15 July 2015

Get your skis on!

• Eurostar tickets on sale for ski services to the French and Swiss Alps
• New direct service to Lyon offers skiers an additional route to the Alps

 
Ski enthusiasts looking to travel to the slopes by rail can celebrate as Eurostar offers passengers more routes to the Alps than ever before. The high-speed passenger rail service linking the UK with mainland Europe will open sales tomorrow¹ for its popular direct ski service from London St Pancras and Ashford International to the heart of the French Alps.
 
This year, there are two additional Eurostar options on offer for travel to the Alps:

• With Eurostar’s new direct service from London to Lyon, travellers benefit from a seamless journey to the most connected capital in Europe, linking to some of the finest ski resorts.
• For those wishing to ski in the Swiss Alps, Eurostar’s connecting service to Geneva via Lille is another way to reach the heart of Switzerland and then onto popular resorts.

 
Lyon
For the first ski season ever, Brits can board the train at London St Pancras or Ashford International and speed across the French countryside to Lyon in just over four and a half hours on the new direct Eurostar service.
 
Renowned as the gateway to the French Alps, Lyon is extremely well connected linking some of Europe’s most coveted resorts including Les Deux Alpes, Alpe d'Huez and Chamrousse. With fares starting from only £89 return in Standard Class, it’s an attractive alternative to flying.
 
Eurostar passengers benefit from a generous luggage allowance offering each traveller two suitcases, one piece of hand luggage and skis or snowboard at no extra cost.
 
French Alps
Eurostar’s ever popular day and night services direct to the French Alps offer easy access to top resorts including Courchevel, Meribel and Aime-la-Plagne² all within an hour from the station. The 2015/2016 seasonal ski services will run weekly from 19 December 2015 until 9 April 2016 and skiers looking to hit the slopes can purchase return fares from £149. The best news is that skis and boards travel for free.
 
The Friday overnight service arrives in the French Alps early on a Saturday morning with the return leg departing late on a Saturday evening - perfect for winter sports enthusiasts looking to maximise their time on the slopes. Alternatively, the Saturday daytime service allows passengers to sit back, relax, and enjoy stunning views of the French countryside before they arrive rested and ready to ski.
 
Swiss Alps
For those looking to experience the snow in the Swiss Alps this winter, skiers can travel on the  Eurostar connecting service to Geneva. With an easy connection on to a “TGV Lyria” service in Lille Europe, passengers can travel from London to Geneva in just over 6 hours with services specially timed to ensure a fast transfer between the two trains³.
The service offers passengers another way to travel to some of the most popular ski resorts in the Alps including Courchevel, Chamonix, Val d’Isere, Val Thorens, Meribel, Les Arcs, Tignes and La Plagne. Fares start from £127 return.
 
Tickets are available from www.eurostar.com or by calling 03432 186 186, at Eurostar stations or from travel agents.
 
For further information on connecting ski services from Eurostar stations, please visit http://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/eurostar-deals/eurostar-train-deals/trains-france/ski-train-the-alps
   
Notes to Editors:

1. Sales open at 11:00am on Thursday 16 July 2015 at Eurostar.com and at the Eurostar Contact Centre by calling 03432 186 186
2. Travel to Aime-la-Plagne is for outbound passengers only. For inbound travel back to London passengers need to board at Bourg St Maurice
3. Outbound London to Geneva will take 6 hours 18 minutes with a 37 minute connection in Lille. On the way back to the UK, customers will need to leave the train at Lille for check-in and security checks.

 
 
Timetable
The current timetables are shown below and are subject to change.
 


 
LONDON TO GENEVA
 

	Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
London	Dep	12:58
Ebbsfleet	Dep	13:15
Lille	Arr	15:30
Lille	Dep	16:07
Geneva	Arr	20:16

 
GENEVA TO LONDON
 

		Monday, Thursday, Saturday	Sunday
Geneva	Dep	08:30	10:30
Lille	TGV arr	12:57	14:45
Lille	Eurostar dep	13:30	15:30
Ebbsfleet	Dep	13:45	15:45
London	Arr	14:05	16:05

 
 
About Eurostar

1. Eurostar is the high-speed train service linking St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International, Ashford International, Paris, Brussels, Lille, Calais, Disneyland Resort Paris, Avignon and the French Alps.
2. The current Eurostar train was first introduced into service in 1994 carrying 750 passengers and operating at speeds of up to 300kph.  Since then, the fleet of 28 trains has carried more than 150 million passengers between London and the Continent.  Following their refurbishment these trains will continue to form a core part of the Eurostar fleet. The new e320 will carry around 900 passengers at speeds of up to 320kph.
3. Eurostar was established in 1994 as a partnership between three railway companies: SNCF, SNCB and LCR (London and Continental Railways). On 1 September 2010, Eurostar became a single, unified corporate entity owned by three shareholders: SNCF, SNCB and LCR. LCR’s holding was transferred to the Treasury in 2014, and sold by the UK government to a consortium comprising Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (CDPQ) and Hermes Infrastructure on 28th May 2015.
4. Eurostar is a founder member of Railteam, a partnership between Europe’s leading high-speed train operators that is developing simpler ways to book and travel on the fast-expanding, European high-speed rail network.
5. Eurostar and Eurotunnel are entirely separate companies.  Eurostar operates high-speed passenger trains, while Eurotunnel operates vehicle shuttle services and the Channel Tunnel itself. Eurostar is Eurotunnel’s biggest customer.