 Poster: A snowHead
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hi all, am looking for a return transfer from gva to les menuires at xmas, both alpybus and bensbus are running services on the days i need them, with similar costs and timings.
am travelling on my own, so a hire car does not make financial sense!!
what are the experiences of fellow snowheads of these two companies?
it seems that bensbus operates using large coaches, though i believe it used to be minibuses, whereas according to the alpybus website they do still use large minibuses (upto 20 seaters).
although travelling on coaches do not bother me, i would assume the smaller number of passengers with alpybus would mean less chance of delays departing the airport, but am not sure what either companies policy is with flight delays etc
my gut feeling is to go with alpybus, but any reviews/experience will be gratefully received
cheers
terry
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Have used both firms before, and will be using a mixture of the two firms when we go to Meribel in January.
My experience is that Alpybus also use coaches. When we went to Morzine Jan 2020, we were on a minibus with a dozen or so, maybe 20 others, but on the return leg, we were a minibus out of Morzine to a meeting point where we transferred on to a coach.
A few years back I used bens bus coming back from Meribel Mottaret and I seem to recall swapping over at Moutiers on to another coach. I would expect from Les Menuires it would be a similar story.
I don't think you'll get much of a different service between the two.
The only reason we're using a mixture of the two firms is that we fly out on a Friday so Bensbus won't be running. Alpybus only run to Moutiers not up to Meribel on a shared transfer, so will need a taxi up the hill, and then we will Bensbus back as we return on a Sunday and Bensbus run right from Meribel.
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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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I don't think a larger coach will necessarily mean more chance of delays. Ben's Bus (and I guess also Alpybus) will leave regardless of whether the booked passengers have turned up or not.
My experience with Ben's Bus was fine. Our flight into Grenoble was delayed by two hours so we missed the bus, but they put us on the next one for free. No issues on the way back.
Haven't used Alpybus.
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We've used Bens Bus before, on arrival in to GVA there was a massive delay getting our bags through, by the time they arrived I sent Mr E running through the airport to make sure Bens Bus didn't leave without us - we were very lucky as the rep was just about to leave, our bags were loaded, the door shut and off we went... it took over 5 hours to get to Tignes primarily because the driver took the long way round the Lake at Annecy - I never understand why so many companies refuse to spend a couple of Euros in tolls going the quick way, but spend at least 20 euros in extra wages going the long way round.
Anyway... Overall, for the money Bens Bus was OK, I would likely use them again if we were flying (we drive most of the time). Not used AlpyBus.
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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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Since Alpybus were taken over by the sam lot that bought chamexpress and easybus. Their service dropped to below that of the previous chamexpress operators. Scores of friends left in the lurch by them. Me included (although they did get me home abit 2.5 hours later than scheduled). I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Extremophile wrote: |
it took over 5 hours to get to Tignes primarily because the driver took the long way round the Lake at Annecy - I never understand why so many companies refuse to spend a couple of Euros in tolls going the quick way, but spend at least 20 euros in extra wages going the long way round.
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That is the quick way. The Autoroute is 3 1/2 sides of a square if you look at a map + on a busy weekend its 30min/1 hour to get through the toll interchange and junction at Chambery.
If you are in a smaller (20 seat or less) and find yourself on the backside of the lake (Talloires) that's because everything else is jammed.
5 Hours to Tignes on any saturday form GVA (Bar mid jan) would be considered quite good. At 1/2 term most of my work mates would be 9-11 hours one way......I generaly managed 5 1/2 but I was happy to learn what in the UK you would call white roads (on an ordinance survey map). Slow lanes, but not full of transfer traffic.
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Bens Bus were cheap and cheerful, involved a good bit of waiting in Moutiers with as there were minibuses meeting up from different resorts.
Don't think they go to 3v (not even sure they're still running) but Skiidy Gonzalez has been the best transfer in my experience.
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Used Bens Bus a few times - they were OK
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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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Not used Ben’s Bus but did (try....) to use Alpybus once, from GVA to Chamonix with my 5 year old son. Despite being assured by them, that they did operate on Tuesdays, as it didn’t appear on their website, and subsequently booking months in advance, they contacted late on the evening before arrival to advise that - whoops, sorry - they didn’t. That left me with a mad scramble to find an alternative. Their attitude couldn’t have been less contrite.
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cheers all for your replies so far, it does look like even though there have been issues with all of them, Bens Bus has been the more reliable one out of the bunch.
@SnoodlesMcFlude, just looked on the skiidy gonzalez website, unfortunately does not go to les menuires/val thorens.
strangely even though on their main page it says it goes via all the 4 main alps airports to meribel and courcheval, when you try to book a transfer (was doing it out of interest) the drop down menu only allows to go from geneva to the A40 resorts avoriaz, cham etc!!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Idris wrote: |
| Extremophile wrote: |
it took over 5 hours to get to Tignes primarily because the driver took the long way round the Lake at Annecy - I never understand why so many companies refuse to spend a couple of Euros in tolls going the quick way, but spend at least 20 euros in extra wages going the long way round.
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That is the quick way. The Autoroute is 3 1/2 sides of a square if you look at a map + on a busy weekend its 30min/1 hour to get through the toll interchange and junction at Chambery.
If you are in a smaller (20 seat or less) and find yourself on the backside of the lake (Talloires) that's because everything else is jammed.
5 Hours to Tignes on any saturday form GVA (Bar mid jan) would be considered quite good. At 1/2 term most of my work mates would be 9-11 hours one way......I generaly managed 5 1/2 but I was happy to learn what in the UK you would call white roads (on an ordinance survey map). Slow lanes, but not full of transfer traffic. |
Which is wierd because my OH used to drive transfers at weekend and would sneek the quick way (in opposition to his boss, who didn't want to pay the few euros in toll, but would readily stump up the extra time required to go the back way) rarely were there any problems with backed up traffic, and even if there were other drivers go the long way too, meaning that gets backed up as well and everything takes F.O.R.E.V.E.R. to get anywhere - so as I say... I've never really understood why.
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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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@Idris, Way back when I was a driver we often did quite big transfers from 3v, Para or EK involving 2 or 3 vans.
One time we split at Albertville, one driver took the Autoroute and me and a French lady driver headed via Annecy. I went Classic Westside, and the French Driver went Talloires way. She got to the airport 15 minutes before me and I was 20 minutes ahead of motorway boy.
The company ran 50 vans at the time, and its not just the tolls, but the extra diesel. Driver hours were very roughly aggregated and all drivers got paid the SMIC, as it would normally even itself out over the season.
If you look at the extra cost of a return trip on the Autoroute tolls & diesel (probably around 35 EUR) and multiply that by 50 and times that by 20 weeks you'll get a massive cost differential.
The biggest hold ups were normally on the N90, or in Bourg with people chaining up, but it was absolutely the case as you say that Talloires was the quick way.
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He's always gone by Duingt, come off on J16 and gone past Duingt.
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You know it makes sense.
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Try MV Transport (France) - click on shared transfer - always found them great, tiny bit more expensive but minimal
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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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@Yellow Snow, cheers for the heads up with https://mvtransport.fr/en/
I have had a quote from them for 110 euros, which is similar to bensbus, just waiting to hear back from them what time the pick up is at Geneva. They state the return pick up time from les Menuires, which is a more convenient time than all the others for me.
if the Geneva transfer pick up time is not that convenient, and lots of hanging around, then i may do bensbus outbound and mv transport return, it only works out 10 euros more by breaking it up.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@WindOfChange, @Extremophile, when i worked for silverski donkeys years ago and carried out transfers most weekends, first season they flew into geneva 2nd was into lyon.
The geneva transfers were always via annecy, presumably to save on the tolls etc.
i only ever went via the autoraute once, during my second season, when i had to take a lone American passenger to geneva (french sector) from courcheval. we had to leave at around 4 am, and it was dumping down with snow, and by the time we had reached albertville, even the N90 was getting treacherous, so i decided to carry on and go via the autoroute, as i presumed it would get cleared of snow quicker compared to the routes via annecy.
also, i remember when the N90 was busy from albertville to moutiers, you used to be able to use the old valley roads, coming back out just before moutiers, by diverting near the big McD's in albertville.
it was great seeing all the traffic backed up, passengers loved it as well, whilst you went via all the back doubles 
unfortunately, the local gendarmes stopped that a couple of years later by setting up road blocks during busy transfer days, and only allowing cars with local plates use this route
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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've used Bens Bus and they are just that, a bus service. They won't wait if your flight or luggage etc is delayed.
They will of course transfer you to the next service if there is space. If you miss the last service of the day then you are on your own.
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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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| terrygasson wrote: |
... just looked on the skiidy gonzalez website, unfortunately does not go to les menuires/val thorens.
strangely even though on their main page it says it goes via all the 4 main alps airports to meribel and courcheval, when you try to book a transfer (was doing it out of interest) the drop down menu only allows to go from geneva to the A40 resorts avoriaz, cham etc!!! |
Elsewhere on their website it says they only do shared transfers GVA to/from Morzine, Avoriaz and Les Gets. But will do private transfers from all airports to most resorts (I guess you have to phone them to get a quote for those).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyone know if Sunweb are using Ben's Bus, or Alpybus?
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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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Hi, wondering if anyone can help... I am at a loss for reputable transfers from Geneva to Courchevel Village. Does anyone have a recommendation in mind? 
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Thank you 
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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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Dear SH’s.
We’re thinking of travelling effectively from Grenoble Airport to Val Thorens on Saturday 25 March.
The Ben’s Bus price is literally a small fraction of its competitors. Has anyone here used them this winter or last, would you recommend Ben’s Bus?
Separately, on that Saturday at lunchtime, is it likely that the quiet road journey of time of 2.5 hours will be substantially more?
Thank you.
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| Yellow Snow wrote: |
| Try MV Transport (France) - click on shared transfer - always found them great, tiny bit more expensive but minimal |
I've just checked their price and it's €380 return (for 2 of us to Val Thorens in April) - versus the €240 we are paying Alpybus this month.
That seems more than "a tiny bit more expensive" to me 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Snow&skifan, i used bens bus last season for a transfer from les menuires to geneva.
£50 single trip if i remember correctly, all worked out smoothly and took about 2.5 to 3 hours with a change at moutiers station, it may be straight through depending on numbers.
my only advice would be to book two separate flexible single tickets (free cancellation/amend up to 7 days prior) not return, as if you have to change your plans even one leg of the journey, you cannot do this with a return ticket.
it is only a couple of £ more per ticket.
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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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| terrygasson wrote: |
@Snow&skifan, i used bens bus last season for a transfer from les menuires to geneva.
£50 single trip if i remember correctly, all worked out smoothly and took about 2.5 to 3 hours with a change at moutiers station, it may be straight through depending on numbers.
my only advice would be to book two separate flexible single tickets (free cancellation/amend up to 7 days prior) not return, as if you have to change your plans even one leg of the journey, you cannot do this with a return ticket.
it is only a couple of £ more per ticket. |
Many thanks, invaluable advice.
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@Snow&skifan, I've used them a few times in the past and it's generally been pain free. As mentioned above, it's either a coach to Moutiers and then change to a minibus or straight through to VT (normally it was a change on the way and then straight through on the way back).
We're using them again this year so am hoping they are still okay!
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You know it makes sense.
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Ben's bus is just that a bus service. They will not wait if you get delayed or help out in anyway.
They won't check your flight times at arrivals they will just leave. If there is another bus later and space available they will let you on.
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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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From Grenoble Ben's Bus is definitely your best bet I would think. I have started up a transfer company from Geneva which I would be delighted to take some snowHeads on. Fair disclosure for those of you who don't know or remember me, I used to work for Ben and manage his routes from Geneva so I would like to think most people using his service were happy with what they got for the price at least while I was there. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Kaiser wrote: |
| From Grenoble Ben's Bus is definitely your best bet I would think. I have started up a transfer company from Geneva which I would be delighted to take some snowHeads on. Fair disclosure for those of you who don't know or remember me, I used to work for Ben and manage his routes from Geneva so I would like to think most people using his service were happy with what they got for the price at least while I was there. |
What's your transfer company called? Is it a similar bus service to ben's bus?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi HR, thanks for asking! It's called dartbus and you can find it at http://www.dartbus.co.uk
It is similar in that we are experienced, affordable and reliable. The stress of mini bus connections is out (which means no moving luggage, waiting or possibly missing it). This is direct transport with a maximum of 3 stops. We are committed to offsetting our carbon and sponsoring the GB Telemark team, so I'd say 'as good, but better', but of course I would!
@admin and I are delighted to confirm there are promo codes available for super/mega and Super SnowHeads... Not sure where they will be posted yet though!
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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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[quote="Kaiser"]Hi HR, thanks for asking! It's called dartbus and you can find it at http://www.dartbus.co.uk
[quote]
Didn't work for me trying to book from GVA next Thursday return on the Monday to Tignes 1800
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hi Red, we operate every Saturday, but in order to offer competitive prices and a premium service, we can only currently concentrate on Saturdays when the majority of people travel.
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FAQ
