 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello, newbie looking for advice. I am going to Verbier for a couple of days on 9th of Feb. and have looked at taxi transfers (ATS etc) from Geneva that make the eyes water.
Whilst trolling through the web, I came across something called a Swiss Transfer Ticket which gives you a return to and from your destination for GBP 57 by train anywhere in Switzerland.
Has anyone tried it and does it work? Thanks in advance.
Woolders
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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woolders, welcome to snowheads, D G ORF is the resident expert on Swiss railways. I believe, if memory, serves that Le Chable, the lowest link in Verbier ski area has a station. Have you contacted the Verbier Tourist Office for more information?
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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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Have a look at www.sbb.ch. This is Swiss Railways website. Put in "Cointrin" as your departure point (name of Geneva airport), and Le Chable as destination. Takes 2:30-2:45 hours. From Le Chable it's about 15 minutes up the hill by bus to Verbier. (If you put in Verbier as your ultimate destination, it will give you a long list of different arrival points in Verbier, not all of which have connections with Le Chable - but some do - e.g. Verbier - La Fromagerie). There's also more info on the Verbier website (www.verbier.ch)
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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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woolders, welcome to snowheads. Wot part of Hampshire you in?
Haven't tried it, but yes it works. After all, it's Swiss. They didn't get their train/clockwork reputation for nothing. Swiss train'll get you to resort, every time a winner. A bit longer than a taxi transfer, but apparently it's all cosy and clean and nice on Swiss trains. And punctual. Give it a go. Ditch ATS. Tell us how you get on.
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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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woolders, good to have you on board snowHeads!
As the others have suggested, you can be pretty sure of getting to any Swiss destination by efficient public transport, so Verbier would be no problem at all. The Swiss transfer ticket also covers buses (and boats across lakes), where there is no train.
I think you have to buy it before you arrive in Switzerland - ask the Swiss Railways office in London, who can certainly sell it to you. It's valid for a whole day for each direction, to and from the resort from the airport, and you date it on board the first leg of your journey. It works very well.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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woolders,
Welcome to snowHeads.
The train/bus transfer is real pain with having to synchronise changes etc - my missus did it in December. If you saw the recent Top Gear programme were Richard Hammond was using public transport to race Jeremy Clarkson to Verbier then you'll know what I mean. Deb was travelling in the same carriage/bus with them when they were filming it.
I recommend the shared transfer (minibus) that I used later in December from Dave Evans at Alpinexpress (www.alpinexpress.co.uk) who specialises in Geneva/Verbier transfers. It will cost about £65 for the return trip but is well worth the extra few quid. Transfer time (not in rush hour) is about 1hr 40mins which is also way faster than public transport.
Have a good time in Verbier.
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Thanks very much for all of your help and welcomes. Dangerous Dave from alpinexpress wins the race at
SF140 from the airport to La Place. Good value, especially given the Thursday transfer to the resort.
In no particular order, to answer the questions - near Odiham in the NE of the county.
Yes, I did watch Clarkson. Maybe he had a slight advantage in being able to walk out of the studio into his car!
Now, how am I going to pay for my wife and four teenage daughters on a familly holiday to Val d'Isere in April? Answers on a post card please.
Woolders
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Spyderjon, thanks for the advice. In the end I didn't use the transfer on the way out but the return, leaving Verbier at 11.00 am worked OK. We had to sit in a queue, moving at about 20 mph, for about 20 miles from the Bern turn off, which turned the transfer into 2 hours 45 mins. Check in looked a bit close until my flight was delayed by an hour( French air traffic control was "redesigning" their air space).
The buses are not built for anyone over 5'10 and 12st, especially 4 of us sitting the back row!
Had a great days skiing on the Thursday followed by a white-out on Friday. Skied from 9.30 until 1.45. Lunch started Chez Danny, Furry Chovel from 4.30 until 8.00 dinner - onwards, sideways and downhill!
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