Fun on the train

We’ve spent the past couple of weeks on a lot of trains, with our luggage and some far-too-numerous bags of camera equipment.  Why?  To film journeys to great ski resorts in France, Switzerland and Austria, and the skiing when you get there.  It’s been a Winterrail adventure, and one of the things that struck us most while travelling was the fun that can be had on the train.

It’s inpiring to see people on trains enjoying the time travelling, rather than just waiting for it to pass. In contrast to the airport endurance test, where the stop-start queue-to-queue gives you little opportunity to do anything with the time, we saw skiers on trains chatting, watching films, reading, and playing games.

This family, pictured, who were using the train to get to Chamonix, were having a whale of a time. The friendliness and humour of people around us made things a pleasure, and reminded us that it is the travelling that counts, as well as the skiing.  

On a train headed for St Anton, when I went to stroke a cute Pekanese dog on the lap of someone in the next seat lap, a guy behind me barked just at the moment my hand got near its nose.  I jumped back, thinking it was the dog warning me off.  Everyone in the section of the carriage around us cracked up laughing.  Except the Pekanese, who missed out on some attention.  Well, temporarily...

We’ve set up a special section on the site (www.snowcarbon.co.uk/train-guides/your-stories) where you can share your journeys to ski resorts by train, from this, season or previous seasons, so please send them in.  

Have fun wherever you are going!