Hi everyone,
Train tickets for travel within France from 27th March will go on sale tomorrow (Wednesday 25th), so anyone wanting TGV tickets (e.g. to connect to Eurostar) would be advised to have a look. See this email from Snowcarbon for details:
https://mailchi.mp/9d96b22efba3/train-tix-on-sale-soon-10335657?e=a026c81300
As per other contributors to travel discussion another excellent site for train info is "The man in seat 61": https://www.seat61.com/
To share a good train trip experience this January 2023. Just returned from skiing at Oz by Alpe D’Huez with train via Grenoble.
Booking through Trainline worked well. Price seemed reasonable to me. (The cost of my 1 week holiday came out the cheapest for many years).
The timing for the journey out from the North or Midlands is a problem. It seems an overnight in London or Paris may be necessary. Luckily, I was able to overnight and breakfast with relatives in Paris. However the return in 1 day to the West Midlands was easy and I was back home by about 10 p.m. (And with no aggravation in Grenoble airport!)
Eurostar, no special problems, then TGV to Grenoble. Some trains are direct but more times are available with a change at Lyon Part Dieu. From Grenoble Gare, I used the Transisere public bus to the stop in the valley (Bourg /Rochetailee). Cheap at Eu 6.40 each way.
The last leg of the journey was a bit entertaining. Arriving after 6 p.m. at a wild, dark, cold, snowy bus stop in the middle of nowhere, the connecting bus (intimated in the timetable notes) was a phantom. Luckily I was rescued by friends just going up in a crammed full car. But my other friend delayed by Ryanair, chose to ignore possible offers of lifts. And legged it up 1000 metres and 10 miles through the dark forest, missing dinner!
My return down to the bus stop was in an early morning shared taxi. But there was an Oz navette standing there. It might be the case that connecting transfers are available by booking more than 24 hours before.
Also check out Eurostar to Amsterdam then OBB Nightjet trains to make places including Innsbruck & Vienna- prices range from cheap seats to ensuite sleeper cabins. Look at www.seat61 for huge amount of up to date detail and costs.