 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all thanks for the help in advance,
Is getting to the Swiss Alps in winter by train from London feasible (i.e can be done in less than a day) and not at massive expense, flying for us is not an option and would prefer not to drive due to the risk of having to do chains etc.
Also what are your suggestions for large resort (150KM +) thats romantic, Zermatt springs to mind but I'm open to suggestions.
Although we love France, Austria and Italy we have never been to Switzerland and are seeing this as our oppurtunity to not worry about cost as much as usual.
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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jakemanc, Try staying on the train and doing the Glacier Express. It runs from Zermatt to St Morits and everything in between.
You could spend 3 days in 2/3 resorts and sample the scenery inbetween
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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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jakemanc, Yes it is if you can leave London reasonably early in the day, there are now TGV trains from Paris to Bern and various other routes that will get you to various ski resorts inside a day, obviously the earlier in the day you travel the better your chance of making it to resort for dinner.
Zermatt is an obvious choice but I'd also suggest Wengen or possibly Murren in the Bernese Oberland as they are both pretty resorts with 200km+ of ski area, it would I suggest depend on your standard of skiing, Zermatt will suit more advanced skiers whilst Wengen is ideal for intermediates and beginners, the only issue with Wengen is that some hate the slow ride up on the trains
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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 are looking at a 24hr journey doortodoor.
Lots of changeovers.
Swiss trains are mindnumbingly slow.
Just watch a hypnosis video on YouTube and fly there.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Whitegold over states things. I'm sure there are some places in Switzerland that take that long, but there are plenty where it's more like 12 hours from London to your resort. There's a guide to some easy-to-reach-by-train resorts (including some in Switzerland) here:
http://www.snowcarbon.co.uk/ski-resorts
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saas fee may be a little on the small side (100km of slopes) but is in a stunningly beautiful location, surrounded by 4000m peaks. If you are willing to hire a guide for the off-piste, then there is more than enough terrain for a week.
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On a Saturday Leave London on the Eurostar at 09.31 and you can be in Wengen by 20.44 so that's 10 hours 13 mins with arrival in time for a late dinner, you could wait till 11.24 and still be to Wengen at 22.44
During the week it's similar times and I should point out that compared to some resorts Wengen is a pain to get to as you have to use two different narrow gauge railways
Avoid trying to get to St Moritz by train as it appears to have poor connections to London, Gstaad and Verbier have similar times to reach as Wengen, Zermatt adds between 30 mins and an hour on compared to getting to Wengen as does Crans Montana. Sass Fee is slightly longer still
Whichever resort you go to expect a minimum of 3 more likely 4 changes of train with all that this involves, it may be possible to register your baggage so it arrives in your resort once you are off the Eurostar, if you do so remember to take an overnight bag with you as chances are the rest won't arrive until morning. on return the only safe thing to do is take everything with you or send it ahead of you
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The SBB iPhone app is great too.
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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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| jakemanc wrote: |
Hi all thanks for the help in advance,
Is getting to the Swiss Alps in winter by train from London feasible (i.e can be done in less than a day) and not at massive expense, flying for us is not an option and would prefer not to drive due to the risk of having to do chains etc.
Also what are your suggestions for large resort (150KM +) thats romantic, Zermatt springs to mind but I'm open to suggestions.
Although we love France, Austria and Italy we have never been to Switzerland and are seeing this as our oppurtunity to not worry about cost as much as usual.
Thanks! |
Hi Jake,
The snowcarbon site http://www.snowcarbon.co.uk/ is full of very useful and clearly presented information for travelling from the UK to the Alps (and the Pyrenees).
There's also a newish map out which shows (in some detail) the rail network in the Alps and the location of all the ski resorts (well, about 400 of them). It's called the SkiRail Map of the Alps (which I helped to produce so pls excuse the self-promotion).
It gives detailed skiing info (including kms of piste) for each of the 120+ resorts which are directly accessible by train.
You can see a sample of the map here
http://rogerlascellesmaps.co.uk/SkiRail_Product_Information.aspx?area=SkiRail_Product_Information
covering a fair chunk of Switzerland, and find out more about it here http://rogerlascellesmaps.co.uk/SkiRail_Map_Main.aspx
The quickest journey time from the UK to a Swiss city is just over 6 hours (to Geneva), and there are tons of resorts which take about an extra 2 hours to reach. The biggest one is probably Verbier (>400kms) which has a direct rail-connection via Le Chable where (I'm told) the station is right next to the ski lift.
HTH, and good luck with the planning
Neil Neige
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Tue 24-01-12 22:27; edited 2 times in total
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PS just posted the Iglu idea for someone else - also an idea for honeymoon  they are at Engelberg, Gstaad, Davos-Klosters, Zermatt and "Romantic Suite" is an option....http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/igloo-adventure.html
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You know it makes sense.
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| Neil Neige wrote: |
| jakemanc wrote: |
Hi all thanks for the help in advance,
Is getting to the Swiss Alps in winter by train from London feasible (i.e can be done in less than a day) and not at massive expense, flying for us is not an option and would prefer not to drive due to the risk of having to do chains etc.
Also what are your suggestions for large resort (150KM +) thats romantic, Zermatt springs to mind but I'm open to suggestions.
Although we love France, Austria and Italy we have never been to Switzerland and are seeing this as our oppurtunity to not worry about cost as much as usual.
Thanks! |
Hi Jake,
The snowcarbon site http://www.snowcarbon.co.uk/ is full of very useful and clearly presented information for travelling from the UK to the Alps (and the Pyrenees).
There's also a newish map out which shows (in some detail) the rail network in the Alps and the location of all the ski resorts (well, about 400 of them). It's called the SkiRail Map of the Alps (which I helped to produce so pls excuse the self-promotion).
It gives detailed skiing info (including kms of piste) for each of the 120+ resorts which are directly accessible by train.
You can see a sample of the map here
http://rogerlascellesmaps.co.uk/SkiRail_Product_Information.aspx?area=SkiRail_Product_Information
covering a fair chunk of Switzerland, and find out more about it here http://rogerlascellesmaps.co.uk/SkiRail_Map_Main.aspx
The quickest journey time from the UK to a Swiss city is just over 6 hours (to Geneva), and there are tons of resorts which take about an extra 2 hours to reach. The biggest one is probably Verbier (>400kms) which has a direct rail-connection via Le Chable where (I'm told) the station is right next to the ski lift.
HTH, and good luck with the planning
Neil Neige |
Great post.
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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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Big thing with the trains in switerland is that they are quite expensive. Buy your ticket online and it will save you alot of money. Also like the rest of europe it has first class and second class. I went in august to a wedding/skiing in Saas-fee. It was a beautiful place and i found the train service very good. Also since most people can speak english quite well, its easy to ask for directions if you get lost! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Fifespud wrote: |
| Great post. |
Thanks. I do bang on about the SkiRail map quite a bit round here but I also try to dish out some practical advice so it's not just a blatant sales pitch!
Only found out today that Geneva Eaux Vives station is shut til 2017 after which it will be really easy and quick to go by train from Geneva Airport to the Chamonix Valley (by which point my knees will probably have packed in so I'll just have to go for the train ride!).
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 25-01-12 21:17; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Neil Neige wrote: |
| Fifespud wrote: |
| Great post. |
Thanks. I do bang on about the SkiRail map quite a bit round here but I also try to dish out some practical advice so it's not just a blatant sales pitch!
Only found out today that Geneva Eaux Vives station is shut til 2017 after which it will be really easy and quick to go by train from Geneva Airport to the Chamonix Valley (by which point my knees will probably have packed in so I'll just have to go for the train ride!). |
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