Great news - Eurostar is dropping its prices by £30 and booking opens for its direct services to the French Alps on Tuesday 07 July. At Natives, we're big fans of travelling by train - it's the most relaxing and enjoyable way to get to resort.

But there's also some bad news - the overnight snow train with the much-loved disco carriage won't be running for the 2009/10 season. Rail Europe says the decision is, "hopefully not forever".

From £149 return
This winter, direct Eurostar services from London St Pancras and Ashford to Moûtiers, Aime-La-Plagne and Bourg St Maurice will start from £149 return, down from £179 last winter. It's an "early response to the extremely competitive market place for ski holidays in the coming season", says the press release, and is the carbon neutral way to travel to the slopes.

There is a day sevice and a night service, both weekly, and the former starts on 19 December 2009 while the latter on 01 January 2010. The timetables are as follows: