Account deleted by request

Off to Val D'Isere on Friday, have always flown before but have decided to take the Snow Train to Bourg St Maurice. Mainly as we will get 2 full extra days skiing.

I have heard great things but just wondering if anyone on here has used it and offer any useful tips / advice ?

Cheers peeps

chopper

Brendan Hughes

I hear you'll be as knackered from the partying as from the driving.

Jerome

Considering how long you'll be on the train, seriously consider upgrading to First Class. The food and drink runs out for the plebs long before it does for first class. The extra leg room/wider seats are also a massive improvement.

If you don't go first class, bring your own food and drink - it can be a long trek to find a long queue in the catering carriage/bar, and the food is dire.

Ways to pass the time:

1. Sleep all the way (impossible outside of First Class)
2. Bring an interesting book(s)
3. Get rat-arsed with loads of other skiing/boarding loonies I'd never met before in the catering carriage.

Guess which I picked...

drjsd

Went there last year. Basically, it's carnage. They convert a carriage into a "disco", which lurches from side to side through the points - very interesting! We started drinking at Waterloo, which I wouldn't recommend. By the time you get to bed at 4a.m. when the bar shuts you'll be in bits. And they only sell beer by the case, says it all really!

Having said that, it was a fantastic way of doing it. We were lucky in that we were there for 2 weeks, so didn't need to rush out on the first day, just as well because we were in a hell of a state. It's probably worth doing it at least once and it does give you that extra bit of skiing. Fortunately on the way back it's not quite as bad, although you'll still be knackered.

The one worry we had was them leaving all our luggage and skis etc. on the platform in Paris for about 2 hours whilst we got drunk and ate. Amazingly they were all there when we got back, though some must go missing.

Probably worth taking a sleeping bag for the train - the sheets you get are rudimentary at best and I was bloody freezing.

Have a good trip and be prepared for a hangover - but it's worth it!

Ian E

iTrader: (1)

I've been on the snow train for the last 6 years - Val Thorens (3 times), Meribel (twice) and Tignes this year. We do the boat from Dover and then get train from Calais to Moutier or Bourg St Maurice.

The main reason we do it is the extra two days skiing.

The couchettes on the train are small and sleep six people. Depending on the number in your group you may have to share couchettes with other groups.

Be very wary of leaving your bags in the luggage compartment at the end of each carriage. Two years ago, mine and a mates bag were stolen, or thrown off the train. Not much fun, on a Skiing holiday with only the clothes I was stood in!

Have a good time, hope conditions are as good as we had a couple of weeks ago.

Cheers,

Ian.

scoobydooooo

beware if you have to change at paris , it is a haven for bag snatchers and the like , we've been twice and it is hard to sleep , wait till you see the racks , sorry beds

Brit_in_Japan

Did it years ago. Take a picnic for the journey, french bread, cheese, some nice red wine... if you're a real party animal then head for the Disco wagon, otherwise go easy on the booze, get a good night's sleep in your couchette and wake up in the shadow of the Alps. Depending on which station you get off at you can be on the slopes by 10am. And 2 extra days skiing, highly recommended!

Dr Hu

Interesting - are you booking this as part of a ski package - or can you basically get on the train in london, get off in Bourg then get a taxi up the nearest mountain & find some digs? /ski equip?

Sounds like a last min el cheapo ski hol coming up....

Account deleted by request

No i'm going with Ski France (basically only tour operator with ski holidays available this weekend).

Were paying £409-00 for 8 days skiing in 3 star catered club hotel, went to same place last year and it was fantastic. Also has its own bar bonus

We culd have flown from gatwick on saturday morning for the same price but only had 6 days skiing.

I do like a beer so the snow train sounds fun

Thanks for you everyones input been really helpful


chopper

ADP

LOL This is my specialist topic. Do it every year.

What we do is as follows:

Get on ferry
Buy 20 crates of lager
get on train
Get into the bar carriage
Open the bar ourselves(the restaurant bar is always unmanned)
Sell our beer and food to those who are unprepared
Party the night away
Wake up at 10:30 in Bourg
Bloody brilliant, proper bed for the night etc

BTW, every year we pocket about £200............Photos to follow, but weve done it 3 years on the trot, its great thats a lot of free pints when we get to france and its very funny chatting to all the people. No hideous 5am flight either AND, 1.5 days extra boarding

Brendan Hughes

"every year we pocket about £200"

that's fooking classic!

ADP

not great, but you can just about see the bar sign