EUROSTAR VS EASYJET

As directors of Ski Famille we often make visits to our two resorts, typically flying into Geneva from Gatwick via Easyjet. Just for a change we decided to check out Eurostar.

During the ski season there is a "Ski Train", which goes direct from London St Pancras to Moutiers (ideal for our Reberty chalets), Aime La Plagne and Bourg St Maurice. Unlike the normal service it bypasses Paris.

Our tickets cost £269 per person return, although adult fares can be as low as £149 and children £100. To really put the rail network to the test, we used the train for the trip from our home to St Pancras too.

Our Alpine Odyssey began on a tiny deserted rural platform at 7.15 on a bitterly cold January morning, yet just over an hour and two trains later we were already in Continental mode, enjoying delicious coffee and croissants at one of the many excellent cafes at St Pancras.

Check-in consisted of passing the ticket though a machine, having you and your bags scanned and going through French (that’s right) passport control. It took three minutes. You can keep your belts and shoes on, leave your laptop in your bag and you don’t have your favourite shampoo and nail scissors confiscated.

We found our seats in carriage 15. Most of the seats are aircraft style facing in one direction. There are one or two for groups of four which were almost all taken by families.

We travelled Standard Class, although Standard Premier may be a better bet for families with youngsters. It costs about £80 per person more for a return trip, but gives extra leg-room, refreshments and a socket to charge the all important laptop. Details of the options and the Ski Train service can be found here >>

If you associate Eurostar with an air of luxury as I did, you will be disappointed. Standard class is akin to a regular, though fast British Rail journey. The seats are comfortable but, according to my 6ft 3in husband, the leg room is less generous than the feeder train on our journey to St Pancras.

The first two hours out on Eurostar passed quickly as we sped through south east England, under the Channel (absolutely no sense of occasion – just blackness) and across northern France. We had brought a picnic with us, assuming the food on board would be expensive and possibly unappetising. In fact it wasn’t bad. The buffet car serves sandwiches and paninis and pots of noodles all for around £5. They also sell beers, wine and spirits along with hot and cold drinks.

Cracking across the French countryside at up to 186mph is great for a while, but after lunch I had a snooze and my husband watched a film on his laptop which killed another couple of hours. We finally approached Moutiers station at 6.15pm French time – just over seven hours after leaving St Pancras.

Reberty should have been a quick 40 minute drive up the mountain from Moutiers, but it was the day after the ‘Great Tempest’ as the French called it, so it took a boring 2½ hours as we queued behind sliding fools who had decided they could manage the climb without snowchains.

Under normal circumstances, the door to door trip would have been 11 hours – including the two local trains to get to St Pancras. If you live in London and assume half an hour to get to St Pancras, it would be a doddle at about 8½ hours.

Had we been flying we would have allowed 3½ hours to get to Gatwick to allow for M25 holdups, another 2 hours to check in and pass through security, an 1½ hour flight, an hour to collect luggage and walk the miles through the airport and a 2½ hour transfer to Reberty Village. Total journey time 9 ½ hours not allowing for possible flight delays.

For us the train took a bit longer and the cost, once we had factored in petrol and parking fees for the week was about £50 per person extra. On the plus side, the journey was relaxing and hassle free and we arrived at the resort refreshed instead of exhausted and stressed out.

We also noticed that all the children on board seemed happy with the freedom to move around and play games if they wanted to. In our carriage at least we didn’t hear any little ones crying or moaning - not even the inevitable, ‘are we there yet?’

We are definitely converts and suggest that if you are bored and unhappy with today’s cattle truck airlines, try Eurostar for a change and let the train take the strain.

Mel and Steve
www.skifamille.co.uk