 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hello jayne durham,
The Eurostar prices direct vary - sometimes I think it is as low as £99 if you get lucky. I think we have paid £199 return each in March but to me it is well worth it to avoid the hassles of airports / long transfers etc. Helps if you can get into Waterloo easily too which I can from Haute Surrey.
I think the best site for researching European train journeys is the German railways DB - do a google for it - I think it lets you plan journeys in English - other  s may know more....
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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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jayne durham, £199 leaving tommorrow night, 30 minute check in no baggage limits or extra cost for skis. no bun fight in stansted or geneva car hire queues . 20 minutes from Moutier to meribel in a pre booked cab ahhhhh bliss.....................
at term times i think is cheaper than fly / car hire in off season maybe a bit more but count all the costs (car hire, ski baggage costs, car parking at airport etc).
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The estar direct prices are heinous but doing it with the change isn't so bad. I did this for 12 people last week - £145 each (eurostar and sncf combined, first class on return journey). Once you factor in the transport to/from the airports at both ends the train comes in pretty close to airfare and much nicer experience (Taxi transfer from bourg to les arcs E10 per head, taxi from lyon to les arcs E50 per head. Taxi/parking ~20 per person to stansted, jubilee line to waterloo £1.50!)
HTH,
aj xx
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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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What's the difference between 1st and 2nd class on the TGV (from Paris to BSM)? The TGV website only has that info in French and I'm not bright enough to figure it out ?
More comfort ? Included meals / drinks ? anything else ?
ta.
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I have just got back from BSM, and we did it for £110 return (with a change in Paris)
I have also just booked a second trip (going EASTER week!) for £105 return to Moutiers. We are going on the sleeper from Austerlitz rather than the snow train from Gare De Lyon, but prices & travel times are the same...
I know that "1st Class" in the sleeper train means that there are 4 beds in a couchette rather than 6.
Chris,
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Hezza, the sleeper sounds cool, where is Austerlitz ?
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skimottaret, just across the Seine from the Gare de Lyon I think, on the left bank. My 15 and 16yr old found it easily enough.
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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'm thinking of travelling to Kitzbuhel en famille next season by train - Eurostar to Brussels, sleeper to Kitzbuhel courtesy of the Bergland Express. Considerably more expensive than the 'plane, but pleasanter, greener and we have 2 extra days skiing.
Any one used this service (it goes to a number of Austrian and Italian resorts)?
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Helen Beaumont, thanks, does anyone have any links for the sleeper service out of austerlitz to moutier?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| skimottaret wrote: |
| Helen Beaumont, thanks, does anyone have any links for the sleeper service out of austerlitz to moutier? |
Paris Austerlitz services can be booked via raileurope...
One train runs to the tarentaise valley, stopping at Moutiers, Aime & Bourg SM - and another runs to Briancon (Serre Chavalier).
They also run every night, making it perfect for a long weekend
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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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| masmith wrote: |
What's the difference between 1st and 2nd class on the TGV (from Paris to BSM)? The TGV website only has that info in French and I'm not bright enough to figure it out ?
More comfort ? Included meals / drinks ? anything else ?
ta. |
Bigger seats, nicer decor is about it, no food or anything. For the extra E6 I paid though it was well worth it, everyone was very pleased when we stepped on board.
aj xx
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You know it makes sense.
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ooo loadsa info thanx
ok Aj and Hezza it sounds as if I am not looking in the right place as your prices are much lower.... Which websites should I be looking on? Any chance of full details of your routes and times and who it was with just so I can get a feel for it (pm if easier)
And when I get on a website I'm not sure what I am asking....Do I want to change somewhere particular - I seemed to get Chambery and Aix coming up... - or do I just key in Paris and Bourg and it will do it for me
I iz so confused... Do I want SNCF or TGV - whats the difference??
Do you guys take advantage of deals where you have to get a particular train or do you get "flexible" tiokets. Surely I need to get flexible tickets if I have to make changes in case the trains are delayed??
This feels much more daunting/challenging than the steepest black run - which either means I am a trainophobe or my skiing is improving!! 
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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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Certainly the Briancon one is OK. Kids got it last year to join us out in Serre Che.
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Poster: A snowHead
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jayne durham, The secret to get low prices is to book as soon as fares become available - I think 4 months before for eurostar now and 3 months for TGV - but it isn't exact calender months so you have to keep an eye on it. The TGV have 'Prem' fares - ie some very low fares for booking early - we got to Grenoble and back changing in Paris for about £110 each before Christmas - and they sometimes end up with 1st class cheaper than 2nd class as its like budget airlines - so many tickets at each price I think. If you book late it gets more expensive and can get extortionate - as you have spotted.
Crossing Paris you need to leave at least an hour but overall the journey isn't difficualt - and for us the best bit was coming back by train when fog was grounding planes! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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I wouldn't worry about trains being delayed. The Eurostar staff will mark your tickets with a special code which, when presented to the guard on the TGV should ensure a safe passage even if your original ticket specified a particular train. Having said that, if you're getting the sleeper then that isn't too handy an option. Just give yourself a decent enough transfer time between Gare du nord and Lyon/Austerlitz (anything less than an hour is pushing your luck imho). At Gare de Lyon you can have dinner at the Train Blue bistro to kill a bit of time.
Then again, I was on the Eurostar a couple of years ago when the weather was snowy like today. The train ran late and there were so many Brits catching the sleeper from Gare de Lyon that the guard rang ahead and got them to hold the train ! No good for me though, as I was on the one from Austerlitz to St Gervais.....
And re. sleazyjet prices. I doubt you'll get a return to Geneva for less than the train. Then you've got the car hire. BSM (and the Tarantaise in general) is ideally suited as a train based destination.
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Thanks everyone for all the bits of advice - will print the thread off so I dont lose it. Hezza that sounds like a really good price - much better than I found.
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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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jayne durham, SNCF is simply the French railways and their site is divided into sections for the different services they offer, TGV being one.
TGV is their high speed service: about 4hrs Paris(Gare de Lyons) -> Moutiers but is seats rather than beds.
The Corail service has Couchettes. 6 berth 2nd class and 4 berth 1st class. 1st is definitely more spacious and comfy and I find much easier to sleep in on the way down when I'm excited. (on the way back I could usually sleep standing on my head!)
The Eurostar arrives at Gare Du Nord. The sleeper trains go out from Gare d'Austerlitz. There are 9 stops on metro line5 between them.
The sleepers all leave at about 10:20 every evening with two each night at weekends. One gets into Moutiers about 6AM the other about 7AM.
The most common combo of trains is:
- take a Eurostar out of Waterloo on Friday eve at about 4pm (to allow time for Dinner in Paris) or 5PM; returning out of Paris at about 8 or 9AM on Sunday.
- Metro 1€70 each way (or 10 tickets for 10€)
- Sleeper out of Gare d'Austerlitz about 10:20PM arr 6/7AM returning ~10PM arr Paris 6:20 AM
- Bus or Cab to resort 20-50mins.
Book the Eurostar from their site (use a link from snowHeads when you do and we earn a small commission).
Book the French trains from the SNCF site (Here's a link set to the EoSB dates by default) or their (part owned) UK subsidiary Rail Europe
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admin, excellent summary, thanks as i will look into the sleeper for future trips. i am on the new direct Eurostar service tonight ashford to moutier 7 1/2 hours and will report on trip.....
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Thanks so much admin - thats really useful.
How long do the 9 stops on the metro take??
skimottaret - have a lovely time. I've done the direct eurostar before and thoroughly enjoyed it... At the moment just looking for cheaper/more flexible options
.....Took my smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel and a little bottle of wine on board.... Tucked up under the nice blanket they give you and slept and dozed until breakfast..... Dead easy.
I'm just trying to find cheaper and more flexible options.
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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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admin, boys say the Austerlitz station buffet isn;t too bad either.
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If train travel was reasonably priced and easy to arrange I would be prepared to take a David Goldsmith approach and use it regularly for ski trips.
I have only once used Eurostar by day to BSM. It was a great trip but I could have crossed the Atlantic for the same money. Furthermore, when Eurostar moves from Waterloo it will not be so convenient for me. I am not keen to lug all the baggage on to the Tube or the Paris Metro. Transfers to resort in Austria, Switzerland by rail are great but I still fly to get to the country in the first place.
Coming back last week I noticed there is a train from Berne to Brussells. Finding out the details from the net is very difficult though. I know the individual country rail sites but trying to get details on particular trains that cross borders is more of a challenge.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I just did Bourg and back for about £150 very late notice, but found the Raileurope website impenetrable. Much easier to ring up and speak to someone. I travelled down in the day and back by sleeper an enjoyed the leisurely pace of both. I found I got to resort much less harrassed than going by air.
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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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How much of a hassle is it to do the metro across Paris with skis/snowboard?
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hd, it's doable but it's not fun
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You know it makes sense.
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Latchigo, I've found the Swiss rail website fairly good for any journeys that start/end in Switzerland, and not too bad for ones that don't!!
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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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D G Orf, So I assume that the people on this thread considering the cross-Paris train option are all hire-kit-in-resort types?
I have thought about taking the train to the Alps but the idea of doing the equivalent of (say) Waterloo to Kings Cross on the tube with 25kg of baggage has always put me off.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Fri 9-02-07 16:04; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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hd,the Paris Metro is much easier than tube travel though.
Latchigo, once they move to the new terminal, I might consider a journey by train as possible.
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brian
brian
Guest
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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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There was a left luggage at GdN in August -- on the RHS of the concourse as you arrive.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Talking to myself... now I think of it, all I saw (and used) at GdN was lockers of which the biggest, though big, wouldn't get anything larger than snowblades in.
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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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hd, it's just one rer stop to gare du lyon (from gare du nord) so not too much hassle with bags. That said it is far easier without as there are a number of escalators and stairs and boards/skis don't fit in the luggage racks etc etc.
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Jayne, there is a travel agency who specialise in this: http://www.rail-canterbury.co.uk who will get you the best deals without spending all night pondering around the eurostar or Rail europe websites.
Rob@Rar put me on to them, and I have been very satisifed with their service this season: All following are changes in Paris: £120 return Waterloo - BSM in Jan (coming back midweek) , £156 return (including 1st class one way) for a return trip just before Easter, over Easter slightly more expensive at £196 ( inc. 1st class one way)
Note these are day time travel (small Children) but we will probably do the couchettes from Austerlitz next year. Not sure if there is an the easy way to get fom Gare du Nord to Austerlitz, but to Gare du Lyon is just two stops on the RER, and very straightforward.
Ask for Jacky
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Thanks Jim - actually Rob pm'd me about rail canterbury - will give them a go.
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Is it Possible to train it from Birmingham to Wengen without the journey taking half a week and zillions of ££'s
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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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anyone know if you can take dogs on the trains in france, we have a chance to visit some friends in annecy and to get some skiing in at the same time, but would like to take whole family including our border terrier cassie (she love the snow), the OH really fancies the train trip
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FAQ
compared to Sleazyjet (probably around £70 maximum return) and hire a car.... But would love to become a bit less of a contributor to global warming.
) 
