 Poster: A snowHead
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next Sunday I'll land with my family (5 persons) in Geneva, we would like to go to Chamonix, till now I have seen an option with Alpybus but is quite expensive, it will be in Sunday afternoon. is there a less expensive option?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Swisstours oddly are cheaper on the way there but more expensive on the way back. Seriously though, what would you expect to pay for a 60 mile journey in the UK?
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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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@yariv_har, are you just wanting to visit for the afternoon? Look also at Flixbus. Transfer companies are generally much the same price. But you could try Mountain Dropoffs.
@rambotion, Swisstours do dynamic pricing - doesn't everyone?
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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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I have hired a car from Geneva many times. Quick, simple, straight to resort/accommodation. From an early morning flight, always on the slopes by 11am/midday.
I used AlpyBus once from Geneva. Original time cancelled, Delayed for 4 hours, missed my first day skiing (since I only made it to the resort by 3pm).
Even if I was travelling solo, I don't think I would use a shared transfer ever again.
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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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Geneva-Chamonix is a quick and straightforward drive. And a car is useful to move around the valley too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@jamescollings, We use them often. Throughout the year. No problems. Although the scheduled services, if you can be bothered getting to the bus station, and the schedule suits, are sooo much cheaper.
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@under a new name, I think you're right; in that the scheduled service is going to be more resilient to unexpected breakdowns/passenger issues.
I think the AlpyBus concept must work perfectly when it works... but when there's a hiccup it doesn't appear to have a good backup plan.
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I think Flixbus will work out cheapest, they seem to price themselves similar to the train (which takes longer). However they run fewer services than their BlaBlaBus/Ouibus predecessors, essentially weekends only except for French half term.
Or Swisstours.
We have never had any problems with shared transfers (mostly Alpybus or Mountain Dropoffs) but I imagine when things go wrong they rarely have a spare minibus and driver to fill the gap.
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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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@j b,
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We have never had any problems with shared transfers (mostly Alpybus or Mountain Dropoffs) but I imagine when things go wrong they rarely have a spare minibus and driver to fill the gap.
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When we drove for ChamonixFirst, a smallish transfer company we could always cover for breakdowns, Every vehicle wasn't on the road every day, and in dire emergency the boss and/or his wife would drive the older retired van to cover for problems.
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A list of regional buses from GVA to places including Chamonix is published on the GVA website under www.gva.ch > 'Access & Transport' > 'Transport' > Regional Buses
Looks like there are buses to Chamonix on Sundays at 06:00, 07:45, 10:00, 12:00 and 16:30, run by Swisstours.
Looking at the Swiss SBB train timetable for Sunday, there are trains at every hour at xx:19 from the airport with the last at 20:32. Involves 2 changes (Geneva centre, and St.Gervais les Bains Le Fayet). Transit time between 2h41m and 3h26m depending on which one you catch. If you decide to use the train, download the SBB App and this will hold your tickets for you and provide updated details on platforms etc. for your journey.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Tue 10-01-23 18:34; edited 2 times in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@LaForet, yes, the train is now what we use to get to St Gervais (via Le Fayet). The key is the way they run every hour - though I think on Sundays there is a "missing hour" around lunchtime - and you can buy the ticket in the airport. However what has made the difference for St Gervais is that the free ski navettes connect Le Fayet to the town, again with an hourly service. For Chamonix, while the trains connect to the narrow gauge Mont Blanc Express that is slower still.
The speed of the trains is restrained by it being a single track line which means waiting at some stations for trains in the other direction to pass. And its route is longer, it doesn't simply follow the valley bottom like the motorway but deviates to Roche sur Foron where the junction for Annecy is.
@RobinS, interesting. I have to say it was my guess about Alpybus, maybe they do have a "spare" but it is in Geneva not near a resort, or of course maybe they cut corners compared with your smaller company.
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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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@j b, Alpybus no longer have the best of reputations, must be said. Yep, the Mont Blanc not-very-express, is sadly exactly that. Not very express. Sorting that out would make Geneva-CHamonix by train a lot easier.
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