Latest posts for the topic "Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???"

Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:27:37 GMT

Has anyone done this - looked on the website and it says if you drop them off at St Pancras the day before they will ship them to your ski resort - as I live up north that aint gonna happen tomorrow as we go on Friday. Have rung them and they seemed to think it is ok but no definitive answer.

Also I remember Ally saying that TGV tickets have to be validated at the French Station (Lille)- anyone know about this too?

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Thu, 1 Apr 2010 09:40:25 GMT

Hi PSC. Can't help with the skis, but we've just returned from trip to France, TGV from Paris, so the ticket validation is easy. You will see little machines on the platform, just stick your ticket in and it will mark it with a date and time stamp. There will be signs saying something like "Il faut composter les billets" and you'll see other people doing it. I don't know why they have this system, as the trains have guards who check tickets anyway. Apparently they can get a bit sticky if you don't do it.

Allie

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Thu, 1 Apr 2010 22:21:36 GMT

PSC,
I've seen plenty of people taking their skis and snowboards on the Eurostar and the TGV - there doesn't seem to be a problem with it at all :D

And, they put those 'compost' machines in different places - sometimes they're in the middle of the station concourse, sometimes by the door onto the platform, and sometimes actually on the platform. As I said before, I think they're yellow and they look a bit like parking meters.

Ally

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Thu, 1 Apr 2010 22:27:11 GMT

AllyG wrote:PSC,
I've seen plenty of people taking their skis and snowboards on the Eurostar and the TGV - there doesn't seem to be a problem with it at all :D

And, they put those 'compost' machines in different places - sometimes they're in the middle of the station concourse, sometimes by the door onto the platform, and sometimes actually on the platform. As I said before, I think they're yellow and they look a bit like parking meters.

Ally

All these years I have been putting compost on the garden instead of the station,no wonder im getting a poor crop year on year . :)

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Sat, 3 Apr 2010 15:45:32 GMT

I did it last year. No probs taking skis on the TGV, but just be aware of the trip across from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyons. I had a wheely bag and a ski bags with 2 skis in last year. Had 40 mins from Eurostar arrival to TGV departure. Made it by the skin of my teeth. Get a map of the Metro and directions for as the metro concourse is huge under each station and there are no helpful signposts. Managed to throw self and skis on train with 30 secs to spare!

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Sun, 4 Apr 2010 08:25:12 GMT

I think PSC is already there now.

However, I thought I'd mention another helpful tip for those changing stations in Paris. You can buy a carnet of 10 single metro/RER tickets at St Pancras from the Eurostar office. The ones I bought lasted a year (I used them for 2 ski holidays) and were ridiculously cheap - I've forgotten exactly how much they cost - but somewhere around 1/5th of the price of London underground tickets.

Buying the tickets ahead of time saves queueing at a machine in Paris, and struggling to use it.

I try and leave an hour and a half between my Eurostar train arriving at the Gare du Nord and the TGV leaving from the Gare de Lyon for Moutiers etc., even though it is only 2 stops on the RER and could in theory be done much quicker. The Eurostar could be late, or I could get confused and go the wrong way on the RER, and I hate having to rush - especially with loads of luggage.

Ally

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Tue, 6 Apr 2010 16:03:30 GMT

Good point about the carnet of 10 metro tickets, Ally. We bought ours from Raileurope when we were buying our train tickets. Saved lots of time.
Allie

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 05:10:21 GMT

What a difference two weeks makes to the relevance of this thread :lol: (that's an ironic lol btw) The 1821 eruptions lasted thirteen months. Might make for a great snow season though.

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:15:36 GMT

if the ash damages hastalloy engine parts then what chance your plastic ski bases ?..looking forward to skiing in a foot of the grey stuff (can we call it powder ?)

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:19:27 GMT

Trencher wrote: The 1821 eruptions lasted thirteen months.

What was it like Trencher? :wink:

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:29:36 GMT

Dave Mac wrote:

Trencher wrote: The 1821 eruptions lasted thirteen months.

What was it like Trencher? :wink:

The snow was great, but the high sulphur content wrecked the bases, and corroded the bindings :cry:

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:36:26 GMT

I try to avoid the yellow snow

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:12:09 GMT

Post holiday note: Yes you can but my advice would be to pack one set of skis in one bag then you can fit them in the overhead racks on Virgin trains and easily into Eurostar and TGV racks. We had just two bags between us - one ski on wheels with all skis and boots in and a pull along soft suitcase but both were too heavy for getting on and off trains easily. In future we would each have a small wheeled suitcase and a ski bag each on our shoulder. The large wheeled ski bag was just too unwieldy for walking around crowded London, Paris and Lyon city and stations :oops:

Re:Taking Skis on Eurostar and TGV???

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:57:35 GMT

A ski bag with rucksack shoulder straps, and the right padding for your back, would be useful. Maybe it would be worth while cannibalising a rucksack, and have the straps, and back pad stitched to a ski bag. The ski bag could then be carried vertically in crowded places. Perhaps bias the straps to one end, so the bag could ride high, away form the legs when there is enough ceiling height, but switched the other way for doors, and low ceilings. You would have to shuffle then, because the bag would be hitting the backs of your legs, but your hands would still be free.