 Poster: A snowHead
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As:-
1) We are still banned from France;
2) 5 months ago we booked a flight to GVA (for 2nd Jan), intending to go to Val Thorens;
3) Jet2 (our airline) aren't as flexible as Easyjet (ie they are charging flight amendment fees but we don't have a clue what date to change the flight to, if we want to stick with the 3 Valleys)....
we have bitten the bullet and changed the trip to Zermatt. We found a reasonably priced apartment in Täsch and have now booked a 6 night trip, with our final night in a hotel at Geneva airport.
As we have already splashed out on season tickets for the 3 Valleys we hummed and haahed a bit before taking the plunge and booking a revised trip yesterday.
Car hire would have been over £300, plus fuel and £55 car parking, so we opted for the train - at a "bargain" £250 return for the 2 of us  .Then there's the lift tickets.... But we thought, "Sod it!" You only live once and we've missed nearly 2 years of skiing.
We can't wait - as it's at least 15 years since we skied in Zermatt. 
Mind, the accommodation prices in Zermatt were somewhat prohibitive. £2500 for 5 nights in an apartment was the cheapest we could find; and some were £10k! 
So we are happy to commute from Täsch daily (15 minutes by train, for those who don't know it) as part of our "budget trip."  It feels like a real bonus to be hitting the slopes again as we'd written the trip off.... until yesterday.
Now we need only to survive our PCR tests on Saturday
We need somewhere to leave our bags (2 hand luggage trolleys) while we are skiing on Friday. We've emailed the apartment owners to ask if we can leave the bags with them, after we check out, but are looking at back up plans just in case.
Do any of you know if there are (dependable) left luggage facilities at Taesch or Zermatt stations?  By dependable I mean something where we stand an almost certain chance of leaving luggage (ie not a crack of dawn start being required to guarantee a bag drop).
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 29-12-21 20:33; edited 3 times in total
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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 are both lockers and staffed luggage storage services at Zermatt station. No idea about Täsch.
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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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Thanks balso,
That's great.
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| balso wrote: |
| There are both lockers and staffed luggage storage services at Zermatt station. No idea about Täsch. |
No staffed luggage facility at Täsch. The few lockers are the smaller ones so not great. Zermatt is a better bet.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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You are correct SM666, but I booked the walk-in tests weeks ago before the rules changed and our test is at 9.15 Saturday. We don't fly until 14.00 Sunday, so LFTs wouldn't be valid . I've been trying to ring the company concerned to see if it's possible to change (though the website mentions a £20 admin fee for changes). Fingers crossed.
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| Bergmeister wrote: |
You are correct SM666, but I booked the walk-in tests weeks ago before the rules changed and our test is at 9.15 Saturday. We don't fly until 14.00 Sunday, so LFTs wouldn't be valid . I've been trying to ring the company concerned to see if it's possible to change (though the website mentions a £20 admin fee for changes). Fingers crossed. |
Ah, ok. I was wondering if it was something like that. I thought it worth checking.
Having heard of people having delayed PCR results, I think I'd be ordering a enough self test kits for the outbound or inbound journey from a company like Qured.
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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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Quick nip into the supermarket at Geneva airport for a picnic and then the bottle shop for a bottle is the required process
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Do any of you know if it is possible to buy a one day upgrade on a Zermatt skipass?
We will be skiing for 5 days and, depending on the weather (which looks mixed, according to the forecast) may pop over to Cervinia if the weather is ok.
I can't find any info about it on the Zermatt website.
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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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| Bergmeister wrote: |
Do any of you know if it is possible to buy a one day upgrade on a Zermatt skipass?
We will be skiing for 5 days and, depending on the weather (which looks mixed, according to the forecast) may pop over to Cervinia if the weather is ok.
I can't find any info about it on the Zermatt website. |
Pretty sure you can at the lift station. Looks like you made a great choice with Zermatt in this warm weather and some fresh snow midweek. Enjoy your trip!
Ps try and book Chalet Etoile for lunch if you get over to Cervinia
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You can at the lift station for 42CHF per day and definitely recommend Chalet Etoile if you do make it across.
It is pretty warm at the moment and not a lot is open this morning.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Bergmeister, you are lucky in being ‘forced’ to go to Zermatt! Amazed at the costs you quote, £200 per night for 2 including breakfast in a great hotel such as La Couronne normally available. You will I’m sure enjoy.
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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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I stayed in Apartment Anita studio in Zermatt for £100 a night and I'm currently staying in the hostel which is even cheaper.
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Poster: A snowHead
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There are plenty apartments in Zermatt for 2 for £400 a week, outwit the Xmas period, I go every year, its cheaper than France when you get there, (having just come back from Tignes). The French have got ripping Brits off to a fine art, Courchevel is extortionate now.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 30-12-21 16:14; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have a lads trip to Morzine on the 2nd-6th Feb, currently I am not blinking first. I am however looking at the Swiss side of PdS, Morgine/croset etc. I know the nightlife will be non existent but after cancelling 4 ski trips in the last 2 seasons I am willing to do almost anything.
Keeping the flights to Geneva would be the best thing but as it is evening on the Weds we don't want a huge journey and then have to leave early on the the Saturday rather than ski until 2PM so travelling to Swiss resorts further afield isn't much of an option.
France are now having far more cases/deaths/hospitalisations than the UK but still have a travel ban due to UK being a "hotspot" whilst not stopping travel from other countries.
I am wondering how long I hold my nerve because the French are far more likely to go into lockdown and close resorts that to relax travel restrictions in the next 5 weeks I suspect but if we cancel the hotel we will be hit with fees and then Switzerland might suddenly stop travel afterwards to get a double whammy.
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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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And another thing, if the Swiss side of the PdS is open to us then will we be able to ski into the French part or do they somehow stop you entering France on the slopes, closing lifts etc.
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@twoodwar, @BenW_86, @nevis1003,
Thanks for the tips. I spent all day trawling various websites but couldn't find anything around the prices you mention. We were specifically after an apartment as we will be eating in, given that it's a bit of an unplanned, budget trip (as far as that's possible in Zermatt ).The youth hostel is currently £600 for the 5 nights (2nd to 7th Jan) that we are there and hotels are about a grand upwards. We ended up paying £370 for 5 nights in an apartment in Täsch, which looks very nice.
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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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| Bergmeister wrote: |
@twoodwar, @BenW_86, @nevis1003,
Thanks for the tips. I spent all day trawling various websites but couldn't find anything around the prices you mention. We were specifically after an apartment as we will be eating in, given that it's a bit of an unplanned, budget trip (as far as that's possible in Zermatt ).The youth hostel is currently £600 for the 5 nights (2nd to 7th Jan) that we are there and hotels are about a grand upwards. We ended up paying £370 for 5 nights in an apartment in Täsch, which looks very nice. |
That’s good. Which apartment place are you in?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| JohnMo wrote: |
| Bergmeister wrote: |
@twoodwar, @BenW_86, @nevis1003,
Thanks for the tips. I spent all day trawling various websites but couldn't find anything around the prices you mention. We were specifically after an apartment as we will be eating in, given that it's a bit of an unplanned, budget trip (as far as that's possible in Zermatt ).The youth hostel is currently £600 for the 5 nights (2nd to 7th Jan) that we are there and hotels are about a grand upwards. We ended up paying £370 for 5 nights in an apartment in Täsch, which looks very nice. |
That’s good. Which apartment place are you in? |
I don't know yet. We booked via AirBnB and are awaiting the name of the accommodation (& location map) from the owner. It was listed only as "Täsch Apartment."
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| Bergmeister wrote: |
| JohnMo wrote: |
| Bergmeister wrote: |
@twoodwar, @BenW_86, @nevis1003,
Thanks for the tips. I spent all day trawling various websites but couldn't find anything around the prices you mention. We were specifically after an apartment as we will be eating in, given that it's a bit of an unplanned, budget trip (as far as that's possible in Zermatt ).The youth hostel is currently £600 for the 5 nights (2nd to 7th Jan) that we are there and hotels are about a grand upwards. We ended up paying £370 for 5 nights in an apartment in Täsch, which looks very nice. |
That’s good. Which apartment place are you in? |
I don't know yet. We booked via AirBnB and are awaiting the name of the accommodation (& location map) from the owner. It was listed only as "Täsch Apartment." |
There is a decent chance, being an apartment and being Airbnb that it could be the Monte Rosa apartments. The complex is just under 1 km north of the train station, which can be a pain in ski boots. However there is a train station at the complex where trains stop in the winter. It is impossible to find the timetable on line but it is posted at the stop and they will give you a paper copy in the Zermatt station. It is the Visp train, not the shuttle. In case you are there here is a photo of the timetable from a couple of years back. The timetable doesn’t change much from year to year.
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Tasch is nice, commute not too annoying, I think you will still be in the New Year high price zone 2-7th Jan unfortunately. Have a good trip, the Zermatt off piste routes marked on the piste map are all good fun, and safe, if they are open.
A day trip up the Breithorn is easily possible, with an early start, crampons, axe, short rope, a good idea. Seems to be more crevasses these days. Various other shorter tours possible, if you are into that sort of stuff.
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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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| nevis1003 wrote: |
| There are plenty apartments in Zermatt for 2 for £400 a week, outwit the Xmas period, I go every year, its cheaper than France when you get there, (having just come back from Tignes). The Swiss have got ripping Brits off to a fine art, Courchevel is extortionate now. |
You said "The Swiss have got ripping Brits off to a fine art"; given the rest of your post and mention of Courchevel I presume you meant to say the French?
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I did thanks, edited it, I think the Swiss are more reasonable now than French ski resorts for food/drink.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Final question...
The Swiss website that sugarmoma666 highlighted includes the following:-
a) On boarding: On boarding, everyone aged 16 and over intending to enter Switzerland by air or bus must be able to show the negative result of a PCR test (performed no more than 72 hours prior to boarding) or a rapid antigen test (performed no more than 24 hours previously). If you cannot show such a test you will not be allowed to board the aircraft or vehicle. Note: For people entering Switzerland from a country with a variant of concern, the test requirement on boarding already applies to those aged 6 and over.
Exception to the test requirement on boarding.
b) On entry to Switzerland: On entering Switzerland, everyone aged 16 and over must be able to show the negative result of a PCR test (performed no more than 72 hours prior to entry) or a rapid antigen test (performed no more than 24 hours previously). Anyone unable to present a valid negative test, must take a test immediately on arrival (PCR or rapid antigen test).
We fly at 13.45 on Sunday from the UK and land in Gva at 16.55 (ie 15.55 UK time).
However, our Lateral flow tests are booked for 16.10 on Saturday in the UK.
I'm assuming we are covered by a) above, in that our LF/antigen tests are booked for nearly 22.5 hours before the flight (the latest walk-in tests we could get).
But, having said that, I'm concerned by paragraph b), the "exception to the test requirement on boarding." When does that kick in? Or are we ok to assume that we are covered by paragraph a)?
If para b) applies we have only 15 minutes to play with, as our flight is scheduled to land at 16.55 CET (or 15.55 UK time) - 23 hours and 45 minutes after our LFTs. In other words... what happens if our flight is delayed? Are we covered by Para a) or Para b)?
Or, in the event of a delayed flight, do we need to go for the contingency plan of a test on arrival in CH (mentioned above)? In some ways, the latter is a bonus option as that stands between us and immediate deportation....
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A few weeks ago by the time my flight landed my PCR test was 5 hours out of date (morning flight cancelled and rescheduled was delayed). I had no issues getting through.
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You know it makes sense.
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| BenW_86 wrote: |
| A few weeks ago by the time my flight landed my PCR test was 5 hours out of date (morning flight cancelled and rescheduled was delayed). I had no issues getting through. |
Thanks BW86. Was your flight into Geneva?
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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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Yeah into Geneva on the 18th
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Poster: A snowHead
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| BenW_86 wrote: |
| Yeah into Geneva on the 18th |
That's good news. Thank you.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yet another question...
If we ski from Zermatt to Cervinia are we required to do daily lateral flow/antigen tests to get into Italy?
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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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Nope nothing required to ski across. You will have your vaccine status checked in Italy in a mountain restaurant but that is the same as in Switzerland.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We’ve also swapped from France to Switzerland (Zermatt). We had already bought AFNOR catégorie 1 neck warmers to meet the French requirements. Does anyone know if these will be accepted on the Swiss lifts and funiculars etc?
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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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| mrs_frostee wrote: |
| We’ve also swapped from France to Switzerland (Zermatt). We had already bought AFNOR catégorie 1 neck warmers to meet the French requirements. Does anyone know if these will be accepted on the Swiss lifts and funiculars etc? |
I would think so. I bought a neck warmer that doubles as a covid mask in Zermatt (has a small filter insert). I imagine they are working to the same standard.
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A standard buff is fine, that's what I was using all last week. You don't need anything too fancy so what you have sounds good.
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Thank you @JohnMo and @BenW_86
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| BenW_86 wrote: |
| A standard buff is fine, that's what I was using all last week. You don't need anything too fancy so what you have sounds good. |
Thank you. Were the Italians enforcing the use of FFP2 masks on gondolas or cable cars in Cervinia?
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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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I was last there on the 23rd and wasn't using one, only used the gondola a few times though as the snow was pretty rubbish at the lower levels where a few more of the gondolas are.
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I was in Cervinia last week and whilst it said that only FFP2 masks were acceptable on gondolas and cable cars, nobody was enforcing this. Anyone not wearing a mask was spoken to by lift staff and instructed to put a mask on, but the type of mask was never called into question.
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FAQ
