Night train Ashford to Bourg... hated it!

A snowHead

But only because I am 6' 4"....

If you are tall do not expect to get a wink of sleep or even be able to sit in the seats comfortably! Train on the way home was really quiet so we all had 2 seats, even that didn't help. Logistically the trip is brilliant and beats the hell out of flying, if I were shorter I would not hesitate to do the trip again as it gives you the 2 extra days skiing at the start and end of the holiday. So easy to check in etc., very relaxed atmosphere on the trip from start to finish.

We even looked at upgrading seats on the way home as the conductor was well up for a sneaky cash deal! I went and tried the seats and although they were more spacious (width) there was equally poor legroom if you had someone sitting opposite you and my legs hardly fitted under the dividing table.

One highlight on the way out though, almost made it worthwhile....

http://youtube.com/v/MMUpcxYZocg Shocked

A snowHead

airline seats-style are definitely better for people with long legs

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swishtony, cheaper, more comfortable, and more convenient (coz you can do it any day of the week) is Eurostar to Paris, then night train in couchettes to Bourg.
I did the overnight Eurostar Ski Train once. Most people only do it once.
Its expensive. Its purgatory. Do it the right way next time
(Can also go by day, any day of the week - book early and go first class, then French train to Bourg same price as 2nd class Eurostar to Paris)

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

A group of lads were doing it from the bar. My very astute friend noticed there was a girl with them and he figured sooner or later she would be on the losing end of whatever drinking game they were playing! He is usually right! She was on the train back in our carriage, we showed her the clip and she was pretty relaxed about it!

Yes the couchette option could be good, just seems a bit of a faff changing in Paris? We will defo look more into it next year as the train idea really appeals. This was a first for us and we kinda figured it might be nightmare. We really want the extra 2 days skiing so will look at other options.

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Changing in Paris is a small faff, but isn't a huge problem, and if you find somewhere good for dinner can even be a pleasant break. You can make it less of a faff by getting a taxi rather than the underground, especially if you have lots of luggage and/or children.

But at 6'4" you're not going to be able to lie straight out in the couchettes either. I'm 6" less than that, and the couchettes are fine for me, but at a guess the couchettes are about 6' long.

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We did the French Corail sleeper this year for a long weekend in Les Arcs. If you book early it can be seriously cheap and leaves Paris very late so you still get an evening eurostar (we did 18.30 from London). Hot tip - eat at Gare du Nord before you cross town to Austerlitz. Austerlitz is completely dead and shut when the sleepers leave. Also the top couchette berths are about 2" shorter than the bottom ones, curve of the roof I think, so make sure long people get lower bunks.

You still get party city in the corridors so sleep is not guaranteed! BTW why did no one help her get the door open? Ungentlemanly I call it

After all it is free

We did the overnight train in January to Aime and were more than happy with it.

We had upgraded to Standard Premier and got 2 seats each on the way out and back.

My husband is 6' 4" as well and was ok with it. I could curly up on the 2 seats opposite it him allowing him all my leg room as well.

Wouldn't fancy standard class but Standard Premier was pretty comfy.

Already planning to use it again next year as the 2 extra skiing days can't be beaten - even better this year as both were blue sky and empty pistes!

In general I felt I got the same amount of dozing as I would with an early flight out of Gatwick, awake from 0430 ish onwards but in resort by 0720 instead on mid afternooon.

She has a great @rse

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swishtony, I'm the same height as you and the sleeper was awful. Hot, cramped, smelly, almost impossible to sleep. That said we did get very drunk prior to retiring and this was probably a bad idea.

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I'm just about 6ft2" have done couchettes and 1st class sleeper before sleeper definately better, couchettes bottom bunk dreadful, because the arms are at each end of the bunk when the couchetes are in seating mode, middle is best, top ought to have most room but it's often stuffy

swishtony, nice video, never seen that on a train before Laughing

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how cheap is really cheap then? roughly how much would you be looking at for the train from the midlands to the slopes?

You know it makes sense.

I am 6'4". For long distance in general I find trains the most comfortable form of transport. There are usually some extra legroom seats or seats with tables but even normal seats aren't too bad. Add to that it's generally easier to get up and stretch your legs on a train. Car is next best unless you are in the back of coupe for like I was on Sunday! Planes and coaches are pretty much always sh!te. Getting a non-standard seat with a bit more legroom is difficult or expensive. That said I haven't been on a Eurostar or sleeper for quite a few years. I have done the via Paris overnight option and in the early days sleeper from Calais. I enjoyed them in the main, apart from once putting my bare feet in a pile of sick (long story). These days I only ever drive (overnight mostly) purely for the cost and convenience. But I've always fancied doing the train again.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I did that last year down to BsM then up to Les Arcs - I slept fine, but then I'm 5'8" and extremely proficient at sleeping on various forms of transport.

My taller mates were sleeping on the floor in the aisles on the way back.

A snowHead

medlington,

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kieranm, When I last researched the costs it was much cheaper and more convenient to fly to Paris and pick up either the direct train to Lyon from CdG or get the train into Paris and change there to BsM. My view was that if I drove to Ashford and picked the train up there then I have done the worst part of the drive and I may as well just keep going. Whenever I search it looks as if trains to London are more expensive than flights to Paris

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We did it around 2 years ago all the way to Bourg! The price was definitely not worth it! Going during the day is good fun as you can watch out the window looking at the sights...apart from the grotty paris tunnels....but the rolling fields are lovely and you usually end up getting to bourg at around 3-4ish if you can got on an 8 o clock train.

We went in Standard Premier, the food was excellent, very nice service, and as I'm only around 5ft 11 leg room was excellent on a 2 seater!

The money we paid going there was great, returning isn't....unfortunately you only receive the pillow, eye blankets and blankets if you travel there on the night train....A BIG let down when they don't turn the lights off in the carriages due to some French safety rule.... I tried all sleeping plans (yes, I did attempt it curled in a ball on the floor!) Shocked

Its defo worth doing it once but I would look at leaving early Saturday getting there late/mid-afternoon skiing a week and that Saturday and then getting an early train from Bourg on Sunday morning... may cost a bit more but would defo love to look at all the sights again....if you have kids, take the iPad with some films on... I did NOT enjoy listening to the screaming kids ... :@(

I guess what i'm really saying is do it once, realise that flying Ryanscair is better and then hire a car! Very Happy

IT IS a great experience and should be done! Very Happy

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks for all the comments and ideas!

Yes the peachy view did make the journey much more enjoyable Twisted Evil

I had no chance of getting comfortable even with 2 seats, wondering about the idea of taking a roll up yoga mat and trying to get a few hours shut eye as other than driving cannot see how to get the extra 2 days skiing. Day train is appealing but won't gain anything time wise. Sleeper train might be worth a shot but have also not heard much good said about it, at least from a getting some shut eye perspective!

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swishtony, first and only time we've done the overnight, one of my friends took a camp bed and slept in the "vestibule". Tried the non couchettes form Paris - don't . Done Couchettes to PAris for the past few years - very useful. Mainly use daytime Eurostar or Paris change now - Last week left St @ 8:01 switched in Paris and got into BSM @ 5:16. Very civilised, and we made it part of the " boys week" holiday.

Quite like the idea of flying to Paris if not close to Central London though - sounds a reasonable compromise.

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swishtony, for the overnight train from Gare Austerlitz, the key is get First Class couchette.
Fare not much more than 2nd class of you get in early - I usually stay up to book at 3 milliseconds past midnight.
Much more civilised: fellow passengers will suggest lights go out as train leaves the station.
Much more comfortable - comfy mattress and proper sleeping bag.
There is a ventilation control above the door - I always turn it fully down, then the compartment stays reasonably comfortable.

After all it is free

Think the couchettes option will need looking at next season.

Jonpim, when you say you stay up to book what do you mean, can you only book so far in advance or something?

I'm about 6'4" and took the couchettes to the EoSB last year, just standard class, so ended up with a french family with two teenage sons. It was a bit crowded but not too bad, was able to lie down and get reasonably comfortable. I didn't sleep brilliantly, but woke up rested enough and it didn't feel like I'd just been lying awake in the dark for 8 hours.

Took the seat option on the way home, the seats recline a pretty long way but I really do not recommend this option. This time it did sort of feel like I was awake all night.

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Night train Ashford to Bourg... hated it!

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