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RETURN TICKET TO THE SLOPES
After a turbulent return flight from Barcelona – one of a few I had taken that year – I felt somebody was trying to tell me that I should try another mode of travel for my next few holidays. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a terrible flyer. I can sit down and divert my mind with a book as long as the journey is pretty smooth. Trouble is, delays and bad weather had made my nervousness an extra piece of baggage that I was no longer willing to carry.
After booking a skiing holiday in early September 2005, I thought I’d take the train to the resort. The train has the added bonus of adding a couple of days to your holiday and, depending on your ticket or your temperament, you can take advantage of the on-board disco car. I talked to a few of my fellow skiers and managed to talk enough of them into filling a size-berth standard class cabin.
Booking and arrangements
Booking ski train tickets is easy. There are two companies that run ski connection services: Snow Train (part of the pan-European rail network) and Eurostar. The snow train service starts from Gare du Nord and is a sleeper service. The Eurostar version goes during the day from London Waterloo, but is only seats – not a sleeper service. Rail Europe’s sleeper service is referred to as ‘the snow train’; Eurostar’s version is called ‘the ski train’.
I was booking my ski package of accommodation, ski pass, travel and transfers through a specialist ski operator. When I mentioned that there were a few of us thinking about getting the snow train they were very helpful. The days of cut-price air travel meant that I would have to pay a supplement of £80 (US $150/€120), plus my initial Eurostar ticket to get me to Paris. However, when I mentioned the reason I was going by train was because I was scared of flying the operator waived my supplement. This waiver is by no means standard, but it’s worth a try. Most travel agents will be able to get you a deal on whatever ticket you are after. Prices can be found on the respective websites at the bottom of the page.
Booking ski train tickets is easy. There are two companies that run ski connection services: Snow Train (part of the Rail Europe network) and Eurostar. The snow train starts from Paris Gare du Nord and is a sleeper service. The Eurostar version goes during the day from London Waterloo, but is only seats – not a sleeper service. Rail Europe’s sleeper service is referred to as ‘the snow train’; Eurostar’s version is called ‘the ski train’.
The Eurostar website – Eurostar being the company that runs the train service between London and Paris for those unfamiliar – has a section devoted to ski train travel. Similarly, the snow train service has an equally comprehensive website. If you are not travelling on the direct Eurostar train, picking up the snow train at Gare du Nord, it is worth bearing in mind the time you will need to get to the departure point. I mixed the best of both worlds, travelling via Eurostar from London, neatly arriving in Paris Gare du Nord to connect with the Rail Europe service. I’d left enough time to grab some dinner at a local restaurant and see me through the night. The overnight snow train takes around eight hours, depending on your destination, so it is worth taking some supplies with you.
If you are transferring direct from Eurostar you can leave your bags in a secure area of the station. When you get off the train, you’ll see a row of trolleys on the platform. Each trolley will have a letter that relates to a compartment of the ski train. Check your ski train ticket and put your baggage on the relevant trolley. The bags are secured on a closed platform, but if you’d prefer you can hang on to your bag or place them in the left luggage facility at the station instead.
On the train
When it comes to boarding the ski train there is no great scrum for seats. The platform opens well before the train departs. Although each compartment has plenty of room for storage, you may find that oversize cases are a little too rigid to squeeze under the seats or sit on the racks. Try to take a large, flexible bag – such as a large sports bag – that will slide under the seats and enable you to make best use of your cabin space.
Stepping onto the train, you will be faced with a long corridor, with the cabins coming off on the left-hand side. Though the corridor is snug, there are windows along the length of each carriage and plenty of room to walk up and down. At the either end of each carriage there are a couple of toilets, with a basin big enough to have a quick wash and clean your teeth in the morning. It is worth having some idea of when you are arriving at your destination so you can avoid the inevitable queue for the facility. If you hear the call of nature during the night it is no problem; the corridor stays lit throughout the journey. The cabins are lockable, so can be as private as you want them to be.
The cabins comprise two rows of facing seats. The seats themselves are comfortable enough and there is a decent amount of legroom, once you have got your cases out of the way. The standard class cabin has capacity for six passengers. The rows of seats slide down to form two beds, the other four beds come down from the wall in a cantilever action. Although it is entirely up to you what time you pull the beds down, the conductor will come and construct the beds for you around about 10:30. The beds are comfortable, though the top beds are accessed via a ladder, so a certain amount of flexibility is needed. It’s probably worth visiting the loo first if you are going to sleep in one of the these beds, navigating the ladder on a moving train in the dark can test your co-ordination.
Each bed comes with a blanket and pillow and the cabin is kept a snug temperature, though there is a temperature control button. The windows can be opened - though this can be a bit noisy - and have a blackout cover. By each bed is a personal light, so you can catch up on some reading should your fellow passengers go to bed early. It is worth remembering that, should you not be in a party of six, you will be travelling at close quarters with a few strangers. This might be an ideal time for you to break out the bread, wine and pate that you bought in Paris. If you prefer a more private cabin, you can either choose a slightly more expensive first class option or pay extra to book the rest of the cabin. A first class cabin also entitles you to a couple of complimentary bottles of water, coffee and croissants, some towels and a personal washbasin.
If you are travelling on an overnight sleeper service elsewhere in Europe, the first class passengers will generally enjoy first crack at the restaurant car. The ski train comes only with a buffet car for light snacks and refreshment; an all-night bar and disco car replaces the restaurant. If you are not the type to take advantage of this offer it is worth requesting a cabin away from this area.
Aside from the conductor coming in to sort out the beds, the only other time you will see them is when they collect your passports. Don’t be alarmed at parting with your passport, the conductor collects them to show to the border guards so you aren’t awoken in the night. Your only job is to be awake when it comes to your stop, though usually the guard will ensure this when they knock to give your passport back. It is worth being organised when it comes to your stop, as the train doesn’t hang around for too long and those groggy from the disco car may well find themselves on board the next stop if they aren’t off sharply.
Arriving at your destination
Depending on where you are staying, the train will get you in to your destination with enough time to make use of your extra day on the slope. At the very least, you should have enough time to find your accommodation, unpack, have a look round and get to the hire shop, jumping the scrum for equipment the next morning. Most stops are within a short drive of the resort. I alighted at Moutiers, for the La Tania resort, close to Courcheval. If you have booked through a tour operator, you will probably be met by a rep that will drive you to your resort. If you are travelling independently, each station is well served by taxis and resorts and station are connected by good local bus services. It is worth checking that you train arrival time ties in with the check in time for accommodation to avoid hanging around in the cold. The only thing left to do, once you are in your accommodation, is enjoy your holiday.
And another interesting train holiday to read about......."First Class to Tuscany "
USEFUL WEBSITES:
http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/destinations/direct_services/ski_train.jsp
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