"Mike" wrote in message
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"BrritSki" wrote in message
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Ace wrote:
On Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:59:01 +0100, "PSmith"
paulDOTsmith_UK@tiscaliDOTcoDOTuk wrote:

my concern is will there be space for it on the train! (I don't want
to waste my first ski day with getting luggage from the station etc as
a result of the luggage transfer schemes). Any ideas?

There should be plenty of space on the train, from my limited
experience. But remember that you're going to have to change trains,
probably at least twice.

When I did it a few years ago it was only 1 change and it was just a
short walk to change platforms and almost no waiting.

Getting on the train in Geneva was very easy too as the station's right
in the airport as you probably know.

The luggage transfer schemes seem to work well

However, I recall that it is not guaranteed to arrive same day, so
non-starter really for skiers. Could always hope that your luggage is
delayed arriving at GVA and forwarded later but, again, next day.
(mentioned because have had some success here).
Plenty of room on train and change at Visp, short walk and then train to
Tasch or even all way to Zermatt. Usually no problems but book seats in
advance. HTH Mike
Couple of other minor points re the journey:

* buy the train ticket(s) in the UK (via Swiss Rail -
http://www.swissrailways.com/produkttexte.php?passid=3. The Swiss Transfer
Ticket seems to be the thing to get;
* it wasn't that obvious to me which platform you got the train from at
Geneva airport. the signage is not very clear and the trains themselves
don't seem to be marked. OPs might know what the clues are. So give yourself
a reasonable amout of time to sort that out - and you may have to ask;
* the GVA - Visp bit of the journey is on a train with 1st and 2nd class
compartments and the distinction was not that clear to me (I expect it was
marked somewhere but I didn't see it) so I got 'moved on' when the inspector
came to call;
* I was travelling mid-week (went Tuesday - Tuesday) so the train wasn't
busy with skiers but it does pick up a lot of commuter traffic particularly
on the bit alongside the lake. For the rest of the journey we had loads of
space;
* I don't think there's any catering on the train so stock up at the
airport - there's a perfectly reasonable supermarket in the railway station
(or it might be the station end of the airport);
* Zermatt is car-free with lots of electric taxis (which sneak up on you
when you're walking about). Many hotels have their own - so it's worth
checking with whoever you're staying with if they've got one and how (if)
you can book it to collect you from the station;
* SCGB usually has a rep in Zermatt and he/she/they know their way around
(but haven't checked the plans for this year). This is particularly useful
for mountain restaurants as there are lots of them, some brilliant, some
deeply average and some very obscurely positioned! Worth joining for on its
own - I reckon. Actually there are a few SCGB members who know Z intimately
and are passionate about the place. A lot of info available via the Ski Club
website members area.

Might end of there myself if the economy don't get me.

Paul