 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm doing my annual OCD spreadsheet on travel options!
Because I'm planning a bit earlier than normal train fares look quite reasonable.
Looks like I can travel from London to Moutiers ("MOUTIERS SALINS BRIDES L BAINS") or Bourg En Bresse for around 200EUR. Call it £200.
Factor in £20 for the UK bit and £25 for a transfer.
Looks like £245 all in and I can walk from my front door to my local station and then get all the way without doing much.
I'm wondering if anyone else has used the train and have any opinons on what it's like. I quite fancy doing it for a change.
I've driven it a few times and enjoy the drive. Looking at £170 of Diesel, £50 tolls, £22 for ferry. Comes to about the same price.
Flying is looking at around £80,but airport parking adds £50 and transfers £55. So £180 to fly. Airports get on my nerves though.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's pretty normal for there to be a Eurostar service from London to the French Alps - either departing Friday night and arriving at silly morning o'clock in Moutiers or the later train departing sat early AM and arriving late pm. Goes onto Aime and Bourg and a couple of other places. I guess that is what you are referring too
Pros - 8 days skiing, door to door(ish), low stress, no changes,
Cons - if a few of you cheaper to drive. back bottom to get across london if coming from the south, didn't get any sleep and ended up in resort tired and hungry with time to kill before could get brekkie/go skiing.
Some people like it - some have even done 'day trips' skiing via it - take the friday night train, ski all day sat, train back sat night.
I didn't like it and haven't used it since..prefer to drive really..
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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 love it. Haven't taken the Eurostar direct because the timing is rubbish (see comment above), and there aren't proper bunks on the overnight.
This is what I like to do:
Friday 17:30 Eurostar London-Paris
Taxi (prebooked) from Gare du Nord to Gare d'Austerlitz
Dinner (quite decent) at G d'A restaurant.
Friday 23:00 Sleeper from Gd'A to Moutiers
Standard class is 6 bunks per carriage, first is 4 per carriage. If there
are say four of you, you can often book 6 standard class tix for cheaper
than 4 first class, and the extra bunks are useful for stowage, but you lose
some headroom. You get to choose the carriage etc, so you can ensure that
all 6 are in the same compartment. The train staff won't care if the bunks
are empty.
The key to sleeping on the train is (a) earplugs, and (b) sometheing else.
I like a big dinner and a splash of alcohol, others like something a little
more sedating.
Arrive Moutiers 07:00. Take prebooked taxi to resort, arrive 07:45.
Check in to accommodation, get rental equipment for those who want it,
breakfast, general faff, normally make first lift.
In reverse: ski on Sat till last lift, negotiate with hotel to let you shower
and change, grab pizza in [the] resort, get in return cab at 2100 for 2212
departure Moutiers-Paris. Arrive Paris rather cold at 0621, get to GdN, get on
0807 Eurostar home. Arrive London 0936. Have second breakfast at Pain
Quotidien in St Pancras. Disperse.
Costs:
£60pp Eurostar
€88pp Sleeper (that's 4 in a 6-berther)
€20 Paris taxi
€200 Return taxi Moutiers-Les Menuires (i.e. €50pp for 4)
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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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And don't go to Bourg en Bresse... It's Bourg St 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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My experience (and those who travelled by train to last season's EOSB) was pretty much as described by awf - less pre-booking the Paris taxis (not pre-booking was not a problem though). A fun way to get out to the Alps. Actually, we didn't pre-book the taxi for Moutiers to VT, either - but I think we may have been a bit lucky how smoothly things worked out there. We did pre-book the reverse transfer. A fun way to the Alps with friends.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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tomstickland, Went to Les Menuires 2 years ago on the daytime Eurostar, having driven 10 or so times, and flown rented about the same. It was cheaper, more relaxing and part of the holiday. Generally the folk you travel out with are the folk you go home with which may or may not be a good thing. Competitive pickniking is a sport new to me, but fun to watch. 45 Euros for the bus up to the resort (return) was the major expense I hadn't bargained for. I wouldn't do it with kids. i would plan to get on at Ashford beause you are seated at the end of the train and hence less through traffic. The only reason for not doing it this year is because we are skiing New Year and getting to St Pancras for 10am Boxing Day from Gloucestershire is not appealing.
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I also do the route someone laid out above - changing off the eurostar at paris to a tgv, or overnight sleeper. Love it, way better than the airports for a week. I didn't so much like the the estar all the way (bit cramped for leg room? and more expensive) but it is undeniably quick/simple. aj xx
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we go by train every year and have always enjoyed it. Sometimes take daytime eurostar direct, used to do overnight one pre-children, sometimes do eurostar and tgv and have done eurostar and sleeper.
The only thing we resented last time when we went on the direct service at new year was paying at least £80 to park the car at Ashford International for the week...poor car got so cold in the carpark the battery was flat when we returned!
Anyway looks as though you are going from london so won't encounter that problem.
Taxi fares from the station to resort can be pricey so would advice looking up the bus timetables to see if there is a bus from moutiers or bourg to your resort.
I would thoroughly recommend that you try the train for a stress free and enjoyable way to travel to the alps...
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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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tomstickland, Are you a light sleeper? or can you sleep through anything. If the latter give it a go. if the former - DON'T DO IT!
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And here's why:
topcat, My top tip. FLY, DRIVE or WALK but whatever you do, DON'T TAKE THE OVERNIGHT TRAIN. 
From last years EOSB Thread:
| Axsman wrote: |
...
I think Swirly hit the nail with "there's no bloody way I'm ever getting on that train again". the full story is that after the 2 hour easyjet delay, the resulting panic stricken dash across Paris in the fastest taxi in Europe, the mad bolt across the platform of the gare du Nord, and catching the bloody train with NO seconds to spare, collapsing in a heap and getting completely bladdered in SkiSimon's coach SEEMED like a good idea.
When I did eventually stagger back to my own compartment, pi$$ed as a f@rt, around 2.00 am, I fell over the French occupants baggage (landing on Msr French Family), and then collapsed onto my bunk in a heap. The snoring started about 15 seconds later and was loud enough to wake ME up, let alone the other occupants, but it didn't need to because for the next two hours a disgruntled Msr kept shaking my shoulder every 5 minutes and muttering something french to the effect of 'stop ze bloody snoring you eeenglish warthog'.
By about 4.00 I gave up on the whole sleeping idea and dragged mes baggages and weary ass to the bike car which was empty, cold, and very brightly lit.
Keeping up with Frosty et al would have been hard enough the next day without the mother of all hangovers and no sleep.
So no, I think I'll give the train a miss in future.
... |
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| awf wrote: |
€200 Return taxi Moutiers-Les Menuires (i.e. €50pp for 4)
[/list] |
 But the bus from the station is cheaper.
As has been often stated on similar threads (I'm afraid I only briefly scanned the above) If you book when tickets become available (90 days before on French railways and 120 days before on Eurostar) there are a few hundred tickets available at about half price, but these sell out quite quickly.
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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, light weight 
tomstickland, I've done the train to Moutiers maybe 6 or 7 times now. It is ace - just remember your earplugs or ear phones (I listen to music and use noise-cancelling earphones that make a HUGE difference) and have a tipple (not a skin-full, Axsman  ) and you'll be fine. For overnight, I've tried the couchette and I've tried the reclining seat thing. Reclining seat is uncomfortable but when pressed for £££ it will be an option again - far cheaper and more convenient than flying. People who fly seem to conveniently forget all the extras they have to pay for and only quote the price of their seat not the extras like getting to the airport or parking, ski carriage, baggage, booking fee, checking in, using the toilet, etc...
Yes, you can do a day TGV but then you miss out on the extra days skiing. Getting the o'night train and paying for the 2 extra days skiing pushes up the overall budget but when you break it down to per-skiing-day, it comes out a lot cheaper.
We've been lucky enough to only pay 20-25 euros each one way for our taxis from Moutiers to Val Thorens when there's been a big enough group of us (5-6) which competes with the the cost of the bus very well.
On the return to Moutiers we generally get the coach around 7-7.30pm, having changed at the hotel after last lift, and have a pizza across the road from the station which is more reasonably priced than in resort too. The owners are very relaxed about us lounging there until we see the train coming just after 10pm. I prefer to get down to Moutiers earlier than later in case of issues on the road - I'd rather miss dinner. Fortunately, this hasn't been an issue yet.
Go for it.
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Check out the "snowcarbon" website for some interesting news/reviews on going skiing by train.
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You know it makes sense.
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I have done the Saturday Eurostar day train - but that was in the days when Eurostar left from Waterloo.
It was a good trip with no hassle. Waterloo is my London terminus anyway.
At the other end, I got a public transport bus to Pralognan Les Vanoises. It stopped outside the PTT ski lodge where we were staying. No problems on the return trip either. Buses are all right outside the station.
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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'd say it's definately worth taking the option where you change at Paris and get the overnight sleeper with proper bunks, rather than the direct service from London where you have to try and sleep in a reclining seat all night (I wouldn't be able to sleep). I'm a light sleeper and can sleep pretty easily on sleeper trains as long as i've got earplugs in and the temperature control is working alright. Loud snoring can be a problem if you're unlucky. The gentle rocking motion of the train helps me get to sleep.
I prefer the train because I don't particularly like flying and I hate airports.
It did work out more expensive though when I did it, especially if you don't book your tickets far in advance.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| flowa wrote: |
| have a pizza across the road from the station which is more reasonably priced than in resort too. . |
Or there are some quite nice restaurants a few yards further into town (I had a good Moroccan Tagine one year but I'm not sure if that restaurant still exists) .
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| flowa wrote: |
| On the return to Moutiers we generally get the coach around 7-7.30pm, having changed at the hotel after last lift, and have a pizza across the road from the station which is more reasonably priced than in resort too. The owners are very relaxed about us lounging there until we see the train coming just after 10pm. I prefer to get down to Moutiers earlier than later in case of issues on the road |
Good idea. I shall adopt that in future.
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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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| awf wrote: |
| flowa wrote: |
| On the return to Moutiers we generally get the coach around 7-7.30pm, having changed at the hotel after last lift, and have a pizza across the road from the station which is more reasonably priced than in resort too. The owners are very relaxed about us lounging there until we see the train coming just after 10pm. I prefer to get down to Moutiers earlier than later in case of issues on the road |
Good idea. I shall adopt that in future. |
Same principle should be applied if getting on in Bourg St. Maurice as well..plenty of places near the station to eat...
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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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| snowball wrote: |
| awf wrote: |
€200 Return taxi Moutiers-Les Menuires (i.e. €50pp for 4)
[/list] |
But the bus from the station is cheaper.
As has been often stated on similar threads (I'm afraid I only briefly scanned the above) If you book when tickets become available (90 days before on French railways and 120 days before on Eurostar) there are a few hundred tickets available at about half price, but these sell out quite quickly. |
Moutiers to Les Menuires by bus (Altibus) = £15 return for adults. They run a very regular service too.
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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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| awf wrote: |
| flowa wrote: |
| On the return to Moutiers we generally get the coach around 7-7.30pm, having changed at the hotel after last lift, and have a pizza across the road from the station which is more reasonably priced than in resort too. The owners are very relaxed about us lounging there until we see the train coming just after 10pm. I prefer to get down to Moutiers earlier than later in case of issues on the road |
Good idea. I shall adopt that in future. |
I can't take the credit. admin clued me into this one 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I am actually taking the overnight eurostar train to the alps on January 1st and am staying in La Plagne Centre (anybody else in La plagne the week of the 1st?). I am getting off at aime la plagne station, then planning on finding a bus. Has anyone ever got a bus from Aime la Plagne station to La plagne? Or a taxi? If so any info on costs or any pointers towards a timetable would be great. Also on the way back for some reason the train only leaves from Bourg st Maurice does anyone have any advise on how is best to get from la plagne to Bourg st Maurice? Thanks
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It's worth looking at comparative prices for the train, direct or via Paris. The Paris change can halve the fare easily.
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FAQ
