Booking flights, accom etc seperately

mcgrate

Ive always booked my ski holiday well in advance, and with a tour op. This year, so far nothing booked and contempating booking it all seperately.

just looking for advice on where to go with decent cheap flights and direct transport (bus/train) to the resort?

so far have been to livignio, les deux alps, chamonix and sauze d'oulx. Would go back to the last 3, and open to anywhere really.

EileenG

Generally it's dead easy to do it all yourself. At worst, fly to Paris or one of the major citys and get a train to close to your resort. Most of them already have good connections.

I ski a lot in France, so often fly to Paris and get an overnight train to Modane or Bourg (and save two hotel nights). Try Grenoble as well. Turin used to be good, but it looks like there will be fewer flights there this year. However, Triviso (venice) is a bus ride from the Sella Ronda and Cortina.

ShayK1

I've been to Oberstdorf for the past 3 years. Fly to Munich and there's a direct 2hr train to Oberstdorf. I've posted plenty of info on this site if you want to search for it. Or just ask if you want more info.

Nemeziss

Is it any cheaper than booking everything as a package?

olaola

We're booking ours DIY this year and saving about €400 on brochure prices. It all depends on how cheap you can get the flights really - you can really save if you get a good deal.

penexpers

Booked everything seperately twice.

First time we flew to Paris, then got the train down to Bourg St Maurice, then got the bus up to Les Arcs. Second time, flew to Lyon. got the bus straight to Les Menuires. Overall, saved quite a bit of money over the brochure price. There was a small amount of hassle involved, but it was worth it.

A good place to start for France is the resrots website. They'll often offer an accomodation booking service and you can book the accomodation + ski pass in one package.

am i bovvered

ShayK1 wrote: »

I've been to Oberstdorf for the past 3 years. Fly to Munich and there's a direct 2hr train to Oberstdorf. I've posted plenty of info on this site if you want to search for it. Or just ask if you want more info.

Hi Shay, there is a new Ryanair flight Dublin-Memmingen, it knocks a good bit off the train journey.

Fattes

Dublin -Geneva = Any french resort all the western Swiss Resorts
Dublin-Zurich= Any French or Austrian Resort (St Anton and a few others are less than an hour) and all the Western swiss ski resorts
Dublin-Venice- Italian Resorts and south Tyrol
Dublin-Munich- Most of the Austrian Resorts and the German ones
Dublin-Memmingen- As above

Most resorts are linked by either Bus or Train. In particular Swiss transport is incredible. Add €80 to your flight for the train there and back.

Allot of Austrian and a small number o fFrench places will offer free transfers as part of their rates.

If you are not lugging skis it is easy peasy and if you are it is still simple. Most hotels are doing good direct booking deals this year as the TO have cut the amount of rooms they have booked so you will prob save a few quid.

EileenG

Nemeziss wrote: »

Is it any cheaper than booking everything as a package?

It usually is, and you have far more control over what you are getting. Every time we booked a package, we had problems of one sort or another. One had the creche worker's day off in the middle of the week, so we either had to take a day off skiing or pay her privately to mind our brat. The resort creche doesn't do stuff like that. Also, you usually lose a day's skiing while the reps fiddle round with getting everyone lined up and onto the transfer bus about four hours before necessary.

If you DIY, you have far more choice about what ski hire, ski school etc you choose, and the hotels are usually better. If you are not pushed about maid service, then I highly recommend the French Youth Hostel system. They provide accommodation, all meals, skis, and lift pass for a great price. All you have to do is get there.

Overflow

EileenG wrote: »

It usually is, and you have far more control over what you are getting. Every time we booked a package, we had problems of one sort or another. One had the creche worker's day off in the middle of the week, so we either had to take a day off skiing or pay her privately to mind our brat. The resort creche doesn't do stuff like that. Also, you usually lose a day's skiing while the reps fiddle round with getting everyone lined up and onto the transfer bus about four hours before necessary.

If you DIY, you have far more choice about what ski hire, ski school etc you choose, and the hotels are usually better. If you are not pushed about maid service, then I highly recommend the French Youth Hostel system. They provide accommodation, all meals, skis, and lift pass for a great price. All you have to do is get there.

I cant agree with you more, im a serious advocate of doing it DIY ! Down with the tour operaters.

k123456

Ryanair fly to lots of airports near ski areas, Gerona, Bergamo etc

They fly to Bergamo and Gerona daily, meaning u can fly out on a Friday and return on a Sunday week, meaning u get a couple of extra days skiing in.

If u have 3+ plus in hire car, this is not an expensive way to get to your resort.

If u choose the car hire option, u have the option of skiing in more than one ski resort while u are away.

For the ski resorts near Bergamo half board prices start at approx €60 in a decent hotel

We booked return flights to Bergamo in Jan for €40

Overflow

One bad thing about Ryanair is that they charge you £80 if you want to bring your own Ski's or snowboard. Which is an absolute rip off compared to other airlines.

EileenG

Overflow wrote: »

One bad thing about Ryanair is that they charge you £80 if you want to bring your own Ski's or snowboard. Which is an absolute rip off compared to other airlines.

Have you considered posting your skis? I just hire these days, but back when I had my own skis, I found that posting them was a lot cheaper and far less hassle than lugging them with me.

Nemeziss

So, where do you start?

What do you book first, accommodation or flights?

I guess for bigger groups (4 people +) it is easier as you just book whole chalet etc. but in my case there is only two of us, me and my bf.

We still would like to stay in catered chalet where we can meet and interact with other people instead of staying in a hotel room on our own.

Last year we went to Val Thorens in France. It was great.
I wonder how to go about finding chalets you can book directly yourself just for two of us. Any tips?

Thanks

Karolina

EileenG

Generally, if I find cheap flights, I grab them. Once you have dates, it's much easier to book accommodation. Most resorts have websites which list accommodation, B&B and pensions and hostels as well as apartments and hotels. Or if you happen to have flights for peak time, then look at nearby villages.

For instance, I like skiing in Les Arcs. If I have trouble getting a hotel there, I stay in Seez, which is 5km up the road, has much cheaper hotels, and has a free bus which goes straight to the bottom of the Funi.

It's very easy to book for two, most hotel rooms work out well that way, and they can nearly always squeeze you in.

k123456

Nemeziss wrote: »

So, where do you start?

What do you book first, accommodation or flights?

I guess for bigger groups (4 people +) it is easier as you just book whole chalet etc. but in my case there is only two of us, me and my bf.

We still would like to stay in catered chalet where we can meet and interact with other people instead of staying in a hotel room on our own.

Last year we went to Val Thorens in France. It was great.
I wonder how to go about finding chalets you can book directly yourself just for two of us. Any tips?

Thanks


Book flights first, try snowheads.com for chalet deals, lots of chalet owners there, some will pick u up from airport if u book a week