Alps - plane, train or automobile?
Discussion
Just booked Serre Chevalier for Easter next year 
Leaving from near Bristol (Thornbury) with a family of four, what is the best way to get there for Saturday evening (1/4/17)?
Via Michelin tells me driving will take 14h and cost £430 plus the crossing. Add maybe £120 for the tunnel and we're at £550. But 14h is probably too long for me so will probably break the journey at my uncle's in Montargis. Which makes it a two day journey, Friday morning to Saturday night.
Easy jet haven't released Easter yet but Feb half term Bristol to Grenoble would be £130pp plus luggage and airport parking. So maybe <£700 but then there's transfers or car hire. Transfer about £45 pp so total £850-900 but do able in a day. So £350 more than driving. And I find bus transfers exhausting so whilst not as tiring as driving, not a no brainer.
Anyone know anything about the ski train? With kids?
Any other options?
Ta muchly.
Leaving from near Bristol (Thornbury) with a family of four, what is the best way to get there for Saturday evening (1/4/17)?
Via Michelin tells me driving will take 14h and cost £430 plus the crossing. Add maybe £120 for the tunnel and we're at £550. But 14h is probably too long for me so will probably break the journey at my uncle's in Montargis. Which makes it a two day journey, Friday morning to Saturday night.
Easy jet haven't released Easter yet but Feb half term Bristol to Grenoble would be £130pp plus luggage and airport parking. So maybe <£700 but then there's transfers or car hire. Transfer about £45 pp so total £850-900 but do able in a day. So £350 more than driving. And I find bus transfers exhausting so whilst not as tiring as driving, not a no brainer.
Anyone know anything about the ski train? With kids?
Any other options?
Ta muchly.
Depends on a few factors:
- What car will you be going in?
- How old are the kids?
- Have you got a second driver?
If the answers to the above are "luxury 4x4, under 7, and yes" then take the car. If it's "Toyota aygo, teenagers and 'no'", then take the plane.
I'm convinced the best way to get to the alps for a week with young kids is 2 drivers and a Range Rover. Through airports you have to lump all the luggage around, drag kids through security, have hire-car stress, etc. If you have a decent car it's a case of plugging the kids into iPads and putting your foot down.
However, this is based on driving from London - when you can easily get to the alps by tea-time, and where half-term flights are £300 per head.
Not an especially helpful answer I know, but some other random things I've learned from 50+ of these trips:
- It's about £600 return to take a car, in fuel, tolls, and crossing
- Calais to Geneva is 6.5 hours if you don't stop; realistically more like 7.5-8 if you stop.
- If you can possibly do it in a day then do so.
- Winter tyres are a must in the alps
- What car will you be going in?
- How old are the kids?
- Have you got a second driver?
If the answers to the above are "luxury 4x4, under 7, and yes" then take the car. If it's "Toyota aygo, teenagers and 'no'", then take the plane.
I'm convinced the best way to get to the alps for a week with young kids is 2 drivers and a Range Rover. Through airports you have to lump all the luggage around, drag kids through security, have hire-car stress, etc. If you have a decent car it's a case of plugging the kids into iPads and putting your foot down.
However, this is based on driving from London - when you can easily get to the alps by tea-time, and where half-term flights are £300 per head.
Not an especially helpful answer I know, but some other random things I've learned from 50+ of these trips:
- It's about £600 return to take a car, in fuel, tolls, and crossing
- Calais to Geneva is 6.5 hours if you don't stop; realistically more like 7.5-8 if you stop.
- If you can possibly do it in a day then do so.
- Winter tyres are a must in the alps
Qashqai +2 2lt diesel. Fairly comfortable, literally just drove back from the Ardeche in it, good and spacious for stuff. Particularly with a roof box.
The hotel we've booked is ski in out so we won't be using the car after arrival. Will get snow chains only - not a 4wd model so expect to get stuck when parked but not on the main routes which are generally compacted and cleared.
Kids are 8 and 9 but generally placid and good with whatever so flying or driving is ok. So long as they have their iPads, as you say.
It's been 5 years since we last went skiing so I'm trying to remember whether flying was really much of an advantage. Bristol airport is pretty small so you can be door to plane in about 2 hours even with the ridiculous easy jet queue to drop off luggage. I seem to remember the French airport being much more of a hassle.
The hotel we've booked is ski in out so we won't be using the car after arrival. Will get snow chains only - not a 4wd model so expect to get stuck when parked but not on the main routes which are generally compacted and cleared.
Kids are 8 and 9 but generally placid and good with whatever so flying or driving is ok. So long as they have their iPads, as you say.
It's been 5 years since we last went skiing so I'm trying to remember whether flying was really much of an advantage. Bristol airport is pretty small so you can be door to plane in about 2 hours even with the ridiculous easy jet queue to drop off luggage. I seem to remember the French airport being much more of a hassle.
Re experience of train option. I've done many times albeit to Moutiers and Borg that serves 3 Val, Espace and the like. Not sure how well that works for SC but here goes:
- we've always done the overnighter
- it's great fun as everyone on the train is going skiing/boarding
- you won't get a huge amount of sleep as a) the cheap seats don't recline at all and the posh ones only a bit and b) it can be a bit rowdy
- train arrives early hours of Saturday morning (you lead St Pancras Friday evening) so, for the above resorts at least, you can be on the slopes at 1000 and you can also ski the last Saturday too as train heads off around 2100. So 8 days skiing
Basically, if you love your skiing and are easy going re lack of sleep etc it's great, otherwise be careful.
There is another option where the trains travel during the day on both Saturday's so no fatigue but regular 6 days skiing
If you want a station nearer SC then I guess there are routes via Paris, perhaps with a couchette for the second leg? They used to do that for the above but that service ended a few years back.
- we've always done the overnighter
- it's great fun as everyone on the train is going skiing/boarding
- you won't get a huge amount of sleep as a) the cheap seats don't recline at all and the posh ones only a bit and b) it can be a bit rowdy
- train arrives early hours of Saturday morning (you lead St Pancras Friday evening) so, for the above resorts at least, you can be on the slopes at 1000 and you can also ski the last Saturday too as train heads off around 2100. So 8 days skiing
Basically, if you love your skiing and are easy going re lack of sleep etc it's great, otherwise be careful.
There is another option where the trains travel during the day on both Saturday's so no fatigue but regular 6 days skiing
If you want a station nearer SC then I guess there are routes via Paris, perhaps with a couchette for the second leg? They used to do that for the above but that service ended a few years back.
When we went with the whole family we always used to drive and stay over one night about 150 miles into France. Generally in convoy with other families so kids used to enjoy the stopover, lark around and tire themselves out.
As soon as I started going out of peak period just with mates I always flew. I live near 30mins from T5 and booking BA in advance worked only marginally more than EasyJet from Gatwick once charges had been added.
As soon as I started going out of peak period just with mates I always flew. I live near 30mins from T5 and booking BA in advance worked only marginally more than EasyJet from Gatwick once charges had been added.
I do Cambs to Avoriaz at half term. Not quite as far as your trip tho.
I pick the wee man up from school at 3pm on the Friday, get the tunnel at about 6, and drive on to Dijon, normally getting there about 1ish in the morning.
If we leave about 7-8am, it's early enough to stay ahead of the rush and we're normally in resort about noon on Saturday.
I prefer the flexibility of driving is a big plus, but moreso the fact I can take more kit and not worry about additional charges. (last year I had 5 pairs of skis and a flight-case of cameras and drone so would have cost a pretty penny in baggage charges)
I pick the wee man up from school at 3pm on the Friday, get the tunnel at about 6, and drive on to Dijon, normally getting there about 1ish in the morning.
If we leave about 7-8am, it's early enough to stay ahead of the rush and we're normally in resort about noon on Saturday.
I prefer the flexibility of driving is a big plus, but moreso the fact I can take more kit and not worry about additional charges. (last year I had 5 pairs of skis and a flight-case of cameras and drone so would have cost a pretty penny in baggage charges)
Thanks All. Sounds like trains are out. I looked into motorail (where you put the car on a train) as apparently there is a route from Paris to Briancon. But it's either been cancelled or I'm looking to far into the future. The other problem is you don't travel with the car- you have to take normal trains. Come to think of it, what's the point taking the car to the Alps to not drive it? So not an option.
So that leaves flying or driving. Driving would be fine and I enjoy the challenge of driving in the snow. But if flying gains a day and is barely more expensive... it's not barely though really. £600 odd for flights, plus airport parking and transfers. Comes to nearly £1k. And we don't get to see my uncle. It's going to be car.
So that leaves flying or driving. Driving would be fine and I enjoy the challenge of driving in the snow. But if flying gains a day and is barely more expensive... it's not barely though really. £600 odd for flights, plus airport parking and transfers. Comes to nearly £1k. And we don't get to see my uncle. It's going to be car.
gl20 said:
Just to add, while you do see young children on the overnighter it is a bit of a rare site and I'm not sure I'd recommend. Teens would be OK though
The overnight Eurostar should be a lot more family friendly these days as they introduced a ban on carry-on alcohol last winter.Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff