Poster: A snowHead
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We travelled twice by train from Geneva to Moutiers last season and, on each occasion, booked a few weeks in advance.
I've been on the Voyages SNCF website to (try to) book train tickets for the same trip, this time in January 2018. We travel out on 5 January and return to Geneva on 27 January. However, it says there either are no trains available in either direction on those dates; or it is too early to book tickets. It can't be the latter though, as the website is offering the option to book tickets now for February travel.
Any ideas what the issue may be?
We are still looking at options and may eventually travel the outward leg by train and return by Ben's Bus (which isn't available on a Friday, when we travel out).
3 weeks beckon in the 3 Valleys and conditions are looking great, with a big dump forecast this weekend. We managed a 4 day trip last week to kick off our season and had a fantastic time in Val Thorens. We had 2 sunny days to start with, on great snow, and had the place to ourselves midweek. We skied down to Orelle 4 times and were the only 2 on the run each time - amazing! Likewise, repeating laps off Boismint chair! And for the first time ever we were the only 2 on the run down from the top of the Peclet gondola - a brilliant experience at sunset.
The following two days got better - with some great powder to ourselves off the Peclet gondola. Visibility was poor but we made the most of it. We even heard of a couple taking the 3 Vallees chair and skiing the (closed) Pluviometre piste, under top to bottom powder...
Happy days and hopefully a sign of things to come for the season!
It was certainly the quietest we've ever seen Val Thorens, once the crowds had gone from the big opening weekend.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Had a quick look on https://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html and trains seem to be available. There's a change though - not done that route, so don't know if there are direct options usually.
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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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Rhoobarb,
Thanks for that. I've only ever booked via the SNCF website but will now try the CH(oo) CH(oo). 😉
We had to change twice on each occasion in the past - once at Geneva Central, where (surprisingly) we had to clear customs; and again at Chambery. We then had to catch the bus to Val Thorens from Moutiers. It wasn't too much of a faff as were travelling relatively lightly. The train made a nice change, the views were great and the fare was less than £70 pp 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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We lived in Lausanne for a while and used the train to Swiss resorts for the day, but never into France. Off to Meribel in March - v jealous of 3 weeks out there. Have fun!
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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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If you prefer a British website to book through then http://loco2.com/ is pretty good for all things train in Europe, and I also often use http://trainline.eu/
They are both much easier to use than the SNCF Voyages site, though must confess I haven't used that in a while.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Bergmeister, friends had this problem. The solution is don't put your departure from Geneva airport. Use the regular train to get from the airport to central station. It's one or two stops I think and I believe you can pick up a ticket in arrivals hall which gives you free travel to the main station. Agree the fare is about 30 euros each way.
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@andy1234, It's not a shuttle train as such. You get free travel into Geneva so can use any trains that pass through. Would give you an unnecessary change though - I'd say it's easier to grab the right train from the airport straight through to the change at Biel.
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@Rhoobarb, yes any train as you say. Don't understand you saying much better to get the right train through to Biel. Where is Biel? And the OP couldn't find any trains online from the airport through to Moutiers, which was exactly the problem friends of ours had a couple of years ago.
Like a lot of Switzerland, changing trains is getting of on one platform and getting on the next, minutes later, like clockwork!
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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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@Rhoobarb, no passing trains through Geneva Airport. It’s the end of the line.
Why Biel? Totally wrong direction.
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@Bergmeister, Try using the www.oui.sncf website. I've just tried looking at the sncf.com website and it redirected me to this site.
There appear to be 9 trains from Geneva to Moutiers on the 5th January and 5 from Moutiers to Geneva on 27th January all priced at 30 euros each way. Change at Chambery on most of the journeys.
I assume you change at Biel if you are going to Moutier in Switzerland
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I tried booking Moutier-Genve not too long ago. For some reason it would only work with the French language version of the SNCF website, any other language and it had a hissy fit. As I was travelling outside of the ski season, I just bought on the day from the station...
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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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Oh, forgive me ballsing up my Moutiers Anyway, there are definitely trains.
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I just looked at www.sbb.ch/en for your outbound journey and there is a Zurich train at 05 past each hour taking 2h4m with one change at Biel.
Might be one of those cases where using SBB works better when the starting-point is in Switzerland.
As mentioned, starting at GVA may force the timetable app to ignore other options from Geneva central, so try from there as well.
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Thu 7-12-17 22:08; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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@LaForet, The OP doesn't want to go to Moutier.
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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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'We travelled twice by train from Geneva to Moutiers last season and, on each occasion, booked a few weeks in advance. I've been on the Voyages SNCF website to (try to) book train tickets for the same trip, this time in January 2018.'
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Poster: A snowHead
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LaForet wrote: |
I just looked at www.sbb.ch/en for your outbound journey and there is a Zurich train at 05 past each hour taking 2h4m with one change at Biel.
Might be one of those cases where using SBB works better when the starting-point is in Switzerland.
As mentioned, starting at GVA may force the timetable app to ignore other options from Geneva central, so try from there as well. |
Wrong Moutier, for 3 valleys it's Moutiers-Salins-Brides Les Bains.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ah OK.
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