Why I’m taking the Flight Free Challenge in 2025

Why I’m taking the Flight Free Challenge in 2025

Regular readers will know that since I founded Ski Flight Free in 2019, I have cut down on my flights considerably in an effort to reduce my carbon footprint. Flight Free in 2024 Last year, in 2024, I stepped up another level and committed to the ‘Flight Free Challenge’ –...
Research: What is the carbon footprint of a ski holiday?

Research: What is the carbon footprint of a ski holiday?

In 2022, I looked at the carbon footprint of a ski holiday, based on some research by French ski resorts. The original research attempted to detail the carbon cost of a day’s skiing, and the differences your choices can make to the final figure. I’ve now updated these figures, to...
Case Study: The New Eurostar 'Snow Train'

Case Study: The New Eurostar ‘Snow Train’

On 16 December 2023, I was invited to trial the new Eurostar Snow Train service by Inghams Ski, who are offering ski holidays packaged with train travel and transfers using the new service. This is a very significant step from Eurostar, having cancelled the previously successful service in 2020. So...
What ski train services are on offer in 2024/25?

What ski train services are on offer in 2024/25?

The options for train travel to the Alps this winter are outlined here: THE EUROSTAR SKI TRAIN (via Lille) Eurostar have confirmed that their snow train, reintroduced last winter will continue for 2024/25 with more departures. This is not a ‘direct’ service like the old Eurostar ski train that ran...
Train Travel to the Alps: Tips and Advice

Train Travel to the Alps: Tips and Advice

As well as founding Ski Flight Free, Iain also presents The Ski Podcast. In September 2023, Iain discussed new train travel options with Krissie Roe from Inghams: In September 2020, Iain was joined by Daniel Elkan from Snowcarbon and Anna Hughes from Flight Free UK in a Facebook Live event to discuss...
"Ski resorts are afraid for their future"

“Ski resorts are afraid for their future”

Make sure you pick up a copy of this month’s ‘Telegraph Ski & Snowboard Magazine’ encouraging skiers to #SkiFlightFree. You can find Iain’s opinion piece on the existential threat to ski resorts on page 20: Find out more at www.skiflightfree.org
Why Ski Flight Free?

Why Ski Flight Free?

Climate change represents an existential threat to human life on the planet. The evidence for this has been widely published, but you don’t have to take my word for it. This is what Britain’s most trusted man has to say on the subject: An existential threat to the ski industry...
Latest entries
Exclusive: The Night Train to the French Alps is back!

Exclusive: The Night Train to the French Alps is back!

Next winter a new night snow train will be running from Paris to Bourg Saint Maurice in France. French tour operator Travelski have announced that the new train service will operate from 19 December 2025 through to 20 March 2026. The train will leave Paris on Friday evenings and depart from Bourg Saint Maurice the...
Charges for cross-channel train lines to be cut for new operators

Charges for cross-channel train lines to be cut for new operators

The narratives regarding new competitors on the HS1 line from London to Europe is moving very quickly. In recent months, we have reported on the plans from new operators Virgin Trains and Gemini trains to run trains on the route in competition with Eurostar. This week it was reported that access to St Pancras for...
New Travalyst survey shows gap between sustainability intent and action remains high

New Travalyst survey shows gap between sustainability intent and action remains high

A new survey from Travalyst shows that the travel and tourism industry has a significant role to play if it is to persuade travellers to make more sustainable decisions. Travalyst is an independent not-for-profit entity working to change the way the world travels – something which is vital as the industry is responsible for 8.8%...
Gemini Trains apply to run high-speed trains from UK to Europe

Gemini Trains apply to run high-speed trains from UK to Europe

A new railway start-up has confirmed that it intends to go into competition with Eurostar and run high speed trains from London to Paris and beyond. Chaired by the public transport veteran Lord Berkeley, Gemini Trains has submitted an application to the Office of Rail and Road for a train operator’s licence and to be...
Protect Our Winters highlight 2025 as the 'International Year Of Glacier Preservation'

Protect Our Winters highlight 2025 as the ‘International Year Of Glacier Preservation’

This is a great new campaign by Protect Our Winters – highlighting 2025’s status as ‘International Year Of Glacier Preservation’ Glaciers are vital to the Earth’s water cycle, storing 75% of the world’s freshwater. By 2100, glaciers worldwide are projected to lose between 20% and 50% of their mass, profoundly affecting water availability and biodiversity. This is something that I’ve covered...
Case Study: UK to Selva Val Gardena by train

Case Study: UK to Selva Val Gardena by train

In March 2025, Iain travelled by train from the UK to Selva Val Gardena in the Dolomites in Italy. Brighton-London-Brussels I live in Brighton, so my journey started at 11:02 on a direct train to London St Pancras, arriving at 12:20 for a 13:01 Eurostar. It’s just my opinion, but I’m never going to turn...
Proposed Frequent Flyer Levy

Proposed Frequent Flyer Levy

I like this suggestion for a Frequent Flyer Levy: – Each person will be allocated one short-haul flight per year – Long-haul flights will be subject to a £100 surcharge – A second flight attracts a £50 surcharge – A third flight attracts a £100 surcharge – A fourth flight attracts a £200 surcharge Remember...
Case Study: UK/London to Sicily by train

Case Study: UK/London to Sicily by train

In February 2025, I travelled from the UK to Sicily by train. While I’ve taken the train to the Alps and Dolomites before, this was by far my longest journey by train since Interrailing as a university student. 5 Day Interrail Pass As it was such a long journey, and I knew I would need...
Inghams launch first 'Impact Report' showing decrease in emissions

Inghams launch first ‘Impact Report’ showing decrease in emissions

We are big fans of Inghams at Ski Flight Free. There are plenty of ski companies who are guilty of greenwashing, but Inghams is not one of them. They don’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk as well. Recent evidence of this can be found in their first Impact Report, published earlier this...
Case Study: UK to the Dolomites by train

Case Study: UK to the Dolomites by train

In February 2025, Iain travelled by train from the UK to 3 Zinnen in the Dolomites in Italy. Until now, travelling by train from the UK to the Dolomites without an overnight stop en route has been restricted to taking the Eurostar from London to Amsterdam, changing to an OBB Nightjet service to Innsbruck, then...
Case Study: Driving to Courmayeur, Italy in a BMW Electric Car

Case Study: Driving to Courmayeur, Italy in a BMW Electric Car

In January 2025, I drove from the UK to Courmayeur in Italy in an electric car. This was my third trip to the Alps in an electric vehicle, after two previous journeys in 2022, to Zermatt and Les 2 Alpes. The purpose of the trip was to demonstrate how straightforward it is to drive an...
‘The Alps - Skiing by Train’ new 2025 map out now

‘The Alps – Skiing by Train’ new 2025 map out now

Alpine mapping specialists, 2theAlps, have released their updated ‘Skiing by Train’ map for 2025. The map features over 200 winter sports resorts, which can be reached by train for a high-comfort low-carbon journey to the mountains. As well as the classic Eurostar routes, new additions for 2025 are ferry routes across the Channel and the...