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Ben's Bus has new routes for 2015-16
Ben's Bus has new routes for the coming winter season 2015-16.
The UK based company will be operating transfers from Lyon and Chambéry airports for the first time in the 2015-16 season, to ski resorts including St Martin de Belleville, Les Menuires, and Val Thorens. These complement the existing programme of transfers from Grenoble and Geneva airports.
Ben's Bus has been operating transfers from Grenoble airport since 2006, and from Geneva airport since 2009. By adding Lyon and Chambéry to its programme, it will now offer transfer services from all the main airports used for the ski resorts of the French Alps.
Ben Keown, a keen skier and snowboarder, started the company when he saw a gap in the market for low cost shared transfers, with quality service in English to make sure everything goes smoothly. Ben's Bus work with French coach companies, but have English-speaking reps on hand at the airport, to greet customers when they arrive, guide them to their buses, and liaise with the driver.
Ben said, 'Private transfers are much more expensive; hiring a car at the aiport is expensive too, and you may have to put snow chains on, on the way up to your resort. With Ben's Bus, we take the hassle and expense out of ski transfers.'
Traditionally, UK skiers booked a package with a tour operator which included transfers, but over the last few years, more and more people have preferred to organise their trip themselves, using budget airlines. As a result, there's a need for a service like Ben's Bus, and it has proved popular, with the number of resorts served, and the regularity of the buses, increasing each year.
One more question. As the business expands, does Ben still get time to go out on the slopes? 'Not as much as I'd like to! I'm pretty busy at the start of the season, and I tend to avoid the crowds in the school holidays, but once I'm sure my team are running things to my high standards, I enjoy getting out in March. I live the tree-lined runs of Chamrousse, where I'm based, and I equally enjoy short trips to the bigger resorts of Tignes and Val Thorens.'
Ben's Bus transfers to Val Thorens
In 2015-16, Ben's Bus operates transfers to Val Thorens:
- from Geneva airport, on Saturdays from 5th December to 16th April, and on Sundays from 20th December to 3rd April
- from Lyon airport, on Fridays from 18th December to 8th April, on Saturdays from 12th December to 16th April, and on Sundays from 13th December to 10th April
- from Chambéry airport, on Saturdays from 12th December to 16th April, and on Sundays from 13th December to 10th April
- from Grenoble airport, from 12th December to 16th April (as far as Val Thorens on Saturdays, and as far as Moutiers on Sundays)