Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
First post on here so hope it's in the right place!
Hubby n I have booked ski train for 11th Jan and due to arrive in Bourg at 17:46. This is the first time we've used the train and not sure on timings/how efficient they are so after some advice re transfer to resort.
Looking at altibus site looks like we can get 18:00 bus but do u think this would be cutting it a bit tight for time? Tho next ones not then til 19:15 so bit of hanging around for an hour or so. Does anyone know if u reserve seats on one bus but miss it due to train delay can u get the next? Or is not worth reserving and just turn up? How busy/full are the buses?
Sorry for all the questions but thanks in advance for helping a newbie!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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snowlover82, it's best to reserve but they'll generally be helpful if you end up missing the one you've booked. Hopefully your train will be on time. Welcome to Snowheads.
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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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snowlover82, welcome to
It is a bit tight - if you are getting off the Eurostar rather than the SNCF, it can be a mighty long walk past all 18 carriages, in the dark, in the snow, with hordes of others getting off the train throwing the baggage out onto a narrow walkway... and you can guarantee you will be at the wrong end of the train if you are in a hurry!
And if you're like me with times to meet, you'll be thinking all is going well, then you'll start fretting from the time the train pull into Albertville and sits there for 15 minutes...before pulling out in the other direction, after they've let the Belgian and Dutch train through (grr). And then all the other stops down the valley where again, it takes an age to get everyone disembarked. Or rather, it seems like an age if you've got a deadline slowly slipping away. To be fair, they're usually within 10 mins or so of the announced time - but the last 30km is by far the longest!
The few time we've caught the buses up to Les Arcs, there have been seats, but yes, they've been fairly full by the time the bus left.
I confess I don't know the Tignes uptake. But if you go for the 19:15, you can grab a coffee / bite to eat in Bourg (plenty of places very close to the rail/bus station (they are combined)) and still be at the front of the queue at the bus stop in plenty of time.
I 'umbly suggest it may be a less stressful start to the holiday.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks everyone for the helpful replies and warm welcome!
Arctic Roll - I'm totally the kind of person who will stress if it looks like we might be taking ages/may be late so sounds like getting a later bus may be the better option and far more relaxing as you say! I think we are on an SNCF train for the second half of the journey so don't know what your experience of these are? I found the Eurostar website a bit confusing! Booked as one journey but took the cheaper option of changing trains in Paris as from what I've read doesn't sound too complicated! (I hope!!) So as I understand it we get Eurostar from St Pancras to Gare du Nord then have to get to Gare de Lyon and this will be a TGV train. Have you done this? I'm finding it confusing re luggage etc but seems to indicate can just take luggage and skis on both trains with you - does this sound right??
Dia Find Transfers - thanks I may look into that too - cheers.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The buses are normally timed to go with the trains so you might find they waited. However, you are much better off buying your ticket in advance because otherwise you have to queue at the bus ticket office in the station.
Personally I much prefer leaving London on the Friday evening and travelling through the night in a couchette, returning during Saturday night (plus Eurostar early Sunday morning). That way you get 8 full days of skiing for 7 nights at the resort. I can't see the point of the day train version (or if I did that I'd take the train direct from London rather than changing in Paris - the change is needed to get a train with couchettes: 6 per compartment or 4 if you pay more). Yes, you just take the luggage with you in the train.
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snowlover82, Finding the right platform at Gare du Nord is the most difficult bit of the trip. It is then just two stops to Gare de Lyon (RER line D1, not Metro - meaning you need an RER ticket from the RER ticket office - at least when we did the trip).
Lugging skis through the stations is relatively straightforward, but on and off the trains is more harrowing. Still not difficult if it is just the two of you, but you need to keep organised.
As above, expect a leisurely pace as the train reaches the later stations.
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snowlover82, Yes, we've done that transfer of trains often.
For Gare du Nord to Gare du Lyon the metro ticket is fine, since you are staying central (think Zone 1 London) Get your tickets before you get to Paris though (if you've booked as one journey, usually your train operator will provide the transfer tickets. If not, get them at St P. the queue at Gare du Nord is a PITA).
Luggage on the SNCF is fine - you'll either put it above your head, or at the end of the carriage ( just like any UK inter-city). Since it is a 'quasi' ski train, and will have 'ordinary' people as well as holiday-makers, then chances are it will arrive on time. Getting off will be easier as well, they arrive on the main platforms, not the specially sectioned Eurostar one. You are also arriving a lot earlier than the direct Eurostar (I think that's scheduled for sometime around 6:50 now) , so will only be contending with locals who know the system if buying a bus ticket, rather than a queue of people with no idea , no local currency and tired, fractious 'travelled all day and all I want is to be there" ankel-biters. (Perhaps that's a bit hard... )
beequin, is right tho': be organised!
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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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although low season its a saturday so probably best to book your seats on the bus think the BSM TIGNES buses are run by Autocrs Martin based in Bourg
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Thanks snowball that's helpful - think will definitely book tickets in advance, one less thing to worry about when we arrive! The night train does sound good but on balance I know that I get really tired travelling and am unlikely to want to ski when I arrive esp as there's no way I'd sleep properly on a train and plus it mainly came down to price, as we only paid £54.50 each for the outbound journey on the day train and was over £130 for the night train when we looked, so simply wasn't worth the extra cost for us.
Yes thanks beequin it's just the two of us so hopefully we can keep our luggage to a minimum (other half would probably survive with a rucksack of clothes and his board if I let him!) and make the hauling of it around not too bad!
Thanks for the reassurance re: luggage Arctic Roll - was sure it was fine but wanted to check! As you can tell I'm a fan of organisation given that we're not going for another 2 months! When we booked through Eurostar they just said had to sort Paris tickets ourselves, I guess we could maybe sort these out when we pick up the Eurostar tickets from St Pancras on the Friday eve as we're staying in London the night before.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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oh and thanks cheztichot - yes it was the autocars martin site I found which then just seems to link you to the altibus site to book which looks pretty straightforward
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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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You need to book within hours of the tickets becoming available. I just booked Eurostar for £39. If you look at SNCF for 31 January (which became available a few days ago) the really cheap tickets have gone but you can still get a ticket with couchette for £87.
Eurostar tickets becomes available 120 days before travel and SNCF 90 days before.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Tue 5-11-13 12:58; edited 1 time in total
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Thanks snowball for the info will bear that in mind for next year! We hadn't really considered the train but got a cheap chalet deal for 11th Jan so just went with whatever was the cheapest transport option at the time and thought £109 return each beats flying once you add all the extras for baggage and ski carriage for sure!
In honesty we weren't meant to be going skiing this year but the lure of a cheap deal was too much for us! But will def bear in mind the train ticket dates for next time thanks!
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You know it makes sense.
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When buying metro tickets at Gare du Nord. The first ticket machines you come to usually have long queues. Just walk by them until you can see the RER entry barriers - it's at least another 50+ metres. There are another set of ticket machines just before the barriers which often have no queues at all.
Look for the RER D line. The RER takes 10 minutes and normally runs about every 10 minutes. So it is possible to do the whole journey from getting off the Eurostar to Gare de Lyon main lobby in about 30 minutes.
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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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Or buy Metro tickets while waiting for your train at St Pancras.
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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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ScarlettInSpace, Welcome to snowheads. The bus station is adjacent to the train station so you'll have plenty of time
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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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Thanks
Could do without a time pressure before we even get to the chalet, specially when we've spent all day ummm enjoying the lovely scenery <drinking>
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