 Poster: A snowHead
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Where are some good detinations in Europe for short weekends say Friday to Monday.
Ideally, I'm thinking of destinations where you can get a cheap flight out and have direct links by train or bus to the resort of less than 1 hour transfer.
Any ideas?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The Flaine area is very convenient for Geneva - about an hour by car. If you don't fancy the rather bleak architecture of Flaine itself, there are always the satellites - Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoens. Good skiing, in my opinion.
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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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So, you're saying rent a car for the few days and use that to travel to the resort?
Are there any places where getting a train or bus will work out cheaper and just as convenient?
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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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chamonix seems to tick all your boxes.
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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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I was going to say Chamonix as well (although I think Butlins in Bognor is also quite popular for weekends)
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Chamonix is cool but I've been there once before. Only pain was having to get a bus from the resort to each of the different mountain areas but I suppose that's no biggy.
WHat about places like Alpe d'Huez and Les Deuz ALpes? Are there any decent transfers from places like Grenobles ?
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GordonFreeman, a number of Austrian resorts close to Salzburg have a shuttle bus link. Ryanair fly there from stansted.
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GordonFreeman, AFAIR, flights to Grenoble aren't so good for skiing on the travel days. Ideally you want a very early flight out, a late flight back and quick transfer (hence why most use hire-car rather than wait around for bus or train).
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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 just come back from a St Anton weekend, using the Friedrichshafen airport. I rented a car, but prices were ok and the trip is about 1.5 hours only.
However, weekend accommodation in St Anton is tough to find.
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Ryanair to Milan (Bergamo) are often the cheapest flights if booking at this stage.
If you are trying to avoid driving over there, I have done an overnight bus weekend to the 3 valleys, that worked out reasonably priced and wasn't as bad as you may think travel wise. www.skiweekends.com for more information. almost 3 days skiing for only one day off work (if you are near the SE England that is)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| GordonFreeman wrote: |
So, you're saying rent a car for the few days and use that to travel to the resort?
Are there any places where getting a train or bus will work out cheaper and just as convenient? |
That's what I'd do if I was going to Flaine area for a weekend (and indeed, it's what I did do when I went there for a weekend, so I can walk the walk as well as talk the talk). Car hire is pretty cheap for 2 or 3 days, and pretty convenient.
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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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Isola 2000 in France.
Less than 90 mins from Nice Airport, by car or bus.
Nice and sunny. Fairly high. Usually good snow.
If you can't get a room in Isola 2000, then there are always plenty of spare cheap ones in Nice.
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| Quote: |
So, you're saying rent a car for the few days and use that to travel to the resort?
Are there any places where getting a train or bus will work out cheaper and just as convenient?
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Depends how many of you there are. Sometimes its as cheap to get a minibus transfer to resort, and saves time messing around in railways stations or standing in hire car queues. For example I got 5 of us a return private transfer from Salzburg to Zell am See for 250 Euros (or 50 euros per person). If I'd have gone by train I'd have had to have got a bus or taxi from the airport to the station in Salzburg then got another taxi or walked from Zell station to my accommodation which was next to the lift and therefore a good walk from the station. It probably cost 5-10 euros per person more but got us an extra hour or 2 on the slopes at both ends of the break. Car hire would have been slighly cheaper but I'd have had to wait for the car as everyone off Ryan Air seems to use Hertz.
If there's just 2 of you then train is the cheapest if not always the most conveninent, although for a weekend a small car can be cheap too. From Salzburg it's cheap enough with private transfers to go to Saalbach, Zell, Kitzbuhel and Maria Alm, all an hour or so away, all easily drivable in a hire car and all about 125 euros each way in a private mini bus.
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You know it makes sense.
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What's Les Arcs like?
I know you can get a train to Bourg St Maurice but the snoiw train only goes once a week doesn't it?
What about transfers from Turin ?
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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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GordonFreeman, Engelberg is a good one: under 2hrs by train from Zurich (not too sure there; I've only ever driven and that's about 1.5hrs), it's high and has cheap hostels as well as hotels...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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SnowGod, has a good idea. Jerry from this very forum joined us for a long weekend in Zell the week before last, we were already there having had a week in Saalbach. 6am flight Fri am to Salzburg, 12 Euros on the train to Zell. He was skiing with us on the slopes before 1pm!
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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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Price of car hire vs transfer coach often depends on numbers. Train nice idea in principle but flights need to work perfectly to avoid waiting for trains. Car hire queues can be jumped by sneding the driver through and you collect the luggage (otherwise, don't book in advance, pay £20 more between your group but pick the hire desk with no queue)
1-2 people - transfer bus often cheaper if can be shared with others.
3-5 - car usually cheaper
6 - 7 - requires two cars - shop around
Your key really is to find the accomodation that lets you stay Fri to Mon at the best rate as saving/incurring an extra £20/head on car or transfer then becomes irrelevant.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| GordonFreeman wrote: |
Where are some good detinations in Europe for short weekends say Friday to Monday.
Ideally, I'm thinking of destinations where you can get a cheap flight out and have direct links by train or bus to the resort of less than 1 hour transfer.
Any ideas? |
I'm doing a weekend at the beginning of March and used exactly this criteria. The answer ended up being Engelberg.
Evening flight to Zurich and 2 hour train ride gets me in around 11:30 pm, 11:00 am return flight on Monday (I have to work Monday afternoon, otherwise a later flight would have worked and allowed for an extra day skiing).
Geneva was an option, but the transfer seemed a lot more expensive/complicated, and the flight times were not as convienient. My first choice was Salzburg, but the cheap flights were all booked. Had they not been I think it would have been ideal. Also would have like to have had Innsbruck as an option, but there are no cheap flights from Berlin.
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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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Sierra nevada spain cheap ryanair flights to Granada stay in granada itself 30 min drive to ski resort 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Flims/Laax fulfils the same criteria as Engelberg. Approx 90 mins by car from Zurich, bit longer by train/bus but only 1 change (to bus at Chur station) from Zurich airport.
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"Where is good for a short weekend? "
Umpah Lumpah Land !
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GordonFreeman, Cervinia or any of the Aosta valley resorts from Turin airport - only about 1.5 hours drive
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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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Long weekend booked for 1-5 March, flying to Zurich. Flims/Laax here we come!
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| doogo wrote: |
| GordonFreeman, Cervinia or any of the Aosta valley resorts from Turin airport - only about 1.5 hours drive |
Did that for Easter last year, afternoon flight LGW to Milan via sleezyjet. Hire Car, stayed 30 mins down the valley that night. on the 1st piste 09:30am Fri. Left 4pm monday. back to LGW c. 11pm. Wicked weekend for 1/2 day holiday (thr pm)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Jerry,
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Would do it again - different company maybe...
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What makes you think you'd be asked again??? My ears have only just stopped bleeding 
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We have done this loads of times and I would definately recommend getting a car as opposed to train or transfer. That way if the snow is bad as it has been this year you can jump in the car and shoot off to another resort.
Don't worry about driving in France - same as driving in England - The driver is in the middle of the road. Once you been driving for 5 mins you'll be fine just take your time.
We go to Morillon / Samoens / Les Gets / St Jean du Alpes - 1 hour from Geneva. The cheapest way is to rent an appartment and split the cost between friends.
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You know it makes sense.
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My answer is:
Flying accross the International Date Line from e.g. California to Japan
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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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| Nick L wrote: |
My answer is:
Flying accross the International Date Line from e.g. California to Japan |
Good thinking. The trouble is the return journey.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Been looking into Engelberg...seems like it's more of an off piste resort. Do you need guides for this area due to avalanche risk and terrain or is it easy access?
Still looking at something less than 2 hours from an airport by train/bus.
Flims, Adelboden, Meirengen Halisberg ?
Also, saw this mentioned about Engelberg by a Swiss person!
"Do not go to Engelberg unless you are really rich... It's a rip off. True, they have some nice challenging backcountry runs but they are among the most expensive ski resorts in Switzerland. Plus, Engelberg can get very very crowded - especially on the weekends since Luzern, Zürich, Basel and Bern are not very far away. I usually avoid Engelberg unless I'm out touring on skins, etc."
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