Plane Versus Train To The Alps: The Movie
Plane Versus Train To The Alps: The Movie
Published : 10-Nov-2012 08:15
It's another of those eternal questions in ski travel, ski or board? fondue or raclette? hat or helmet? ...and of course plane or train?
Fans of rail travel to the mountains have long argued that you can get from central London to some of the best known areas in the Alps as quickly by rail as you can flying, and with a lot less stress.
Now two ski journalists, Neil English and Daniel Elkan, have put the theory to the test with a race from London to Meribel battle, each aiming to be the first to reach Fish & Pips chalet and be the first to be sipping champagne in the hot tub.
Neil's route was a flight from Gatwick to Geneva and then a private minibus transfer, while Daniel, who is the co-founder of the snowcarbon.com website which promotes rail travel to the Alps, caught a Eurostar to Paris, changed stations and then took a TGV down to Moutiers, from where it is a 20-minute taxi ride to Meribel.
A cameraman followed each journalist, the film captures the drama, frustration and banter – exposing the advantages and limitations of each mode of transport.
"As a kid, I used to take the train to ski resorts with my family," said Neil English. "I loved it, it was always so exciting. But when Daniel challenged me to a race, I was up for proving that however enjoyable train travel might be, the plane is a lot faster."
"There plenty of ski resorts in the the Alps that you can reach as quickly by train as you can by plane if you live near London," says Daniel Elkan. "The conventional wisdom says that flying is much quicker, but measured door-to-door, that is a complete myth."
While there is also a direct ski train from London to the 3 Valleys, the slightly longer, indirect (via Paris) route was chosen deliberately because equivalent journeys can be made to resorts all over the Alps. "Only one region of France has the direct Ski Train from London but many other ski regions are accessible by Eurostar + TGV just as quickly, so this race has relevance to many regions and resorts," says Elkan. "And these journeys are comfortable, easy and fun."
"As a region, we want skiers to be aware of all their travel options. Travelling by train can make the journey part of the holiday," says Vincent Lalanne, director of Les 3 Vallées Association. "The film highlights the fact that these indirect routes are perfectly viable – so as well as an exciting race, it helps inform skiers about their travel options."
The film can be viewed on the homepage of www.snowcarbon.co.uk where you can see who won.
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