Eurostar announces ski train to swiss alps

[brianthegiant]

For anyone who can afford to ski in Switzerland, a new service by E*

www.incentivetravel.co.uk/news/rail/9770-eurostar-launches-new-weekly-ski-service-to-the-swiss-alps

Eurostar launches new weekly ski service to the Swiss Alps

This winter, Eurostar is forging an exciting partnership with the international high-speed train service, “TGV Lyria” to launch a new weekly service between London and some of Switzerland’s most popular ski resorts. On sale from Thursday 11 October, the new ski service will carry ski and snowboarding enthusiasts from St Pancras International and Ashford International to the heart of the Swiss Alps and the Valais region. Resorts including; Verbier, Zermatt, Saas Fee and Gstaad will be served on the new route from Saturday 22 December until Saturday 13 April 2013.

With an easy connection in Lille Europe on to a high-speed “TGV Lyria” service, passengers will arrive into Aigle, Martigny, Visp and Brig stations for quick onward transfers to their ski resorts. For added convenience, Eurostar and TGV Lyria will allow ski passengers to carry on-board an extra item of luggage in addition to the normal luggage allowance - such as a pair of skis or a snowboard - at no extra cost.

Return fares start from £189. Travellers can indulge themselves on their way to and from the slopes by travelling Standard Premier with fares from just £299 return, where they will enjoy more spacious seating as well as light meals and drinks served at their seat.

(full article)

 

[cle]

Not really, it's a connection. I bet people love the idea of lugging their gear and skis (cross platform perhaps but still a faff) from one train to another in Lille! Probably half cut.

How is this supposed to compete with the plane?

 

[ainsworth74]

I thought Eurostar usual ran a direct service?

 

[kylemore]

Not really, it's a connection. I bet people love the idea of lugging their gear and skis (cross platform perhaps but still a faff) from one train to another in Lille! Probably half cut.

Do they still sell DUVEL in the cafe/bar on Eurostar - I once (in my misguided youth) had a shocking bender on a trip to Paris with my mate.
I was bad enough but he was completely incapable of negociating the barriers onto the metro when we arrived. Much to the annoyance of the usual sour-faced Parisians I might add.
His French girlfriend of the time who met us was not impressed with what I had delivered to her to say the least.
That stuff ought to have a warning on the bottle!

 

[starrymarkb]

I thought Eurostar usual ran a direct service?

They do to the French Alps. Switzerland is a different Voltage (15kV) and hence the transfer to a Lyria TGV. Speaking of which am I right in thinking the Lyria Trivoltage (25kV,1500V, 15kV) TGV sets are only 270km/h capable (as they spend most of their normal Paris-CH journey on the Classic lines with only a little bit of LGV Running) which might cause fun with pathing on the LGV Nord

Plus I presume everyone will have reclear security and passport control in Lille as well.

I wonder if the E320 will carry equipment for Swiss operation (I believe they will be 15kV capable, but the German and Swiss Pantos are different)

 

[ainsworth74]

They do to the French Alps.

Ahh, I got the wrong bit of the Alps it seems

 

[cle]

They do to the French Alps. Switzerland is a different Voltage (15kV) and hence the transfer to a Lyria TGV. Speaking of which am I right in thinking the Lyria Trivoltage (25kV,1500V, 15kV) TGV sets are only 270km/h capable (as they spend most of their normal Paris-CH journey on the Classic lines with only a little bit of LGV Running) which might cause fun with pathing on the LGV Nord

Plus I presume everyone will have reclear security and passport control in Lille as well.

I wonder if the E320 will carry equipment for Swiss operation (I believe they will be 15kV capable, but the German and Swiss Pantos are different)

Didn't know that about the Swiss leccy, thanks. What a shambles it's all so different. They're definitely aiming at the e320 to Geneva, so I assume it's being planned for!

 

[gordonthemoron]

but isn't Geneva on the French border?

 

[Eagle]

but isn't Geneva on the French border?

It is, but all the lines leading to it are at 15 kV, not 25 kV.

 

[Ferret]

Do they still sell DUVEL in the cafe/bar on Eurostar - I once (in my misguided youth) had a shocking bender on a trip to Paris with my mate.
I was bad enough but he was completely incapable of negociating the barriers onto the metro when we arrived. Much to the annoyance of the usual sour-faced Parisians I might add.
His French girlfriend of the time who met us was not impressed with what I had delivered to her to say the least.
That stuff ought to have a warning on the bottle!

It has - the ABV figure is printed clearly on the bottle!

 

[kylemore]

:

It has - the ABV figure is printed clearly on the bottle!

Thanx Ferret I was beginning to think that reminisinces of on train drunken excess where regarded as slightly politically incorrect.

 

[jopsuk]

Didn't know that about the Swiss leccy, thanks. What a shambles it's all so different. They're definitely aiming at the e320 to Geneva, so I assume it's being planned for!

this map shows all worldwide electrification systems

 

[Bald Rick]

Not really, it's a connection. I bet people love the idea of lugging their gear and skis (cross platform perhaps but still a faff) from one train to another in Lille! Probably half cut.

How is this supposed to compete with the plane?

To be fair unless you live next door to St Pancras or Ashford, you will already have the faff of lugging bags about as you change trains / tubes etc on the way to get on the Eurostar in the first place.

Nevertheless this is still a surprising move. The current Eurostar ski trains to Moutiers and Bourg St Maurice work because getting to these places using plane and any onward surface transport is a real pain. I haven't seen the timings for the Lyria conenctions but it won't be much less than 6/7 hours from London. Yet you could easily fly to Geneva and get a train to the Martigny, Visp, Brig etc (2 trains an hour from memory), save yourself a couple of hours and do it for about half the price.

It will be interesting to see how it works out.

 

[Goldfish62]

Do they still sell DUVEL in the cafe/bar on Eurostar - I once (in my misguided youth) had a shocking bender on a trip to Paris with my mate.

Sadly not. They now sell nasty, tasteless Carlsberg or something similar. On a recent rip on Thalys I was pleased to see both Duvel and Leffe (light and dark) were on sale.

 

[kylemore]

Sadly not. They now sell nasty, tasteless Carlsberg or something similar. On a recent rip on Thalys I was pleased to see both Duvel and Leffe (light and dark) were on sale.

Oh well I'll wait until DB start up their ICE service before my next trip under the channel - surely they'll have a decent Weissbier like Weihenstephan or Paulaner on offer!

 

[WestCoast]

Oh well I'll wait until DB start up their ICE service before my next trip under the channel - surely they'll have a decent Weissbier like Weihenstephan or Paulaner on offer!

They currently sell bottled Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier, plus draught and bottled Beck's Pils.

 

[laphroaig]

They currently sell bottled Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier, plus draught and bottled Beck's Pils.

After a trip to Germany last summer, much as I like these interesting German beers for a change, it was very pleasing to discover they sold London Pride on the train back from Brussels. My kind of welcome back to England, can't beat it!

 

[Gordon]

It is, but all the lines leading to it are at 15 kV, not 25 kV.

.

Care is needed when referring to 15 kV.

The lines into Geneva from France from the westerly direction were electrified in the 1950s at 1500v DC. Swiss juice is 15kV ac 16.7Hz

However...

work is under way by the Swiss to convert Geneve - La Plaine (the Swiss border station) to ac. Once that is complete there will be a 20km or so gap of dc that the French still need to be persuaded to convert, because 25kV ac now reaches as far as Bellegarde on the rebuilt line from Bourg en Bresse

 

[brianthegiant]

.
work is under way by the Swiss to convert Geneve - La Plaine (the Swiss border station) to ac. Once that is complete there will be a 20km or so gap of dc that the French still need to be persuaded to convert, because 25kV ac now reaches as far as Bellegarde on the rebuilt line from Bourg en Bresse

will this work do anything to improve rail connections between Geneva and Chamonix?
The coach service is pretty good, though I'm not a big fan of the Gare Routiere at Geneva, always seems a bit ad-hoc.

 

[Gordon]

will this work do anything to improve rail connections between Geneva and Chamonix?
The coach service is pretty good, though I'm not a big fan of the Gare Routiere at Geneva, always seems a bit ad-hoc.

No, not yet, although it is linked to the CEVA/Franco Valdo Genevois projects to join up unlined lines around Geneve.

http://rer-franco-valdo-genevois.com/

Chamonix connections will only potentially improve on completion of the CEVA project.

Sadly the CEVA project has been delayed and delayed by Nimbys living in the part of Geneve where the link line between the Cornavin side and the Eaux Vives/Annemasse side will go underneath their houses (which strictly speaking makes them NUMLRF (Not Under My Living Room Floor) I suppose.

At long last work is now progressing on this link, the first infrastructure of which was actually built in 1888 - yes I do mean 1888!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CEVA_rail

http://www.ceva.ch/geneve/fr/bienvenue.html