 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been invited to address a conference in Biel in March. The chance sounds too good to miss. Thinking of a day or two in Wengen, since it's heavily promoted here. Or is there anywhere that's closer or not-too-far-away and better? (I'm reasonably quick and bullet-proof anywhere on piste; probably wouldn't bother with off piste on a flying visit.)
And now, a variation on a theme. I notice that Basel is the nearest airport to Biel - but it's actually in France. Does anyone know if it's straightforward to hire a car there with all the right equipment and permits to take into Switzerland? Where does one park for Wengen (ISTR the village is car-free)? I would do everything by train, but on a tight schedule, I'm not sure it would work.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Wengen.
Train it.
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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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If you drive, the final stage is a cog-train from Lauterbrunnen, there is a large multi-storey car park by the station in Lauterbrunnen.
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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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Last time I looked at a map Basel was in Switzerland 
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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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laundryman, Mulhouse is in France and that is actually where the airport is, but the 2 countries share responsibility for the airport, customs and border control. It is quasi " neutral territory" between the two countries.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Between Biel and Wengen there are at least Lenk/Adelboden and Gstaad/Diablerets from a side road off Spiez. Will check it out in 3 weeks time myself.
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saikee, I'd be v. interested in your report. Thanks all.
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Can anyone recommend a hotel in Wengen that's likely to accept a midweek booking for a couple of nights?
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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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I once hired from the French side of Basel (way cheaper than Swiss side and direct onto motorway) in March.
All going well until we had 50cm in the village overnight the day before I was flying home. That was when I noticed the summer tyres (and no chains). The most fraught journey of my life followed.
I suppose that is a tale about not specifying winter kit rather than Basel. If you can't get a winter equipped car I'd go Swiss
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As already mentioned, Basel airport has two sides (like Geneva) and both have car hire. Car hire is generally cheaper on the French side, but you won't get winter kit as standard or a Swiss motorway Vignette, so factor that in when comparing costs. Often if you do specify chains as an option the French hire companies don't have them so you have to stop somewhere and buy them then claim the money back, which is a faff you could do without.
Drive from Basel to Wengen was painless when I did it.
Powderbeds list some places there that do short breaks, could be worth a try.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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laundryman, mid march I suspect most of the hotels in Wengen may be able to accommodate you, Would recommend the Alpenrose if you don't mind the steep uphill walk in the morning. I've never known them not to have excellent food, alternatively if you want as cheap as possible there is the Bernerhof hotel at the end of the main street and if you want very nice and are willing to pay just opposite the Bernerhof is the Shonegg
As others here have said, take the train, it's roughly as fast as driving and no parking to pay either  Basel to Interlaken Ost then change to Lauterbrunnen (Platform 2) and change again to Wengen, no choice about the changes there are three different track widths.
Get a Swiss Transfer ticket to cover the cost of Basel to Wengen (or wherever) return it's cheaper than the return fair from Basel (only by a little though I think)
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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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Oh, should also say, when returning take the car back to the side you got it from to avoid a big bill! Approaching from Switzerland the airport signs will take you to the Swiss side (logical really!) up a long feeder road. For the French side ignore the airport signs and follow the motorway into France.
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Thanks all.
D G Orf, thanks for the hotel recommendations - I knew you'd be the man! I'll actually be staying beforehand in Biel: would that tilt the balance in favour of a car?
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You know it makes sense.
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laundryman,
If you can't find a place in the recommended hotels, most Swiss tourist boards will put a request round to the various hotels and you will get offers.
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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 have spent 2 days skiing Lenk and Adelboden which has a combined piste length of 200km a few days ago.
Then I spent 2 days going through Zweisimmen and Gstaad which has 220km piste. Gstaad is apparently very upmarket as it got the Palace Hotel, charging 900CHF to stay overnight, at the background. The town itself has a lot of jewellery and design shops like those dominate Aspen and St Moritz. It was reported Madonna went there recently to learn ski.
These two resorts Lenk/Adelboden and Gstaad do not have high level but we hit it when a heavy dump was reported around Christmas so snow was no problem at all.
Each has about 7 to 8 unlinked areas so it is a huge job to ski them all so we only sample the largest areas which were reasonably well linked.
I didn't see many UK visitors as these resorts, similar to the majority of the Swiss resorts, have virtually no night life. Skiing was top notch though and we were glad to have all 4 days in nice sun shine. Most people we met were local Swiss.
We went to ski two days afterward in Monte Rosa comprising of 3 valleys Alagna, Gressoney and Champoluc. This domain was brilliant but we found many of the blue runs in Lenk/Adelboden/Gstaad were steeper than the red runs in Monte Rosa.
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Poster: A snowHead
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laundryman, in all honest probably not, however it would probably be worth checking train fares and comparing to both the Swiss Transfer Ticket and Car Hire, the Transfer Ticket will take you from the border to Biel and from the Resort back to Basel station but I believe you will need to pay for the transport bus between the airport and the station at Basle, you'd also need a single ticket from Biel to Wengen
One way 2nd Class to Biel from Basel is 28 CHf from Biel to Wengen is 49.60 CHf and Wengen to Basel is 69.60 Total price 147.20 Chf A Swiss Transfer ticket is £90 2nd Class and you'd need to add 49.60 Chf to that so going by train it's better in this case to get individual tickets
I suspect once you add in fuel and parking getting a hire car will probably be more than this, plus no worrying about snow chains or motorway vignettes etc
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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DG, I think the airport bus from BSL to the station is included in the transfer ticket
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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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pjd, I wasn't sure and I can't find an up to date map of links that are included to check so I went on the side of caution
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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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laundryman, seem to remember Engelberg being pretty close to Basel if you want something a bit different with a better chance of some off piste...
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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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Thinking of Engelberg why not go crazy and stay overnight in the Iglu's there? Includes a night hike under the stars when everyone else has gone and you are guaranteed to be first on the slopes in the morning! http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/igloo-adventure.html
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