Staying in Geneva without car, how do I get to the slopes?

A snowHead

My fiancée is working in Geneva for the first three weeks of April. Obviously my first thought on hearing this was, can I come too and go to a nearby ski resort during the day?

First problem is I can't drive, ( We live in London so there's never been much point to learn). Does anyone know if there's a cheap coach or train that I can use each day to commute to a nearby ski resort?

I have a friend who lives there who advised that I can get cheap daily rail pass and go to a different Swiss ski resort every day if I want. Anyone done this before? If so, where is the closest/least hassle to get to? How long does it take?

I also get the impression that the decent Swiss resorts are quite far from Geneva and the French ones are the nearest. My friend didn't know about how to get to the French ones. Obviously there're the airport transfer companies but they seem very expensive to use every day.

I got talking to a Swiss guy on a skilift in Les Gets and he thought there was a bus that goes from the Geneva bus station. Anyone know more? Surely there is some public transport for the local Genevois? Not all of them must drive?

Any help for a wannabe ski bum gratefully received!

A snowHead

I have got the train to Les Diablerets which is at the other end of Lake Geneva. Great journey and didn't take that long and it was pretty cheap. I'm sure you can get a train to the Swiss side of the Portes Du Soleil as well.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

You need to go to Gare Cornavin, which is Geneva's central train station (in fact it's Geneva only proper station - it's kinda small). From there walk down Rue du Mont Blanc which is the main pedestrian street going down to the lake. When it turns from being pedestrianised you'll see a church on your left. Behind there is the Gare Routiere - the main coach station. They have loads of coaches going to all the main resorts in nearby France, usually about 60 - 80 CHF for travel there and back on the coach including your lift pass. They usually leave around 8.15am and get back to Geneva 6.30ish.

Here's the link to the station: www.gare-routiere.ch

Click on the British flag

On the drop down list choose 'Ski Pass & Transportation' and you'll get a pdf of all the trips they do.

Voila!

PS - if you eat in any of the restaurants when you're there please review them on my site - www.restoski.com

You need to Login to know who's really who.

wow that's great. Thanks! They go to Chamonix every day and buses to the other resorts run on a weekend. 85CHF to Cham and 65CHF to Morzine. £55approx a day not exactly ski bum territory but then the ski pass is included which makes a difference. I'll probably give this a go.

Having looked at the train option within Switzerland. I'm not sure it's really do-able as a 'commute' every day - just under 2 hours to Les Diablerets. 2.5 hours to Champery with one change. Verbier even longer. My friend offered to get residents daily go anywhere train pass, which is a bargainous 35CHF but the journeys sound a bit too long.

Anyone else tried staying further away from the resorts and 'commuting' via public transport to the slopes?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I've done train from Montreux to Glacier 3000 and Chamonix.

Easy, though not as cheap as the bus option mentioned.

Help!!

Staying in Geneva without car, how do I get to the slopes?

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