Summer 2020 is certainly a strange one. Not only is the demand for transport down as more travellers prefer the bubble of their own cars, but it is also the first summer that we at Taxi Morzine are seeing that demand for rail transfers has exceeded that of airport runs.
I am getting encouraging, albeit tentative, travel requests for transfers this coming winter, and to answer many emails, yes, we do operate transfers to and from regional train stations. Our favourite is Thonon-les-bains. It is easily accessible on a quieter road and only 40 minutes to Morzine centre. On weekends during the winter season there are direct TGV trains from Paris, Gare de Lyon. Cluses is the closest train station by a couple of kilometers, however on a busy Saturday the road to and from Morzine becomes saturated with traffic from the motorway and airport. Transfer time can be doubled on that journey on a Saturday! Other regional rail alternatives are Annecy, Bellegarde or Geneva which all have speedy TGV links to and from Paris.
In an ideal world there would be direct trains to our area from London to avoid the change of trains between the Gare du Nord and the Gare de Lyon and maybe this will happen one day as the current French government is already looking into reintroducing more sleeper trains in France as an environmentally friendly alternative to road and air travel. In the meantime however it is definitely worth considering the advantages of travelling by train from the UK – comfortable seats, the possibility of being able to stretch ones legs and visit the buffet carriage, no pesky limits on liquids in handbags and no lost luggage en route. Rail travel is also less affected by adverse weather conditions and the hypnotising views of the countryside whizzing by make the whole journey a total treat.
I admit that rail travel does have its drawbacks such as having to get luggage (and kids!) across Paris, the cost of the fare is usually higher and the door to door journey time would probably be longer, but in this day and age what are a couple of extra hours on a journey? As the old British Rail advert used to say “Let the train take the strain”… and Taxi Morzine will be waiting for you just off the train platform.