 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Further to my earlier post regarding ava bags on Eurostar, another question as arisen. Can I take my skis on a non-skitrain Eurostar to Paris or Brussels for free included in my luggage allowance or do they charge the €45 each way for oversize luggage. I’ve found a few threads from a few years ago, but has anyone had any experience more recently. If it costs an extra €90, that would be an extra cost too far and I would have to give up on trains and fly to Innsbruck. I have tried Eurostar but they refer to their website which is a little ambiguous. Any help greatly appreciated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Interested in the answer to this as its not explicit but reading it would expect skis to fall under oversized as they would be >85 cm long.
But Snowcarbon website (the supposed expert) says the 85cm limit doesn't apply to skis/snowboards.
Also per the Eurostar website it seems only on certain non-ski Eurostar trains can oversized luggage be taken
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
I took a double ski bag on Eurostar three times last winter with no problems (plus case/holdall). I got directed to the manual passport booth in Paris rather than the e-gate because my bag was so big, but otherwise there was no comment.
The Eurostar website (https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-planning/luggage/sports-and-camping-equipment) says:
| Quote: |
"On our direct trains to Bourg-St-Maurice, Lyon, Avignon and Marseille we allocate extra space on board so you can take one pair of skis or one snowboard on board with you in addition to your standard adult luggage allowance. For safety reasons, skis and snowboards have to be kept in a protective case that covers the whole item.
On all other trains, they’re included as one of your two pieces of luggage."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Yes. See the "Skis and snowboards" section here:
https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/travel-info/travel-planning/luggage/sports-and-camping-equipment
At St Pancras it's really straightforward taking skis through. They like you to balance them on a foam thing (which they provide) in the tray that goes through the x-ray scanner - just wait at the scanner and look hopeful and one will appear.
At Paris Gare Nord you have the "entertainment" of being moved around between queues for security and the 2 sets of passport control depending on which way any particular staff member thinks skis need to go. (Spoiler alert: the staff don't all agree.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
@Shakira, @sugarmoma666, on the face of it, the ski bag rules for the Ski Eurostars are different to the non-Ski Eurostars which is of interest here for me & the OP
The “ On all other trains, they’re included as one of your two pieces of luggage." is relevant
Then there is a limit of 85cm on the length allowed for bags.
So following this, ski bags would be oversized.
Thus would be good to get Non-Ski Eurostar train experiences with ski bags. So were your experiences on the Non-Ski trains ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
My experience of Amsterdam Eurostar was not positive. Initially they refused ski carriage entirely, even when I showed them the page linked above which says "On all other trains, they’re included as one of your two pieces of luggage." Eventually I got a one-time-only exception to carry them on, and they broke one of the X-Ray machines 
I would probably risk going via Paris next time, as there are lots of previous comments about it being no problem, but I'd stay away from stations where skis may be less common.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@ster, I've only ever been on normal Eurostars. 8 trips in the last 18 months and no issues on any.
Personally, I'd avoid using the big coffin-style bags as they don't really fit anywhere on either the Eurostar or TGVs, whereas a single ski or snowboard bag is thin enough to fit in the overhead luggage racks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Same - I've only been on the normal ones via Paris. I strap a double bag to the luggage rack vertically, but yes, a single one might fit overhead more easily.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
No issues for me last December
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Shakira wrote: |
| Same - I've only been on the normal ones via Paris. I strap a double bag to the luggage rack vertically, but yes, a single one might fit overhead more easily. |
Where? Does that not mean it's in the aisle in people's way? (My experience on the TGVs was that there were often ski bags and other luggage blocking the aisles.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| sugarmoma666 wrote: |
Personally, I'd avoid using the big coffin-style bags as they don't really fit anywhere on either the Eurostar or TGVs, whereas a single ski or snowboard bag is thin enough to fit in the overhead luggage racks. |
This.
Big bags are a massive PITA, but not charged any extra
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
@sugarmoma666, no - the luggage areas are pretty generous on Eurostars so it sits quite neatly in the corner between the luggage rack and a seat. I agree that TGVs tend to be disastrous for luggage though!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| sugarmoma666 wrote: |
| Shakira wrote: |
| Same - I've only been on the normal ones via Paris. I strap a double bag to the luggage rack vertically, but yes, a single one might fit overhead more easily. |
Where? Does that not mean it's in the aisle in people's way? (My experience on the TGVs was that there were often ski bags and other luggage blocking the aisles.) |
I had mine up on an overhead rack when I went, and my big POC ski bag in a luggage rack.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
I took skis and touring kit (including axe and crampons but no avalanche bag) to Innsbruck via Paris and Stuttgart in March. No problems at either Eurostar terminal or finding somewhere to put a single ski bag on any trains.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
I had no issues taking a ski bag with two pairs of skis (other than it being Bloody Heavy) on a friday afternoon Eurostar out of London to Paris back in January this year. No one batted an eyelid and iwas far from the only person with such a bag. As above, they went nicely on the overhead rack
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
So sounds like ski bags are fine in normal Eurostars (s.t. stroppy Amsterdam staff), are considered one of the two bags you are allowed but the 85cm limit doesn’t apply to them.
Thanks all.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
They ask you to put skis on the overhead racks but otherwise no issues.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Sounds like Eurostar are slowly tightening the baggage rules.
Wouldn't be surprised if they start charging extra for skis and snowboards before the decade is out.
Like the airlines.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Whitegold wrote: |
| Sounds like Eurostar are slowly tightening the baggage rules.. |
How so? What’s changed/got worse?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Whitegold wrote: |
| ...before the decade is out... |
That would be 'slowly tightening' 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
