 Poster: A snowHead
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I've not used it before but will be heading through in Feb - had a quick look around and can't see the answers to the following question about the tunnel.
How do you pay - If you have an autoroute tag does it charge to that?
Is there a longer than 7 day return option? We go into Italy on the evening of the Sat and come back crack of dawn the Sunday a week later
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@MHskier, I'm not quite sure why this page isn't completely (bar some crappy translations, as usual) clear https://www.atmb.com/en/our-offers/mont-blanc-tunnel-cost-and-subscription/light-vehicles
- Cash or card, not the Telepeage device
- No return option longer than 7 days. i.e. return only valid until 23h59 on Sat a week later.
Multi options do last two years though if you thought you would do it again... Or you can buy my 10 journey card for (€Cost/(10 - # Used Journeys)) ? and I can just buy a new one... might be cheaper although I think we renewed quite recently so perhaps not. I don't think there are any transferability issues.
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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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That’s a v kind offer to an internet stranger. It’s certainly a lot cheaper per journey but no not planning to go enough times to warrant buying one myself.
So it’s a physical ticket with x number of trips left at any one time?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As above - telepeage won’t work so a separate charge - and it’s not cheap!!!!
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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.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@under a new name, do you purchase the 10 journey card at the tunnel or do you need to purchase it beforehand? I had a look on the ATB site but couldn't see a way to buy it.
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Fares are around 46 euro for single and 57 for a return.
I always think it's annoying they don't do a longer return option!
One thing i sometimes do especially as i often go further into Italy (and not just skiing in the Valle D'Aosta) is take the route via the St Bernard Tunnel, this routes you down to Aosta and then you can head where you need to go from there. The tunnel is around 26 euros one way and 43 return and if you have a Swiss Vignette already (ie if you go frequently) and choose your motorways carefully can help reduce your travel costs.
I either tend to head via Reims and Troyes towards Besancon then down to Lausanne and Lake Geneva away from Geneva itself. Then down past Martigny towards Italy or I go via Reims then Metz/Nancy Strasbourg Mulhouse Basel Bern Martigny and Italy.
Both routes limit tolls in France especially the second route. Also these route do takes longer than doing straight French Motorway and paying the MB toll especially if you are going to Courmayeur or La Thuile. I also have a an autoroute MB telepeage doofer which is handy for when i do the most direct route. That being said the road to La Thuile or Courmayeur from Aosta is easy and doesn't take long. The motorway is one expensive bit of motorway there so be warned...just use the local road to stock up on food and goodies at the local Famila supermarket in Morgex on the way.
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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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@Sweedish - We're coming down from Caen, west of Paris and across so that eastern St Bernard Tunnel would add too many extra kms.
@under a new name - I'm not sure I follow you
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even expecting a weekend in a couple of weeks and a few days random skiing can't imagine it gets sensible for you.
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But think you're saying that there's too many 14 euro trips on the card to make it worth me buying from you, Vs two singles?
We're going in Feb but I tend to think that the logistics and money aspect of this make it unfeasible to trade simply.
I'll just have to invest in the two singles but slightly annoying it's only over the return time by 8-10 hours.
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@rachelharrisonsmith, just at the toll gate.
@MHskier, Yeah, that's what I'm saying. That said, as you expressed the arithmetic much better than me, so with your current plans you will spend €92. At 6 or less €14 singles on my card you save money.
Hmmm. I think I have 9 journeys. We are planning a trip thru in early Dec. So just one day outing for me to Courmayeur and you could be saving money ...
Maybe it's worth considering. You don't need to worry about a late decision as you by your tickets at the gate on the day.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@under a new name, thanks, that's really useful.
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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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@rachelharrisonsmith, my pleasure. It is just one of those little things that one might expect a commercial organization with big budgets might have front and centre on their website? But hey, France, Italy, websites...
Was looking to see whether and what Cervinia had open this weekend... I mean (sorry, this complaint is trotted out every year) was it obvious? You can guess the answer.
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@MHskier, Where are you heading then skiing?
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You know it makes sense.
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Where are you skiing and when are you driving? Going through Switzerland is a much cheaper option and quicker too if you go at the right time
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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@vfr4, likely to be very busy from very early on. We have been known to go via Martigny and the GSB ...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Think the flight lands at quarter past 4, so we'll be on the road for about 5pm if that makes a difference...
Could hit a Geneva supermarket if it will be better later I suppose.
What do you think?
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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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@vfr4, I think I'd go straight from Geneva to the GSB. I could well be wrong. In theory, zoom in to the tunnel here and you can see real time waiting times... https://www.atmb.com/en/traffic-info
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@vfr4, there are some great supermarkets in aosta. Aprox half the price of Switzerland. Theres a good one adjacent to the aosta-pila lift with a large free carpark.
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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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The supermarkets close at 7 pm in Switzerland. Gros cidac in aosta is open every day and closes at 8:30. Its unlikely you will make it from a 4pm flight.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@jbob, good point if a shop is essential.
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The Carrefour in Aosta stays open later than the Gros Cidac.
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| cameronphillips2000 wrote: |
| Where are you skiing and when are you driving? Going through Switzerland is a much cheaper option and quicker too if you go at the right time |
Indeed 
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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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We're staying outskirts of Aosta, driving from Caen Sat 15th feb. Really won't feel like adding KMs by going into Switzerland by then and the cost of the mway vignet would negate some of the MB tunnel cost.
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@MHskier, ViaMichelin doesn't think the Swiss detour is quicker or shorter although it does think it's cheaper...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@MHskier, I would go Dijon - Besancon - Vallorbe - Lausanne - Martigny - Aosta. There isn't much in it for distance.
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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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@rjs, ahh, viamichelin didn't seem to like that. Maybe it was too attracted to m-ways.
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If you are staying in Courmayeur it adds a few kms as you would need to go back on yourself towards the Mont Blanc Tunnel when in Italy. As you are staying in Aosta its perfect for you, plus you will avoid the expensive toll in Italy from MBT to Aosta unless you go on the strada Statale when you go via the MBT as you bypass that toll. It is a few km further via Switzerland but in the scheme of things there is not a lot in it imo. As we have suggested reduces the tolls through France considerably...admittedly you have to buy vignette, but you will still be quids (euros) in!
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You know it makes sense.
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Back to original query - why does the tunnel not accept the autoroute tag (in my case an ATMB - so the same owners) ? Especially as someone has referenced there being big queues, presumably while tag owners try to pay with a credit card?
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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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Can't imagine many people trying to pay with a tag. It's slow because of heavy traffic and single lanes with mandatory distance between vehicles and strict speed limit. I've never had to wait but I've not travelled at busy times.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@MHskier, The tariffs are complicated. Many regulars will use the 10 or 20 abon or monthly pass, if they also had tags they could end up being double charged. But I guess it’s up to them. The delays are not about the method of payment which is quite efficient, it’s to do with more people arriving than the tunnels capacity especially when you factor in the lorries that need to be escorted. The web site is very good and has pages that will both tell you current wait times but also quite accurate forecasts of likely wait times in the future.
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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 I see. Thanks for explaining.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Queues for high season changeover days can be well over 6 hours... stretching down to Les Houches.
Problem being that the tunnel is throttled to one car every (don’t actually know but guesstimationg) 15 seconds or so? To facilitate mandated gaps. Plus lorries being checked and convoyed. Of course, it’s mostly a one lane road so heavy freight traffic is mixed up with tourists.
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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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 That wouldn't be fun. Change over day is Sat yes?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| MHskier wrote: |
| That wouldn't be fun. Change over day is Sat yes? |
And you have chosen the start of school holidays for both Caen and Paris.
This is why some of us are suggesting getting into Switzerland as soon as you can.
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Yes Sats are worst though Friday evenings can be somewhat slow - as it’s muchly Swiss heading off on hols.
Geneva is the week before but Vaud is that week.
Might be worth routing through GSB.
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Playing around with Via Michelin from Caen to Aosta:
My original plan of Caen-Le Man-Macon-MBT - risk of MBT queues Sat evening (6/7pm?) 940km - 230 euro + additional MBT return (45euro)
Caen - via Paris - Nr Dijon - Jura - GSB - 890km, 219 Euro (inc tax disk) and GSB allows a 30 day return
So 56 euro cheaper overall - I concede 
My questions are does that saving offset the traffic around Paris and down the A6 and is the GSB not busy like MBT seeing as it's Swiss holidays?
EDIT - just seen this thread https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=1628032
Appreciate everyone has an opinion but enough people saying avoid Paris/bad weather on Jura to indicate I may stick with my original plan.
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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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@MHskier, i drive through the jura a lot and I’ve only had a problem once and that was on the swiss side.
As an aside, may be for on your way home, there’s a really lovey two lift resort near the gsb tunnel entrance on the italian side.
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and IIRC a very weird service area on the Swiss side of the GSB with a large sex-shop outlet. But it was a good few years ago....
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