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No Altibus transfer for Eurostar Ski Train at Moutiers

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
The 10am Saturday Eurostar Ski Train arrives at Moutiers at 18.13. This is later than in previous years.

Altibus have now published their winter Timetable and the last bus to Les Menuires/Val Thorens, Meribel and Courcheval is shown as 1800 apart from the Frnch half term weeks (18,25 Feb and 3 Mar) when it is 19 30.

I have e mailed Eurostar who have responded:

"Route clearance for the ski train is issued by SNCF who own the infrastructure and as such we are unable to influence the time tabling of our services .
The reason for this timetable change is due to a major raft of engineering works/updates being carried out on the SNCF infrastructure.
we have noted that the altibus transfer times do not match the link and I can understand your frustration especially for your other friends who are using the direct ski service but it is not within our power to ensure these transfers as we have no control over Altibus or SNCF .
However if you go onto the link that I sent you for Altibus there is a customer services section and if you and your friends E-mail them with your enquiry regarding availability of transfers at Moutiers for passengers arriving on the Eurostar Ski train.
This may invoke some response to either adding an extra Service or re time tabling whilst the ski train is running.
We are also looking into this as well.
At this time I cannot promise anything but if we work together we may be able to get a satisfactory resolution to this problem with the transfers to the resorts."

Not very good coordination particularly as Eurostar promote and has a link to Altibus on their website. I have written to Altibus, others who are using Eurostar ski train may want to do the same and perhaps e mail Eurostar to keep the pressure up. The alternative is a 80 Euro taxi.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
John,

Have you had any response?

I am writing to Altibus now.
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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?
elkennethio,

Altibus have responded;

"Indeed there are no buses after 6pm from Moutiers to Les Menuires. But we do put in place a service of "taxiing" (small buses that are to be reserved). We do not have the times yet, they should be communicated to us (and put on the altibus.com site) shortly (end November/beginning December)."

No sign of this yet, time to write again I think.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
It's 12th December and the response I had from Altibus is that travellers should either stay in moutiers for a night or book a taxi which is 100 euros. This is not helpful to those who are travelling on 17th. Tourist information in Val Thorens have also been in touch with the bus company and have called me back.

The mairie has not been able to help, just to sympathise.

Eurostar must know how many passengers there are and could e-mail us all to ask if they can put on a coach.... we'd pay. I just really don't fancy going by taxi.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Altibus have not yet responded to my further enquiry.

I agree the issue should be put in the hands of Eurostar,they should have picked this up much earlier when thetimetale was agreed. They quote Altibus on their website.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
A Eurostar manager called me yesterday. They have misunderstood and thought that the Altibus actually waits for the trains to come in!!

I am to call the manager back in January after my return and report back on my privately arranged transfer.

The Moutiers taxi firms are making a killing at 100 euros a time.

I have booked a private mini bus (80 euros) for our transfer on Saturday and would be willing to share this with anyone else on the eurostar heading up to Val Thorens so it would be cheaper for all of us.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I think you will find that the bus service between Moutiers and Les Menuires is managed by Belle Savoie Express route T3.
http://itineraire.mobisavoie.fr/horaires_ligne/index.asp?rub_code=6&actionButton=SearchByPartner&laDate=&lHeure=&laMinute=&network_id=9
http://itineraire.mobisavoie.fr/horaires_ligne/index.asp?rub_code=6&ladate=14%2F12%2F2011&lheure=11&laminute=13&actionButton=SearchByPartner&network_id=9&lign_id=408

Unfortunately the timetable page is not providing advanced information but that Altibus page is showing the last bus at 18:00.

The Altibus from Geneva dumps you at Moutiers Gare Routiere and you catch the Belle Savoie Express T3 service up to Les Menuires. If a bus is not available they put you in a taxi.
If you come in on Eurostar you need to catch the Belle Savoie Express T3 service also.

I have always found the best way to get to a resort is to ask the resort tourist office how they have planned to get me to the resort. If you want to take my money you first need to get me to the resort. Getting me to a resort is their responsibility.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
abominable wrote:
I have always found the best way to get to a resort is to ask the resort tourist office how they have planned to get me to the resort. If you want to take my money you first need to get me to the resort. Getting me to a resort is their responsibility.


And how does that normally go down in France?
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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.
I have always got to the ski resort .................................... and they have always got my money.

And from what I hear over here in Oz, those in the Euro zone want money desperately.


Back in the 1980s, before the internet, information of how to get to a ski resort was hard to come by, especially if you lived in Oz .
I adopted an approach - get as close to the resort as I can by rail and then look for the means that resort had put in place to complete my journey.
Often it was just a case of follow the crowd that got off the train. It never failed and got rid of the worry of how was I going to get to the resort.

In the case of the change to the Eurostar timetable, the bus owners only need to be alerted to the problem, do their maths and they could well revise their timetable to suit. They have a depot in Moutiers near the station. I think it is Transdev Savoie (Transavoie) but not sure.
Transdev Savoie Moutiers
434, Faubourg de la Madeleine
73600 MOUTIERS
Tél. : 04.79.24.21.58
Fax : 04.79.24.16.93
www.transavoie.com
email = infos@transavoie-moutiers.com
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
judewright, Your approach of prebooking a minibus is a good one and I am sure you will get some takers to help fill it up on the train down to Moutiers. I shall suggest this approach to my many visitors in the new year, which company did you use please? I am also having an interesting dialogue with Eurostar on this lack of coordination.
Have a good trip, looks like the conditions will be great, I don't arrive until the 22nd.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Replying to my own post!

Following a protracted debate with Eurostar and after informing a well known travel correspondent of the situation I have now received the following response.

"Thank you for your e mail,
sorry for the delay in the reply I have more clarification as to the position with the connections to resort.
This weekend 17/12/11 we are arranging alternative transport and are working on a solution with the coach providers for the rest of the season.
We are putting together an e-mail for travellers that will be affected by the change of time and in the e-mail it will highlight the options for bus or taxi for travellers transfers."
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