 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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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| David Murdoch wrote: |
| Elizabeth B, that's interesting. Ours was supplied in the boot. |
Yes, they all are IME. ElizabethB - where did you hear that one? Not doubting you, just never heard of it before
The winter tyres thing has been done several times - if you don't have them on, make sure you don't crash! 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Elizabeth B, I wasn't aware of that advice about having the warning triangle to hand in the car, not in the boot. However, in some countries, notably Austria, they have brought in a requirement for a fluorescent safety jacket, and that must be available in the car, not in the boot.
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I read up in detail for when I did my grand tour of Alpine ski resorts. Each country varies slightly from another. Just to confuse.....
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Chris Brookes, Car park booked via the web, I misread the price list it's actualyl 50 Euros but that's still not bad for a weeks covered parking. 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I wouldn't bother with the winter tyres thing, keep some chains on you just incase but in 5 years I've only once not made it back to lauterbrunnen, and that was with bald as a coot summer tyres.
Apparantley it's a requirement for me to fit winter tyres 
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stab, Well my 'new' Pirelli Scorpions coped admirably in the alps last year and I always do carry chains so I shan't worry too much!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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AxsMan, Definitely. Might also refer to gentle blues suitable for our style and disposition!
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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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Chris Bish, Aah those post lunch cruisy blues, just what my tired legs need!
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AxsMan,
Wengen is a great choice. You'll love it. Murren is a touch more rustic and a trip there during your stay would be great.
As you earlier said, flights to Swiss airports are expensive. Have you looked at Stansted to karlshrue Baden-Baden? There's a train service from Baden Baden to Lauterbrunnen with journey times of c. 4.5 hours. You're independent of the weather and having a car isn't an advantage when in Wengen.
Skibb
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You know it makes sense.
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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 did it in 15 hours from wales straight to lauterbrunnen, but then I missed my tunnel connection and got lost somewhere in the asspit that is france so I could have done it quicker I guess.
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Poster: A snowHead
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stab, we normally reckon about 14 hours door to door Leicester to the French alps. Wengen looks a little less distance than (say) Val D, so should be less time. (I assume the Auturoutes are just as good as those going further south?)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| AxsMan wrote: |
| (I assume the Auturoutes are just as good as those going further south?) |
Once you hit Basel then give up all hope of going anywhere when it's high season, half of holland and belgium will be queuing up there to get in. Once out of Basel the motorway continues, it's just getting through Basel that's a pain.If you can get yourself (or maybe you already have one) a swiss motorway vignette then you generally don't get stopped coming across the border.
Don't forget the last train up to wengen, I've lost count of the number of 200km/h blasts I've had to do to make sure I get the last train.
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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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stab, good point about the last train, I believe the car park closes at 7.00 anyway? Will be buying a vignette on-line in January to save border hassle. 40chf I believe?
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brian
brian
Guest
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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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| AxsMan wrote: |
| stab, good point about the last train, I believe the car park closes at 7.00 anyway? Will be buying a vignette on-line in January to save border hassle. 40chf I believe? |
Car park closing is news to me, maybe the ticket desk closes at 7 but the car park is 24 hour.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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stab, you're absolutely right, I read
"... Reserved parking spaces must be claimed by 19.00 hrs...."
as meaning I wouldn't be able to get in after 7.00. (which of course is NOT what it means)  doh!
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It takes us 12 hours to drive from St Malo to Lauterbrunnen and on the way doing a night stop on the French/Swiss border at any Ibis hotel.
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We usually reckon 8 - 8 1/2 hours Zurich to Calais so that makes Calais-Basel 7 or so. There is a cut across from Metz to south of Strasbourg but it's not really worth it. IME it's usually quicker to go through France than Germany from Strasbourg - Germany may have stretches with no speed limit, but also has so much traffic you can't take advantage of it. Strasbourg to Basel is usually very quiet, and teh border crossing is much smaller, easier and quicker than the German one - you just have to fight through the Basel roadworks on the other side
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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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AxsMan,
Youn will make great time down to Metz and then lose it all getting down to Basel. Once you are past Basel and onto the Swiss roads it is easy onto Lucern. It wouod probably be better..and quicker ...to take the N1 just past Olten to Bern as the motorway goes pretty well upto Interlaken.
I'd be tempted to look at Calais-Geneva because you can do that in nearly 6 hrs if you are brisk and then 90mins via Bern to Interlaken and it is all motorway. As I said the frustrating part is the crossover from France to Basel, IME and you still would want to pass Bern anyway...
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JT, I like the sound of 90 mins from Geneva. Driven there many times and agree with you on the 6 hours. hmm time to start work with Autoroute/multimap I think.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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How about taking the A31/39/36 past Dijon to Besancon, then cutting across the 70 ish miles of E23 down to pick up the A9 at orbe? looks like a good route to me, misses Basle completely and is only about 11 miles further than the 'direct' Metz / Basle route
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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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AxsMan,
I have made a few of these diverts and they look good on paper.. if you have sat nav then they may come off but the motorways get you there. Not sure about that one.... if you are that confident..carry on to Neuchatel and Bern...but if it is bad weather..?
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eng_ch, have taken to using Dunkirque because Norfolklines are always cheaper. Best route there seems to be Basel, Metz, Luxemboug, Belgium, Lille. Last time we came back (which was late afternoon till early hours) it took 8 hours without breaking any limits to home 20km South of Zürich. This also included a few KMs off the motorway to find dinner and the short cut avoiding Strassbourg (this does cut off quite a few KMs and save some tolls but admitedly it was midnight when I did it). This route is nearly toll free and you can fill up in Luxembourg so saves some cash compared to the Metz Reims route and for Dunkirque is quicker.
Amazingly after seemingly forever, the tunnels in Basel are actually in use although they still put some unfathomable diversions in at night (same in Zürich which is the last thing I need after 7.5 hours of driving).
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You know it makes sense.
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nessy, we've got to go over in a few weeks - may look into Dunkerque, thanks! I take it that's to Ramsgate? Cheriton is closer to the folks for us. It will also depend on whether or not my FIL will be coming back with us; if so, it'll be tunnel regardless as I'm not sure he'd cope with a ferry after his stroke 6 years ago. We've often done the Lux/Lille route because we have quite a few friends in Lux where we can crash overnight - but the trouble is you have to go through Belgium - and make sure you avoid Lille at rush hour  I'll be glad when the Uetliberg tunnel finally opens though!
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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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AxsMan, The last train up to Wengen is after midnight
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Poster: A snowHead
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| riverman wrote: |
| AxsMan, The last train up to Wengen is after midnight |
only on weekends if I remember right.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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stab, that;s what I thought too. Of course, you can walk up any hour of the day or night 
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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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Elizabeth B, Might be a bit of a climb with ski gear and luggage 
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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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Make the Axsettes carry their own gear up then
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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eng_ch, just did the run on Friday including Zurich at 15:00 and Basel at 16:00. It took 8:30 from home. Norfolklines goes to Dover. The crossing is 20-30 minutes longer than the fastest Dover-Calais but the ferries are new and comfortable
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| Elizabeth B wrote: |
| AxsMan wrote: |
| is there anything else I should know about driving in Switzerland? |
They drive on the right! |
But often aggressively and on the left!
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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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nessy, OK, ta, worth remembering. We're now just waiting on the aged Ps to tell us whether or not they're coming back with us as that will determine the means of transport and route
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FAQ
) Have booked the tunnel now and reserved a car-park space. Looks like an 8-9 hour drive from Calais should do it!
