 Poster: A snowHead
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| sbooker wrote: |
I imagine the answer will be yes but do most ski resorts (we’ll be in the Zillertal valley first) have ski sales shops as well as rental? And are European ski prices similar from resort to resort and country to country?
Plan is to demo some before buying. |
1 Absolutely
2 Well MSRP will be the same but discount from that may vary enormously depending on how commercial the owner is, time of season, what you are buying etc etc. Obviously a pile it high sell it cheap valley city warehouse may deal slightly differently from a premium rent next to the slopes stripped pine chi chi boutique. Or put another way at the end of season you should be looking for skis that are 40-50% off MRSP. Those same skis may be in shops at the beginning of next season but marked back up at say 20% off MRSP.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| sbooker wrote: |
I imagine the answer will be yes but do most ski resorts (we’ll be in the Zillertal valley first) have ski sales shops as well as rental? And are European ski prices similar from resort to resort and country to country?
Plan is to demo some before buying. |
1 Absolutely
2 Well MSRP will be the same but discount from that may vary enormously depending on how commercial the owner is, time of season, what you are buying etc etc. Obviously a pile it high sell it cheap valley city warehouse may deal slightly differently from a premium rent next to the slopes stripped pine chi chi boutique. Or put another way at the end of season you should be looking for skis that are 40-50% off MRSP. Those same skis may be in shops at the beginning of next season but marked back up at say 20% off MRSP. |
I'm tight at heart so I always up for buying last years model - my ego can handle having the red instead of the yellow.
I'd like to try the Atomic Vantage and Salomon QST. I've only ever rented so anything should be better than the mid spec hire gear I normally slide on.
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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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@sbooker, come earlier to Zermatt for a Ski Test 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@sbooker, yes ! Cheaper down the valley, more expensive in the glitzy resorts in my experience!
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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’d like to clarify the ski insurance situation in Europe please.
When I purchase a lift ticket I have the option of paying a couple of dollars extra for insurance - is that correct? If so that insurance covers me if I break my leg skiing down a marked piste? But does not cover me if I’m skiing off a marked piste?
Do I need this insurance if I have regular travel insurance that covers me for inbounds skiing?
Thanks in advance.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@sbooker, carre neige is available in France. You should look at insurance for off piste....be careful some insurers will only cover you if you are with a guide. What sort of off piste do you intend to do and where?
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To be honest because we will be there early season I expect we’ll be restricted to groomers. If the season is an early starter I suppose we may get an opportunity to ski off piste while we are based in Aosta in early January. In that case I would hire a guide of course.
I’m going with low expectations snow wise that way there’s no chance of disappointment. It will be a privilege sliding on any form of white cold stuff while taking in the famed scenery and general atmosphere.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Mon 23-07-18 23:37; edited 1 time in total
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@sbooker, just be careful of the inbounds concept...it doesn't exist in Europe. If you are insured for on piste only then you are not covered for playing on the sides of the piste or cutting across through the trees.check your insurance
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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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@sbooker, I don't add the lift ticket insurance as my travel insurances covers my skiing. Note without this though you may have to pay for mountain evacuation/ambulance etc etc and then claim back.
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@kitenski,
Thanks for that. Sounds like a good plan.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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re insurance-with-the-skipass: there are lots of threads on this, but for me the upshot is that it's as much a matter of convenience as anything. Add on the extra cover for a small amount per day and your recovery and heli-evac off the mountain is all sorted. Having been involved in a couple of accidents, the process around contacting your main insurer and claiming back is the last thing on your mind if the accident is serious. Seems worth it to me but not everyone agrees.
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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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I haven’t experienced European style apres ski. As close as I imagine would be the pub down the bottom of Whistler or maybe the Ajax Tavern.
If for example I am in Austria is the music sung in Austrian or English or a combination of the two.
If they are in English what songs might I know?
Thanks in advance.
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Back to the insurance question, +1 add insurance to the ski pass anyway for convinenance and peace of mind. My travel insurance in Sweden covers on and offpiste, with or without a guide (when I specifically asked and got an answer in writing), but still for a few extra quid I add insurance to my ski pass in France. Carre neige covers offpiste according to their FAQs https://carreneige.com/en/faq/. Per advice from another thread on Snowheads, for Austria I joined the Bergrettung (Austrian Mountain Rescue) - http://www.bergrettung.at/ENGLISH.484.0.html
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You know it makes sense.
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| sbooker wrote: |
I haven’t experienced European style apres ski. As close as I imagine would be the pub down the bottom of Whistler or maybe the Ajax Tavern.
If for example I am in Austria is the music sung in Austrian or English or a combination of the two.
If they are in English what songs might I know?
Thanks in advance. |
Depends whether you're getting traditional Austrian apres cheese in which case it might be comedy german lyrics to a otherwise known tune or a live band in which case it's most likely to be cover versions in English.
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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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@sbooker, English songs will be DJ Ötzi Sweet Caroline also country roads and cotton eye Joe. Austrian...to many to mention...Google Austrian apres songs
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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We’ll be in Kaltenbach for Christmas. I understand Christmas Eve is when most Austrians have their family celebrations and a lot of restaurants and other services close down.
For those that know the area can you advise whether the local transport is likely to be running (bus to Mayrhofen) so we have more options for dinner? Or is there a restaurant that’s likely to be open in Kaltenbach itself?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We went here for Xmas eve dinner in Stumm last year, not far from Kaltenbach, at Hotel Rissbacherhof (http://www.rissbacherhof.at/hotel.html) . We had a great time, pretty reasonable for a four course dinner plus entertainment.
See my report for more details
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=3207447
Not sure about public transport running but I imagine the private taxis would still be running if you wanted to go further afield. There are at least two in Kaltenbach, get their details from the tourist info offices at the Kaltenbach rail station or up at the gondola base. We used www.taxi-markus.at on +43(0)6766622100, a bit pricey I thought but I guess its the going rate.
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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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@sbooker, what day will you be arriving in Kaltenbach? If a day or so before you can check with the local restaurants if they are open on Xmas Eve and whether you can book a table for dinner. I take it you'll be staying in an apartment? You could try the Hotel Post in Kaltenbach which is right near to Kaltenbach train station. Incidentally I think the Zillertalbahn train service to Mayrhofen will be running as normal ( i.e every half hour) but best to check when you get there.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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This site is useful for the public transport options once they put up the winter timetable
https://www.zillertal.at/en.html
The train timetable (zillertalbahn) is in the Service, then Location & Getting here section.
The buses in the Service then (Bus) Timetable section
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Thanks all. We get in on the 23rd and ski 4 days from memory. We’re staying at the Explorer Hotel.
I’ll check out those tips.
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Thanks all. We’re staying at the Explorer Hotel and get in on the 23rd for 3 days of skiing.
I’ll be sure to check those tips out.
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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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@sbooker, I don’t remember being able to add insurance on the Zillertal pass. Best to make sure you have insurance covering on and off piste.
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@Bennyboy1,
Thanks for that tip. I believe the minister for details has that under control. Incidentally is there a specific ski insurance that is recommended?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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To all Dolomite experts advice is needed please.
We have to travel from Verona to Arabba. Alastair Pink has been kind enough to suggest two options. Firstly train to Venice and then catch the subsidised bus to Arabba. Seems simplest. The other is train to Bolzano before catching the local bus to Val Di Fassa before a taxi over the pass to Arabba.
We will probably have to use this option on the return because we are heading north to Innsbruck and back tracking to Venice would be anti productive.
Does anyone have an idea on cost for the taxi between Pozza Di Fassa and Arabba.
Any other suggestions?
Thanks again.
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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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@sbooker, As regards the Venice option just a reminder that the subsidised Arabba Tourist Office transfer bus leaves from Venice Marco Polo airport, so from Venice Mestre station (the last stop on the mainland before the train ends in Venice itself) you'll need to take the frequent ATVO flybus service from Venice Mestre to the airport.
There's a list of Arabba taxi companies here, you could try contacting them for quotes for a transfer to Val di Fassa (it might be worthwhile asking them how much extra they'd charge for going all the way to Bozen/Bolzano?). Alternatively there's a list of Val di fassa based taxi companies here.
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@Alastair Pink,
You’re a wealth of knowledge.
Thanks.
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You know it makes sense.
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@sbooker, You're welcome. 
By the way, if you're interested in the Hidden Valley run (part of the WW1 circuit) there's a useful thread about it with some photos and a video here.
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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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@sbooker, re winter sports insurance.
I’ve usually found LV (Liverpool Victoria) family insurance a good balance between cost and cover provided. Off piste option included.
Also, the acid test, when it came to claiming one year, they were reasonably straightforward to deal with and paid up promptly.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| sbooker wrote: |
@Bennyboy1,
Thanks for that tip. I believe the minister for details has that under control. Incidentally is there a specific ski insurance that is recommended? |
MPI but at the moment it seems they are in the middle of something so you can't buy.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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People who are recommending UK insurance ....he is resident in OZ so UK companies won't be suitable
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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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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| People who are recommending UK insurance ....he is resident in OZ so UK companies won't be suitable |
BIG PLUS ONE on this.
Unless you buy your insurance in Oz AND fly out from Oz there are all sorts of hidden gotchas on cover. You must read the small print very carefully and look for weasel out conditions they include in the small print.
Even though I am a Brit on a British passport and a British address because I fly from a Caribbean airport to my ski resort and return to the same airport none of the regular UK travel insurance companies will cover me. NB they will sell me insurance and take the money but not pay out either quoting some piece of small print or claiming that the doctrine of 'Uberrima fides' is breached.
I use a company called Atlas Travel insurance who specialise in dealing with ex pats but the cost is considerably higher. circa 250 $ US for 3 weeks cover.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@holidayloverxx, good point.
@sbooker, reading back you have travel insurance from Oz but it doesn't cover off piste? Is that right?
And you can't get off piste cover added for skiing in Europe?
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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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@Layne,
I’ll check it out.
I believe we’re covered for piste skiing only in Europe but the whole mountain in US and Canada.
Something else to sort out before we leave.
The chances of us skiing powder is low I would have thought because of the early season time frame we’re going.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We usually take a bit of cash with us on a trip but mostly use Visa debit card to pay for accomodation, lift tickets, ski hire, transport and meals out etc. This method seems to work fine in Australia, NZ, Canada, US etc. Should I assume Germany, Austria and Italy will be the same?
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@sbooker, some places in Austria don't take cards, check that your accommodation does. It's becoming rarer but as well to have some cash for a few meals. Lift tickets and ski hire will he ok with card
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sbooker,
I wouldn't say your chance of powder is lower than at any other time of the season. We've had exceptional powder in every month of the ski season (from December to May) in Austria and France at some point over a number years.
Just keep your fingers crossed - as we will all be doing for the season! 
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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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| sbooker wrote: |
| We usually take a bit of cash with us on a trip but mostly use Visa debit card to pay for accomodation, lift tickets, ski hire, transport and meals out etc. This method seems to work fine in Australia, NZ, Canada, US etc. Should I assume Germany, Austria and Italy will be the same? |
For us it makes more sense to use a credit card that minimises the charges/cost of paying in a different currency zone. A debit card would be more expensive. But perhaps debit cards are better in Oz?
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^^^
To clarify it’s one of those pre-loaded travel cards. So it’s loaded with Euro.
I’ll also have a credit card to fall back on.
The main thing is I need to know that cards are accepted most places. I don’t want to be hauling around loads of cash if I can help it.
Thanks for replying.
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FAQ
