By Train

Let the Train take the Strain

If you’re not keen on driving to the Alps but are fed up with trudging through airports laden with tired children and heavy baggage at the crack of dawn, why not consider taking the train?

  • Take a Eurostar train and then a connecting European Ski train to a station near your resort.
  • Take a Eurostar Direct Ski Train from the UK, either overnight or during the day.
  • Change at Paris and catch a TGV train to a station near your resort.

French trains are operated by SNCF, with a highspeed TGV service available on many routes.  During the ski season, you can take the Eurostar from St Pancras, Ebbsfleet or Ashford to Paris and then catch a connecting European Ski train to one of the following Alpine stations :  Annecy, Briançon, Bourg St Maurice, Chamonix,  Morzine, Grenoble, and Serre Chevalier.  NB Some services only operate at weekends, eg the direct TGV link to Chamonix.

The Eurostar Ski Train is a twice weekly direct service operating between December and April with prices starting from £149 per person.  Choose between the Friday night train which will get you to your destination first thing on a Saturday morning or the high-speed Saturday daytime service. The train goes direct from the UK to the following three stations – Moûtiers, Aime la Plagne and Bourg St Maurice – for easy access to many resorts including Courchevel, Les Arcs, Tignes, Méribel, La Plagne and Val d’Isere.

Outbound night train services run from 1 January 2010 to 2 April 2010.
Outbound day train services run from 19 December 2009 to 10 April 2010.

Train times: St Pancras International, London/Ashford to French Alps  
Station   Night  train1
(Fridays only)      Day train2
(Saturdays only)
St Pancras International Depart 20:31 Depart 10:00
Ashford International Depart 21:15 Depart 10:47
Moûtiers Arrive 05:37 Arrive 17:30
Aime-la-Plagne Arrive 06:05 Arrive 18:02
Bourg-St-Maurice Arrive 06:27 Arrive 18:20

Train times: French Alps to Ashford/St Pancras International, London

Station      Day train3
(Saturdays only)      Night train4
(Saturdays only)
Bourg-St-Maurice Depart 10:04 Depart 22:15
Moûtiers Depart 10:45 Depart 23:09
Ashford International Arrive 15:36 Arrive 06:34
St Pancras International Arrive 16:11 Arrive 07:16
 Note: Trains from the Alps to London/Ashford do not stop at Aime-la-Plagne.

 

Notes
  1. Runs from Friday 1 January 2009 to Friday 2 April 2010.
  2. Runs from Saturday 19 December 2009 to Saturday 10 April 2010.
  3. Runs from Saturday 2 January 2009 to Saturday 17 April 2010.
  4. Runs from Saturday 26 December 2010 to Saturday 10 April 2010.

 

Coach Transfers

Resort Transfers
Méribel Moûtiers  
La Tania Moûtiers  
Courchevel Moûtiers  
Val Thorens Moûtiers  
Les Ménuires Moûtiers  
Valmorel Moûtiers  
La Plagne Aime-la-Plagne  
Les Arcs Bourg-St-Maurice  
Val d’lsère Bourg-St-Maurice  
Tignes Bourg-St-Maurice  

Transfer times may vary depending on weather conditions and traffic.

  • Travellers can contact Altibus on +33 4 79 68 32 96 or by visiting www.altibus.com, to book transfers from any of these three stations. Altibus can answer calls in English and will be able to advise on transfers and schedules.

 When booking the ski train online please input the correct date and time of travel to ensure you get the best available fares.  The minimum check-in time is 60 minutes before departure.

For more details on price and travel times, visit www.raileurope.co.uk. 

You can book Eurostar trains 120 days before departure and most other European 90 days before departure. French trains normally go on sale in mid October for travel from mid December onwards.