Why train ski holidays are the way forward

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Blog, News & ski tips

Why train ski holidays are the way forward

Published: Feb. 22, 2022

Content

1 Traveling by ovenight train to the Alps means that you sleep on the way and get extra time on the slopes. So what are your options?

2 Overnight Eurostar Ski Train

3 Eurostar + Alpen Express to Austria

4 Eurostar + Nightjet to Austria

5 Live an amazing experience! The Glacier Express (Zermatt - St Moritz)

5.1 What are couchettes like?

5.2 Dinner on the way

5.3 Luggage

Fed up of airport queues or long drives? Trains take away much of the stress that comes with flying and are a far less taxing option than driving. Sitting comfortably with friends or family, space to move about and stunning scenery on the way are just some of the benefits of going by train . If you travel overnight, you can wake up ready for an extra day on the slopes. You can do this on both legs of the journey, giving you more skiing days.

In recent years taking the train to the slopes of Europe has become an increasingly popular choice for skiers and snowboarders looking for a more enjoyable alternative to flying.

Eurostar's famous ski train runs outbound to the Alps overnight on Fridays throughout the season and back on Saturdays. It is an enjoyable and environmentally friendly way of getting to the mountains.

Why take the ski train vs flying?

Many people assume flying down to the Alps is the easiest and quickest option but actually taking the train can sometimes take less time and has far more perks. Although it might not suit everyone, it's definitely worth considering. Read more about what it can offer your party - you may be surprised!

1. Excellent value compared to flying on peak dates

Eurostar ticket prices are generally cheaper on peak dates than flying. When checked against a major airline for the same date and similar times it was almost twice the price for adults and almost three times the price for children.

2. Free ski carriage

Pay absolutely nothing for your ski carriage while on board Eurostar. Airlines can charge in excess of £70 per item. On Eurostar you can take up to 2 bags 85cm long each, 1 piece of hand luggage and 1 pair of skis and snowboard per person. There is no weight restriction on luggage either (or restrictions on liquids, apart from alcohol), so you don't have to worry about sticking to your 20kg; just keep an eye on the size of bag (as above).

3. Enjoy the stunning French scenery

Looking out at the French countryside flying by from a train window certainly beats the view from a plane window on a cloudy day - you could even play a game of eye spy with the kids!

4. It's quicker than flying

Ok so maybe not every route is quicker, but a lot depends on where you stay. The train is super convenient for Les Arcs for example. If you taken into account the time you take to get to the airport, check in, queue for security, wait in departures, take the flight, go back through security the other side, collect your luggage, get your transfer...you get the picture, with the train you can miss out a few of these steps and enjoy your journey.

5.Great for kids

Taking the train definitely gives children a bit more freedom. There is plenty of space, more leg room and wider isolates. On some of the newer trains, there is also on board WiFi - that will keep the whole family happy.

6. On-board cafes

The on-board buffet serves snacks, hot meals and hot and cold drinks, perfect for grabbing a bite to eat and stretching your legs!

Traveling by ovenight train to the Alps means that you sleep on the way and get extra time on the slopes. So what are your options?

Overnight Eurostar Ski Train

On paper, the direct overnight Eurostar Ski Train sounds like an excellent way to get two extra days on the slopes. You leave London at about 8pm on a Friday and travel direct — to arrive at the foot of a host of ski resorts in the Tarentaise region of France

Eurostar + Alpen Express to Austria

You can travel overnight from London to Austria's ski resorts with a dedicated sleeper train for skiers, called the Alpen Express. We only discovered it recently, because it wasn't being proactively marketed to the UK. The train runs from Holland via Germany to a wide range of ski resorts in Austria.

Eurostar + Nightjet to Austria

You can travel overnight from London to Austria's ski resorts - and one of options, which runs every night, is a combination of:

1. Eurostar from London to Brussels
2. Thalys or ICE from Brussels to Cologne
3. NightJet sleeper train from Cologne to the Tirol region of Austria

The NightJet, which is run by Austrian national operator OBB, has couchettes with flat beds, so you can lie flat and enjoy a good night's sleep on you way to the slopes.

Live an amazing experience! The Glacier Express (Zermatt - St Moritz)

The Glacier Express is an eight-hour train journey through the Swiss Alps, and it's known as one of the most scenic in the world.

The Glacier Express is a regularly scheduled train service between Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn and St Moritz in the Engadin skiing area. Billed as Europe's slowest express, its a narrow-gauge train which takes 7½ hours to cover just over 290 km (180 miles), at an average of around 24 mph. But you won't mind, as spectacular Swiss mountain scenery unfolds outside the train's panoramic sightseeing windows while you eat lunch accompanied by crisp Swiss white wine

What are couchettes like?

Couchettes are compartments that contain beds, known as "berths" - with six or four berths in each couchette. You get freshly-laundered sheets, a pillow, quilt, and a small bottle of water. There's a main light and also a reading light by each bed. The couchette door is lockable from inside. Upper berths have straps that prevent you from rolling out of bed onto the floor

Couchettes are normally mixed sex carriages, but you can request a single sex couchette too. On most sleeper trains you can convert the couchette beds to seating in the morning.

Dinner on the way

The Eurostar Ski Train has a cafe bar - and you can bring food on board too. There's a lively, friendly atmosphere with everyone excited to be arriving in the Alps the next morning.

If you are traveling via Paris and taking a Corail Lunea sleeper train or City Night Line, you won't find a cafe bar on board. The Corail Lunea has snack machines only, so it's better to have dinnner in Paris, or bring your own food onboard, stocking up with filled baguettes from the cafes or kiosks at the resort.

Lunch on the Glacier Express

Luggage

The Eurostar Ski Train has overhead racks for skis, and space for luggage in special compartments at the end of each carriage.

On the sleeper train from Paris, in a six-berth couchette the under-the-bed spaces will fit two snowboard bags or three pairs of skis each.

There is a large luggage space for bags behind the upper couchette beds, and then space on the floor in the middle of the compartment as well. However, if the couchette is full and everyone has big bags it can feel a little pushed for room, but it does work out ok.

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