 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey all,
Anyone taken the all-night Snow Train, the one that has its own disco on board, and is willing to chat about it for a magazine?
It's the Bourg/Moutiers train I'm talking about. This one:
http://www.raileurope.co.uk/snowtrains/destinations.asp
Cheers,
Andrew
andrew [at] losowsky.com
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Actually, Andrew, that link is a bit odd. The classic overnight snowtrain was from Calais to Bourg/Moutiers, with the ticket starting at Dover Eastern Docks to board a coach that ferried you to Calais station.
Last winter I believe the coach took the Eurotunnel to Calais station (not sure where you boarded the coach).
That link says:
| Quote: |
| For 2007, we have replaced the Calais service from Folkstone with a Eurostar departure from Ashford. |
That seems odd. Where do you get off the Eurostar to catch the couchette?
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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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Hi David,
According to the other pages there, you change in Paris - but you pay one fee for all inclusive.
Cheers,
A.
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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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You're right. The suggestion of that info. is that the Calais snowtrain (which long pre-dates Eurostar - I think it's been running for several decades) won't run in 2007. As far as I know the service they describe as starting at Ashford is equally possible from London Waterloo. Presumably it's the charter couchette from Paris Gare du Nord.
Whether this means that the overnight snowtrains are now reduced in number isn't clear. People were certainly favouring the Eurostar-Paris-Bourg option against the Calais option, partly because you can fit in a nice evening meal in Paris!
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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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David Goldsmith, even the Gare D'Austerlitz station buffet serves a good steak frites according to my sons.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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pm me if you want Andrew I've taken both variants a couple of times. Didn't like the via paris one though so won't be doing it again - and they've completely deco'd the calais one now ;( I think numbers were dropping, no idea why though, it was a great way to travel! aj xx
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It's high time we had sleeper trains running through the Channel Tunnel. The 2007 opening of the high-speed link via Stratford into St Pancras provides great opportunities for expanding the market for overnight travel from London and points north.
The tunnel should also be opened up to continental (Swiss, German, Italian etc) rail companies wanting to provide services to the UK.
We need fewer planes flying ... and more trains.
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
It's high time we had sleeper trains running through the Channel Tunnel. The 2007 opening of the high-speed link via Stratford into St Pancras provides great opportunities for expanding the market for overnight travel from London and points north.
The tunnel should also be opened up to continental (Swiss, German, Italian etc) rail companies wanting to provide services to the UK.
We need fewer planes flying ... and more trains. |
Cheaper prices and making it easier to book tickets would help make the train a more attractive option. I've tried to book a couple of train journeys to Bourg St Maurice for next season, and I've found it impossible to book what might be reasonably priced tickets until much later in this year, and I still have no firm idea of the actual prices I would pay if I waited to book. In the meantime I could easily book airline tickets from a wide range of airlines to any number of airports, which is what I've done for one of the dates that I was hoping to take the train. The train won't become a more popular option until the train operators realise that they need to provide a service with a bit more of a customer focus.
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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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On the positive side I organised a recent trip to Paris for 16, and Eurostar's group ticketing was very efficiently handled.
I wonder how much (more) traffic the Chunnel can handle. Is it running to capacity?
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
On the positive side I organised a recent trip to Paris for 16, and Eurostar's group ticketing was very efficiently handled.
I wonder how much (more) traffic the Chunnel can handle. Is it running to capacity? |
It's a shame that Eurostar can't extend this competance to sleeper train services to the Alps. Providing both tunnels are open I would guess that there is lots more capacity for trains, especially late evening (sleeper) services.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I imagine trains running from birmingham, leeds, manchester, glasgow and edinbourgh would be very popular.
I always had this idea that the could run a dedicated service using smaller normal trains from these destinations into london or somewhere nearer the tunnel and then everyone swap over. The idea would include the provision of yours and everyone elses luggage being loaded on at the start of the journey and transferred to the other train/trains as required.
it has always put me off using the train being located up north with all the hassle of getting to london and all the swapping over
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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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I've now got the info I was after - thanks everyone!
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