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planning a quick ski trip - looking for advice

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  • 04-01-2015 8:45pm
    #1
    martinsvi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,729 ✭✭✭


    Hi there,

    I was hoping to do a quick weekend getaway (4-5 days tops), to go skiing somewhere nice, but stumbled upon a problem - most good resorts are miles away from an airport, be it Bergamo or Munich, I wouldn't like to spend the whole day commuting, can anyone recommend me a good skiing destination that's relatively conveniently reachable? I know Salzburg can be pretty good for this, but Ryanair only flies there Saturdays/Sundays, which doesn't work for me. I'm not interested in night life, it's all about snow/distance really


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    #2
    Dr Nic
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭Dr Nic


    Fattes engleberg looks an interesting option, but ive never been. fly ryanair to basel for 40eur return and 40eur 2hour train direct to engleberg. It looks great really. maybe next year. Theres even a cheap enough hostel there. Food and lift pass look more expensive that france though and it has a small enough piste size but unlimited off piste it seems

    it all depends on your budget. ive really never seen a convincing option for cheapish flight & transfer that will allow you to ski that day and not just waste a day off your lift pass.

    Most flights to munich, grenoble, geneva, lyons leave no earlier than 9.30 so even if you rent a car and bomb down yourself you still wouldnt make it to any resort before 3pm. Im very open to correction on that though!


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    #3
    martinsvi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,729 ✭✭✭martinsvi


    that's what I feared, but thought I'll ask anyway. Thanks, I'll check your suggestion


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    #4
    Timmaay
    Registered Users Posts: 11,394 ✭✭✭✭Timmaay


    The Morzine/Avoriaz area and Chamonix both only about an hour transfer from Geneva, Ryanair and Air lingus both fly there from Dublin. Only thing to be careful about is the midweek rushhour traffic in Geneva city. But agreed, we need more flights from Dublin at say 6am, that have us on the slopes for 11am and most the day skiing if possible!


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    #5
    Rew
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 8,679 Mod ✭✭✭✭Rew


    Im flying into Munich, renting a car and heading for Soll. its about 2.5 hours drive. Aer Lingus do a redeye to Munich that gets you in for 10.30 so you could be on the slopes for lunch. Soll has night skiing so you can claw back some time on the slopes that way.


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    #6
    fannymagee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭fannymagee


    Rew wrote: »
    Im flying into Munich, renting a car and heading for Soll. its about 2.5 hours drive. Aer Lingus do a redeye to Munich that gets you in for 10.30 so you could be on the slopes for lunch. Soll has night skiing so you can claw back some time on the slopes that way.

    Agree with Rew, Aer Lingus 0720 flight, with train to Kufstein & taxi to Soll will get you to Soll by 1.30pm, I do it all the time. Even if you still have to rent equipment you can be on the slopes by 2.30/3 if you're focussed. Or as Rew says you can take your time getting there and go up for night skiing from 6pm.

    Return flight Munich Dublin is at 20.00 so they're perfect times for a short trip, you don't have to leave the resort till 4ish on your last day, depending on how you travel.

    If you don't want to hire car or get train, Four Seasons Taxi do a shared transfer service (link in first post), it's very reliable and about €49 each way.


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    #7
    martinsvi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,729 ✭✭✭martinsvi


    very good tips here, thanks, I'll shop around


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    #8
    fannymagee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭fannymagee


    7.20am flight lands in Munich approx. 9.45/10am when it's running on time- 10.30 is a generous overestimate from the airline. If there are no delays you'll easily make the 11.04 train which gets into Kufstein at 12.40, straight into a taxi & in Soll for 1pm. if you take a taxi/rent a car you've a slight headstart so will be in Soll for around 12.30, but there's not a whole lot in the difference timewise.

    Train times are on www.bahn.de. Munchen Flughafen Terminal - Kufstein, Osterreich.


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    #9
    fmlarnapairce
    Registered Users Posts: 188 ✭✭fmlarnapairce


    get a late flight into zurich, train to a resort (saas fee, engelberg, andermatt etc), throw bags in room and get a few pints into ya (or not). up early on the slopes the next day, and the beauty of the late flight means you'll get most of a day's skiing on the last day (as your return flight will also be late). That's the way I've done it for the last few years and always works out well.
    I think that's safer than getting a few hours in on the first day, ie you won't be tired from a red eye flight, which brings the associated injury risks unfortunately due to fatigue.


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    #10
    fannymagee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭fannymagee


    fmlarnapairce wrote: »
    get a late flight into zurich, train to a resort (saas fee, engelberg, andermatt etc), throw bags in room and get a few pints into ya (or not). up early on the slopes the next day, and the beauty of the late flight means you'll get most of a day's skiing on the last day (as your return flight will also be late). That's the way I've done it for the last few years and always works out well.
    I think that's safer than getting a few hours in on the first day, ie you won't be tired from a red eye flight, which brings the associated injury risks unfortunately due to fatigue.

    Ahh jaysis now you've put the mockers on me!!


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    #11
    fmlarnapairce
    Registered Users Posts: 188 ✭✭fmlarnapairce


    fannymagee wrote: »
    Ahh jaysis now you've put the mockers on me!!

    had to google that phrase, harsh!


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    #12
    fannymagee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭fannymagee


    Haha sorry I am a superstitious skier- I think we had a thread on it last year sometime. There is nothing I hate more than when someone says "Be careful". AAAARGH! ;-)


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    #13
    fmlarnapairce
    Registered Users Posts: 188 ✭✭fmlarnapairce


    fannymagee wrote: »
    Ahh jaysis now you've put the mockers on me!!
    fannymagee wrote: »
    Haha sorry I am a superstitious skier- I think we had a thread on it last year sometime. There is nothing I hate more than when someone says "Be careful". AAAARGH! ;-)

    apologies, normally, I am all for recklessness, but we've lost a few good men/women to the "i'll just go up for one or two runs and meet ye in the pub afterwards" phenomenon.

    but way more have done it and had a great time, so ignore me, fire on, you'll be grand!


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    #14
    fannymagee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭fannymagee


    Phew!! Thanks- mockers undone, we're back in business lol ;-)


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    #15
    maddness
    Registered Users Posts: 1,776 ✭✭✭maddness


    Aer Lingus fly to Geneva at 6:50am landing at 9:50. You can be in Morzine, Les Carroz/Flaine, Megeve, Chamonix or Courmayer all within 90 mins. I have been on the slopes by midday in Morzine. If you fly out early Thursday and back Sunday evening or Monday morning usually works best from Geneva.

    Aer Lingus also fly to Milan Malpensa leaving at 16:15: landing at 19:40. Sauze d'Olux or Cervinia are both about two hours drive so you could fly out Wednesday or Thursday and can ski the following day and fly back Sunday as the flight back is at 20:20 from Milan.


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    #16
    Northern Monkey
    Registered Users Posts: 1,593 ✭✭✭Northern Monkey


    fannymagee wrote: »
    Haha sorry I am a superstitious skier- I think we had a thread on it last year sometime. There is nothing I hate more than when someone says "Be careful". AAAARGH! ;-)

    Or one last run!


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    #17
    Fattes
    Registered Users Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭Fattes


    Dr Nic wrote: »
    Fattes engleberg looks an interesting option, but ive never been. fly ryanair to basel for 40eur return and 40eur 2hour train direct to engleberg. It looks great really. maybe next year. Theres even a cheap enough hostel there. Food and lift pass look more expensive that france though and it has a small enough piste size but unlimited off piste it seems

    it all depends on your budget. ive really never seen a convincing option for cheapish flight & transfer that will allow you to ski that day and not just waste a day off your lift pass.

    Most flights to munich, grenoble, geneva, lyons leave no earlier than 9.30 so even if you rent a car and bomb down yourself you still wouldnt make it to any resort before 3pm. Im very open to correction on that though!

    Yeah not the cheapest resort here but there are ways around it, I normally have a spare room/ couch.

    Trick is late flights in the evening/ afternoon and getting out the next morning for a ski!

    Flaine, Chamonix and a few other resorts are 45 min from Geneva,

    Munich- Garmisch is close and plenty of resorts within and hour of Zurich too


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    #18
    a148pro
    Registered Users Posts: 2,204 ✭✭✭a148pro


    Morzine one hour from geneva (don't go there I these snow conditions), chamonix and flaine about an hour 15. Flight times allow most of a days skiing on return day. Zurich and two and half hour drive to St anton or a little further to ischgl, again, flight times allow you to come in late the night before and get a full day's skiing on return date (I have done this on a four day basis four times out of dublin - the only problem is it's hard to get accommodation in either of these two resorts for only four days).

    There are a ton of resorts within an hour and a half of munich, flight times allow full day's skiing on way back. No problem getting accommodation.

    I am flying to bergamo tomorrow evening for four full days skiing in cervinia. The flights are insanely cheap, 70 euro return.

    Many options!


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    #19
    martinsvi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,729 ✭✭✭martinsvi


    after long long thinking, we decided to dump the "weekend" rush approach, and go for the full week to Bergamo

    anyway, checked my clothing and well, long story short - I need new trousers and what not.. I'm not Irish so I've never purchased these things in Ireland. Is there a shop around Dublin one could buy some ski clothing or should I do my shopping in Italy? Any pointers would be appreciated, basically the question is - where do you buy your gear?


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    #20
    fannymagee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭fannymagee


    Go to TK Maxx for the big things, Mountain Warehouse for the little things. You'd be surprised at the gear you can pick up there for next to nothing (always has sales), and it's much better quality than people give it credit for, esp for things like buffs, layers etc.


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    #21
    Fattes
    Registered Users Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭Fattes


    martinsvi wrote: »
    after long long thinking, we decided to dump the "weekend" rush approach, and go for the full week to Bergamo

    anyway, checked my clothing and well, long story short - I need new trousers and what not.. I'm not Irish so I've never purchased these things in Ireland. Is there a shop around Dublin one could buy some ski clothing or should I do my shopping in Italy? Any pointers would be appreciated, basically the question is - where do you buy your gear?

    Sadly not much left in TXMAXX they pull there ski stock at the end of January! For some obscure reasont, the one in Swords and Carrickmines had limited stocks last Friday (I had a flying visit home to DUblin)

    MCski in Belfast are having a massive closing down sale! Everything must go and they have a website for shopping!


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    #22
    martinsvi
    Registered Users Posts: 1,729 ✭✭✭martinsvi


    ok, what about shopping opportunities near Bergamo? Anyone tried that?


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    #23
    krustycustomer
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭krustycustomer


    Arrive in Munich thursday to monday and trying to decide where to snowboard for a couple.

    Garmisch - close by, easy to get a train to, but has many flat spots.

    Soll - More expensive but looks worth the trip for better resorts and more to board and lively. Havent looked at accom but Garmisch has many double rooms still available for 100 a night.

    Probably better off renting a car regardless?

    Shopping, sports direct has the cheapest deals on layers, quality doesn't bother me.

    8000/8000 jacket and 5000/5000 pants that actually fit properly are worth spending on IMHO, avoid TK Max unless fitting is good.

    surfdome.com and similar websites good for deals, snow asylum


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    #24
    fannymagee
    Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭fannymagee


    krustycustomer wrote: »
    Arrive in Munich thursday to monday and trying to decide where to snowboard for a couple.

    Garmisch - close by, easy to get a train to, but has many flat spots.

    Soll - More expensive but looks worth the trip for better resorts and more to board and lively. Havent looked at accom but Garmisch has many double rooms still available for 100 a night.

    Probably better off renting a car regardless?

    Shopping, sports direct has the cheapest deals on layers, quality doesn't bother me.

    8000/8000 jacket and 5000/5000 pants that actually fit properly are worth spending on IMHO, avoid TK Max unless fitting is good.

    surfdome.com and similar websites good for deals, snow asylum

    Well you all know I'm biased, but definitely Soll. Way more fun, and also easily accessible by train. I wouldn't bother with a car either, jump a train to Kitzbuhel (90 mins), and taxi to Soll (20 mins), you'll both get there & back for about €80, €100 max depending on train tickets but it's usu €25 each way pp, taxi about €25 total each way. Book it in advance. Loads of info in Soll thread, accom is about €35 B&B.


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    #25
    man_no_plan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,018 ✭✭✭man_no_plan


    krustycustomer wrote: »
    Arrive in Munich thursday to monday and trying to decide where to snowboard for a couple.

    Garmisch - close by, easy to get a train to, but has many flat spots.

    Soll - More expensive but looks worth the trip for better resorts and more to board and lively. Havent looked at accom but Garmisch has many double rooms still available for 100 a night.

    Probably better off renting a car regardless?

    Shopping, sports direct has the cheapest deals on layers, quality doesn't bother me.

    8000/8000 jacket and 5000/5000 pants that actually fit properly are worth spending on IMHO, avoid TK Max unless fitting is good.

    surfdome.com and similar websites good for deals, snow asylum

    If you're going to garmisch you can head over into lermoos and ehrwald if you buy the full area pass, good variety of skiing in the area and not far between them


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    #26
    krustycustomer
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭krustycustomer


    any recommendations where to stay in Garmisch?


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