 Poster: A snowHead
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Lastminute.com have announced that, starting January, they will offer express overnight return trips to the Alps by Eurostar, with no accommodation involved in the resort. Skiers will catch a Eurostar train from London Waterloo on a Friday night, arriving early on Saturday in Moutiers or Bourg St Maurice - for several linked resorts involved.
Following a full day's skiing, clients will take the overnight journey back to London, arriving on Sunday morning.
This report from TravelBite.co.uk.
From what's reported here, this seems to involve the existing Eurostar overnight services to the Alps - which have upright seating - so the two overnights will be best enjoyed by skiers who are happy to sleep upright for two nights for a day's skiing.
Would you buy this deal? [I've tried to find out the price on the lastminute.com site, without success so far - can anyone find it?]
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It sounds insane to me!
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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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Found it on lastminute.com - go to Ski Holidays on the left-hand menu, then in the next page find the Customer Favourites square about half-ways down, and click on ski weekends. £89
I've cut & pasted the details:
You head straight to Waterloo from work on Friday evening.
You ensure you have your ski gear with you.
You're off to the mountains on Eurostar night train
By early the next morning, you arrive at the bottom of the mountain, not far from all the best ski resorts that France has to offer.
Your arrival stations Moutiers, Aime la Plagne and Bourg St Maurice serve ski resorts such as Courchevel, Meribel, Val d'Isere, Tignes, Les Arcs and many other guaranteed snow-capped pistes.
You ski your limbs off for the entire day or simply sit and guzzle vin chaud at the top of the mountain.
You make your way back down the mountain to catch your return train.
You arrive back early Sunday for some serious recovery.
Here're the important bits:
When? Available Friday January 6 & 13 & 20 - March 10 & 17 & 24
Carrier: Eurostar - Standard class
From / To: Waterloo (or Ashford) / Moutiers -or- Aime La Plagne -or- Bourg St Maurice
Out: Friday night
18:39 Waterloo (19:30 Ashford)
Arrive
05:37 Moutiers
06:05 Aime La Plagne
06:27 Bourg St Maurice
Back: Saturday night
22:15 Bourg
23:09 Moutiers
Arrive
07:35 Waterloo (Ashford 06:34)
Please note: No return travel from Aime La Plagne or Moutieres - return travel must be from Bourg St Maurice Includes: Price is for return train travel from Waterloo to Moutiers, Aime La Plagne or Bourg St Maurice (Return travel however must be only from Bourg St Maurice)
Please note
Transfers to the resort of your choice are not included
There is no charge for the carriage of skis and boots - extra space is made on board to accommodate these
The ski train is not a sleeper train - seats are Eurostar's standard
A one day ski-pass in Les Arcs costs euro 38 per adult and euro 28 per child (age 5-13)
Les Arcs is by far the easiest resort to reach - you can catch the funicular from Bourg St Maurice station to Arcs 1600 - the ride (10 mns) is free if you buy your ski-pass beforehand
You can leave your luggage in the Ski shop just outside Bourg St Maurice station - approx cost is € 2 per item
Ticketing information: You will be contacted by the tour operator after making your booking.
2 adults sharing
* denotes weekend departures
Departing from London Waterloo Rail Station One Day Ski
Dates available Adult Child
January 2006 *
see all available dates 2 nts £99 £99
March 2006 *
see all available dates 2 nts £99 £99
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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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Whilst Eurostar first class seats are very comfortable, second class seats are somewhat firmer, I've done an all night train before on seats and I have to say I would not reccomend it
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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 wonder if the directors/executives of lastminute.com have done a test run themselves? Yes, I think you'd need a pretty strong anaesthetic to get through that return journey, but I guess a classic day's skiing makes just about anything worthwhile!
In terms of the return rail cost, the price is keen - it seems to be an exercise in trying to fill low-season seats on that service - but you'd have to be a complete fanatic. At least you'd be skiing on transfer day, so the slopes wouldn't be too packed.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sounds great! I've slept in seats on rougher trains than the Eurostar with no probs, and whilst being sober. A few beers should help those with sleeping probs...
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I think that if I was going to do it the I would think about upgrading to first class.
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I travelled once by Eurostar, hardly slept (many people will know they're going for a week and can afford to be loud etc). I'd consider it for 2 days skiing - Fri night to Mon morning, but not one.
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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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Good value, but be honest I'd prefer the Eurostar to Paris, then a sleeper to Bourg - easier on my older joints. Travelling out overnight Fri 13 Jan 06, coming back overnight Sat 14 Jan - comes in at circa £125 (£59.50 return sleeper Paris-Bourg, £59.00 return Eurostar London-Paris). 
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I'm doing a one-dayer, travelling out and back to Bergamo on the same day, short drive (45 min?) to Foppolo and then intend to get as much skiing in as I can while there (hope to get 5 hours), so the one-day ski notion isn't a strange one. I think I would rather do my option than the overnight train both ways as I shall get to sleep in my own bed (and it is cheaper too (flight +car hire = £59 per person)).
I'll let you know when I've done it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Make it a 2 day trip lastminute and I'm yours at least twice a season but finding people beds for just a saturday night is the problem.
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You know it makes sense.
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| fragglerock wrote: |
| It sounds insane to me! |
The Snowtrain is insane, sounds like a great nite out, even if you don't ski. Last time i was on it, i woke up in the corridor with footprints all up my chest. As i then staggerd back to my sleeper, everyone i met said "Morning Smallzookeeper, are you still up?". As if they knew me, as if i could remember. 
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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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As a family we've taken this service, albeit seperated by a week on the slopes rather than 8 hours, and found even with small kids the journey very easy. If I lived with easy access to waterloo I'd be well up for a couple of weekends like this.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Not so good if you get to the slopes only to find a White-out 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sounds like a painful experience to me!
you certainly wouldn't be in much of a fit state for work on Monday!
Think I'd fly and book some holiday instead!
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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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My mums booked up to come and see me for the day in March on this, she cant take much time off work so this is ideal, especially as finding accomodation for anything under a week was near impossible!
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deleted
deleted
Guest
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Has anyone managed to find beds for less than a week in the Alps? Been searching the net for a few days now, not turned up anything 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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singeDeSki, always possible especially if you can be flexible on the dates, I'd suggest contacting hotels direct as you will never find a sub 1 week deal with a tour opperator
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deleted
deleted
Guest
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Thanks Rob - I'll check that out.
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There are a few TOs who specialise in short breaks, but they do tend to be on the more expensive side.
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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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I think that this sounds great! Yes the return would be hard but what a day trip! I would imagine that sleeping on the way there would be the tricky bit!
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FAQ
Well spotted! Sharing a seat perhaps? Or an entire Eurostar carriage - that sounds like there would be plenty of room to stretch out and sleep en route to the Alps!
