 Poster: A snowHead
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Switzerland February half term.
What do snowheads prefer or recommend.
Flying from a London airport to Geneva or drive/tunnel from London?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We've done that trip twice (Switz. Feb 1/2 term) with kids 4 & 7 and a year younger - drove overnight following a 10pm ferry crossing with two people sharing the driving - 10 hrs from Calais and you have the advantage of own transport, not being at the mercy of public transport problems and being able to carry as much as you need - Drive every time
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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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Depends where in Switzerland. If it has easy rail links from Geneva, then fly. If it requires a few changes then think about driving. (also, again depending on where, consider flying to Basel instead of Geneva)
Don't forget if driving on Swiss motorways, you need a vingette for the car.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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ssnowman, an often debated topic.
Personally driving for the flexibility and couple of extra nights - never had any problems personally
Mind you some people like flying
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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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When my kids were young, but of an age to voice an opinion, they HATED long drives in the car, with three of them in the back, usually niggling at each other. They would always have preferred flying, though they didn't make too much fuss about the coach, because they had their own seat and could get up and move around a bit when they wanted. And they showed movies. Of course, kids in cars have their own movies these days. If money was no object, and just for a week's trip, I would definitely fly (but not on Saturday, and not at half term) and get a private taxi transfer. Or maybe a helicopter...
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brian
brian
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| Elizabeth B wrote: |
| Don't forget if driving on Swiss motorways, you need a vingette for the car. |
Cars hired in Switzerland come with a vignette. For your own car, you can buy them as you enter the country, it's only 40CHF (£17) and lasts for a year.
Obviously driving isn't a very attractive option from this far north but fly and rent a car still gives you the advantages mentioned above: flexibility of extra days skiing and a car to get around while you're there. Plus you're on the right (ie. left  ) side of the car for foreign roads.
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I usually fly & then hire a car.
But, I've never been at half term before, so as it will be busy, I fancy driving, although wifey isn't keen on this option.
Driving will obviously be cheaper than flying, and being a Northerner, this also appeals to me.
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A bit off topic....if you buy a vignette can you move it from car to car? In otherwords, can I buy one then carry it with me and stick it in my hire car when I turf up at Geneva?
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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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homphomp, I doubt it - they are supposed to be stuck to the windscreen, and they are made of the kind of paper that tears when you try to peel it off.
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brian
brian
Guest
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homphomp, you're not supposed to move them from car to car, I've heard 2nd hand accounts involving sellotape though ... but you can buy them in advance to put in a hire car.
http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/userdata_vignette.php?passid=5
In any case if you hire Swiss side the car will definitely have one, French side probably not.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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brian, I've heard similar but using cling film
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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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Wear The Fox Hat, you can do it nonetheless, if you're careful.
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I did both last season..
I enjoyed the drive the most but it took a hell (maybe 10 hours more all added up) of a lot longer, my wife refused to drive on the "wrong" side so I did all the driving which slows things down but we stayed in a hotel on the way down which was nice. And we have a DVD for the kids..driving distances is not possible in my family without this driving aid..never had that in my day balh balh balh
If I don't live in the south I'd fly as the most miserable bit of the journey is at the start and the end on the way back stuck on crappy UK motorways brisling with cars, police, poor driving and me.
Driving is:
More civilised
Seems to extend the holiday spirit
Better able to cope with taking more crap
More flexible
More fun
Flying is:
Quicker
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You know it makes sense.
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Did both last winter. Driving was less stress than flying, because of the hassle at airports, but took longer.
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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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I have salvaged a vignette a couple of times.
When the car was approaching the border control I moisted the screen a bit. The Policeman would stick the vignette hard on the screen. After I paid and drove off I then carefully peeled it off. Dried the screen and put it back with a cling film in between. I only go about twice a year and sometime I transfer the vignette onto a motorbike.
Personally I think it is a matter of getting use to it for the long distance driving, assuming you haven't got young children niggling at you. Each trip I did to the Alps is between 10 to 11 hours. I find going through Germany a lot less stressful as the traffic is less but more orderly.
Driving your own car to a skiing resort is magic to me especially on a 4x4. We only decide which ski resort we want to go at the breakfast time. When the weather and visibility are really bad we go shopping instead. It is an immediate relief the moment we change the ski boots to the normal shoes and switch on the heated seats to drive away at the end of a hard day of skiing. I bring a foldable chair along too to sit on while changing boots.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We got an in-car DVD system for the car this year and lots of kids DVDs - it revolutionises any long trip with kids!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think that if I do drive, the kids will be getting DVD players!
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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've done both. Flying can be a real pain due to delays, diversions, crowds etc. Driving can be less stressful but can also have its problems. On our car trip to Austria, in Jan 1995 (with 3 young kids on board), the snow started to dump just as we got off the ferry at Calais. The journey through France was very slow but it got even worse and quite dangerous in Belgium with about 6 inches of snow on the uncleared motorways and we were very seriously considering stopping at the first place that had a hotel. However, we made it to the German border where they had completely cleared the roads and the remainder of the journey (with a scheduled over-night stop in mid Germany) was uneventful and somewhat quicker. We still debate which way to go each time and drive sometimes but we also still remember the very nasty conditions we experienced during that trip.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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ssnowman, We got ours from Argos - a little screen for the back of each seat, the DVD player in the middle of the car, the whole thing was around £100 - the best £100 we've ever spent. A little tip - its well worth buying each kid a set of headphones - that way you grown-ups can still listen to your music - the soundtrack of Shrek can get a little tedious without the pictures!!
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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: |
its well worth buying each kid a set of headphones - that way you grown-ups can still listen to your music
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Am I alone in finding this sort of social isolation within a family a bit frightening?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lizzard, Anything to make the hideousness of a long car journey with kids any easier is a blessing IMHO. Eatin g a meal every day as a family at the table is a good idea. DVDs for a once a year car journey...... not too bad.
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I was always pro driving but after last years experience driving with our 14 month old....we wont be doing that again !! fly fly and fly
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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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In peak season, drive.
At all other times, fly.
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If I've got a 4 wheel drive, do I still need snow chains?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ssnowman, yes
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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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4-wheel drives had no more brakes that 2-wd. So yes. The difference isn't in the number of driven wheels: the type of tyre is more important.
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lavender99, welcome to snowHeads. Do I know you?
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You know it makes sense.
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| Chris Brookes wrote: |
| I was always pro driving but after last years experience driving with our 14 month old....we wont be doing that again !! fly fly and fly |
Chris, as someone who has no children and flies a fair bit (mainly for business), I would suggest the opposite.
If you must bring kids on a flight, please drug them so they shut up!
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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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Chris Brookes, It'll all be easier now they're a year older
Is what I tell myself every year  Actually it is though as they keep them self occupied with books and drawing and eating etc - considering getting DVD but so far found books on CD to be ok
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brian
brian
Guest
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Wear The Fox Hat, it's the price you have to pay for failing to provide future human resources for the country. 
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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 kids quite like flying as it has lots of variation. Car journey to the airport, mess about at the aiport, the flight, showing their own passport to THE MAN, the thrill of the luggage carousel. Journey on a bus. Generally 8-10 hrs from door to door. We once drove from Zeebrugge to the Dordogne, 520 miles and a fair bit less than ski resorts. Bought 2 Gameboy SPs, best money we ever spent, but would never drive from up here via Dover or Hull-Zeebrugge as I would need 9 days for the trip as opposed to 7.
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brian
brian
Guest
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Frosty the Snowman, last 2 times, door to door has been under 7 hours:
15 min taxi to airport
1.5 hours at airport
2 hour flight
get luggage/hire car 45 mins
2 hour drive
Time for car journey doesn't really bear thinking about. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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brian, not from Edinburgh, it doesn't. From london might be a bit easier, though.
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brian
brian
Guest
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ssnowman, indeed. Should've been a "for us" inserted in the above.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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brian, 7 hours door to door is pretty impressive.
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We always drive to France (fly to North America ). It's 9 hours from Calais, so much less stress (lower carbon footprint for us), cheaper, easier to pack.
Although flying is quicker, it rarely gets you any more slope time. A 12 hour drive compared with an 8 hour flight journey still costs you a day. It helps that we live half an hour from the tunnel, of course. And child, at age 29, can get her own DVD player if she wants!
David
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Two return drives to Tignes from Birmingham - starting out at 3.30 am (no traffic), Calais side of tunnel by 8.30 (allowing for time difference) Tignes by 7.00pm in time for dinner at 8.00. Why drive? The thrill of the open road and my son's freedom to visit friends in Val d'Isere when the taxis aren't operating. And we take what we want (but don't really need). And..... I don't travel well on planes!
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FAQ
