Eurostar - overnight Ski trains

[ChristopherJ]

Talking on another newsgroup about the potential of beginning overnight international sleeper trains to London and I replied that we already do in the form of Eurostar's ski trains during the winter.

I wonder if anyone has a timetable/fiche for the overnight Ski services to see whether or not these services are booked to use LGVs all the way down to the Alps during the night or if they are booked to use classic lines at certain intervals due to engineering works on the high speed lines.

Remember, we already technically *do* have overnight international sleeper trains from the UK to Europe - albeit only in the winter period...

Eurostar operate both day *and night* tourist ski trains between London St Pancras and Bourg St Maurice, presently between 17 December 2011 to 14 April 2012.

The outbound night trains depart London every Friday evening at 19:38, arriving at Bourg at 06:41 the next (Saturday) morning.

The inbound night train departs Bourg at 22:15 and arrive in London at 07:16 next (Sunday) morning.

Full timetable here;
http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisu...t_services/ski_train/ski_train_timetables.jsp

I'd be interested to know if these services use LGVs all the way across France during the night, obviously they're on classic line through the French Alps but I wonder if they are they booked to use the LGV Nord/Interconnexion Est/Sud-Est all the way in entirety, or if RFF kick them off for engineering works and on to classic line at some dreaded bifurcation/raccordement in the middle of nowhere at silly o' clock

Thanks for any help.

 

[brianthegiant]

Talking on another newsgroup about the potential of beginning overnight international sleeper trains to London and I replied that we already do in the form of Eurostar's ski trains during the winter.

I wonder if anyone has a timetable/fiche for the overnight Ski services to see whether or not these services are booked to use LGVs all the way down to the Alps during the night or if they are booked to use classic lines at certain intervals due to engineering works on the high speed lines.

Thanks for any help.

I know it goes through CDG, not sure after that.
From memory the daytime ski train takes about 7 hours & is LGV until somewhere in the south.

Also from memory the E* overnight is on friday night as was the old rail europe ski sleeper.

Does the E* overnight have a longer journey time to allow for diversions?