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There are numerous options for getting your sports equipment to resort, be it flying, train or coach. Most travel companies have their own individual policy terms and conditions depending on the type of sporting equipment you are transporting. Here's a snap shot of the different transport options and a guide to their restrictions:
Several airlines from around Europe will get you to the Alps without too heavy a hit on the old purse strings, check here for further airline information. Low-cost carriers such as Easyjet or Flybe regularly fly between Geneva, Lyon, Grenoble and the UK. You then have a number of options to get you from the airport to your resort, all of which are explained further in the following sections.
A review of airlines terms and conditions in relation to sports equipment baggage indicates that it is highly likely that you will be subjected to a standard charge for taking your sporting equipment on board. Leisure 'Equipment' that will require additional handling can include bikes, golf clubs, parachutes, mountaineering equipment or skis/snowboards. If you like your skis, it is imperative that you pack them in a ski or board bag for protection! Most airlines will still take your skis if they are not in a ski bag; just don’t be surprised at the condition they arrive in at the other end of your flight. A ski or snowboard bag can also be packed with soft items (ski trousers, jumpers etc) around your skis or board to give them added protection. Just be careful if the equipment is covered in storage wax.
Recently we decided to test the airlines by taking our mountain bike over from the UK to Geneva. ; bmibaby; Aer Lingus; and KLM indicated that there was an average additional charge of between £15 (€22.50) and £25 (€36) to take your mountain bike, one-way. However, having recently travelled from the UK to Geneva with our mountain bikes on a low cost carrier we feel the need to clarify this minor detail as we ended up getting stung at check in for 'excess baggage'!! Having duly paid the £15 for bike carriage, and with our luggage weighing in at about 20kgs, we were informed that even though we'd paid to take the bike on board, the combined weight permitted for all luggage was 32kgs. Anything over and above that would be subjected to 'excess baggage' charges. Full suspension bikes although light are generally not below 12kgs so our excess baggage payment ended up costing us another £35! Our bike was carried in its original cardboard box so who knows what the charges would have been had it been transported in a plastic case! Interestingly though we had to get a connecting flight from Belfast to Geneva on the same day, not wanting to pay another £35 we cleverly selected our check-in staff, a few cheeky smiles and bit of banter all proved to be a winner, no excess baggage charges, so we guess that's the random lottery that is excess baggage charges and check-in staff!
The more conventional airlines such as British Airways its code share partner Swiss airlines permit free transport of bikes providing they fit within the free baggage allowance, and are packed in a hard shelled container.
Airport Transfer companies - If you choose to take a mountain biking holiday most holiday firms will collect you from the airport where the hours drive from the airport is included within your holiday price. However, should you choose to book your transfer independently most airport transfer companies will still permit you to take your mountain bike in the vehicle provided you give advance warning at the time of booking. By
Car or Hire car from the airport - If you prefer the use of your own car you can drive down the autoroutes to Verbier. It’s approximately an 8-10 hour drive (895kms/550 miles) from Calais and will cost around €70 in road tolls. Check out Viamichelin for exact route information. The most convenient way to travel with skis is a roof "coffin" style box that will carry several pairs of skis/boards, boots and poles. A roof rack is also a handy alternative and can be retned from many ski shops. If using a roof rack, try to cover the bindings over to prevent them getting covered in grit and salt. Roof boxes and roof racks should be lockable and therefore fairly secure from thiefs.
By Train - If you choose to take a train all the way to your ski resort it may involve a couple of changes and cost slightly more than a cheap flight. Eurostar recommends using its registered luggage service for your bike if you’re travelling from London, Paris, Brussels or Lille and charges approximately £20 for carriage of your bike. If travelling by France's national rail system check here for further train and route timetables. |