For countless skiers, the vacation starts upon disembarking from the plane and boarding the bus to the mountains. The airport to resort transfer sets the tone for the journey, affects time on the slopes and adds or subtracts comfort levels in overall experience. Yet with the bill already adding up with flights, lift passes and lodge accommodations, value for money becomes the ultimate inquiry. Should one get shared transfers to save a buck, or private transfers to enjoy the benefits of convenience and an intimate setting? The answer lies beyond the simple inquiry of costs it’s a matter of cost, time and holiday value.
The Expense of Sharing Transfers
Let’s get real. The first attraction of a shared transfer is the low price per person for the service. Essentially, shared transfers take people coming in on similar flights and fill the vehicle to promote the maximum use of the car, dividing the cost across as many people as possible. For solo travelers and couples, this means that the shared option will likely be the cheapest option at their disposal. Especially on paper, when comparing price per person against a private transfer, the savings are often astounding.
But then, additional costs come into play. Equipment fees for skis, other luggage, and nighttime transfers are often excluded from the pricing of shared services. In addition, an extensive wait in the airport to gather all passengers can bring about unforeseen food and beverage purchases while travelers sit and wait. Private transfers from Geneva Airport to Avoriaz eliminate these hidden costs, offering a clear, upfront price that covers convenience and comfort. At this point, the cost per person for a shared transfer comes closer to a private transfer. It’s not just the price up front that counts; it’s what comes with it, and sometimes, with shared services, it’s not worth it.
The Worth of Private Transfers
Private transfers leave the sender feeling as if they’re paying more. Regardless of whether there are two travelers or six travelers in a group, the price is essentially the same as the cost of the car divided against however many people are inside the group. However, per family or group of friends, it begins to become a competitive rate per person. For groups of four, six, or eight, private transfers come extremely close to the same cost of a shared transfer and provide much more.
Private transfers also boast an equity of value that’s not worth any dollar sign time, energy, and effort. They leave immediately upon arrival for travelers as they don’t need to wait for anyone else. There are no stops along the way only direct routes to hotels and rentals unless requested otherwise. They drop travelers off directly at their accommodations. All-in-all, it’s additional time on the slopes and no wasting of energy in stress and frustration that makes these private transfers worth their weight in gold at least that’s how private transfer advocates feel.
Time as a Hidden Currency
Time dictates the ski holiday. Lift passes are priced per day, lessons are scheduled by the hour, and delays in transfers that eat away at your established itinerary are like throwing money out the window. Especially on a weekend trip that only has a day or two to spare, time seems valuable for more than just making it to the next scheduled event. Shared services often include waiting at the airport for other passengers or extended journeys to various hotels, meaning people could be spending a full hour on the slopes from the airport instead of driving.
Private transfers compensate for this holiday investment money and time. They leave as soon as passengers are in the vehicle, and unless otherwise indicated, they drive straight to the hotel/accommodation. This means that many holidaymakers feel as if they’re getting their money’s worth and not just paying for time lost trying to acclimate during their first day. After all, money and time are relative; one cannot have one without thinking about the other.
Value and Comfort
Comfort is king and values one option over another based on expectations. When transferring from the airport, shared services mean crowds and a cacophony of noise from strangers. Adding luggage and equipment into the mix only complicates matters, especially if children are involved and people now need to muster the patience to work through bad behavior on a long travel day.
Private services become worlds apart. With room to spread out, privacy, and professionalism at every turn, travelers can appreciate the ride with minimal discomfort, an opportunity to recover from a long day of flying (both physically and psychologically). Thus, again, comfort is valued more by those with certain expectations should this ultimate holiday start with something stressful? Or a nice, calming drive through the mountains?
Group Size Determines Value
The economics of shared versus private transfers shifts based on group size. For individuals and couples, shared services always come out on top, because there is no denying that the private vehicle fee is too high to justify splitting with one or two passengers.
However, for families and larger groups, private transfers often emerge as the more economically sound option since splitting the fee among more people makes it comparable to the shared service option. Additionally, it’s much easier to travel together without fear of a group being split between shuttles with 1 person going to 1 hotel and another to another hotel than just all being in one vehicle together. Thus, the larger the group, the more reasonable private services become when weighing costs versus comfort.
Seasonal Contribution and Rates Pressure
The time of year also impacts value. For peak holiday weeks like Christmas, New Year, February half-term, shared transfer prices increase due to inflated demand. Cars are packed, waiting times go up and overall service is not as efficient. For private transfers, holiday weeks also provide an increase in pricing; however, one can guarantee efficiency (to an extent) and availability once the vehicle is reserved.
For quieter weeks, shared services are more valuable. With fewer passengers and destination splits, transfers are faster, and the increased price becomes easier to justify as an option for the latter. Therefore, travelers should never rule out seasonality when determining which service is best for them in order to get the best value as sometimes based on the week one service may offer a higher value than the other.
Value Added or Subtracted for Families?
Families tend to value different things, and the concept of value sometimes becomes distorted. Where a parent may become stress-free waiting in an airport before or after a transfer, or in a cramped vehicle with many other families or couples, this same experience may raise stress levels for a child or young family.
Private transfers, while costing significantly more, always guarantee knowing where the next destination is, where luggage will go, and that if kids need to do the potty dance with their discomfort, at least there is privacy involved. Reducing stress levels for an easy-to-begin and easy-to-end holiday is worth the extra cost value for families who find the experience easy enough and don’t require the budgetary stresses that happen for other travelers.
Value That Lasts Beyond Immediacy
Families sometimes feel and value what things do for them over time as opposed to immediacy. For example, a shared transfer that frustrates holidayers may mar a holiday experience for both arrival and departure. On the other hand, a well-executed private transfer gives such a good feeling it’s almost fair to include it in the success of the holiday.
Private transfers offer this sense of peace without fail. While they might not be guaranteed to provide the same level of achievement as the travel processes themselves, private services allow holidayers to compartmentalize their experiences to tell themselves that the logistics will not mar what their family came to experience. Shared services do not always guarantee the same level of success. For families in need of peace of mind every step of the way, the emotional value adds to justifying that private is the ultimate best value.
So What’s The Best Value?
The ultimate best value for money is situational. Shared transfers are the best way to go for singles, couples on a budget, travelers with time flexibility and those who don’t mind different travel companions getting in their way. They allow people access to mountains at a fraction of the cost and that’s especially true when traveling during lulls as opposed to busy weeks.
Private transfers are the best for families, groups and travelers on short three-day excursions with no time to waste for comfort in getting settled. They maximize efficiency and ultimately reduce stresses making it seem like they are easier worth their high fare but ultimately they’re not. Value is relative. Value is dependent on time, comfort and peace of mind.
Hidden Fees That Shift the Value Comparison
The first option that seems to hold shared transfer value is that shared transfers are the cheapest option. But sometimes the cheapest doesn’t turn out to be the case. Additional fees for oversized luggage (skis, snowboards), late night fees, or just the added expense of needing a taxi from the centralized drop-off to your actual destination, all compromise the value disparity between shared and private options and in some cases makes private options more valuable.
In general, private options are much more forthright. If there’s a price, there is typically a luggage allowance, definitive drop off, and accommodations with flight delays. Essentially, the fee is higher but it’s less likely one will incur additional charges along the way making it more difficult to budget and understand what services are included.
Value Perception Based on Luggage
Ski trips come with a lot of luggage. How this luggage is treated impacts both perceived value and real value. When other passengers on shared options also come with skis, boots, heavy bags not only does comfort suffer in a cramped shared vehicle, but the more loading/unloading is done, the more risky the chances of delays. For families and larger groups, this can feel overwhelming and limited space is also a concern.
With private transfers, there is enough space to accommodate luggage without compromising personal space. Luggage can also be loaded and unloaded with care, meaning expensive gear can travel without fear of damage or extreme wear and tear. Therefore, when assessing value for either option, private transfers come out on top, especially when it comes to gear heavy travelers, as well as the peace of mind of being able to bring everything without concern.
Why They’re Better for Short Breaks
Short ski holidays are about making the most of time. On a two-night/three-day trip, every hour on the slope counts. Shared transfer options include waiting at the airport for passengers and dropping more individuals off en route to their accommodations. This is not feasible on a short trip when the time you spend in the transfer is time you forfeit on the slopes. A cheaper ticket gets you nowhere if you’ve missed an entire afternoon of skiing or can only cram in one run before the slopes close.
Private transfers take travelers directly from the airport to their accommodations without a beat. They depart immediately without waiting which means they’re best suited for short interludes. The difference in price often becomes irrelevant when people can arrive early enough to ski on day one or leave late enough to hit the slopes on day three. Time is money and for travelers with little time to spare but all the desire to indulge their skiing experience, private transfers offer the best overall value.
Value Beyond the Transfer Itself
When calculating value between shared versus private transfers, it’s worth noting value doesn’t stop within the transfer itself. For those who favor a stress-free holiday from moment one, a successful transfer translates into luxury from the start impacting how travelers will remember their vacation. Some may remember fun stories from shared transfers, anecdotes which do little to support how people felt their holiday was worth it; a private transfer, as many memories go, can create thousands of impressions about how value goes beyond financial support.
In either case, whether shared or private, value is not only about the equity of price versus service rendered but also where experience quality reigns superior in a much larger capacity.
