 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Guys
Just a quick query regarding a situation that has reared its ugly head for our Xmas ski trip to Ski Anton.
I’ve managed to arrange 5 of us on a decent chalet package the week before Xmas. One of my friends has now been told he needs to work half of that week so is contemplating flying out and meeting us half way through the holiday.
We are due to fly on Sunday 16th December and if he can’t get the leave confirmed is wondering how feasible it would be to fly out on the Tuesday after work and join us for 4 days skiing.
So, what would be the best option from London and what is the chance of him leaving after work on the Tuesday and arriving in resort that evening? We've started looking at Munich, Zurich, but are struggling to find connections that will get him in so he can ski from the Wednesday.
Price is also a sensitive issue.
Any suggestions greatly welcomed.
Ps – He’s started looking for a new job so hopefully it won’t come to that.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Trains from Munich should be relatively easy and cheap - just not sure if they run late enough to get him in the resort on Tuesday night. If you can find a cheap flight on Tue night to Innsbruck that should do the trick.
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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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horizon, doesn't look like there is anything direct in the evening to Innsbruck which is a shame.
I did suggest he flies out on the Sunday with us, has a few days in resort then phones his boss to say he's snowed in and can't get back. Unfortunately he's way too nice to do that.
I've also suggested that as we have a single room in the mix that I'm pretty sure we could shift it with a name change and we arrange a DIY package for him if he definitely cant get the leave/get a new job.
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When we worked in St Anton our chalet guests used to fly into Friedrichshafen (Germany). I'm not sure of transfers, but think it's the closest. There's flights at 5ish and 6ish on the Tue.
Another option is to fly to Vienna (easyjet are showing a flight at about 5pm for £82) and then take the overnight train to St Anton.
The Austrian trains route planner is here http://fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/query.exe/en?
I seem to remember they ran pretty late in the evening, maybe through the night in some places.
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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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is there not loads of flights from London to Innsbruck - easyjet and BA??? If so, that's your best bet. Friedrichshafen not really an option anymore since Ryanair pulled out. Have a look at the Lufthansa options via Frankfurt too.
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Zurich is doable after work but you'd need a hire car to get to St Anton that night. Best bet might be to find a seasonnaire with a car willing to go pick him up for £50 plus petrol money.
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Memmingen is also another airport possibility. When looking at transfers to STA, there is also Arlberg Express that run coaches and they tend to tie in the times with some of the main arrivals at Zurich.
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It seems it can be done, but would completely blow his budget. I've had a look at indirect options but these seem to be the cost of a small holiday.
It's stupid him spending a crazy amount more, for less of a holiday. I might suggest to him that we fill his place with someone else and organise flights/accommodation separately for him.
He could fly to Innsbruck on the Wednesday morning, but by the time he gets to the resort, you may as well wipe that day out for skiing too.
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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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Boosterfaceman, any chance he can work afternoons/evenings and ski during the day, say til 2pm???
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Problem #2 - if he doesn't use the outward flight, will he be able to use the flight home that is part of the package?
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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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What time is the earliest flight he could make - loads of swiss flights to zurich. Also if you can get flights to Memmingem, Innsbruck or Friedruchshafen you could use http://www.ski-express-arlberg.de/index.php/price.html . We used them for a private transfer from Zurich and they were brilliant but they also do a shared transfer.
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kitenski, That would be a perfect solution, I may suggest that to him, as he's described that week at work as an admin week.
thefatcontroller, train could also be an option, but I think it'll mean leaving London early doors to meet the connections.
He said he's resigned to a flight and train. Looks like we can get him into Munich, then get a train from the airport at 2244, via Munich Hbf and Schwarzach-St.Veit which will arrive into St Anton Am Arlberg at 0608, ready for a hearty breakfast at the chalet followed by some serious catch up skiing.
The length some people go to!
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You know it makes sense.
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Boosterfaceman, last train from ZCH airport to St A is 20:20. fly from LCY after work to connect. str8 fwd
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Cheers for all the advice.
I think he's going to go for a Luton - Zurich flight, arriving 1945, hopefully (once the timetables are released) getting a train a 2030 arriving St Anton 2317. Either that or get a later train overnight (2 changes) getting in at 0608 to overdose on coffee and hit the pistes.
I still think he's mad...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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thefatcontroller, his holiday has effectively doubled in price. What worked out at around GBP100 per actual day skied (includes transport, accommodation, rental, lift pass etc), is now looking at costing GBP200 per actual day skiied.
And he was the one with the biggest budget restraints!
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Boosterfaceman, Someone wrote on here a while back that the trick to a skiing holiday is to pay each element on a different credit card and never, ever total up the whole holiday 
Would he have lost the lot if he had pulled out?
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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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The best rationale for this sort of thing is to treat it as a bonus long weekend then work out how much in lost days' pay you've "saved" by not spending it traditionally e.g. at 5 days' leave for 6 days of skiing. This fallacious reasoning sees me sneak a surprising number of bonus weekends past my fiscal conscience. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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thefatcontroller, he’d have only lost his deposit, which is GBP150.00. We had two twins and a single (which I claimed for organising!). I’d have happily dropped the single and shared though if that’s what he’d wanted or thought was best.
Now I’ve been tasked with finding him alternative arrangements, which I don’t mind helping with but he doesn’t understand his choices are limited and that he needs to be a bit flexible.
He’s just desperate to ski again before he hears the skidding of small skis.
fatbob, I've flipped it slightly differently and said to him he'll save a bundle on après-ski drinks and he'll be less inclined to stop and overindulge on hill top lunches.
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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 tend to break it down into the smallest chunks I possibly can and pay them all at separate intervals. Paying for myself only, a series of expenditures from £50-£280 this year didn't feel too bad...
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