Snow trains ?

I am looking at ways to avoid the somewhat excessive (yes, it's a subjective view) fares currently on offer for flights to Salzburg this winter.

Aer Lingus fares for 4 of us are looking to be around €2,400, Ryanair is now about €2,000, but I reckon that I can get flights to London and a Eurostar and sleeper down to my destination for about €1,500ish with this crowd - http://www.europeanrail.com/bergland-expres/eurostar-bus-train-connections.htm, but this years fares aren't up yet. I have mailed them and am awaiting confirmation.

I also came across these guys - [broken link removed] - who pick up in a couple of cities served by reasonably cheap flights ex-Dublin.

Does anyone know of any other similar trains which operate to the ski resorts of Austria in winter ? I'm sure there must be equivalents leaving ex-Netherlands and perhaps France, but I can't find the details.

z

Would you consider flying in to Bratislava with Ryanair or and then getting a bus to Vienna and then a train to Saltzburg?

I know that Eurostar operates through services in the winter to the French Alps direct from London ... I think it's about 6-7 hours from London ... no change required (During the summer they have direct trains to Avignon instead of the Ski destinations)

Can't help you with the Austrian query I'm afraid .. I guess there's likely to be somethign but I don't know of it.

Problem solved.

Aer Lingus to Amsterdam
Down to the basement to get a train to Rotterdam
Sleeper from Rotterdam, arrive at destination Saturday morning

Two extra days ski-ing, save a good few €x00, arrive early in the morning, depart Dublin airport at a non-loolaa time. Can't be beat.

Incidentally, I checked my receipt for last years trip for the same busy weekend last year. I booked Ryanair flights in October 2006 for the New Year weekend - cost €1,200ish. Cost now for the same dates (different times though) is €2,000ish. I know Ryanair are just performing revenue maximisation and that's one of their jobs, but they have just lost business this way.

z