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 from London St Pancras to...
Will global warming finish your fondue?
The global rise in temperatures doesn’t just affect skiers in the mountains – French cheese producers are also feeling the heat. Unpredictable grass growth, problems with access to water and heat stress for the cows are increasingly common issues for Alpine herds. Hot days and summer droughts increasing The Syndicat Interprofessionnel du Fromage Abondance (SIFA)...
![[Case Study] The UK to French Alps by Luxury Splitter Van](https://skiflightfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20240403_114801-290x290.jpg "[Case Study] The UK to French Alps by Luxury Splitter Van")
[Case Study] The UK to French Alps by Luxury Splitter Van
At Easter 2024, Iain Martin, presenter of The Ski Podcast and founder of Ski Flight Free, travelled from Brighton to Les 2 Alpes in a luxury splitter van. What is a splitter van? Firstly, let’s clarify what we are talking about here. A splitter van is like a minibus, but with much more storage and way more...
Hydrogen bus tested between Moûtiers and Courchevel
A hydrogen bus has been tested on the Moûtiers and Courchevel route in a attempt to find new methods of reducing the carbon footprint of travel to resort. Feedback from the driver was positive, who noted the ease of the automatic transmission and the uphill power, although for this initial test, there were only twenty...
Petition for London-Geneva train service
A petition to launch a direct train service between London and Geneva launched last month has almost reached 5000 signatories. It was started by Nadine McCormick on Change.org and once the 5000 threshold was passed it will be sent to the Swiss railway company SBB. London to Geneva by train in 5+ hours It’s estimated...
French Alps record third warmest winter on record
According to Météo France, winter 2023/24 was the third warmest in the French Alps since records began in 1900. This included a very mild February and March and was before the record warm start to April, which saw temperatures of 29°C in Grenoble and 27°C in Albertville and Bourg-Saint-Maurice on 06 April 2024. Third warmest...
Norway lobbies for new sustainable FIS Calendar
The Norwegian Ski Federation has lobbied FIS in an attempt to introduce a new, more sustainable calendar for the 2024/25 season. Billed under the slogan ‘Change The Course’ and developed in association with KPMG, the concept is to make the Ski World Cup more sustainable by changing the racing calendar completely. Start of season in...
![[Case Study] How to take a bike overseas…without flying!](https://skiflightfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/20230622_210140-1-290x290.jpg "[Case Study] How to take a bike overseas…without flying!")
[Case Study] How to take a bike overseas…without flying!
Although Ski Flight Free is a resource for skiers, I thought I’d share my experience of travelling by train to Nice last summer. I’m hugely aware of the carbon cost of air travel and have significantly cut down on the number of flights I take in the last few years (and have pledged not to...
![[Case Study] UK to Verbier by Train](https://skiflightfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240311_120714-290x290.jpg "[Case Study] UK to Verbier by Train")
[Case Study] UK to Verbier by Train
In March 2024, Iain from The Ski Podcast travelled by train from the UK to Verbier in Switzerland. Because of the seamless integration at the final stop, Le Chable, before going up to Verbier, this is one of the easiest ski resorts to travel to by train. Brighton-London-Paris I live in Brighton, so it was...
Compagnie des Alpes commits to add 7 electric snow groomers to their fleet
Compagnie des Alpes is the owner of 10 of the largest ski resorts in France, including Les Arcs, La Plagne, Tignes and Serre Chevalier – and are serious about commitment to sustainability. In 2021, they launched their Net Zero target of 2030. They took a significant step towards this when they converted their entire fleet...
![[Case Study] UK to Saalbach by train](https://skiflightfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/20240119_124148-290x290.jpg "[Case Study] UK to Saalbach by train")
[Case Study] UK to Saalbach by train
Phil Skone contacted Ski Flight Free to share his experience of travelling to Saalback in Austria by train earlier this year in January 2024. UK-Brussels-Cologne-Munich Starting in Kenworth, we travelled to King’s Cross, then Eurostar to Brussels and Brussels to Cologne. We had time for a meal and tour of the area near the station....
![[Case Study] Dachstein in Austria to the UK by train (via Amsterdam)](https://skiflightfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/A-20240209_220627-290x290.jpg "[Case Study] Dachstein in Austria to the UK by train (via Amsterdam)")
[Case Study] Dachstein in Austria to the UK by train (via Amsterdam)
If you’ve ever wondered how to take the train from the Austrian Alps to the UK via Amsterdam on the way back from a ski trip, then Neil Guthrie – co-creator of the excellent map ‘The Alps – Skiing by Train‘ kindly put together this report for Ski Flight Free. —– The new best entry...
