 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi Snowheads
I can get decent Avios flights to Zurich over New Year (can't for Geneva - and, besides, I've had two years in a row with rubbish snow in the Northern French Alps), so am looking at resorts that aren't far away from Zurich with public transport as it's just 2 of us.
Engelberg seems the best option apart from, say, St Anton (been there a lot recently so less keen).
What is it like in terms of a 3 night 3 day break? No desire to go off piste, although I know it's good for that, as I'll have Mrs BB with me.
Main areas of interest are km of piste, ease of walking to lifts and finally queues...
Cheers
BB
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
I'm a fan of Engelberg but I would comment that while the pistes are generally in very good condition due to it being high, North facing, and in a good area of for snowfall, the pisted area does feel small compared to many of the big French resorts. Excluding the Brunni side you can ski everything in a day easily. Also, if your wife is not a fan of off piste then she may not be a fan of the often (possibly always?) unpisted black that links the runs on the glacier to the lower runs and while you can avoid it doing so would be annoying due to having to download from the glacier. I don't want to put you off going but you should be aware that you will probably end up lapping the same (generally very good) runs a lot which probably conflicts with your number one area of interest: km of piste.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Quote: |
two years in a row with rubbish snow
|
Because, you know, that's significant... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Don't bother with Engelberg if you're not off-pisting.
Arosa/Lenzerheide, Davos/Klosters and Flims/Laax amongst many others are all within easy travelling distance of ZRH and well worth visiting, snow and overdraft limit permitting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Badbobby, the same cat, no. Different cats, maybe.
Winters are independent.
Mind you I wouldn't necessarily expect snow in Morzine at xmas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@under a new name, I know and agree. However, I would be furious if it didn't snow there again. What separates oomans from dem robots.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| hd wrote: |
Don't bother with Engelberg if you're not off-pisting.
Arosa/Lenzerheide, Davos/Klosters and Flims/Laax amongst many others are all within easy travelling distance of ZRH and well worth visiting, snow and overdraft limit permitting. |
Are these around 2hrs by public transport though? Kind of need that to get a bit of skiing on day 1 (early flight out) and then most of the day on the lats day (21hr flight back to UK).
Cheers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Badbobby wrote: |
| Are these around 2hrs by public transport though? |
Yes. The Swissies have been going tunnel building crazy over the last few years with significant reductions in train journey times. The Zimmerberg Basistunnel out of Zurich is your new friend in this instance. https://www.sbb.ch
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
So let's summarise - Lenzerheide is 2hr20 with 2 changes (albeit the first is always Zurich central). Davos 2hr30 (2 changes). Flims 2hrs - looks good and the mountain seems to be called Crap, which is an added bonus.
Trying to get it to 2hrs so as to maximise skiing on days 1 and 4.
Googlemaps usefully shows lots of lifts etc at Valbella, linked into Arosa and a 2hr transfer - might be a winner, non? Any comments on this area?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Stay in Klosters instead. Nicer village, accesses the same mountain as Davos, closer to Zurich.
Valbella is in the same area as Lenzerheide/Arosa.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Klosters looks a mission by train... 2hr40 inc 3 trains and a bus! 
What about using a town as a base and getting buses to a couple of resorts?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
@Badbobby, I don't remember it needing a bus to get to Klosters, you go though it on the train to Davos.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Just been looking on the SBB website for the all the options - happy to be corrected of course - Dr Google-von-Map also seems to agree.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Badbobby wrote: |
Klosters looks a mission by train... 2hr40 inc 3 trains and a bus!
What about using a town as a base and getting buses to a couple of resorts? |
It's about 2hrs 10mins. Search for trains to Klosters Platz which is the main station in the village.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@hd, ah ha - I just worked that out as I checked it - SBB is very literal in that if you say a town it seems to think that the main station isn't good enough and then get naother bus!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Just to jump back into this...
Thanks for the advice thus far. My only question remaining is that it's meant to be a relaxing 3 nights away from our young children, so having nice digs (unusually for me) is more important than the ski area.
As it stands, I can get (imo) a nicer hotel in Engelberg for less money than in Klosters. Is the latter significantly better as a ski area, bearing in mind we'll be doing 2.5 days of skiing and long lunches etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Badbobby wrote: |
| As it stands, I can get (imo) a nicer hotel in Engelberg for less money than in Klosters. Is the latter significantly better as a ski area |
For piste skiing, yes. More variety, more kms and fantastic long runs back down to Klosters. The previous comments about the Engelberg pistes are very much correct. However where you go depends on how high on the wish list for your holiday the quality of the piste skiing is. If it's at the top then Klosters over Engelberg every time. (or Flims/Lenzerheide etc)
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Thu 6-07-17 21:28; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@hd, thank you so much again. Just to clarify you mean Flims/Lenzerheide are both much better than Engelberg for piste skiing?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
yes x100
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@hd, emphatic!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@Badbobby, if you want fantastic accom on the slopes then I'd recommend this place in Stuben http://www.hubertushof-arlberg.at/
Although will many (any?) places take a 3 day booking over New Year?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
Although will many (any?) places take a 3 day booking over New Year?
|
A very good point.
There is possibly the best pizza in the world opposite Davos station...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hotels.com shows a few, but not many. Enough choice for now. Fri to mon is clearly not ideal and I expect to pay a premium, sadly !
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Also worth looking at Arosa if you prefer the train to resort option instead of bus. Now linked to Lenzerheide/Valbella.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Have done both Engelberg and Arosa/Lenzerheide many times, both on relatively short breaks. You can get to Engelberg in two hours, 15 mins by public transport but you have to factor in flight arrival times coinciding with trains from the airport railway station. Arosa, Lenzerheide, Davos etc all require a short change at the main Zurich railway station. The best I've done on the 6am flight from Heathrow is on the chairlift in Arosa at 12.30pm.
As for the 'black' from the the Titlis glacier to the rest of the Engelberg pistes, it's not a black but designated an itinerary. Definitely never pisted and left to the twin devices of nature and skiers!
Hotels in Arosa and Engelberg have always been happy to do short breaks at no extra tariff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Update.
Thanks for all the input. My avios points cleared this morning so I've booked the flights to Zurich and booked up an overpriced hotel in Klosters for 3 nights.
Can't wait!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Hi everyone.
Thought i'd bump this thread as I started it (ages ago!) and it discussed Arosa etc and has some interesting info on other resorts that people might want to read...
Arosa/Lenzerheide/Valbella - where's best to stay - looking at booking it for New Year week.
Thankee
BB
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
If planning on staying in Arosa, you can stay in hotels in Inner Arosa which is handiest for the Hornli gondola but is much quieter. Or there is the area around the Obersee lake which is the best for the Weisshorn cable car. There are some large and fairly swanky hotels down towards the Untersee. Some accommodation is situated in the main drag between the main lift stations - they can involve some uphill walking or using the frequent ski buses. The most convenient is, perhaps, the Arosa Vetter hotel which is next door to the Tschuggen Ost chairlift.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
@LOTA, thank you.
What’s Arosa like vs Valbella? Also, how are they for snow over Xmas/new year?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Much bigger, I think, with more hotels, restaurants etc.
As for snow, who knows? Arosa sits at 1800 metres so the chances are good for Christmas/new year snow but it is, of course, in the lap of the gods!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Ha, yes, agreed. But one has to give oneself as best a chance as possible!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
