Snowtrain

A snowHead

I have been looking around, but can't find a clear answer on whether the overnight Snowtrain from Paris (Gare de Austerlitz) to Bourg St. Maurice has sleeping compartments for two people or just the coachettes (the best I could find were 4 person coachettes in 1st class). Does anyone know? If so, can you book the sleeping compartment through the SNCF website, or do you have to do it some other way? Thanks

A snowHead

jml, As if you'll sleep! The Train of Sin! Twisted Evil

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

jml, welcome to snowHeads!

Although I've not done the service from Austerlitz I think it is 4-couchette cabins or 6-couchette cabins only. Trains with smaller cabins seem to be reserved for other destinations.

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The French versions of the ski train (as opposed to the one hired by the English package companies) is the only one you might get better than couchettes, and is very sedate, not at all the Train of Sin.
You'd probably manage to sleep in a couchette unless you are in the top bunk and the French refuse all ventilation - which is per normal.
I remember those marvelous French sleeping cars when I was young (2 beds each, but in pairs with a connecting door if you wanted a bigger family space. I seem to remember someone saying they still exist, but on those trains, I don't know.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

The 2 bed couchettes only seem to appear on the motorail service - I guess if you are paying 400 quid to move your car from Paris to Nice you deserve a bit of comfort for you and the misstress. On French sleeper trains out of Austerlitz you only get 4 berth 1st class compartments and 6 birth 2nd class compartments. I've never seen anything else and I used them a lot at one time. I prefer a first class seat on the night TGV - much easier to get some shut eye but their very extistence is a "secret d'etat".

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davidof really? you can sleep on a seat. Must be extemely special seat, I can't imagine it.
The 2 berth cabins should never be called a couchette - When I was younger I imagined going in one of those with a lover (NOT a mistress, OK). You even get a proper wash basin with hinged lid so it can be a table in day time.
As for the English "Snow train", have they thought of installing a condom machine yet?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

jml, I booked a sleeper train to Briancon from Austerlitz for my sons last year. They were in a 6 berth, but you can reserve your berth, so we opted for the two lower ones. there are 2 berth cabins on that train, but the tickets are very expensive.

After all it is free

(from the netherlands) I used the citynightline service to get to switserland, on 6 couchette cabin. Been on it 3 trips (went by car one time) to and from switserland, and found it to be the most relaxing way to travel. Better then car, coach AND daytrain (ICE and intercity).

Friend of mine found it amazingly relaxing as well, he always been on plane or car trips to the alps for like ages (he has almost 3 decades of holiday sking on his sleeve)

Thanks for all of the information, I am flying into Paris (from the US) so the Snowtrain seems the most convienent, I guess I can deal with sharing a coachette for an extra day of skiing on each end. As an alternative, does anyone have any recommendations for hotels in Bourg St. Maurice for where to spend a Friday night (to catch the first bus up to Val), as this would allow us to get on the TGV in Paris earlier in the day.

davidof, Mind letting me in on the "secret" night TGV, I can't seem to find it on their website.

Thanks everyone

brian · Last edited by brian on Tue 12-09-06 9:40; edited 1 time in total

jml, L'Autantique in BSM (hope spelling is ok) is pretty nice.

It wasn't, Autantic as in Rob's post below Embarassed

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

jml, a few hotels in BSM for your to consider:

http://hostelleriedupetitsaintbernard.com/index.htm
http://www.hotel-autantic.fr/autantic.htm
http://www.relaisdelavanoise.com/

The Petite Saint Bernard and the Relais de la Vanoise are within walking distance of the train/bus station at BSM, the l'Autantic is a bit further away, probably a short taxi ride if you have heavy bags with you.

snow reports

There's one that goes from Euston to Aviemore or Fort William as well...
Book 7 days in advance and its £100 return for a berth in a 2 berth cabin. Its sensational!

jml, some of our guests have stayed in La Petite Auberge, on the edge of BSM, it's run by an English couple and we've only heard good reports of it. It's the hotel used by the TGV crews so they're probably more used to letting rooms by the night. In France in peak season it's almost impossible to get a booking for less than a week.

You know it makes sense.

There are two trains to BSM that leave Gare d'Austerlitz a few minutes apart from each other (about 10:20PM) on Fri and Sat nights.
They are operated by different train companies so although the basic fares are the same, there are subktle differences in the service.
One of these, always has 2 berth (and even single) cabins, the other doesn't.

OK, it's Corail that offer the 1/2 bed cabins but you'll have to contact them directly I think as the SNCF site doesn't offer those options.
I don't know prices but I don't think it's a cheap option by any means.
You could always book all four places in a standard 1st class couchette :- Get in at the right time and it may be the cheaper option to get privacy.

Corail Lunéa night trains
The new Corail Lunéa night trains offer you a quality service: welcoming team on the platform, staff to take care of you during the journey, air-conditioned trains, cosy quilt, welcome kit and bottle of water, drink and snack distributors…

You can choose between different types of carriages :

1st class:

compartments with 4 couchettes
Sleeping-cars: Compartments with 2 or 3 beds and washbasin. Breakfast and evening snack served in the compartment in the morning
2nd class:

compartments with 6 couchettes
Reclining seats: for travelling at less cost

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Come on guys! Stop raising jml's hopes.
Most of you have visited my thread, now called Down and Out in Bourg St Maurice.
There is no way you will be able to book a single night in Bourg during high season. I know: I've tried.
You can take a chance, hoping for a cancelation. But to increase your chances I advise you see if there are any "Agencies" around that for a small fee (say $10,000) would assist one or two skiers in meeting their maker earlier than expected.
If you do manage this, could you make sure it frees up 3 rooms and I will take the other two. Thank you.

A snowHead

Thanks everyone, I figured it was a long shot to be able to get a room in BSM for a single night, so it looks like we will be doing the Snowtrain.

admin, do you have any idea how to book the Corail Lunea 2 person compartments? SNCF's website seems to lack any information, at least in English. Also, SNCF's website only allows you to book 3 months in advance, but I am going in the middle of French School Holidays, is there a way to book them now (I know you can book the British Snowtrain now)? Any idea how much it runs for a 2 person compartment, as the 4 person coachettes are about 120euros retun per person in December?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

jml, it is really difficult to find info on those tickets isn't it! Even Rail Europe who specialise in (of all things) European Rail Travel don't have any data on them - other than the fact that they exist rolling eyes

I have to assume there's some route the French have to buy them - perhaps the French Aristocracy share them out by word of mouth of something.

However... after a phone call with someone at SNCF in very dodgy French (mine not his) I believe the price for a 2-person Compartment from Gare d'Austerlitz to Bourg Saint Maurice is 263.40eur Each Way.

That price is for Fri 9th Dec as an example because no, you still can't book more than 3 months in advance.

Be aware, the price you have for the 4 person couchettes is the very cheapest tier of a promotional tarif called PREMS and is of very limited availability. There must be 6-10 different fares for each ticket class on that route. As each tier runs out the price tends to go up by another 10-15eur.

The British 'Snowtrain' is an entirely different arrangement as it's a service Chartered by Rail Europe themselves to run out of Gare Du Nord where people come into on the Eurostar.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

No, for the Cabin.

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I have since found a British company who aparently offer that service but I don't have a price because they charge £5 for a quote Shocked

so they're off my christmas card list for sure!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

jml, if you book early enough you can get the first class sleeper for £90 return. And its quite civilised. I've used it often. The others in the compartment have always been intent on getting straight to sleep. You get a comfortable sleeping bag and a bottle of water. I can see no reason for paying a fortune for the 2-person compartment.

P.S. You can get Rail Europe to email you a reminder to book your seats as soon as they become available. On the other hand it would be convenient to have some other agency poised at the stroke of midnight to grab those few extra cheap fares. Another role for Snowheads Travel (SnoT)?

Help!!

Snowtrain

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