Rail to ski resorts cheaper
Friday January 22, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

The overnight journey to the French Alps and Pyrenees is being cut by up to 75%. Rail Europe is trying to attract more skiers and snowboarders on to its services.

The promotion offers overnight journeys to ski destinations including Chambéry, Bourg St Maurice, Moûtiers and L'Hospitalet for Andorra.

One-way fares from Paris start at just £13 per person in a reclining seat, £17 per person in a 6-berth couchette or £41 in a 4-berth couchette.

You do though have to get yourself to Paris if you are travelling from the UK so it is not quite as attractive as it may first seem but, nevertheless, there are considerable savings to be made. The lead-in price of a rail return to Paris is £59.

The offer is available to book between 25 January and 12 February 2010 for travel between 29 January and 31 March 2010.

Seats at the special offer fares are limited, so Rail Europe advises passengers to book early.

So, why would you want to take a train to a ski resort instead of flying or driving?

Apart from the environmental aspect it is also a fairly relaxing experience. Our content editor has his own personal view of airports and flying as he reported in an earlier blog that received quite a few emails of support for his view.

Flying is not what it once was.

"Rail travel is a superb way of getting to the ski slopes as you can take as much luggage as you want, it is surprisingly easy even with a few changes and above all else it is relaxing and reasonably strees-free," says Mark Hodson from the rail travel ski web site, Snowcarbon. "It is growing in popularity and once you do it you will see why."

It also means you can actually spend more time on the slopes doing what you really want to do, skiing or snowboarding.

"It's possible to gain an additional 2 days skiing by arriving early in the morning and leaving late on the last day of the holiday. You wake up in your destination, feeling refreshed and ready to start your holiday, rather than feeling drained after managing airport scrums and low cost flights," says Amanda Monroe, from Rail Europe.

Here at PlanetSKI we are fans of train travel and have reported on a new web site, Snowcarbon, that makes booking the service easier. We spoke to them for information about this story.

If you have taken the train to a ski resort do please tell us the pros and cons. Others would probably appreciate it. Thanks.

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