 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys,
We are using the Eurostar for the first time this season and doing the direct overnight train from London to Moutiers leaving on a Friday evening. Just wondering if anyone has done this? Is it a good service? Can you actually get to sleep?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@chrisrawles, I'll be on the Friday night Eurostar on the 9th January and it will be first time for me too.
Over all I get the feeling its a bit of marmite service, you either love it or hate it. I'm doing for the 2 extra days skiing!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Yeah this is why we are as well.
We went to Les Arcs in April for a end of season deal but had to fly. We got delayed 4hrs going out, then it was nearly 4 hrs on the coach with the drop offs, then if you include the time at the airport and traveling plus parking, it makes the eurostar a no brainer. Hope the bar is stocked up well!
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When it comes to sleep, I'm not worried, I once slept right through take off on a Newcastle to Geneva flight!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I've not taken that train myself as I prefer to break the journey in Paris for dinner and then take a proper sleeper service. As @RichardB says, people either love it or hate it. I think most people I've spoken to get very little proper sleep. If you're travelling off-peak and want to sleep you might get lucky and find there are a few unused seats so you can stretch out a bit more. The lights stay on the whole time, so make sure you take something to cover your eyes, and I always sleep much better on trains with ear plugs. If you want to get sleep I'd choose a carriage further away from the bar so that you've not got people walking past all the time. Though if you decide you'd rather just stay up and have a few drinks etc you obviously should choose one closer to the bar instead! The other issue with the overnight eurostar is that it arrives in Bourg St Maurice very early.
Snow Carbon has some details on what to expect:
http://www.snowcarbon.co.uk/train-guides/eurostar-ski-train-overnight
http://www.snowcarbon.co.uk/train-guides/onboard-experience/eurostar-ski-train-night
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@chrisrawles, I did it last year. I didn't get a lot of sleep in either direction. On the way out I asked the group of students behind us if they could continue their party in the bar at half past midnight - they duly obliged and I got a bit of sleep after that. It does get quite cold on the train as well. They give you a blanket, but only on the way out - you need to keep it for the return.
It was a great trip though and we loved having the extra 2 days skiing. We we tired at the end of the first day but really glad to have skied the first Saturday as it was not only quiet but also a powder day. If you will still enjoy a day of skiing despite a disrupted nights' sleep then it's definitely worth doing. If this would kill the first day for you and take you more time to recover then maybe not worth it. Definitely affected me less than a 3:30am start for a 7am flight.
I found it really easy compared to flying - a lot less phaff and it was all done at the outbound end. Hopped over to St Pancras after work on Friday, got some dinner, woke up in BSM (well, Moutiers) on Saturday morning. Once we arrived in BSM it was just a case of walking off the train and over the bridge and we were at the funi. We then had about the perfect amount of time for a relaxed breakfast, get changed, stash luggage, buy skipass, get funi up to 1600 - then after about 10 minutes wait we were in the 3rd chair out of 1600.
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If you go expecting to not get any sleep, then any you do get will be a bonus!
I went from London to Bourg SM and then took the funicular up to Les Arcs - I would do it again for the extra day skiing.
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For me its going to be a longer journey but hopefully a relaxed at my own pace one.
I'm taking an early afternoon train to Kings Cross from Darlington to give myself a few hours before the Eurostar departs.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks for the info guys, I am really looking forward to it. Got to give these things a try.
Is anyone going on the 19th December out of interest?
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i do the train quite often and its not as good as going on one of the sleepers from paris which chouchettes but if are able to sleep in a chair that slightly reclines you will be fine.
Traditionally speaking its starts of quite rowdy with plenty of excited travellers who might all ready be a bit fuelled from hanging around St pances for a bit, but once it gets to about 1am things quiet down and quite easy to get a few hours sleep.
I find it best to have a few drinks en route to prais then once you leave paris try to start getting your head down as you will only be disburbed in Paris with people moving on and off.
I mainly use the friday night train to Bourg St Maurice and come back on the Saturday night giving me 1 days boarding in Les Arcs and manage to get enough sleep.
Its a much more leiusurly way to travel to the alps i find, in theory its longer, but when you take into acount the time it takes checking in at airports, customs, waiting, flying. then the same at the other end, then transfer to resort it can be quicker on the train and much less hassle.
Im not going out in december but gonna be there most saturdays in January.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Mate last year did Eurostar to Paris - then hopped across the city to Gare de Lyon and took the Paris / Turin express which stops at Oulx - as in Sauze D'Oulx etc and only a 40min drive for me to pick him up from Serre - think Montgenevre now have transfers to Oulx only 25mins.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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If you want take the train to Paris and then the overnight sleeper to Moutiers or BSM do you have to book the tickets separately, or can you book tickets from the UK all the way through ?
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@Lechbob, unless you use a Travel Agent, you have to book the tickets separately.
Makes for an interesting few weeks: you can book Eurostar up to 6 months in advance, and well worth doing so to get the cheapest fares
But the French Train can only be booked 3 months ahead.
So, check the timetables and take a chance. . . .
All part of the fun of skiing 
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You know it makes sense.
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@Jonpim, Thankyou.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I just don't get the extra 2 days skiing that people seem to think they get by going on the train. You set off a day earlier and leave a day later hence the extra time of the slopes.
If I fly on a Friday I can also ski (well board) on a Saturday too 
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Poster: A snowHead
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For the record two stage trains StP>Paris>Bourg can be booked on Eurostar at weekends. And on SNCF you can book for any day of the week.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@russ_e,
Eurostar leaves early evening so you can (and our group often do) work a full day then get to St Pancras for train. Yes you can do this with a flight but first of all, due to check in its going to leave well into evening which means arriving very late, not many transfer options so local accom is required at destination. You will also then need early morning transfer to resort, which unless you wait for a scheduled one can be very expensive. Also like as not it will be scheduled (as opposed to charter) and wont be cheapest flight (as Fridays always expensive Europe bound). So broadly speaking the eurostar gives you the overnight accom (well a seat anyway) and as you arrive very early, the local bus is geared to link up and get you to resort, often before 9.00am - pretty impressive!
Thats not even half the problem.
Coming home on Eurostar means a full day on the slopes and even time for a meal before getting the train overnight getting into central London about 8.00am Sunday. In order to fly back, first off you need to even find a flight that leaves one of the ski connection airports at a suitable hour on Saturday evening. Bear in mind it has to be late enough to accommodate two hour check in and often 2-4 hour transfer time and thats even assuming you can find a resort/airport transfer that late on a Saturday. Assuming you can even work the logistics, the cost will almost certainly be prohibitive and the hour you get back to London, pretty late.
In summary, you do set off a day earlier, but its the evening. You do arrive back a day late but it early on the Sunday (and into central london) BUT you get a full two days extra skiing whereas anything by air will require leaving earlier, additional accom., expensive transfers and a whole lot more hassle. Oh and did I mention, you can carry virtually what you like on the train in terms of skis, not so on most airlines!
I fly often, I drive often, I Eurostar often. Lots of different reasons but be clear the train does indeed offer more skiing under normal circumstances
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| russ_e wrote: |
I just don't get the extra 2 days skiing that people seem to think they get by going on the train. You set off a day earlier and leave a day later hence the extra time of the slopes.
If I fly on a Friday I can also ski (well board) on a Saturday too |
You could get 10 days by flying on a Wednesday then ...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| eblunt wrote: |
| russ_e wrote: |
I just don't get the extra 2 days skiing that people seem to think they get by going on the train. You set off a day earlier and leave a day later hence the extra time of the slopes.
If I fly on a Friday I can also ski (well board) on a Saturday too |
You could get 10 days by flying on a Wednesday then ... |
Two problems with this analysis: first, you can't easily get accommodation for 10 days; second, you would need to take more days off work if you have a typical Mon-Fri 9-5 job.
The great thing about the train is that you can get 8 days' skiing with 5 days off work (provided you live near London) and with the full range of Alpine accommodation that can only be booked Sat-Sat.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I to agree with @russ_e.
As I live up north, I 1st have to get down to London. Which would mean taking a day off work.
Has anyone travelled down to London on the Friday afternoon/evening and stayed in a London hotel before getting the Saturday morning train.
That way I get my full(ish) 8 hours and I also get to see some scenery on the way down.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
| eblunt wrote: |
| russ_e wrote: |
I just don't get the extra 2 days skiing that people seem to think they get by going on the train. You set off a day earlier and leave a day later hence the extra time of the slopes.
If I fly on a Friday I can also ski (well board) on a Saturday too |
You could get 10 days by flying on a Wednesday then ... |
Two problems with this analysis: first, you can't easily get accommodation for 10 days; second, you would need to take more days off work if you have a typical Mon-Fri 9-5 job.
The great thing about the train is that you can get 8 days' skiing with 5 days off work (provided you live near London) and with the full range of Alpine accommodation that can only be booked Sat-Sat. |
Jonny - I'm going to have to WHOOSH you there, that's exactly the point my joke about 10 days skiing was already making about Russ_E 's post
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I
I've in the north and yes you may have to compromise the Friday off work but if you have enough holidays then the train is the most relaxing way to travel. I have done 3 routes, the old snow train, bit of a giggle but could get very rowdy, daytime Eurostar and night Eurostar. All had their merits and after many nightmare delays at most of the French airports it is my favourite route. In reality you struggle to get 2 full days skiing in but after the 4th day it is a great feeling that you still have 4 left.
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The other train advantage, at least for DIY'ers is the return flexibility.
The 'boys trip' this year sees 6 of us going out on the Friday evening - now, admittedly we are taking a half day Friday and having a meal in Paris prior to catching the 11:00 couchettes, but it's all part of the holiday.
Arrive Bourg @ 6:30, first funicular at 7, on the slopes for 9.
We've then 2 coming back on the Tuesday evening - 9pm out of Bourg; I'm returning on the Wednesday, 3 others on the Saturday evening, (and one staying on another week in Tignes). Train is back in Central London for 9am, and back to work we go. ( I may even try to arrange a meeting in Paris on the Thursday, and get them to pay the travel... but that would be a bit cheeky)
So I take 3.5 days leave, get 5 full days skiing and a night out in Paris, and don't get into trouble with Mrs Roll for being away too long.
Eurostar is only direct on Saturdays, so that doesn't work for us in this type of 'mixed availability' configuration. But we prefer the couchettes option anyway.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@AndrewsPeppers, is absolutely right about being able to book the Eurostar-SNCF route any day of the week, and that you can book this all-the way-through route on the Eurostar site at weekends. Often this gets you excellent value, with first class all the way for a lot less than if you booked SNCF and Eurostar separately.
However, it will only book you onto the direct SNCF trains and misses out on all those journeys that involve a change at Chambery.
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| russ_e wrote: |
I just don't get the extra 2 days skiing that people seem to think they get by going on the train. You set off a day earlier and leave a day later hence the extra time of the slopes.
If I fly on a Friday I can also ski (well board) on a Saturday too |
And do you fly on a Friday?
After work so you don't have to take a day off?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Last year went first class, had a look at the seat reservations prior to boarding, worked out a free seat for 4, had an excellent night sleep both ways.
Did take a sominex over the counter sleeping tablet but doubt I'd have needed it.
Really do think it's great but understand those that don't.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Quote: |
After work so you don't have to take a day off?
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How can you manage this going by train? The only way I can think to do it is to get an evening flight to Paris and pick the train up there.
@Legend., Yes, you can fly on the Friday but the problem is finding somewhere to stay on the Friday and Saturday nights
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