New Alpine Rail Map
New Alpine Rail Map
Published : 10-Jan-2011 09:30
A boost for low-carbon winter sports holidaysRoger Lascelles Maps is pleased to announce the publication of the first edition of the 'SkiRail Map of the Alps' opening up a new world of relaxing and environmentally-friendly travel options for journeys to Europe's number-one winter sports region.
The map shows, for the first time, the position of over 400 ski resorts across the six main Alpine countries in relation to the rail network, with detailed information on over 120 resorts which are directly accessible by train.
Bringing together a wealth of information, the map enables the adventurous, independent traveller to escape from the package-holiday conveyor belt, and discover little known corners of the Alps whilst minimising their impact on the environment of one of Europe's most beautiful landscapes. With the inclusion of journey times to the Alps from cities in over 10 European countries (e.g. 9 hours from London), and comparisons of carbon emissions (rail travel typically generates just 10%-15% of the equivalent trip by plane) the map provides a powerful incentive to travel to the mountains by train.
For each of the 120 rail-served resorts, information is provided on the extent and difficulty of the downhill skiing, the amount of cross-country skiing, the altitude range and vertical drop, and the time it takes to reach the resort by train from the nearest major city. The map features the classic Alpine resorts in Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland as well as many lesser known destinations in Germany and Slovenia.
A joint venture between Roger Lascelles Maps and cartographers Cosmographics, the map comes with a beautifully illustrated colour booklet with contributions from Rail Europe, Ski Club of Great Britain, and the tourist boards of the six major Alpine countries. Detailed information is provided on how to reach resorts by train including connections with airports, where to change trains, and how to reach the ski lifts from the resort train station.
SkiRail Map of the Alps researcher, and sustainable transport specialist, Neil Guthrie, comments:
"there's never been a better time to travel by train to, and through, the Alps. Vast swathes of the UK and continental Europe are now within just a few hours of the Alps thanks to an ever evolving, high-speed rail network. Increasing numbers of Europeans are voting with their (ski-boot clad) feet by choosing to take the train, making the journey one of the highlights of their holiday."
He adds:
"The geography of the Alps is something of a mystery to the non-native skier. The SkiRail Map shows how the pieces of the Alpine jigsaw puzzle fit together, and opens up countless opportunities for independent, winter-sports adventures using the fantastic rail services which criss-cross the mountains. The map can be used to reach the world-class, big-name resorts by train such as Chamonix, Zermatt and St Anton, but it also offers an enticing route to the smaller, little-known destinations where accommodation, lift passes and equipment hire are a fraction of the usual price, and lift queues rarely encountered."
Benefits to individuals
Alpine rail travel makes for a safe and comfortable ride, wonderful views, the freedom to get up and walk around, buffet trolleys and restaurant cars, and the chance to marvel at incredible feats of engineering from the spectacular viaducts perched hundreds of metres above frozen rivers, to the high-speed tracks along the banks of the vast Alpine lakes. Making the entire international journey by train brings further benefits still with virtually no weight restrictions or extra costs for ski equipment, the chance to avoid the stress and uncertainty of modern air travel, and the potential to gain an extra day on the slopes by using overnight rail services.
Benefits to local communities
The Alpine valleys suffer enormously from motor-traffic induced pollution – ozone smog and noise pollution are often as severe as in urban areas, intensified by the climate and topography of the valleys. Road traffic also poses a much greater safety threat to local communities and travellers alike than rail, and the wider prospect of global warming in the Alps threatens the livelihoods of the many thousands of local people who depend on winter sports custom.
The SkiRail Map of the Alps is available in three formats: Folded map and booklet ISBN 978 1 85879 6918 (£8.95), Paper wall map and booklet ISBN 978 1 85879 6925 (£11.00), Encapsulated wall map and booklet ISBN 978 1 85879 6932 (£22.00)
Maps can be ordered from the Roger Lascelles website www.rogerlascellesmaps.co.uk
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