Latest News around the Alps

FREE 2022 LONDON christmas lights map

This year's collection of Christmas Lights in the capital are arguably better than ever and we can't recommend a trip to see them enough, especially with the option to travel on the swish and speedy new Elizabeth Line taking you right to the heart of Christmas-lights land. Use our handy free map to explore. Our research team picks out some of the highlights... 15 December 2022

APRIL SKIING - OUR TOP TEN RAIL-SERVED RESORTS

April can provide some surprisingly good skiing conditions in the Alps. Colder weather systems can arrive (as is happening as we write this piece) bringing fresh snow to the slopes which can remain surprisingly quiet, even in the Easter holidays. So, to help you make the most of some April skiing, take a look at our top ten snow-sure resorts, all accessible from the UK by train... 31 March 2022

BERGERALM, AUSTRIA - A LITTLE-KNOWN RESORT WITH A TWIST

Here at 2TA we love a slightly unusual resort, especially if it can be reached by train, both of which qualities apply to the little-known obscurity that is Bergeralm, located in the Austrian Alps about 20km south of Innsbruck. Although there are several resorts closer to the city, Bergeralm is unique in featuring a particularly unusual stretch of piste which we captured on video on our recent break.... 9 March 2022

IT's back! OUR london CHRISTMAS LIGHTS MAP 2021

With Christmas ski getaways looking uncertain again this year, 2theAlps has been searching closer to home for some festive spirit with a walk around the capital's Christmas lights. We’ve added a couple of extra displays to our usual top 10 to enable us to cover some lesser-known locations. Click on our handy map to see the locations of this year's light displays and Christmas trees and plan your own walk with our festive Top 12... 7 December 2021

FREE! OUR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS MAP 2020

With holidays in the Alps looking increasingly unlikely over the festive period, we've turned our attention closer to home this winter to produce a map of central London’s wonderful array of Christmas lights. Although a few of the usual streets have decided against a 2020 display, most have brought theirs out in style. From the iconic to the obscure, grab a copy of our map and take a look at our Top 10... 12 December 2020

BACK IN BUSINESS. SUMMER SKIING RECOMMENCES FOR UK VISITORS TO THE ALPS!

With UK quarantine measures being lifted tomorrow, nearly four months after the ski season abruptly shut down in March, active UK holidaymakers can now look forward to returning to the Alps and a belated chance to finally getting their skiing fix! We take a look at five high-altitude resorts where you can ski during the summer months... 9 July, 2020

CAN THE TRAIN REALLY COMPETE WITH FLYING TO THE ALPS WHEN IT COMES TO COST?

Among the criticisms frequently levelled at train travel to the Alps is that it's much more expensive than flying. So we thought it would be interesting to put the train to the test and look up some fares for single rail trips leaving in a couple of weeks’ time. The results may well surprise you.... 16 January, 2020

THE RESULTS ARE IN! THE CHEAPEST AND MOST EXPENSIVE RESORTS IN THE ALPS - and they're both accessible by train

A new report comparing the costs of ski holidays in 30 resorts in Europe has recently been published by Post Office Travel Money in association with Crystal Ski Holidays. As big fans of rail travel we're excited to see that both the cheapest and most expensive resorts are accessible by train and featured on our new map. Read on to find out where they are... 7 January, 2020

NEW £1 BILLION RAIL LINK OPENS FROM GENEVA

As of 15^th December, it will be a lot easier to reach the iconic winter-sports destinations of the Chamonix Valley and surrounding area by train, thanks to a new rail link through the city of Geneva. Not only are rail transfers a more enjoyable way to reach the mountains, this rail link also sets out to tackle the historically high levels of pollution in the Chamonix Valley... 10 December, 2019

THE ALPS BY TRAIN - 10 JOURNEYS IN UNDER 10 HOURS

Our research team has been busy finding the quickest rail journeys to the Alps from the UK, all of which take less than 10 hours (the fastest just 7hrs 55 minutes). By comparison, flying to the Alps usually takes between 8 and 10 hours when transfers etc are taken into account. Check out our top 10 fastest journeys - the winners might just surprise you... 1 March, 2018

OUT TODAY - OUR NEW RAIL MAP OF THE ALPS

We are delighted to announce the publication of our new map ‘The Alps – Skiing by Train’ for the 2018 ski season. Much like the iconic Tube Map, this simplified schematic style map makes it easy to plan journeys to and through the mountains by rail with over 215 ski resorts shown. Available in a variety of formats including a free lo-res download, high-resolution prints and personalised versions... 8 January, 2018

SKIING BY TRAIN IN THE SWISS ALPS

Interlaken is an excellent base for day trips by train with a wealth of ski resorts on its doorstep ranging from little-known gems overlooking the local lakes, to mega resorts in large connected ski areas. We’ve selected three relatively little known resorts, and explained how to get there from Interlaken (1hr 50mins by train from Zurich)... December 4, 2017

A SLICE OF THE ALPS - APRES-SKI UK-STYLE

Pop-up apres-ski bars are hardly a new phenomenon in the UK but, if you're yearning to hit the slopes and still have a few months to wait, there's nowhere better to hunker down with a glass of steamy mulled wine and make like you're in the mountains. One of our favourites at the Abbey Hotel has become an integral part of the Christmas experience in Bath... November 22, 2017

EPIK drives THROUGH the Alps

Go on a supercar driving experience and motor across the greatest driving roads in Europe with EPIKdrives. EPIK's driving tours feature the most iconic alpine passes and mountain roads in the Alps from the unique Stelvio Pass in Italy to Switzerland's BIG3 and the majestic Grossglockner Alpine Road. What's more you can save 5% with our unique coupon code.... November 9, 2017

Open for business

Autumn isn’t the most obvious time of year for a ski trip to the Alps but there are a surprising number of resorts already offering lift-serviced snow-sports. 2theAlps is pleased to present a summary of those currently open with some tips on how to get there.... October 27, 2017

OUR NEW GERMAN SKI VOCAB SHEET

Trying your hand at the local language is an enjoyable and rewarding experience regardless of whether English is widely spoken but, in many smaller resorts, knowing the right vocabulary can make a crucial difference to your holiday from understanding the snow conditions to ensuring the ski shop has fitted you with the right equipment... October 12, 2017