The Travelski Express Night Train to the French Alps is back!
This winter 2025/26 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 Gare d’Austerlitz on Friday evenings and depart from Bourg...
Seriously? Italian ski resort uses helicopter to fly in snow onto bare slopes
In a completely tone-deaf and ironic gesture, the Italian ski resort of Monte Bondone has tackled the challenges of a warming planet by contributing climate change. The resort recently used helicopters to move snow to cover slopes, unsurprisingly drawing criticisms from environmental groups and defenders of mountain tourism alike. Facing unusually warm temperatures and strong...
Case Study: The UK to Embrun, France by overnight train…and bus
Antonia Simpson, a regular listener to The Ski Podcast, recently contacted us to share her story of travelling by train to the southern French Alps. On a dull September day, a £35 Eurostar offer seemed too good to waste, particularly when I realised I could carry on to the Southern French Alps for less than...
Taking the train at half-term is (a lot!) cheaper than flying
Not booked your half-term ski holiday yet? Maybe this is the year to take the train. Easyjet still have plenty of flights for half-term week out of Gatwick. The only catch is that they are VERY expensive. You can save around £100 by choosing to leave the UK very early or very late. You could...
Case Study: London to Serre Chevalier Briancon by ferry and train
Neil Guthrie – creator of ‘The Alps – Skiing by Train’ map – recently sent us this update on his flight free journey from London to Briancon (to ski Serre Chevalier): Every year thousands of winter sports holidays begin with a train ride from London Victoria or Clapham Junction heading south towards Sussex. For most,...
Protect Our Winters UK’s ‘Clean Miles’ campaign
Ski Flight Free is proud to support Protect Our Winters UK’s ‘Clean Miles’ campaign, a movement to make low-carbon travel the easiest way to reach the outdoors. Transport is responsible for around a third of global emissions and is the biggest part of outdoor sports’ carbon footprint. The Issue We love the outdoors, but too...
Sustainability presentations at the London Snow Show
Founder of Ski Flight Free and host of The Ski Podcast, Iain Martin, was at the London Show Snow last weekend speaking on the ‘Protect Our Winters’ Sustainability Stage. Events like this are a great opportunity to help spread the word about how skiers can reduce their impact and decarbonise. On Saturday, Iain presented a...
Morzine chalet company AliKats awarded B Corp status
The Morzine chalet company run by British couple Al and Kat Judge has officially achieved B Corp™ Certification. This makes them one of the very few chalet operators worldwide to hold this globally recognised standard for social and environmental impact. AliKats was founded more than a decade ago and run 16 luxury chalets in Morzine....
Trenitalia France boosts Paris–Lyon services by 55% this winter
Trenitalia France is significantly expanding its high-speed offer on the Paris–Lyon corridor, increasing weekday frequencies from nine to 14 roundatrips starting from 14 December 2025. The Paris–Lyon uplift represents a 55% increase in weekday capacity, meaning Trenitalia will be operating more than one-third of services on one of Europe’s busiest routes. This expansion is part...
The Man in Seat 61: Will Eurostar will ever have competition?
Mark Smith – The Man in Seat 61 – thinks it’s possible that Eurostar will have competition, but it will take time. I spoke to the train travel expert in Episode 233 of The Ski Podcast. After news of bids to compete on the cross-channel line from Virgin Trains, Gemini and Evolyn, I wondered what...
Case Study: UK to St Gervais Le Fayet by train and bus
In August 2025, Iain travelled from the UK to Saint Gervais Le Fayet in France. Iain was in the region to take part in the OCC Ultra Marathon in Chamonix, but preferred to stay in the much better value Le Fayet. London St Pancras-Gare du Nord I started my journey in Brighton, arriving at Eurostar...
How to get from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon in Paris (and back)
I’ve often heard people say that they would travel by train on their ski holiday if it wasn’t so difficult to get from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon in Paris. [Sigh] It’s really not that difficult! It’s two stops on the RER on a service that usually takes about 20 minutes from platform...
