 Poster: A snowHead
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Going to train it to Vallandry next year, travelling on half term saturday on the daytime train from St Pancras, back overnight the following Saturday.
I know there's a mad scramble for tickets when they become available, but assuming we get in early how much can we realistically expect to pay? We'll have adults, some "youths" (12/13 year old) and a "child" (11).
Did anyone get in early this year and wouldn't mind sharing the damage? I know there's returns at under £200 if you're not going at half term, but I was wondering how much they shot up at half term.
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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andy from embsay, I am not sure there is any price difference from other weekends, but you'll have to be quick because the Tour Operators book it out in blocks and it's almost impossible to get booked on...
We thought about it for Christmas 2012/13 and for 2 adults, 1 youth and 1 child it was around £1500 return travelling on the same trains as you. So we flew. We would rather have driven which for 4 is a load cheaper but that's another story.
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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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We've got a travel agent who apparently gets early notification of the tickets so hopefully we'll be in as early as anyone. Were you booking early?
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If you are prepared to cross Paris on the Metro you have more options and nearly always cheaper. My best target prices for return travel is £120 for Saturday-Saturday. This was a very good deal, probably more for half term week.
Time examples are leave St Pancras at 08:25 - arrive Bourg 17:30 - only takes 30 minutes more overall than the ski-train, even though you spend an hour crossing 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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Thanks AndrewsPeppers, I've looked at the via Paris option, and if the direct one turns out to be prohibitively expensive we'll go for that - but of course Eurostar we can have it booked and sorted in July whereas the paris option won't be on sale til November.
Did anyone Eurostar this year at half term?
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I went by Eurostar at half term (though there were two weeks for half term this year, ours was the earlier one) and we paid £170 return per adult, and £120 return per child. When comparing the cost to flying remember to factor in the cheaper transfer you get from the station. We even added some friends to the journey a few weeks before travelling, and it wasn't prohibitively expensive though they did opt to come via Paris on the return leg as that saved around £100 each at the time they were booking.
snowcarbon.co.uk is an excellent resource for this.
I've done both the Paris version and the direct one. The direct one is better if you have children and lots of bags, but the break in Paris can be quite pleasant if you're not so encumbered. My favourite option is to change in Paris for the sleeper train, which is often about the same price.
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That's great, kieranm - that's the sort of price I was hoping we might get (I'm mentally budgeting £250 a head) - we'll be going down in the day on Saturday and we're flexible as to whether we come back daytime or overnight. So ideally we'd like to go down on the direct train, but if it's bonkers expensive we'll maybe take a chance on the via Paris option - I hadn't really thought of doing that during the day, but as we'll probably stay in London Friday night we could get an early Eurostar and a TGV about lunchtime to Bourg.
Did you book super-early?
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We went on the day time train at New year a few years ago with younger children and I don't remember having much change from £1000 (although I think we went first class one way as there weren't any second class tickets left). If you are willing to travel overnight you will probably get a cheaper deal. The daytime tickets sell out fastest.
We have done the changing in Paris option for resorts which can't be accessed by the direct train. If you are going to Moutiers or Bourg I'd really recommend paying the higher price for the direct service. It is so nice to get on in London or Ashford and know you don't have to move your bags until the alps. It is also more complicated buying tickets for four people when you are changing trains in Paris as you have to buy the london to paris bit a month earlier and then hope you can get the french TGV tickets to match up with the Eurostar.
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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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We would love to try the train from London to Aime. But every time I have tried driving is always cheaper for 4 of us. 
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Thanks snowymum - as the cheapest flights even now are £318 before you start adding on bags and transfers from Chambery I'd be quite comfortable with a grand for four of us! I agree about the direct, so we'll do that if possible.
Although a thought - do either the TGV or the Eurostar ski train stop anywhere in-between either Paris or Ashford respectively? Mrs AfE isn't keen on a 5 hour non-stop train journey (doesn't like the idea of not being able to get off) so a few intermediate stops might be good.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| boredsurfin wrote: |
| We would love to try the train from London to Aime. But every time I have tried driving is always cheaper for 4 of us. |
I suspect it wouldn't be much cheaper from up in t'dales (we'll get free Leeds-London train tickets), but even so I gave up that driving a long way thing many years ago!
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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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andy from embassy - from memory the train stops at Ashford and then doesn't stop again until Albertville (service stop only). The only scheduled stops are Moutiers, Aime la plagne and bourg st maurice. On the way back it doesn't stop at aime la plagne.
I quite like the fact that it doesn't stop and you don't have cold draughts with the doors opening at stations and people constantly moving bags like on normal trains.
If you do the Eurostar + TGV option you will get more stops. Some Eurostars stop at Lille. The TGVs stop a couple of times before the alps.
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And if that isn't enough options, another variation I've done is to get to Paris late in the evening, book a cheap but reasonable motel room for the night, then early train to the Alps arriving in time for lunch. If you're budgeting to spend a night in London anyway then you might find spending the night in Paris just as cheap/convenient. This has worked well for me when I haven't been able to book as soon as the tickets go on sale as you're then using off-peak trains where the price is still low.
Andy from Embsay: the £170 tickets were booked a few days after they went on sale in July. Say hello to the dales for me - I was brought up in Airton and used to go sailing on the reservoir in Embsay.
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You know it makes sense.
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| kieranm wrote: |
And if that isn't enough options, another variation I've done is to get to Paris late in the evening, book a cheap but reasonable motel room for the night, then early train to the Alps arriving in time for lunch. If you're budgeting to spend a night in London anyway then you might find spending the night in Paris just as cheap/convenient. This has worked well for me when I haven't been able to book as soon as the tickets go on sale as you're then using off-peak trains where the price is still low.
Andy from Embsay: the £170 tickets were booked a few days after they went on sale in July. Say hello to the dales for me - I was brought up in Airton and used to go sailing on the reservoir in Embsay. |
I wondered about stopping off in paris but the problem is getting Skipton to Leeds then Leeds to London in time for a Eurostar to Paris on a Friday night.
I'll say hi to the rezzie as our kids call it!
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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 think you have loooked at all the options and probably decided to go for the convenience of the direct Eurostar ski-train.
But for information note that you can book the whole journey from London to Bourg & the other Tarentaise stations on the Eurostar website even if it requires a change of train in Paris if you are going Saturday to Saturday (possibly also Fridays). And sometimes you can get the £120 bargain return price that I got. But the downside is that Eusostar can't open up the through booking until SNCF releases their system three months ahead, so you are stuck if you want to pin everthing down well in advance.
The SNCF direct services to Bourg, Moutiers, etc are also non-stop from Paris Lyon to Albertville, then stop at Moutiers, Aime, etc.
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Poster: A snowHead
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andy from embsay, It was early November for a 22 Dec travel date.
We had a very bad experience one Feb half term. It was about 10 years ago so I hope they've improved. We booked Eurostar to Paris but then could not get a train to the Alps. Eventually Rail Europe found us a sleeper and that was all they had. We spent the day in Paris (took our bags to Gare d'Austerlitz and left them there for the day) and then pitched up for the sleeper train at 11pm. The station was so crowded you actually couldn't move due to multiple sleepers all leaving at similar times. The station was like a bombsite - no open loos, cafe etc. The train was out of the ark (1945?)with a very disgusting loo and no hand wash water. The couchettes were split brown vinyl and the bottom 2 were broken, so the other 2 people who had booked them ended up rescheduled. We had 2 small kids. There was no ladder to the top bunks which were quite high up. Luckily those 2 bunks were broken or we would have had nowhere to put bags. It was a disaster. Everyone was complaining and the French guard just did the gallic shrug. Never again! When we got to resort we went straight to the SNCF office and swapped the return tickets for the only 2 first class and 2 standing tickets for the TGV back to Paris on the Friday and paid out to stay overnight in Paris rather than go on that sleeper again.
You have been warned. I'm sure the Eurostar/TGV one is delightful. Maybe I'll be brave enough one day...while we travel with more than 2 of us it just is a lot more expensive.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have booked the Eurostar on the morning of the ticket sale (for half-term 2011), it was still pretty expensive though I think it was about £300. It is loads cheaper on other weekends! I have found the ticket prices are much much higher for school holiday times (sometimes twice the cost.)
If you travel on SNCF, Swiss or Austrian railways then it is lots cheaper - they are standard fares but the getting to Paris may be expensive (in comparison.) I looked at the Eurostar some time before Christmas ( not super early this year) and it was about £400! I travelled on the coach with Skimeribel at £200 and got off at Moutiers. It really was a sleeper coach and I found Skimeribel really excellent. I actually slept and had leg room. I am 6ft 3 with long legs. The cheapest Eurostar price I could get at Easter (SCGB discount) was £220 - the price does sometimes go down for these tickets.
I have found it cheaper travelling to St Anton on the train (at half-term) than getting to BSM directly.
I do not reckon you will get a Half-term ticket for £250 on the Eurostar Direct. Why not phone Eurostar and find out how much they charged this year?
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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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snowyowl, yuk. I think, from looking at the snowcarbon website, that the sleepers have improved, but our order of preference is:
1. daytime direct, St P to BSM, return overnight BSM to St P direct
2. daytime via paris, return o/n via Paris
3. erm...fly?
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Thanks JayDub - we're stuck with the train - 2 kids and a wife who wont fly, so I guess we'll just have to pay what it costs - at least our youngest will be slightly cheaper as she'll still be under 12...
We 're open minded about going via Paris though, so we'll be able to take some cost out that way (hopefully!).
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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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andy from embsay, I booked Eurostar via Paris and then Grenoble for 1/2 term this year. I booked late (December) because I did not get organised earlier (although a dislocated ankle and broken leg distracted me) --- payed £270 per person return.
The TGV (especially 1st class) is much more comfortable than Eurostar (and not much more expensive), but you do have to navigate through Paris. Assuming you are not carrying skis then it's a relatively short walk (5-7 Mins) to the RER, and the 10 mins to Gare Du Lyon, and another 5 mins or so to the train. IMV it's easily the least horrible way to get to the mountains.
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ski, we'll have skis and 2 kids, so the pre-booked taxi axcross Paris will be our plan if we go that way. That's reassuring that you managed to get a vaguely sensible price. When you say "via Grenoble" was that London-Paris-Grenoble (change trains) - Bourg?
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| Quote: |
our order of preference is:
1. daytime direct, St P to BSM, return overnight BSM to St P direct
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Of all the options, I would avoid the overnight direct train. It's just a standard Eurostar, not couchettes, so unless you're happy sleeping in a seat you'll unlikely get much rest. If you do take this option and you want to sleep then paying a bit more for "premier" seats is perhaps worth it. Compared to one of the proper sleeper services to Paris, where I've never failed to get a good night's sleep, it's very much second choice. Fair to say I've not had an experience like snowyowl though.
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Yes, i'd heard the overnight eurostar's not the greatest but i was thinking that as we'll be going home we could live with the lack of sleep - although i'm open to the sleeper - just want to suss out what time we'll get home on the Sunday with either option.
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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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Yes I forgot to say in my earlier post that if you are taking the overnight train I'd only recommend the first (premier) option..the standard class seats are fine for day journeys but a bit upright for sleeping in. It is not that easy to sleep in premier either as the seats only recline partially but it is a pleasanter experience all round and you get the odd meal and glass of wine thrown in.
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Thanks snowymum, I have told the travel agent who's keeping an eye out for the ticket release that we'll go first/premium if it's not a lot more.
We do have standards, after all. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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andy from embsay,
| Quote: |
When you say "via Grenoble" was that London-Paris-Grenoble (change trains) - Bourg?
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Nope -- to Grenoble, but the costs would be the same.
If you plan on a taxi --- allow at least an hour and a half between trains ---it's waaaaaaaaaay slower than the RER.
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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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[quote="ski"
If you plan on a taxi --- allow at least an hour and a half between trains ---it's waaaaaaaaaay slower than the RER.[/quote]
Really? Snowcarbon reckons 25-40 mins (or is that a different station)?
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You know it makes sense.
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andy from embsay, Snowcarbon does not allow for the queue, and (especially) Parisien traffic, and the 30 min checkin for Eurostar.
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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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| ski wrote: |
| andy from embsay, Snowcarbon does not allow for the queue, and (especially) Parisien traffic, and the 30 min checkin for Eurostar. |
Not sure I understand - you'd have the 30 min checkin however you got there wouldn't you? I'd assuming pre-booked taxi (which is what snowcarbon talk about) - is the taxi rank what what you meant by queue? They reckon 15-25 mins drive but they say allow an hour. I suspect we'd allow a lot more, being cautious types when it comes to travel!
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Poster: A snowHead
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andy from embsay, Sorry -- I think we are violently in agreement -- yes the I meant the queue.. Agree on the hour for the drive. My 90 mins was the 30 mins for the queue, + an hour for the drive. It's also (not that I have ever done it.....) easy to forget the checkin time when looking at departure time on the web......
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