 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone,
Went on our first ski trip to L2A last month and blooming loved it. Defo got the bug now and looking to sort our next trip.
A friend of ours has a chalet in Saas Fee and was wondering what peoples thoughts are? We are comfortably skiing tricky blues and starting to look at easier reds. I know that some resorts are better suited to different ability levels. I believe it has glaciers similar to L2A so offers all year round skiing so regardless of snow conditions should always be able to get some time on the planks?
We would like a bit of Apres ski also.
Finally, what have people found is the best way of getting there? Fly or Drive? And if by plane, where is the best airport to fly in to?
Cheers all
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We ski there a couple of times a year. A lot of the runs are reds but a number of them could well be a blue, particularly the ones around morenia and the very wide top section of plattjen (the more difficult lower section has a blue alternative). Saas Grund is easier skiing also and 10 minutes on the bus, free if your friends buy into the citizens passport scheme.
We always fly into Zurich, train to Visp and then bus up the mountain. The train is quicker than the one from Geneva and Zurich is a better airport. Get a Swiss transfer ticket which covers train and bus. We also drive, from Milton Keynes it is 14h door to door including the tunnel if you can get almost straight onto the next train.
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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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@Fridge03, Saas-Fee is a great beginner / intermediate resort, being somewhat limited for advanced / expert unless you are off piste.
Saas-Fee certainly isn't a party town, but there are many options for Apres, either in the snow bars near the piste, or later in the bars.
In terms of travel, Saas-Fee is high up in the mountains so there are no really quick and easy ways of getting there from the unless you can find someone flying to Sion airport. I always fly to Geneva, take the inter regional train to Visp (2.5 hours), and then a post bus for the last 45 minutes up to the resort. So a 07:00 flight out of Heathrow, means a 14:00 arrival in Saas-Fee.
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The train from Zurich to Visp is slightly quicker than from Geneva. It might be worth noting that the Geneva train is an inter-regional train, so has no catering on it (not even a trolley) where as the Intercity trains from Zurich have a buffet car. There is a co-op next to the station at Geneva airport for supplies.
Personally I find Zurich a pleasanter airport than Geneva but to be honest I would go for either depending on flight times and prices
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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 would say the slopes at Saas-Fee are rated on the easy side, i.e. some of the reds there would be blue elsewhere. It should be a good confidence builder for you!
There are plenty of bars in Saas-Fee, but they are more sip-and-chat places than down-it-and-dance places. Saas-Grund is quieter.
As people have said, I'd go for public transport. If cost is an issue, then flights into Geneva are usually cheaper than into Zurich, but the transfer from either is easy. Rather than get (or fail to get) food on the train, the cheaper and better option is to go to the supermarket at the airport before getting on the train - there is a Migros at both airports near the train platforms.
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Hi all,
Seriously bumping my own thread here but Saas Fee looks on the cards for a wee trip this season (in addition to our trip to La Plange in Jan!).
Thanks for the advice above. Got a couple more questions if anyone can answer them.
Firstly, with Saas Fee being car free if we do drive or rent from airport then what's the situation there? Where do we leave the car (probably sounds like a really stupid question).
Secondly, would it be safe to go there for an early season ski? Maybe start of December time? I read that it's pretty snowsure but after the last two seasons is it worth the risk or should we wait to maybe March time instead?
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@Fridge03, I've only driven there once on the way to Zermatt and did a half day, parking in the multi storey car park as you enter the resort. Seemed reasonable for a day but not sure what that would cost for a longer stay. Early season should be good and I've been there in late October with good skiing, but obviously conditions can vary Year to year.
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@Fridge03 We went Christmas week and the last week in March/first week in April and the spring fortnight was more enjoyable but we have never so far failed to ski every day at Christmas, though we are happy on any piste in the resort so can take a trickier route if the snow is better. If you are happy on (steepish) drag lifts there will be skiing on the glacier as long as the wind keeps itself down even if the runs down are ropey.
The car park is I believe 19CHF per day, reduced if you have a citizens pass, though I'm not sure how the citizens pass works for non residents, e.g. if you can get them from the hotel. It is not cheap particularly but then the train is around 150CHF return per person if you get the transfer ticket which gets you from any point of entry to destination and back (includes the bus up to the village).
We either go for the flight into ZRH followed by the train and bus if there are only the two of us, or self drive with eurotunnel if there are more than 2 of us as that seems to be the point where the price tips fully in favour of driving and we actually enjoy the drive and I find using public transport tedious.
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The Sass Fee Skiing is pretty decent for early December - when I was there in first week Dec 2015 you could ski form the glacier down to the village. Unless you are lucky there won't be much open other than the main section down from the glacier past Morenia so lift passes may end up being expensive for what you get.
The citizens pass was only available from the accommodation providers when I was there so if the chalet owner isn't part of the scheme you may not be able to get one (only really an issue for parking and non skiing activities). I asked at length at the tourist information when I was there but they wouldn't sell me one!
In first week of December many of the bars and restaurants may still be shut for a pre winter season break - there should still be plenty open at the lift end of town and near the Dom square but there will be less open at the opposite end of town from the lifts. In any case I would recommend the youth hostel for a (relatively!) reasonably priced drink and meal - they also have a decent spa there which will be lovely and quiet that time of year.
The town will be looking very pretty and I'd expect all the Christmas decorations up and I would check out if there are any events on.
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Keep an eye on the official web page.
They will be opening the mega season pass offer (233chf) for 2017-18.
That is a LOT cheaper than buying just a one-week pass at normal times.@Fridge03,
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Great. Thanks for your help everyone!
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