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Ski train bookings for 2012-13 open 31st July 2012
Eurostar has announced that bookings for its direct ski trains, for this winter 2012-13, will open on Tuesday 31st July 2012. The train goes from St Pancras and Ashford to Moutiers - which is just a one hour transfer away from Val Thorens.
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Ski train bookings open 31st July 2012
Tickets for Eurostar's ski train go on sale on Tuesday 31st July 2012. The trains set off from St Pancras, calling at Ashford, before travelling direct to the French Alps, at around 186mph. They call at Moutiers, for Val Thorens and the other resorts of the Three Valleys (including Méribel and Courchevel), then continue to Aime-la-Plagne (for La Plagne), and Bourg St Maurice (for Les Arcs, La Rosiere, Tignes and Val d' Isere).
Timetable
The trains run from 21st December 2012, until 13th April 2013 (in effect, beginning with the Christmas holidays, and taking in two weeks of the Easter school holidays).
There are two trains: the night train, which leaves St Pancras on Friday evening, arriving in Moutiers early on Saturday morning; and the day train, which leaves on Saturday morning, and arrives early evening.
On the way back, there's a day train on Saturday, and a night train that leaves on Saturday evening, and arrives back in London early on Sunday morning. The advantage of the night trains is that you can ski from Saturday to Saturday, so getting two extra days on the slopes.
Train times from London to the Alps
| Station | Night train (Fri night) | Day train (Saturday) |
|---|---|---|
| St Pancras | 19.31 | 10.00 |
| Ashford | 20.15 | 10.47 |
| Moutiers | 05.51 | 18.12 |
Return train times
| Station | Day train (Sat) | Day train (Sat 2,9,16 Mar) | Night train (Saturday) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moutiers | 10.08 | 10.04 | 22.54 |
| Ashford | 15.36 | 15.36 | 06.34 |
| St Pancras | 16.11 | 16.12 | 07.16 |
Note: these are local times. (France is an hour ahead of the UK).
Prices, and other options
Prices are from £149 return in Standard Class, and from £229 in Standard Premier (which offers more spacious and comfortable seating, and included meals).
It's also possible to book a package with a tour operator travelling by train. Holiday companies offering travel on the Eurostar ski train include Inghams, Crystal, Thomson, and Neilson.
Finally, if you're prepared to change in Paris, you can organise your own train travel from London to Moutiers, for example using Rail Europe.