The Best Airport Transfer for Your Ski Holiday

If you’re booking your next winter holiday independently then an airport transfer can seem like a major cost at first. We hear a lot of people say that travel between the airport and ski resort was much more than they expected or that they were confused by the range of options available. There also seems to be a general lack of information out there to help people – so booking can seem overly-complicated.

In this blog we’ve broken down the decision process for choosing an airport transfer. There’s a lot to cover so we’ve given each a general summary and we’ll go through them individually in later blog posts.

Which Airport is Best for You?

When flying within Europe there are plenty of options for low-cost flights to airports surrounding the best ski areas. In some areas the choice of which airport to land in might be obvious. For other resorts there could be 3 or 4 airports all in close proximity. The closest airport may not always provide the best options for onward airport transfers (Chambery would be a good example of this).

The cost of private taxis will always be based on distance of course. If they get more business from busier airports then this could work out for the customer though. If a company can fill both legs of a journey then this can lower the price for both groups. When looking for cheaper airport transfer options such as shared buses or trains then an airport slightly further away could give you more opportunities. Geneva would be a good example of this. It’s not always more economic to save a small amount on your flight price if the airport transfer then ends up costing you even more.

With Snowcompare you can easily cross-check your journey details between several local airports and compare the airport transfer cost – before you book your flights.

What is the Distance to your Resort?

When looking for the cheapest airport transfer you want to be looking at resorts closer to their respective airports, right? Well, yes – but there are more factors to be considered when selecting a ski resort. Many people have a favourite resort, but equally a lot of people want to try new places. Popular resorts like Morzine may be closer, but sit at a lower altitude. Therefore higher resorts like Val Thorens or Tignes which guarantee snow conditions but are further away become more attractive. If your group is considering a weekend ski trip then we would recommend picking convenient resorts like Chamonix – but if you have a full week  then the driving time for somewhere like Val d’Isere is well worth it.

If you want to look at the relative costs of an airport transfer to various ski resorts then Snowcompare makes this very easy. Simply enter your journey details and then switch between the resorts that interest you to get the airport transfer price.

How Many Passengers do you Have?

Are you lucky enough to have a large group of friends and family – but unluckily you now have to organise a ski trip for 30 people? Or perhaps this holiday is a more intimate affair for a small number of people? Group size is going to make a huge difference to the airport transfer options available, and their per person cost.

As you might imagine, private taxi transfers work best for mid-size groups. The vast majority of vehicles have 8 passenger seats in them. So if you have 8 people in your group then you split the cost and it becomes a very convenient option. If there are only 2 of you though you will have 6 spare seats and will be splitting a very similar fee as the larger group. Simliarly, if you happen to have 9 people in your group then you will require either 2 taxis, or one of the companies that run larger mini-coaches.

Luckily plenty of airport transfer options exist for ski holidays throughout Europe. Snowcompare has all the best airport transfer companies running private taxis, shared buses, and also discounted ‘empty leg’ transfers – all on one website.

What type of Transfer is Best For You?

As discussed, passenger numbers are going to have a massive impact on your choice of transfer type and the associated cost. If you fall somewhere in the middle of two choices though then you may want to consider the following.

A private airport transfer offers the most convenience by far. Your driver will meet you when you land, help move your luggage, and take you directly to your hotel door. There’s no stress involved, just sit back and enjoy the journey. They are also the most expensive option naturally – but definitely best for families and groups of 4 to 8 people.

A shared airport transfer will be much cheaper but will depart at regular intervals and will have other stops before dropping you off at a central location in your resort. So, you’re going to have to wait at the airport and the journey is going to take longer – plus you’re travelling with other groups of people. However, the cost difference for smaller groups can be absolutely massive and if you’re travelling on a budget this is definitely the best way to go.

As a sort of ‘halfway-house’ option – some companies offer significant discounts on empty leg journeys. That is, if they have one airport transfer already booked they may choose to offer savings to a group who are willing to fill the empty leg of the return journey for the driver. This means you get a private transfer – but it departs at a set time. If you can find one of these which fits your requirements then it can work brilliantly for everyone involved. They can take a bit of searching for, but represent great value and convenience all rolled in to one.

Are you unsure which type of transfer suits your group best – or even what is available in your chosen area? Snowcompare have bought all the best airport transfer options together on one website. Just enter your journey details and we’ll show you all the companies offering private taxis, shared buses and discounted journeys.

How are you Finding Local Transfer Companies?

The advancement of the internet, and of Google in particular, has been amazing for independent companies and for those looking to get a bargain by avoiding using travel agents. However, it can also be time consuming going between all the different companies, sending emails and checking quotes. Sometimes the best airport transfer companies aren’t the ones who show up on the first page of the search results either – they’re too busy doing transfer journeys to spend time increasing their Google ranking.

Maybe you have a friend who used a great company last holiday? Word of mouth is fantastic, but what if you’re going to a different area to them, or that company is already fully-booked?

Perhaps your hotel recommends a transfer supplier?  That sounds good in theory, but hotels tend to be paid commission for transport bookings and the more you pay for your journey means the more they get paid. They wouldn’t put you with a bad airport transfer company of course, but they won’t necessarily select the cheapest provider either.

That’s one of the great things about Snowcompare – we’ve spent the time putting all the best airport transfer companies on one website for you. We’ve made it easy to see the cost to travel to ski resorts so you save time and can be sure you’re getting the best possible deal. We also have customer reviews for each company so you can be sure about what you’re getting.

If you need to book an independent airport to ski resort transfer of any kind, anywhere in Europe, then Snowcompare can help you…