 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking to squeeze in a ski weekend (Thursday-Sunday) in late Jan and am realising that the one variable that can really push the cost up is the availability of a cheap (ish) transfer - or in other words whether a shared shuttle is available rather than private transfers.
Alpybus do some great value transfers to Morzine which would have been ideal if I wasn't already going in Feb. Prefer not to hire a car but if it's a winner cost wise then I'd consider it.
There's 2 of us going.
Any suggestions would be gratefully received!!!!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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with two people and just a few days hire, renting a car could well be competitive, and with a short time at your disposal, could maximise your ski time.
Chamonix is the other obvious place with easy and cheap transfers from Geneva.
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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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What are you asking for, resort suggestions?
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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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If you rented a car and stayed in the Ibis budget hotel in Sallanches you could leave choice of resort to ski till you arrive - plenty of choice from there.
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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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@Handy Turnip, see if you can fly into Salzburg and use the public transport from the airport to the centre to either take a bus or train to anyone of a number of resorts within a 45 minute drive. Otherwise flights into Innsbruck and Zurich also give the opportunity to use cheap public transport to get to any number of resorts.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks all for the tips, I'll be having a look at those options today.
Yes @Lauka, I'm looking for resort suggestions where there are cheap transfers available from the airport 
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@Handy Turnip, I used to find that what really pushed the cost up were flight prices at times when every man and his dog wanted to travel - i.e. evenings on Thursday-Mondays...
Also availability.
So Zurich probably nearly as good as Geneva (Easyjet a little more limited I suspect, possibly less demand) but I would expect e.g. Salzburg or Innsbruck not nearly as cheap or convenient.
If you're only doing 3 days, you want to be skiing all day of those 3 days.
Transfer infrastructure from Geneva, as far as I can see and not including trains is the most developed.
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
@Handy Turnip, I used to find that what really pushed the cost up were flight prices at times when every man and his dog wanted to travel - i.e. evenings on Thursday-Mondays...
Also availability.
So Zurich probably nearly as good as Geneva (Easyjet a little more limited I suspect, possibly less demand) but I would expect e.g. Salzburg or Innsbruck not nearly as cheap or convenient.
If you're only doing 3 days, you want to be skiing all day of those 3 days.
Transfer infrastructure from Geneva, as far as I can see and not including trains is the most developed. |
You really are talking out of your rear-end here in terms of convenience and showing a huge lack of knowledge of places outside of your own particular domain! Whilst concurring that it may not be easy to get a cheap flight mid-week into Innsbruck, it is not impossible. Flights to Salzburg are much easier to find and often very cheap, as little as 20 Euro if you pick your time and dates carefully and you are lucky enough to get one of RyanAir's lost leader tickets!
You can ski from Innsbruck using the buses that run regularly from the city to the resorts around the city. I've often seen people in the city waiting for a bus in full ski clobber and carrying their skis. There's some fabulous off-piste actually just above the city on the Nordkette with the bottom lift station actually within the city boundaries. I believe there is even a tram stop at the Nordkette lift station as well, so how "inconvenient" is that? clarkey999 can confirm that seeing as he used to live nearby in Innsbruck.
There are shuttle buses from Salzburg to Flachau with pick ups along the way, so you can actually stay in Salzburg where there is a wealth of cheap accommodation in their winter season and still ski every day if you want to. A friend who lives in Salzburg catches the 7.30 bus on a regular basis as he has no car, he is often one of the first on the Space Jet 1 lift at 08.30 when they open. When he has a late shift, he can ski all morning and still be back in time to change and get to work without a rush. Alternatively, the 50 Euro return transfers from companies like Hüber-Reisen can get you into your chosen resort around the A10 within 45 minutes of leaving the terminal with all your gear. Stash your gear and get out to ski, makes getting a red-eye from Sleazey or Pikey worthwhile and you can ski for the full 3 days with the correct planning.
The world has moved on from the horse and sleigh you know! But being restricted to such a small part of it, you may have not noticed! 
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I've been looking at Salzburg and Innsbruck, and there are definitely options available at good prices - unfortunately we're got a few restrictions on time and dates (due to work and my girlfriends kids) which does bring the options down and puts the price up a bit (esp from Salzburg). Which is a real shame as, as @Samerberg Sue has stated, the cheap transfer options do seem to be numerous.
I hadn't thought of Zurich before, and it's got lots of flight options - so just looking at the transfer situation now - I've already spotted that there's a shuttle bus to Laax which could be an option.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Mayrhofen from Salzburg. Train all the way
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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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Even try Munich as there are more flights than Innsbruck/Salzburg and more midweek (from non London airports anyway!). Train to Salzburg on Bayern ticket is cheap as chips then any of the above Salzburg options. You can also get to Worgl from Munich and get to Westendorf/Brixen/kitzbuhel by train or go by train direct to Zillertal. I am not sure of the connections, you may have to change at Rosenheim or Kufstein.
The other advantage of train is that you don't have to leave a big allowance for traffic jams on the way back. The road transfer operators like to leave a few hours in hand in case the roads are slow so you end up having to leave earlier than you need.
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@Col the Yeti, mostly you have to change at Rosenheim for Kufstein, though some Innsbruck trains may stop at Wörgl. However these trains are slowish (believe me I know as I use them to avoid jams going into Munich at peak times!). For the faster trains you need to pay a supplement (I think per person as I got stung for 18 Euro supplement when I got on the wrong type of train after a porter at Munich HBf said it was OK).
Although Munich has masses of cheap mid-week flights to choose from, you do need to factor in at least 2.5 to 3 hours minimum if not longer to get to any of the Austrian resorts. That kind of eats into your already short skiing time, unless you hire a car and drive yourself, which adds to the overall costs and hassles.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Samerberg Sue, I quite agree, if the OP can get to Salzburg or Innsbruck then do. Coming from Scotland though I find that Munich is the usually the only fairly cheap option and a wider choice of flight means that 3hrs on a train is better than hanging around for 5 hrs in a UK airport. It was just another option if Salzburg doesn't have any flights.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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I would also note for some of the other suggestions regarding trains, changes, etc. These are all great if you are travelling at your leisure on a Saturday. But a real pain if you're on a late flight out so as not to have taken time off and any of them are the "last" connection...
More or less useless for a short break, IME.
Except Zurich though you can definitely get somewhere reasonably swiftly by train and there are package tickets that would make it cheaper. Flims-Laax?? Somewhere like that?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You've pretty much nailed what I'm after and what I'm finding @under a new name - hence I've struggled with the Salzburg/Innsbruck options.
I like the Zurich option as it's opened up a load of resorts I hadn't considered - with Flims Laax being one of them. Lots of transfer options (shuttle, train/bus) plus I've seen some accommodation that fits the bill in Flims Dorf.
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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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I am glad I am a part of the snowheads forum. I've found great information here!
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