UKC

I'm hoping to head to Cogne beginning of Feb next month and wondering which is the best way to actually get there? My current plan is to fly to Turin, catch the train to Aosta and then bus to Cogne.

Its pretty cheap compared to private car hire but wondering does anybody know of any shuttle services that run from either Geneva or Turin to Cogne itself? As for example the service run by Mountain Drop Offs/Alpy Bus that ferry people from Geneva to Chamonix. Would just make life easier when catching the flight back which tends to be at (for the dates I'm looking at) 10:30am on a Sunday morning! Means a lot of faff and early start just to get home.

In reply to joe.91:

This will work well but check the last bus from Aosta to Cogne if you are arriving later in the day.




Pretty certain they don't normally (the tunnel is v expensive for them) although I am sure if you offer enough they would!

In reply to joe.91: Before you commit, check flight prices carefully. It's often so much cheaper to fly to Geneva than Turin that the overall cost may be lower, even if you rent a car. BTW, if there are more than two of you, the difference between the lowest band car rental and other means of transfer is negligible, and the convenience more than makes up for it.

In reply to joe.91:

Funnily enough, I've just been looking into this as a couple of friends want to join us in Cogne this winter via public transport from either Geneva or Turin - and they can't be @rsed to do the research for themselves!

1/ There's the (already mentioned) Geneva-Chamonix shuttle. Then there's a regular bus service between Chamonix and Aosta. http://www.chamonix.com/pdf/courmayeurete.pdf

2/ There's a direct bus from Turin Caselle Aiport to Aosta that runs a couple of times a day, timetable as follows:

DEPARTURES TO AOSTA
Departure Location: Arrivals level
Frequency: Twice a day
09:30 Monday to Friday
10:45 Saturday and Sunday
22:15 Daily

3/ Otherwise you can get the airport bus to Turin's Porta Nuova train station and get the train to Aosta : http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=ad1ce14114bc9110VgnVCM1... has timetables in English.

4/ Buses run regularly between Aosta and Cogne, although less frequently at weekends.

As we'll have a car out there already, my friends are determined to do it without hiring a car, but as David says I also reckon that hiring a compact car will hardly be any more expensive (if at all) and be far far less hassle, all things considered. Turin to Cogne by car is straightforward and only takes 2-3 hours; Geneva to Cogne obviously less so and then there's the 40 euro MB tunnel toll charge to consider too.

HTH

Dave

In reply to Dave Williams:



Notice that is a summer timetable. Only fools would assume there is a Sunday service at other times....! And taxis are surpisingly expensive.

In reply to MG:

Apologies for posting the summer timetable. However, only a fool would assume there *isn't* a Sunday service at other times....!

http://www.chamonix.com/pdf/courmayeurprintemps.pdf

In reply to joe.91: You don't say where you are staying or how long you will be there but Lillaz and Valnontey are quite some way apart let alone any of the other areas. Cogne is quite a small place and so public transport is pretty sparse although usually reliable. Try the links below. SVAP do the local buses. SAVDA the Aosta to Courmayeur sort of stuff. Also try La Barme the hotel in Valnontey, they are mines of info, very helpful and speak very good English. The Information Centre (regione.vda.it) are also very helpful.

Your question says which is the best way to get there, I'd say by car.

http://www.svap.it/it/

http://www.hotellabarme.com/lecascatedighiaccio_1_0_223.aspx?setlingua=3

In reply to Dave Williams: Ah yes I remember the problem now!. You won't get the early bus after flying to Geneva and the later bus gets you to Aosta too late for the Cogne bus.

Right thanks for the replies guys, had a look into car hire from Turin and it seems to the best bet. Now just to book it! Reckon its best to go early Feb or late Feb?

In reply to joe.91: In most years, Cogne should be fine throughout Feb. It's quite high. You will need skis or snowshoes for approaches to more distant routes if it's been snowing. There are well groomed cross country tracks and you can rent cross country kit in Cogne.

In reply to joe.91:

You'll appreciate that it's impossible to predict what this coming season will be like, but given the choice I'd go earlier rather than later in Feb, although, TBH, I would think that the whole of Feb's normally fine. We went in late January this year (masses of ice, although occasionally a bit brittle as it was down to -25C some nights). Next year we're there for the first couple of weeks in Feb. As David says, the whole area's quite high, which is a real advantage.

Dave