 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi there
Looking for somewhere different this year and to avoid the necessity of a car. Would like to go by train and then bus up to resort. Resort needs to be small enough to be able to allow youngest member of party to take a break back in hotel or apartment (accompanied by Mum or Dad) while elder sister and M or D can continue skiing.
Guess this is basically a Ski in Ski Out resort accessible by public transport - do any exist - particularly with most easy slopes?
Thanks
Lisa
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Les Arcs is very easy to get to by train (to Bourg St Maurice, including direct Eurostar service) then a short bus ride/taxi up to the resort. It has lots of ski in/out accommodation and a good range of easy slopes.
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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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It wouldn't necessarily be ski in, ski out, but somewhere like Saalbach has plenty of accommodation very close to lifts/slopes - train to Zell am See and then bus to Saalbach.
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You can get to Les Carroz and other Grand Massif places by train to Geneva then bus. No doubt others will be along to tell you where you can ski from Moutiers or Bourg Saint Maurice.
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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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Ignore the Les Arcs bus and board one for la Rosiere.
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| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| Ignore the Les Arcs bus and board one for la Rosiere. |
I don't know the village that well at La Ros - does it have much ski in/out accommodation?
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rob@rar, It does 
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lisach, Obertauern would definitely suit you. I'm not sure how easy it is to get there by train from the UK if that is what you mean, but if you are happy to fly, there is an online bookable shuttle bus that takes an hour from Salzburg. When I went last year the shuttle was about €39 return (I think) and any waiting time is minimal.
Because of the shape of the resort, many of the hotels there are ski in/ski out. I stayed at the Schneider and couldn't rate it more highly. There are loads of blues and easy reds - a great resort for all standards of skier.
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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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Ray Zorro, are you the new david@traxvax? The clue is in TRAIN 
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Some of the accommodation in Saas Fee is ski-to, but you need to choose carefully. Easy tranfers from Swiss airports using Swiss Transfer tickets, approx £55 per adult (return), kids FREE !
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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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lisach, you can get up to La Plagne easily by public bus from the station in Aime - there's plenty of ski in/ski out accommodation (but don't go to Plagne 1800, which is a bit awkward to get to). Belle Plagne, maybe.
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lisach, Just to echo what Pam W said, I've done La Plagne a couple of times by public transport (train to bourg, http://www.altibus.com onwards) and it works very well - the Belle Plagne area has a piste through the middle of it rather than a street, so very convenient for dropping people off/picking them up at lunch time.
La Ros/Les Arcs have already been mentioned...depending on how long you want your transfer to take, you could get to Tignes (reasonable for ski in/out, but not amazing) from Bourg or 3 Valleys from Moutiers (on same train line). I think you can even get to Avoriaz (similar to La Plagne for ski in/out friendliness) by train to Cluse and bus from there.
Have fun!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
I think you can even get to Avoriaz (similar to La Plagne for ski in/out friendliness) by train to Cluse and bus from there.
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I'm not sure but suspect that would be a fair bit more hassle, transport-wise, than going to La Plagne. You can get on a train in London or Paris and off at Aime, but I don't think you can do that for Cluses.
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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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When we went to La Plagne by train we were off the train and onto a local bus waiting outside in a couple of minutes (whilst the package people were all waiting round for their transport). The bus cost not a lot. We were on a last minute cheap chalet holiday and having managed to find the chalet and dumped stuff and had some breakfast, were on the snow within a couple of hours of getting off the train early in the morning.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Serre Chevalier can easily be reached by train to Briancon (overnight from Paris). MOnetier is a short taxi ride away, and is suitable to go back for a break, although accommodation is not ski-in/ski out, some is only 200m from the nursery slopes and ski lifts.
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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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lisach, Went to Les Menuires doing just that this year. The bus ride up was suprisingly expensive (£45 ea return), and we found our ski in ski out accommodation was 20 mins walk or a bus ride from the closest supermarket. It needs careful research, but we're planning to do the same again this year, but probably Val Thorens. Helen Beaumont's suggestion I have also looked at, and looks quite appealing as well - nice looking flat!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
The bus ride up was suprisingly expensive
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yes, some of those buses are very costly (more than a cheap air fare). I remember the bus to La Plagne as being very cheap (but then it's a short way) and it was just waiting outside the station, looking like a very ordinary sort of us - we had no idea beforehand how we would get up there, or how much it would cost. We just decided looking at the map that it wouldn't be a problem. But long bus transfers rather negate the whole idea of an easy trip, and with small kids wouldn't be much fun. I sympathise with lisach's wish to have accommodation and nursery slopes VERY close, too. Even a few hundred metres can be a struggle with a tired small child and skis. That's why I thought Belle Plagne would be ideal - it's a bit high, and could be cold and bleak in the wrong sort of conditions, I suppose, but it is extremely convenient and the buildings are nicer than the other parts of La Plagne.
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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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lisach, Would a shared taxi be considered public transport? If so anywhere would suit! Shared taxi from GVA to a place mentioned above costs nearly the same (€5 difference) than bus, takes about 30-40 mins less.
Why would you faff around on trains in France if they dont go directly to resort! Austrian resorts and Swiss may be fine.
After all once you are in a ski in - ski out resort you wont need a vehicle  Hire a, or share a taxi, that would be the quickest and easiest!
Have fun, wherever you decide!
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lisach, I'd suggest Wengen, if you want to go by train it's a little bit of a pain as to get the most time there you need to change in both Paris (arround 10pm) and Basle (arround 5 am) though as you're in London I think you might be able to get there in a day by gettin the first Eurostar in the morning.
Wengen is a nice safe (almost traffic free) resort with the beginner slopes right in the middle of the village, it's also one of the few resorts where almost every mountain restaurant can be reached by both skiers and non skiers alike as there is a well integrated rail and cable car network. You can't ski out of the resort but you can ski back and it's only an easy run to the resort
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| Quote: |
I'm not sure but suspect that would be a fair bit more hassle, transport-wise, than going to La Plagne. You can get on a train in London or Paris and off at Aime, but I don't think you can do that for Cluses.
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True - La Plagne/Les Arcs are streets ahead in convenience. Though personally I'd try and change in Paris for a sleeper train, rather than taking the Eurostar all the way...those seats are pretty uncomfortable after about 5 hours!
As for Avoriaz via Cluses, I'll admit that I've never tried it but I'd be intrigued to know if anyone else has?
A quick look on the sncf website suggests that you can get a couchette from Paris Austerlitz to Cluses (though it seems to take an age), but you're still quite a long way from Avoriaz at that point. I've definitely been on a bus from Geneva to Avoriaz that stopped at Cluses, but I don't know if the bus and train times link up (surely...). Anyway, I love the sleeper train option because it gives you the option of 8 days skiing without having to find extra accommodation 
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I've been to three of those four Austrian ones by train although for easy access to hotels from slopes it would depend where you are in St Anton, Zell am See and Bad Gastein as the last two are on fairly steep hills as even short walks feel a long way in ski boots. Although I did ski down the main street in St Anton one day (that's real ski in ski out). I haven't been to Schruns to comment. Somewhere I was last year that had a nice nursery area that was ski in ski out was Selva Gardena and you can get the train and bus from Venice, Treviso, Milan or Bergamo or even Munich.
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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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Fantastic replies guys. As I suspected French options are a bit limited, and finding to be very costly and mostly booked for half-term already 
We did Schruns a couple of years ago. Schruns itself although on the end of a trainline is not that convenient although it is a nice area, but no real slope side accomodation.
Saas Fee, again done that and its the closest to what we want. Will review the other Swiss options.
Our ideal would be train all the way, a sleeper from Paris as stated above is actually great fun and time effective.
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very costly and mostly booked for half-term already
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There have been a number of comments about this; prices are sky high and vacancies now very few. Maybe Easter would be a better bet if you a worried about taking them out of school (which is what I would do).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks Pam, prices being high I can understand but why is so much booked up so very early? Seems a lot worse than in previous years.
PS re: Easter, not really an option for us, always have bad luck with rain when we leave it too late!
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Mon 1-09-08 20:01; edited 1 time in total
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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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It seems it's because every single school in the UK, or at any rate in England and Wales, is on holiday the same week. Plus all the usual French holidays at the same time. Mad. Easter could be much nicer.
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You know it makes sense.
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| pam w wrote: |
| It seems it's because every single school in the UK, or at any rate in England and Wales, is on holiday the same week. Plus all the usual French holidays at the same time. Mad. Easter could be much nicer. |
Hmm, it maybe that looking east may be the best option then!
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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, that's very pretty indeed! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Agree with rob@rar got to be Les Arcs for ease of access by the Snowtrain. Never used it myself, but do you even need a taxi, surely its only a short walk across the walkway to the funicular where you can buy your ski pass and go straight up into 1600 on the funicular.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Kel, yep funicular's right next to the train station. Then once you're up you can get a free bus to the other villages if needed (well, maybe not 1950 and 2000...).
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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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| Kel wrote: |
| Agree with rob@rar got to be Les Arcs for ease of access by the Snowtrain. Never used it myself, but do you even need a taxi, surely its only a short walk across the walkway to the funicular where you can buy your ski pass and go straight up into 1600 on the funicular. |
I think there's a shuttle bus which runs the short distance from the train station at Bourg to the funicular. Not used it myself, but others might confirm that? If you have all the usual ski luggage and a couple of young kids in tow a taxi will be a convenient, albeit more expensive, way to get direct to your accommodation. But if you travel light or are on a tight budget it would be a very cheap way (free if you've already bought a lift pass) to get up to any of the Les Arc villages.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| ChrisWo wrote: |
| Kel, yep funicular's right next to the train station. Then once you're up you can get a free bus to the other villages if needed (well, maybe not 1950 and 2000...). |
1950 & 2000 also, but like rob@rar states not really a family option, but if your in a group of like minded young uns on a budget then why not. I think it would probably be quicker than a taxi,
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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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| Kel wrote: |
| I think it would probably be quicker than a taxi, |
The funicular takes seven minutes from BSM to Arc 1600. Not even the local taxis drive that fast!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Kel wrote: |
| I think it would probably be quicker than a taxi, |
The funicular takes seven minutes from BSM to Arc 1600. Not even the local taxis drive that fast! |
I was referring to the complete journey from Eurostar platform to accomadation, I don't think Lewis Hamilton could get up that mountain in 7 minutes.
Also the journey is 7 minutes but your likely to be in the carriage for 10 minutes before it actually moves. Still a good budget option though and can't be that hard for the young independant on a budget.
Unlike what my son did in April he was stopping in La Tania and his mates were in Valloire the following week and he had holiday leave available. He packed his very large kit bag, put on his skis and somehow made his way through the 3 Valleys network to the top of Val Thorens and then came down the 3 V express cable car into Orelle, where his mates picked him up.
My point is, if money is tight the young and foolish will go to any lengths to get an extra weeks on the slopes. First I knew of it was when he rang me up asking me to book him a flight or he would not be able to get home, what are dad's for. 
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brian
brian
Guest
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lisach, our apartment might have suited you (see '.' in sig), and "friends" (grrr) have let us down on a pre-booking we made for them on 21/2 but I think that's probably a week later than half term ?
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Tignes! Train from London to Bourg St Maurice then Altibus from right outside the station up to Tignes (less than 1 hour). Stayed in Val Claret twice and could ski right back to apartment both times. Excellent resort, almost guaranteed quality snow & more than enough piste mileage? to keep you busy for 8 days skiing if you go by train.
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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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St Anton is easy enough by train, and although there is almost no ski in ski out, there are many hotels 5 mins from a lift/piste. Kitzbuhel is even easier by train, but there is almost nothing ski in ski out (except up the mountain, which is probably not ideal), although I know of a comfy pension which is virtually ski in, ski out, if the home runs are open which they usually are.
For both these resorts, Eurostar to Brussels the Bergland Express o/n, direct to Kitzbuhel or via Innsbruck for StA. The Bergland Express serves loads of resorts in Austria and Italy, either direct, with a train connection or, usually, a dedicated coach connection.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Sun 21-09-08 18:59; edited 1 time in total
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| Quote: |
Tignes! Train from London to Bourg St Maurice then Altibus from right outside the station up to Tignes (less than 1 hour). Stayed in Val Claret twice and could ski right back to apartment both times. Excellent resort, almost guaranteed quality snow & more than enough piste mileage? to keep you busy for 8 days skiing if you go by train.
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Le Bec Rouge building in Tignes Le Lac is absolutely ski in and out on what I think is the only green piste in Le Lac, a couple of hundred metres below the Savounah restaurant off a blue home run, then 100m down to the main lifts. Shopping centre, restaurants in the Palafour building across the road.
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