 Poster: A snowHead
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Wondering if I can squeeze in a fourth trip this (late) season, which would have to be a long weekend (Wed–Sat or Wed/Thu–bank holiday Monday). So I’m looking for somewhere I can get to relatively easily by public transport from an airport that’s going to have good late-season snow.
Immediate thoughts for late snow are Tignes and Val Thorens, but neither look great for midweek transfers (one way round this would be an SCGB bank-holiday trip to Tignes (or Zermatt for off-piste)). What’s the late-season skiing like in Argentière? How easy are Zermatt/Cervinia to get to? Is there anywhere in CH with good rail access from GVA or ZRH? Is anywhere in Ösiland good in late April? What are the Italian options?
Advanced, non-expert but adventurous skier(s). In order of priority: good snow; good, challenging skiing; convenience of travel; price. Willing to hire a car if necessary, but would rather not. Don’t care about chocolate-box villages, Gemütlichkeit or ‘the après’ (although I do like a nice lunch & might have a glass or two at the end of the day). Speak German and French, can sort of almost get by in Italian.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@jmr59, Transfers from where? It may be getting to a suitable airport to be transfered from may be tricky
My son is coming out to Les Arcs at the end of the month and the journey looks like this:
Flight Manchester to Amsterdam
Flight Amsterdam to Geneva
Train from airport to Contrin
Train from Contrin to somewhere else
Bus from somewhere else to Aix les Bains
Train from Aix to Chambery
Train from Chambery to Bourg st Maurice (all this is on one SNCF ticket for £36.25)
Funicular to Les Arcs
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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: |
How easy are Zermatt/Cervinia to get to?
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Cervinia easy from Turin with cheap Italian car hire. Transfers cost the same for 2 days or 2 months, whereas car hire is directly proportionate to the length of trip.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| johnE wrote: |
@jmr59, Transfers from where? It may be getting to a suitable airport to be transfered from may be tricky
My son is coming out to Les Arcs at the end of the month and the journey looks like this:
Flight Manchester to Amsterdam
Flight Amsterdam to Geneva
Train from airport to Contrin
Train from Contrin to somewhere else
Bus from somewhere else to Aix les Bains
Train from Aix to Chambery
Train from Chambery to Bourg st Maurice (all this is on one SNCF ticket for £36.25)
Funicular to Les Arcs |
Yeah, that definitely doesn’t tick my ‘convenient’ box! From somewhere I can get to with not more than one change from Cardiff, Bristol, Heathrow, Gatwick at a pinch. Most likely Heathrow (Cardiff is sparsely served, flights from Bristol to relevant places seem to have shut down for the season, so I guess (I’ve not let looked) most likely GVA, ZRH, perhaps LIN. Train is an option, but it cuts down a large proportion of potential skiing time on a short trip.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
Cervinia easy from Turin with cheap Italian car hire. Transfers cost the same for 2 days or 2 months, whereas car hire is directly proportionate to the length of trip. |
Thanks, @pam w: problem is, I can’t easily get to Turin (flights from Brizzle stop at the end of this month; those from LGW are on the wrong days for my teaching schedule).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@jmr59, Could try Milan. It's not a bad drive from Malpensa to Gressony
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| johnE wrote: |
| @jmr59, Could try Milan. It's not a bad drive from Malpensa to Gressony |
It's an easy 2 hour drive to Monterosa from Milan and about 10 mins more to Cervinia.
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@jmr59, ah yes - flight schedules just fall of a cliff, don't they, at the end of the month.
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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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Milan to Cervinia (hire car) as stated or GVA to Chamonix/GM/Le Tour (frequent shuttles) as previously stated. Done both for May Day bank holiday before. Do be prepared to be rained on and lose days however.
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From inside GVA to Verbier by train and télépherique is 2h 30m costing around CHF 52 each way. Typically two trains an hour until last train connecting from GVA at 20:45 last few evening trains do take longer at around 3h 30m. Verbier summit is 3330m so if that’s not high enough there aren’t many other places that will be much better.
If you’re trying to do it on a budget stay at the Mt.Fort Swiss Lodge b+b hostel in the télépherique building down in Le Chable, next to the railway station for around CHF 60 / night for a bunk bed room for 2. The gondola up to Verbier is public transport so runs around 7am to 11pm.
I only mention this to forestall the inevitable comment that Switzerland is inherently too expensive for anyone who isn’t flying into GVA on a private jet.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Tue 21-03-23 17:30; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
Cervinia easy from Turin with cheap Italian car hire. Transfers cost the same for 2 days or 2 months, whereas car hire is directly proportionate to the length of trip. |
Perhaps I should clarify that my preference for public transport is less the cost and more that I’m not particularly confident in a left-hand drive, mostly for want of experience. My experience of driving on the continent is limited to Calais–Paris and back, once, in a borrowed (RHD) Corsa, and about fifteen minutes in Berlin traffic being screamed at by my then partner, who apparently didn’t understand that the switch might take some getting used to.
None of this is insurmountable, and I’m only ever going to get the experience I need through experience. Still apprehensive at the prospect, though!
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