 Poster: A snowHead
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Which are the easiest resorts to get to when you don't have use of a car? Whether flying or snow train? Which are the cheapest? Which don't involve waiting around for too long on windy platforms?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Alpe d'Huez, 2Alpes, Serre Chevalier = bus from GNB to Grenoble gare routiere, further bus direct to resort.
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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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Must be somewhere in Switzerland, although the ones listed by Lizzard are pretty good.
If you want to go further afield, apparently you can get on a bullet train in Tokyo and be in a station an hour later which also serves as the bottom station of the gondola up a ski mountain. That's properly joined up transport
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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luckysmartie,
St Anton, Zermatt and Engelberg to name but 3
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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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Champery?
Plane to Geneva, train from airport to Champery village centre?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Gotta be Les Arcs via the Funicular from Bourg St Maurice ?
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luckysmartie, The Grenoble ones to LDA and ADH are also pretty much the cheapest, around 20 euros return.
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Bourg St Maurice (Les Arcs)
TGV, SNCF or Satobus direct from Lyon Airport
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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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luckysmartie,
Pretty much every resort in Switzerland has either a train station or a post bus link to one and the connections always work.
In France there are a lot of airport busses though these may sometimes run at weekend only.
St Anton is easy to reach by train (station in middle of resort) or airport bus at weekend from Zurich.
If you contact the tourist office of most resorts they will tell you how to get there by public transport.
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I'd agree with Timberwolf. Get on snowtrain at Waterloo, change platforms at Bourg St Maurice (bit of a haul over the bridge) and you're in Les Arcs 7 minutes later.
Must be the simplest conceivable! Even simpler if one uses Bourg at the resort base (perfectly feasible, nice town).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Jackson Hole - 10 minutes from Jackson Hole Airport
Solitude or Snowbird - 20 - 30 minutes by transfer bus from SLC
Big Sky/Moonlight Basin - 40 minutes by bus from Bozeman
Winter Park - 1 hour? snow train from Denver
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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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Salzburg to Zell am see, Gastein valley, Kitzbuhel.... all on the train line - efficient cheap travel
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Cheers everyone. I didn't realise Swizterland was so good for trains..... *goes into holiday planning mode*. Now just have to persaude the mother that TOs aren't the be all and end all of organising ski holidays.
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You know it makes sense.
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luckysmartie, www.sbb.ch (Swiss train timetable) is very good for working out transfers etc
geneva and zurich airports both have their own stations. basel airport is in the middle of nowhere so is a bit more of a hassle
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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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Arno, thankyou. Would I be right in assuming Swiss trains are as efficient as their clocks?
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Poster: A snowHead
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luckysmartie, Swiss trains are great, I wouldn't even care if they didn't run on time. Their cattle class is nicer that Virgin First.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If British trains ran as slowly as Swiss trains then they could also run on time.
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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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Another question (sorry, full of them today), is there a regular bus service through all the different complexes at Les Arcs? So that you could get the funicular up to Arc 1600, and then a bus to Arc 1800 or wherever? I live near Crewe, so trains are quite an efficient way for me to do things.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Spot on - There is a free shuttle bus service (Navette) between the Les Arcs villages - One links 1600 to 1800 and the other goes to 1950 and 2000. When you get off the funicular turn left - they run every 10 minutes or so - Very handy if you have a pint or 3 in 1800 and need to get back for the last funicular!!!
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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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Cheapest is Innsbruck. Bus from airport about €1.60. Transfer time about ten minutes. Skibus will take you to various 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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luckysmartie, the resort shuttle runs to quite late at night as well, so good for getting around the resort for apres-ski. I think there's also a free shuttle from the bottom of the funicular to Peisey/Vallandry, although I'm not sure how often that one runs.
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rob@rar.org.uk, whereabouts is Peisey/Vallandry?
How easy is it to stay in Bourg St Maurice and just get the funicular up everyday? Does it waste a lot of time in your day? I was looking at properties there today and they seem to be a lot cheaper than staying actually in Les Arcs (which as poor students, is always a help to me and my friends).
Innsbruck too. How long does it take to get to the different skiing areas?
Sorry for being inquisitive 
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luckysmartie, Peisey and Vallandry are part of the Les Arcs ski domain. Easy to ski to from the other Arc villages, but not so easy by road as you have to drive down to the valley floor at Bourg St Maurice, then back up again to Peisey.
It's very easy to stay in BSM and 'commute' up for skiing. The funicular itself only takes 7 minutes, so providing your accommodation is within walking distance it is very easy to stay in BSM to take advantage of cheaper accommodation. Lots of people will use the funicular, inlcuing locals and those just staying for a week or so.
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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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| luckysmartie wrote: |
How easy is it to stay in Bourg St Maurice |
We bought a place in Bourg last year and find it no problem for skiing but as Rob says it is a good idea to be near the funicular as it could be a bit of a trek in ski boots from some places
Other advantages of Bourg are - Supermarkets, bars ec much less expensive
Easier to strilke out on day trips to other resorts (We always buy the ski pass that gives you an away day in another resort
Also probably better for summer Hols to be in the Valley as it gives more activity options etc
And yes as you suggest property is less expensive. However we don't have the ski in / ski out advantage that Rob has (or the ability to nip home for a spot of lunch and a fix of snowheads every day) but then we didn't pay for it either
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luckysmartie, Switzerland is in a class of it own. From all main entry points you can get a train and post bus connection to anywhere. It has to be the best integrated transport system in Europe, which means for the DIY skier Switzerland is a great destination. As an aside the Swiss Post Bus Service celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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One other point to bear in mind with Switzerland is that it is possible to buy a 'swiss transfer' ticket (about £50) which buys a return transfer from any entry point to Switzerland to any ski resort (train and bus and boat links included). Sounds a bit dear, but any kids under 16 go free on it as well. It also acts as a half price railcard if you do any trips while you are there (I think). Needs to be bought in advance from swiss travel service. Obviously some resorts close to airports (Engleberg ?) are probably best done on normal return tickets.
re. France, Any of the Tarantaise resorts are well linked by train and bus from Valmorel up to Val D'isere. The Maurienne valley (Val Frejus, Val Cenis, Termignon, Bessans and Bonneval) are similarly easy to sort out - Modane is the station to aim for, buses from there.
In my experience, French buses are quite easy to sort out for transfers - just use the altibus website and you can book online. It works very efficiently. Our TGV was late into Modane this year, but all the buses waited to pick up the train travellers which almost certainly wouldn't happen here...
d
ps. Thanks Frostythesnowman for adding a little balance to the trains debate ! Contrary to popular myth, both French and Swiss trains also sometimes run late and are affected by adverse weather conditions. Mind you, as my alias suggests, I have a vested interest in the matter !!
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FAQ
