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 and 2025 For the last two years, I have gone slightly further committed to the ‘Flight Free Challenge’ – created by Anna...
In June 2025, Eurostar confirmed that they would be running the ‘Eurostar Snow Train’ again for the forthcoming 2025/26 winter season. This is great news, plus there are some key changes to this year’s service that will make the journey more attractive for many travellers. What dates will the Eurostar...
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...
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 2025/26 with more departures, plus an option to return on the following Saturday (six days’ skiing), as well...
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...
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
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...
As the next step in its sustainability strategy, Hotelplan has announced two new climate partnerships worth more than £1 million with Klimate and Rewilding Britain. More recent developments in the group’s carbon mitigation strategy have seen a move away from traditional avoidance-based carbon offsetting towards carbon removal and rewilding. “Protecting the planet that we and...
In March 2023, Iain presenter of The Ski Podcast and founder of Ski Flight Free, travelled from London to Verbier by train. 0801 (GMT) – London St Pancras Eurostar check-in is so much simpler and faster than flying: 12 mins to get through security and passport control AND with a full water bottle, cup of tea...
Tom Thorp recently contacted us after listening to Iain talking about train travel on The Ski Podcast: “I’ve been enjoying your podcast, thank you for all your work creating interesting episodes and insights.” Tom is a ski instructor, working both in the UK and regularly in the European mountains. He specifically wanted to share his...
Last month over one hundred ski racers signed an open letter to FIS, coordinated by Protect Our Winters ambassador Julian Schütter. The letter, most recently updated on 10 March, has now been signed by over 450 athletes, including stars like Mikaela Shiffrin and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, demands greater action from FIS and transparency on the...
The ‘Travelski Express’ is fantastic news for train lovers and skiers looking to reduce their carbon emissions. UPDATE (13 July 2023): The Travel Express will not run direct from London to the Alps in 2023/24, with a service via Lille likely instead (see below) What ski train services are on offer to the Alps in...
Judy Mathews recently contacted us at Ski Flight Free to tell us about her experience of driving out to the Alps in her Tesla 3 earlier this year. The good news is Judy felt that the experience was “very positive” and she is already planning a similar trip for next season: “It required a bit...
SATA Group – the company that manages the lifts in Alpe d’Huez – has been working on practical ways to reduce their emissions as part of their goal to achieve Net Zero by 2037. This is a quick look at some of the policies they have put in place already, with other measures lined up...
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak loves a private jet. Last month Sunak took three trips by private jet in just over a week, including flying from London to Blackpool and London to Leeds, both journeys that could have been done by train in two and a half to three hours. The UK is in fact...
The ski resort of Chamonix has met again to discuss the monitoring of the lake formed in 2018 on the Bossons Glacier. Formed from increased amounts of snowmelt, the lake now carries the threat of overflowing, should there be future extended periods of warm weather. Last year, the resort used an excavator to clear rocks...
Méribel has joined the increasing number of ski resorts to deploy solar panels on their ski lifts. This winter look out for the unique PV panels on the roof of the mid-station of the Saulire Express gondola. In the summer of 2022, 182 solar panels, measuring one meter by two meters each, were installed covering an...
In January 2023, Iain Martin, presenter of The Ski Podcast and founder of Ski Flight Free, travelled from the UK to Méribel – in the heart of Les 3 Vallées – by train. London to Paris All train trips to the Alps from the UK depart from London St Pancras International. I booked the first Eurostar of the...
Wallbox has announced the installation of twenty EV charging points for electric vehicles at Grandvalira Resorts. Chargers will be installed in Grau Roig (18 chargers) and Costa Rodona (two chargers) parking areas. They will offer 7.4kW charging power and are capable of operating in bad weather and temperatures from -25C to 40C. Powered by renewable...
