps last time.

The timetable looks rather like the one for last winter. I'm hoping that the "supplementary" service will run again. Not convinced that the Dept of Transport would take any notice of a foreign visitor, but I appreciate your point. Tourists arriving at all hours, how inconvenient. AFAIK these days J-M Cina moves in more elevated circles -)