 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
After super advise previously, I’m back again!
We are flying to Venice on 26th December for the week and looking at using public transport to get to the Dolomites. After largeish ski area ideally, which we can access from Venice directly, either by bus or train.
Both competent and seasoned skiers, excited to ski somewhere near over the new year break….
Recommendations of half board accomodation also very much welcomed as well as possible transport options from Venice..
Thanks,
Sara
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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That's a Thursday, which might complicate things, I suppose. Though I think the Italians are more flexible than the French!
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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: |
That's a Thursday, which might complicate things
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...including the best, cheap bus transfers, which serve various resorts, but which - I think - only operate at weekends.
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Anywhere, literally. I'd hire a car if you're only two. There are heaps of car hire companies operating out of Marco Polo. Take your pick as to which resort. 
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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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| Mollerski wrote: |
| Anywhere, literally. I'd hire a car if you're only two. There are heaps of car hire companies operating out of Marco Polo. Take your pick as to which resort. |
+1
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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With a car, the Hotel Europa in Alleghe is a lovely and inexpensive place to stay, from which any number of other nice places, both on and off the Sella Ronda, can be accessed, including Cortina, San Pellegrino and the mighty Marmolada. To get quickly into the middle of the Sella Ronda, it's easy to park at Pralongia (can't remember, without looking at the map, whether it's I or II). And the Civetta area, where Alleghe is, is itself small but beautiful and less busy than some other places.
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Car hire and whatever accommodation you can get. You may well struggle.
I would want a car with winter tyres as well and that's not standard from Italian airports.
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as @Hurtle says, rent a car, the Dolimiti are your Oyster.
I would love to take my better half to Alleghe as well, I've only passed through but it looks ideal.
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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've only had two trips to the Dolimiti, but I have to get back and do it more.
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| Garfield wrote: |
Car hire and whatever accommodation you can get. You may well struggle.
I would want a car with winter tyres as well and that's not standard from Italian airports. |
I believe that some car rentals from Venice can supply cars with winter tyres, I don't know which ones, perhaps others can advise. If the OP doesn't want to drive then on a weekday I think Cortina Express still provide a bus service from Venice airport to Cortina, and from Cortina bus station they have an ongoing bus service to some of the Alta Badia resorts (Corvara, Colfosco). https://www.cortinaexpress.it/en/#
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The Cortina express is a great service.
Cortina is also a great Town
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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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Hi all,
Great stuff, it sounds like Cortina / Corvara perhaps is popular suggestion. But expensive I wonder? I found the bus link and clearly easily accessible.
I was also considering Ortisei / Val Gardena?
Will likely not bother with a car as we wouldn’t use it in the week I don’t think.
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Alleghe is also need to look into 
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You know it makes sense.
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| sab85 wrote: |
Hi all,
Great stuff, it sounds like Cortina / Corvara perhaps is popular suggestion. But expensive I wonder? I found the bus link and clearly easily accessible.
I was also considering Ortisei / Val Gardena?
Will likely not bother with a car as we wouldn’t use it in the week I don’t think. |
Although Cortina is a lovely ski area in its own right, Corvara (and Colfosco) have the advantage that they are directly on the Sella Ronda. Ortisei/Val Gardena is also a lovely area, however if you are travelling from Venice then it's a lot harder (almost impossible I'd say) to get there on public transport alone. Most people going to Val Gardena fly either into Verona or Innsbruck (although I gather the road from Innsbruck over the Brenner Pass into Italy and onwards is due to be affected by roadworks and delays this season? ).
If you stay in Corvara/Colfosco it's very easy to get to Val Gardena (Selva is the next resort on the Sella Ronda anticlockwise from Colfosco), so easy to have a day exploring Val Gardena as far as Ortisei
If you stay in Corvara/Colfosco it's also very easy to have a day trip to Cortina, you ski to Armentarola, take the continuous tax/bus service from there (costs about 7 Euros per person) to Passo Falzarego, ski the short distance to the bottom of Cinque Torri then take the new gondola link (13 minutes) from there to the Cortina slopes. On the way back when you get to Passo Falzarego take the cable car up to the top of Lagazuoi (great views from the top), then ski the Hidden Valley run (at the end you can choose to take the horse drawn ski tow if you wish), from Armentarola you ski the short run down to San Cassiano from where the gondola takes you up to Piz Sorega and work your way back to Corvara (signposted).
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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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| Alastair Pink wrote: |
| Most people going to Val Gardena fly either into Verona or Innsbruck (although I gather the road from Innsbruck over the Brenner Pass into Italy and onwards is due to be affected by roadworks and delays this season? ). |
Not sure if the planned roadworks are going to be any worse than what they currently are, but for an idea, we drove from Zillertal to Colfosco on Friday and it took us around 2hrs 45mins. We left Mpreis in Kaltenbach at 4pm after work. So if you're going from Innsbruck Airport it would have been around 2hrs, albeit slightly slower if you're on a transfer coach/wintery conditions.
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Poster: A snowHead
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The road works on the Brenner were mentioned in another thread -- someone posted that Inghams are using Verona for 24/25 (instead of Innsbruck), possible because of these road works..
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| sab85 wrote: |
Will likely not bother with a car as we wouldn’t use it in the week I don’t think. |
I do this quite regularly. Bus/train= complicated, tiresome pain. Private transfer/taxi= very expensive for two people only. Hire car= cheap, direct and convenient. It doesn't matter that it's parked up for the week.
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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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| sab85 wrote: |
Hi all,
Great stuff, it sounds like Cortina / Corvara perhaps is popular suggestion. But expensive I wonder? I found the bus link and clearly easily accessible.
I was also considering Ortisei / Val Gardena?
Will likely not bother with a car as we wouldn’t use it in the week I don’t think. |
In my experience of hiring a car for skiing in Italy its dirt cheap (like as little as €6 a day) because they have huge stock for Summer rentals. Maybe Christmas week will affect that but I would think car, even for a week will likely be cheaper than public transport. Use a broker (like expedia). You will probably not need winter tyres as it rarely snows in the Dolomites but you can always just wait and book the car a few days before leaving when you see the forecast. I have gotten Winter tyres out of Venice before but you do pay quite a bit more for a car with them and will not usually get them with a broker (you will have to go to provider directly, I think I used Hertz last time).
Cortina and Corvara both have a reputation for being expensive. Alleghe has advantage of being very close to Venice airport side. I think San Martino de Cassrosta (or something) is that side too and is small charming area you might get better value. Passo San Pellegrino / Falcade also good value, smallish area maybe not that charming.
To be honest you are picking the most expensive week of the year so you'll do well to get value I would think.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I've done Cortina, Civetta and San Martino di Castrozza all of which as easily accessible from Venice
All very different from each other but all highly recommended
There are also a number of smaller resorts north east of Venice where Austria, Italy and Slovenia intersect
A very different holiday which would require driving to the resort but not your run of the mill ski 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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| Quote: |
But expensive I wonder?
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Yes, Cortina is quite expensive but EVERYWHERE is expensive and busy at new year. That's inescapable. I'd join the chorus of people suggesting car hire is the way to go, though I'd want chains, if no winter tyres (indeed, I think having one or the other is compulsory in that area).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Chains or snow socks are compulsory so you will get them. Snow socks are better as much easier to put on. But you should very rarely need them I imagine as a lot of the access roads are low, it rarely snows in Dolomites and they are kept clear if it does. Passo San Pellegrino is high (c. 2000m) but I drove over it last year the day after a heavy dump when it had still been snowing that morning and it was fine. I spent an extra €200 or so on a car with Winter tyres but in the end didn't need them. I think the road to Alleghe is quite low and I suspect Cortina the same.
Either way that decision can be made in the days prior to flying as there is always lots of availability (though I've no experience travelling at Christmas).
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| 8611 wrote: |
| . But you should very rarely need them I imagine as a lot of the access roads are low, it rarely snows in Dolomites and they are kept clear if it does. . |
Are we speaking about the same Dolomites 
Personally I wouldn't accept a hire car without winter tyres especially December /January.
I still think the op's main challenge will be with finding accommodation for his dates.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Mon 2-09-24 18:08; edited 1 time in total
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@sab85, I’ve driven Marco Polo to Val di Fassa a few times the last 3 winters, Sicily by Car do have winter tyres, I had a Jeep 4x4 with winters at the end of Jan this year for just under €200 there were 2 of us, and a Panda in March for €50 from Italycarrent which came with chains on my own, it’s an 2-2.5 drive with the first hour on quiet autostrada €8.60 toll, then regional road from Belluno, there are a few bends, on a nice day it’s a lovely drive, for me it’s much better value and quicker than any transfers I’ve been able to find. Book in advance most give the option for free cancellation up to 48 hours before, and rebook another if prices come down, which they have always done for me.
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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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agree with everything @Alastair Pink says. We much prefer Corvara to Cortina or Alleghe. I know the latter is popular with SH but it's small and you need buses to get to the other larger areas.
FYI if you get flight timings right then you can get the Cortina Express direct to Corvara. Otherwise you have to get a taxi from Cortina to Corvara at ca Eur100 each way!
Driving wise you're unlikely to need winter tyres but when renting we try and get them. Hertz and Avis definitely offer them as an option. We were a bit cautious the first time we drove but have never had any problems on the roads. however winter tyres have probably helped in car parks. Last year friends joined us and hired a car for the first time, they were very nervous, this year their attitude is "ah driving, no problem!"
The direct route (due northish) to Corvara is fine unless there is a good dump of snow as then a couple of passes can get a bit tricky and could be closed. However that happens fairly infrequently and in our experience the Italians are very good at clearing the passes. Absolute worst case you can take a long route around via Verona, Bolzano and Brunico (definitely the absolute worst case...)
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Without a car I too would probably go for Corvara.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Yes, Corvara is v convenient but well located accommodation tends to be expensive, even outside the main holiday periods. With your dates, you'd best get something booked asap.
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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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We hired from Target Rent at Marco Polo in Feb '23 and drove to Madonna. I think the car hire was around £60 for 10 days in a Hyundai i30.
As already mentioned it doesn't snow that often in the Dolomites so it's unlikely to get caught out.
It was a very easy drive, far more relaxed than trying to get up the Isere valley on a half term Saturday.
I'm pretty sure that snow chains aren't obligatory in Venice so they won't necessarily be included as standard if renting from the airport. They were a no-cost option with Target Rent but had to be booked in advance.
We've also used FlySki Shuttle collective coach/minibus/taxi transfer from Verona airport which was ok but involved a fair bit of waiting around. They used to serve Marco Polo airport but when I last looked it was only possible to book private transfers with them.
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I drove From Tuscany to Munich at the weekend. There were a number of large signs on the Brenner Autostrada starting at Verona stating that from December to April it is compulsory for all cars to either have winter rated tyres or carry snow chains. I am pretty sure this is new, maybe I have not noticed them before but dont think they were there last summer.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| Mollerski wrote: |
| Anywhere, literally. I'd hire a car if you're only two. There are heaps of car hire companies operating out of Marco Polo. Take your pick as to which resort. |
+1 +2 |
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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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| Quote: |
I am pretty sure this is new, maybe I have not noticed them before but dont think they were there last summer.
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This has been standard in some parts of Italy for yonks. Certainly, for example, driving north from Turin towards the Mont Blanc tunnel.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@swskier, It was actually pretty quiet, only delay was a bit near Florence. Did Florence to Munich in about 7.5 hours.
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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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@sab85, the New Year period is busy and expensive in Italy (and all over the Alps), it the most popular time for Italians to go skiing.
You will find something if you look now, but it probably won't be cheap.
Best places accessible from Venice using the A27 Autostrada are Falcade (TreValli ski area), Alleghe or Zoldo (Civetta ski area), Arabba (on huge Sella Ronda linked area) & Cortina d'Ampezzo. All about 2hr drive, Arabba is a bit further into the mountains, so 2h30+
There are a few smaller resorts too, but probably not worth considering.
Listed here: https://www.bergfex.com/venetien/
Public transport to ski resorts from Venice airport can be long-winded, so it will probably have to be an expensive taxi transfer or (hopefully cheaper) car hire.
Check out the Cortina Express or FlixBus and you might get a direct shuttle to Cortina that fits with your flights, but Cortina isn't a cheap place to stay at New Year.
You can get to the Val Gardena resorts (Ortisei, Selva) using public transport, it means two trains, changing at Verona, a bus link at each end and takes around 5hrs.
If you had a car, you can often find better value accommodation that is a short drive to the lifts and you can visit other resorts on the Dolomiti Superski liftpass.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Looks like the OP has disappeared. 
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