 Poster: A snowHead
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Afternoon,
Ok, after the SNCF kindly axed the overnight sleeper to Bourg-St-Maurice (BSM) and my preference of 8 days skiing and train travel have decided this year for my trip I will travel on Friday 24th March by Eurostar to Paris then TGV to BSM then AirBnB in Bourg and catch the bus up to Tignes on Saturday morning. However as per the usual rigmarole of the one half of the journey being released before the other I need to make a best guess on which Eurostar to get! Currently there are no direct trains to BSM but in the winter there ARE direct TGVs to BSM. I essentially want to find last years TGV timetable so I can make a half decent guess, there is also the possibility there will be more TGVs running because they have axed the sleepers, but who knows!
Anyway the best I can find is: https://uk.voyages-sncf.eu/products/trains/tgv which merely says they run twice a day in the winter. Any ideas anyone?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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In previous years the SNCF start selling direct TGV routes to BSM on the first week of September (used to be 5-7 Sept).
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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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Just google Thallys Snow Train and you should be able to find a direct link on Sncf page. Brilliant option when I used the direct Brussels-BSM route, 90 eur return
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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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Last season there were three TGV Paris to Bourg trains on Friday, but they did not run on every weekend through the season. Times were
Paris 15:48 18:15 18:45
Bourg 20:55 23:21 23:44
I now prefer the Eurostar to Lyon, then the TER from Lyon to Bourg. Avoids the fuss crossing Paris.
Eurostar have released the 2017 timings, but not booking. It will still be one train per week, but on Fridays instead of Saturday. It's early at St Pancras (07:19 departure) and you get to Bourg at 17:30.
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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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| Quote: |
| I now prefer the Eurostar to Lyon .... It will still be one train per week, but on Fridays instead of Saturday. |
Does that run over the winter? If you enter London - Lyon in the Eurostar 'Trains' page, it suggests that after October there is no service until March 31 2017 (except for Dec 23 & 30)?
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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 Eurostar site isn't very user friendly at present - it took me as few attempts to find the information.
Go to the booking page and enter London to Lyon one way, then click in the depart box. This brings up a calendar which you can scroll forward to 2017. The days with a yellow flash in the bottom left corner show the days that the trains are running. That indicates that the Friday service running all through the winter season.
If you click on the links to attempt a booking you get an error. My assumption is that they will open soon and allow booking to the usual six months horizon - but until that happens there is no guarantee.
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Anybody else? I'm gonna leave a message on the SNCF help board forum type thing aswell.
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@AndrewsPeppers,
Good advice. Not heard about this before. The trip across Paris is always a pain. I am not surprised they ditched the sleeper. Last time I was on it, it was nearly empty. Will keep the Lyon option in mind. Cheers
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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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@Sowler,
Alternitavely - Eurostar to Brussels and then take the direct Thallys Snow, tickets go on sale 8 September (used to buy tickets 90 eur return in previous years - https://www.b-europe.com/Travel/Trains/Thalys%20Snow )
Not much of a detour actully and in Brussels Eurstar arrives at the same station from which Thalys Snow departs to the Alps
PS did it twice before - 1st class has a bit more space, internet (used to be rather lousy) and some food.
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I never found the trip across Paris a problem, although I had done it a quite a few times as a child so was used to it. Used to just RER to Gare de Lyon, stop for dinner somewhere then a short walk across the river to Austilitz. Trains were always full up when I've used them.
Nice idea with Thallys, however I'm not sure it would work for me as if they only run one train a day (as far as I can tell) which leaves at 7am. I'm trying to get all my travel done in one day. So need travel from Paris/Lyon/Brussels to BSM sometime around 10am-2pm. Not bothered if I roll into BSM at gone 11pm.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Sowler, indeed, you would need to come to BXL one day in advance and also one extra day on the way back. Even better for the 'local' market. 
I find these timetables perfect - early (but not too much) departure, arrival in 6 hours, short transfer and time to get you skis, passes on the same day without rush, then a nice dinner.
There must be a Thalys Snow from Paris as well, as it is the same company, so google and you may found it on SNCF website (it is not obvious as it is seasonal service only). But I am pretty sure there must be Paris-BSM Snow Train as well
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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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Sowler, thank you for starting this thread, and i was so hoping you would get some useful info about the winter timetable of trains from Paris to Bourg and Bourg to Paris.
But so far, nowt.
Each year i mean to copy out the winter timetable, and each year i forget, resulting in similar distress to yours.
Like you, i see no problem to crossing Paris. But then i am a regular user of the London underground, and the Paris one is not much different.
My problem is i usually travel mid week, so the Lyon and Thallys services are of no use (they only run on Saturdays).
Fortunately i know from past experience the trains from Gare Lyon to Bourg mid week, and i know the Sunday trains coming back, but this year we want a train coming back on Thursday December 22nd - and i have no idea what times trains run on Thursdays: the weekend service is always more extensive, so i can't rely on the usual 9.30 or 10.30 train from Aime.
I've trawled the interweb: nothing.
I've emailed Mark Smith (The Man in Seat Sixty-One), and even he can't help.
So, it seems i'll just have to plump for an early evening Eurostar from Paris, and hope there's a reasonable connection.
If only SNCF would allow you to book 6 months in advance, same as Eurostar . . .
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I'm fairly certain last years timetable is floating around on the SNCF website somewhere as I have found last years for the Paris>Briancon sleeper which I need for my other trip, but finding this one is proving difficult! Even the train number would be a good start!
Emailing Mark was going to be my next port of call. I have contacted Voyages-SNCF on the facebook page they couldn't help either. I have left a message on the SNCF message board which is all French but when searching on there did find a few people who had posted up questions in English so shall see how we do there.
http://questions.sncf.com/questions/1174521-paris-bourg-st-maurice-tgv
Worst case at the moment is getting an earlyish Eurostar and hoping for the best! Again I'm hoping they put on some extra TGVs now the have canned the sleeper for this route as in the statements I read, basically said that TGVs would be more than able to cover the routes.
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You know it makes sense.
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For the original question about what trains ran last year, it's not quite complete but snowcarbon have a set of sensible trains and connections you could take to get to the Alps from London. These will I think still be last year's timetables. http://www.snowcarbon.co.uk/
I had never thought of going via Brussels - nice idea. I'm also tempted with the route via Lyon as even if the local trains didn't run that day for some reason you're close enough to hire a car or get a bus to the resort.
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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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My reading of the Eurostar website is that the London-Lyon will run every Friday from Christmas to April, but I defer to the man in seat 61 if he says otherwise.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There is also the option of taking the Chambery TGV, then the local TER from Chambery to Bourg. They run every day of the week, every day of the year.
The best option is the 12:45 from Paris to Chambery, then the 16:29 TER from Chambery - two hours to Bourg.
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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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| AndrewsPeppers wrote: |
There is also the option of taking the Chambery TGV, then the local TER from Chambery to Bourg. They run every day of the week, every day of the year.
The best option is the 12:45 from Paris to Chambery, then the 16:29 TER from Chambery - two hours to Bourg. |
This is looking like the best option to shoot for as the backup, then if a suitable direct TGV appears excellent, if not I'm still covered and can get a suitably timed Eurostar booked when they become available. Good shout Andrew  Also getting in at that time gives plenty of time for a relaxed dinner in BSM at a sensible time before an early bed ready to get up the hill early doors on Saturday!
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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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As usual, my old colleague Mark (Seat61) has the answers on why iDTGV operate just Fridays and Sundays to Bourg SM, why your credit card won't work and why you can't book on other web sites. Click on the link.
Meanwhile the rest of us wait for the nationalised French rail company (SNCF) to get their act together and tell us about all the other trains they intend to operate this winter.
And to think some people want the same nationalised system here in Uk... 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| FionaTwice wrote: |
As usual, my old colleague Mark (Seat61) has the answers on why iDTGV operate just Fridays and Sundays to Bourg SM, why your credit card won't work and why you can't book on other web sites. Click on the link.
Meanwhile the rest of us wait for the nationalised French rail company (SNCF) to get their act together and tell us about all the other trains they intend to operate this winter.
And to think some people want the same nationalised system here in Uk... |
Mostly those who don't remember the reality that was BR, I suspect.
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Excellent posts coming in here, but kieranm is quite right: snowcarbon and Daniel Elkan is the place to go just now.
He has a Journey Planner with last year's timetable - La Plagne.
And excellent advice on how to get the cheapest fares in his Train Guides section.
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| Jonpim wrote: |
Excellent posts coming in here, but kieranm is quite right: snowcarbon and Daniel Elkan is the place to go just now.
He has a Journey Planner with last year's timetable - La Plagne.
And excellent advice on how to get the cheapest fares in his Train Guides section. |
Snow Carbon does not list the iDTGV options which is worth remembering. I also think this year there might be a difference in winter timetables to past years due to there now being no sleepers so possibly more direct TGVs being put on, but who knows.
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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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Sowler, thank you so much for that. I'd often noticed a train coming up outside the normal 90 day window when searching for trains on some sites. Treated these with suspicion - a mistake? - and never booked them.
Now i know they were iDTGV trains. Despite reading through lots of Seat61, i'd never come across his excellent explanation of this type of train. As i usually return on a Sunday, and sometimes go out on a Friday, this is a superb extra to my choices.
Thank you. 
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Yippee!
Booked all my trains up to February, and its only 5.30!
(already booked March train using iDTGV - thank you Snowheads for wonderful advice)
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FAQ
