Most Europeans want governments to ban short-haul flights…if high speed rail is an alternative
A majority of Europeans want governments to ban short-haul flights where high-speed rail is an alternative. Support for short-haul flight bans…if high speed is an alternative The survey by SavantaComres found that 67% of Europeans support such bans if there is a high-speed option, with the highest level of support in France and Spain. More...
SNCF ‘Carte Advantage’: Save money on French train bookings
For anyone travelling to the Alps this winter, here’s a useful money-saving tip if you are booking connecting trains from Paris with SNCF. Each winter, I buy an SNCF ‘Carte Avantage‘. You can probably translate that yourself, but just in case, it’s the SNCF ‘Advantage Card’. And indeed, there can be a big advantage in buying...
Inghams Ski to offer ski holidays by train
Huge kudos to Inghams Ski, who are launching their own ski packages by train. They will offer train travel to France (via Lille) and Austria, Switzerland and Italy (via Paris). Full details will be released next month and shared here and on www.skilflightfree.org Although nothing has been confirmed yet, possible timings have been mooted as...
Case Study: London to Nice by Train
Ski Flight Free founder recently travelled to Nice by train. Admittedly it was to take part in a triathlon, rather than ski, but this case study should still be of interest, especially as he used the Paris overnight service. Let’s take a look at how it went… Eurostar to Paris The journey started with Eurostar...
Case Study: UK to Orelle (Les 3 Vallées) by train
In December 2022, Iain Martin, presenter of The Ski Podcast and founder of Ski Flight Free, travelled from the UK to Orelle – the secret fourth valley of Les 3 Vallées – by train. London to Paris As with all train journeys to the continent, my day started at London St Pancras. Although on arrival...
Cauterets / Crans Montana / Eurostar / Les Arcs / Orelle / Serre Chevalier / Ski Flight Free / SNCF / Soll / Train Travel / Zermatt
‘The Best Ski Resorts to travel to by train’
Iain – founder of Ski Flight Free – was recently commissioned by ‘The Independent’ to put together a summary of the best ski resorts to travel to by train. The eight resorts that made the short list were: Les Arcs (Find out about the Travelski Express here) Crans Montana Serre Chevalier (Read about their night...
French ski resorts lobby for more trains
The National Association of Mayors of Mountain Resorts (ANMSM) has called for better train services to ski resorts in France to reduce the carbon footprint of ski holidays. A survey commissioned by the ANMSM and conducted by G2A Consulting showed that almost half of respondents would change the way they travel to resort if the...
Alpe d’Huez delivers a subtle hint to take the train
I loved this subtle guerilla campaign that Alpe d’Huez recently ran in conjunction with SNCF. Many resorts are encouraging holidaymakers to take the train rather than fly or drive, but the resorts of Alpe d’Huez teamed up for a few days with Ouigo, the SNCF’s low-cost offering. Travel to resort is typically 50-80% of the...
Travel by Train to the Alps via Lille
The most obvious routes to the Alps are via Paris, but did you know that you can travel to ski resorts via Lille? There are direct TGV trains from Lille Europe on the Tarentaise line to Moutiers, Aime la Plagne and Bourg St Maurice as well as through the Mont Blanc valley to Cluses, Sallanches...
New Ouigo trains will link Paris with the Alps this winter
SNCF have announced that a new low cost TGV service will connect Paris to Bourg-Saint-Maurice this winter. Trains will start from 17 December 2020 and run to 29 March 2021, and will also connect with Grenoble and Albertville. From Charles de Gaulle Airport to Bourg St Maurice From December Ouigo trains will run between Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle...
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 train travel to the Alps....
Case Study: Is train travel more expensive than flying?
I’ve just booked for my third trip by train to the Alps this winter and as for the previous two trips (to Les Arcs in December and Courchevel in January), I’ve analysed the cost of taking the train relative to flying. My motivation is to reduce my carbon footprint – and travelling by train saves...
