 Poster: A snowHead
|
Has anyone any recent experiences of using the Rail Europe Lyria service as a "snow train" to Swiss destinations?
It sounds as if it could be a fun way to get to say Crans Montana, Val D'Anniviers etc....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Bryan,
About 4 years ago I went to Interlaken which involved 3 stops. Ashford to Paris Eur0star, Paris to Basel TGV, I think...might have been IC, but it so good it doesn't really matter, Bern to Interlaken and then upto to Halisberg by local train. Sounds a hassle but it really wasn't. To get to the Rhone Valley, I'd think you'd do Paris to Geneva and then a Swiss train to Martigny/Sion/Sierre Visp or Brig.
I'd expect to pay around £140-160 rturn from Ashford.
I don't see the point of the Snow train when the normal trains are so good...unless you want to pay extra to bypass Paris. The late nighters out of Paris can have a snow train vibe sometimes anyway, with everyone drinking in the corridors.
My recent experiences have been local hops to and from Annecy, Basel and Geneva.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Thank you for the tips and links.
I was trying to avoid the scrum of the dedicated ski train / snow train, it is hard enough to convince my nearest and dearest to come away to the snow without the prospect of the company of several hundred lager fuelled ski hounds keeping her awake all night......I was looking for a more sedate/refined option to the cattle pens at Geneva t/o terminal as well! but without the labour of driving all the way.......Journey times not really an issue, if it is in comfort and peaceful.
From the lack of responses, It seems that not many have tried the London-Paris - Lausanne/ Rhone valley option.......Would love to hear from any who might have.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
London to Paris is no problem, as is Paris GVA. GVA to Sierre, for VDA, for example is an hourly service during the day and takes no longer that 2 hrs max. The bus ride up the valley will take another hour with a change at Vissiore. You will need a local bus timetable to co-ordinate the times up and down the valley.
To get as far as Sierre, give Rail Canterbury a call or e-mail. The 10% or so they charge save a lot of hassle. Failing that, use the Thomas Cook timetable book..if they still do one...and do it yourself but it isn't worth the saving IMV.
I'd be think that London to Sierre would cost £140 -ish inc booking fee. It should involve 3 changeovers. TGV or IC are nice rides, IMV and I'd look out for the 1st class option on TGV. I haven't done that recently but it was well worth it when I did.
http://www.rail-canterbury.co.uk/index.htm.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
I'm quite interested in using the train to Geneva, as an alternative to the misery at UK airports. I think the most pricey part would be getting to London to catch the service.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
FWIW if heading further east, the new TGV service Paris-Strasbourg-Basel-Zurich started up in June; Paris - Zurich now just 5 hours
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ