In the Alps... Easy to reach without flying!

If you fancy a skiing holiday without the pain of the plane, no problem.  It's easy to reach French ski resorts such as Les Arcs, Courchevel, Méribel or Val d'Isère by the special Eurostar ski train which runs from London St Pancras station every Saturday during the ski season.  In fact, you'd be crazy to fly, the direct train journey is so much less hassle and so much more fun than 7 hours of check-ins, airports, flights & the 3-hour nightmare bus transfer from the airport.  The train journey becomes part of your holiday, with a great atmosphere on board.  This page explains how to plan and book a ski holiday by train not plane, either independently or as a package with ski holiday companies who offer travel by train.

Choose your ski holiday destination...

	French Alps ski train connections... Dark blue line = route served by Eurostar Ski Train Light blue lines = bus or taxi transfers from rail stations.
	A beginner's ski slope, the Chantel at Arc 1800 (Les Arcs), with white snow under blue skies.  No flights required...

Start here...

Here is a step-by-step guide to skiing by train in the French Alps, either independently or with a package ski holiday that includes train travel:

Step 1: Choose your ski resort

Step 2: Choose how to get there

 ► Eurostar Ski Train information from £149 return

 ► Scheduled daily trains

Step 3:  Book your travel & accommodation

Step 4:  Arrange transfers from station to resort

Step 5: Arrange boot, ski or snowboard hire & lift pass

Step 6: Don't forget  winter sports travel insurance

Step 1:  Choose your ski resort...

If you want the simplest way to ski by train from the UK, start with any ski resort in the French Alps shown on the map opposite, including Les Arcs, La Plagne, Val d'Isère, Méribel, Courchevel & Les Menuires (Trois Vallées).  These French ski resorts are the easiest to reach from the UK by train as the special Eurostar Ski Train runs from London to this area every week in the skiing season and many ski holiday packages incorporate train travel rather than flights to these resorts.

Les Arcs is the easiest to reach of all, as it's linked by a 10-minute funicular (mountain railway) ride up the mountain from Bourg St Maurice railway station at the foot of the mountain.  It's a modern resort, good for beginners, and billed as 'home of the snowboard'.  Courchevel is the traditional haunt of the Parisian jet set, up-market but not for those on a tight budget!  Val d'Isère is a well-known resort higher up the valley, better for intermediate and advanced skiers than beginners.  Méribel is a big ski city with many British visitors.  La Plagne is a series of picturesque villages and tree-lined pistes.  There's a helpful summary of the pros & cons of each French ski resort on the Eurostar website.

The ever-popular Chamonix can also be reached by train, indeed it has its own station on a scenic narrow-gauge line between St Gervais & Martigny, but it's not served by the Eurostar Ski Train so you'll either need to use scheduled trains or the new Eurostar & Lyria Ski Train from London to Switzerland every winter Saturday which has a connection at Martigny for Chamonix-Mont Blanc.

Official resort websites & piste maps...

Step 2:  Choose how to get there...

There are four key ways to reach the French Alps by train:

• Eurostar direct daytime ski train.  This is the most civilised way to reach the French Alps.  Every Saturday morning from late December to April, a Eurostar train runs direct from London St Pancras & Ashford (Kent) to the French Alps, arriving in the early evening, see the map above to see the stations and resorts served.  It is available to independent travellers and is also included in many package skiing holidays.  It's become very popular, so book well in advance!  Timetable, information, photos & fares are shown below.

• Eurostar direct overnight ski train.  There is also a direct overnight Eurostar from London to the Alps on Friday nights from late December to April.  However, it only has regular seats rather than proper sleeping-berths (and non-reclining seats, at that) so you can't sleep very well, you really will be sitting up all night.  Timetable, information, photos & fares are shown below.

• Regular daily scheduled trains.  Alternatively, you can take regular, scheduled trains running daily, year-round.  Take Eurostar to Paris, change trains & stations, then take either an overnight train with couchettes or a daytime TGV train from Paris with the French Alps.  Many extra trains run on Fridays/Saturdays/Sundays in the skiing season.  If you want to reach resorts not shown on the map above such as the ever-popular Chamonix (reached by narrow gauge train from St Gervais) you'll need to use scheduled trains, not the special ski trains.  Details are shown on the London to France page or book online using www.loco2.com.

• Rail Europe Snow Train.  This was the most time-effective  way to the French Alps, Eurostar to Paris and couchettes to the Alps with a party on the train if you wanted one.  However, it last ran in the Winter 2008/9 season and looks as if it won't run again.

Step 3:  Book your train travel & accommodation.

Either (a)  Go independently, buying train tickets & accommodation separately...

• Buy a Eurostar Ski Train ticket direct from Eurostar at www.eurostar.com.

• Or buy tickets for scheduled trains from London to France as shown on the France page.

• Book accommodation-only deals at the resort using operators such as www.neilson.co.uk.  Most accommodation deals require an arrival on Saturday, departure the following Saturday, which fits in with the Ski Train or Snow Train.

• Do a dry run on both websites to check train and accommodation prices & availability first.

...or (b)  Book a ski holiday package including the Eurostar Ski Train...

This can be a cheaper option.  Most 7-day or 14-day holidays start on a Saturday, leaving on a Saturday one or two weeks later.  To avoid wasting valuable time with supposedly 'expert' ski holiday companies who don't offer sensible train travel to the French Alps, just flights, flights & more flights, here are the main holiday operators who do offer travel by Eurostar Ski Train as part of their ski holiday packages:

• Railbookers (www.railbookers.co.uk) offer custom-made ski holidays to Chamonix or Les Arcs, including train travel from London or any other UK station to the French Alps by Eurostar Ski train or by Eurostar and TGV, and hotel or chalet accommodation.  They also do tailor-made ski holidays by train to Switzerland and Austria.

• www.crystalski.co.uk & www.thomasonholidays.co.uk also include Eurostar Ski Train holidays.  To find holidays with train travel, select 'France' then select 'St Pancras' as your 'departure airport'(!).  Also try www.inghams.co.uk/ski-holidays (select 'London rail' as your departure point for rail packages).

• It's worth checking www.lastminute.com for late-booking ski packages, some of which include travel by Eurostar.

• www.snowcarbon.co.uk/package-finder is a good way to find a package which includes train travel not flights.

...Jump to step 4, arranging transfers

The direct Eurostar ski trains:  www.eurostar.com, from £149 return

• The Eurostar daytime ski train is easily most civilised way from London to the French Alps, especially in Standard Premier (first class) with complimentary lunch, afternoon tea & drinks.  Far more relaxed than flying, and great scenery too, although it will probably be dark when you arrive in the Alps.

• Eurostar's Ski Train runs direct from London St Pancras & Ashford (Kent) to Moutiers, Aime & Bourg St Maurice every Saturday from late December to early April, with connections for a whole range of popular skiing resorts such as Val d'Isère, Tignes, Les Arcs, Méribel, Courchevel and the Trois Vallées, see the map above.

• Choose between standard class from £149 return or first class (called Standard Premier) from £229 return, centre to centre with no hidden extras.  Standard Premier fares include at-seat airline-style lunch, afternoon tea and complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.  Two cafe-bar cars are available to all passengers.  You're free to bring your own food & drink, even wine or beer, but there's a (still generous) booze limit of 1 bottle of wine or 4 bottles of beer or 50cl of spirits per person on the Eurostar Ski Train.

• You can take skis or a snowboard free of charge, in addition to your normal luggage allowance.  Skis & boards go in a designated luggage area at the end of each car.

• There's a 60-minute minimum check in for the Eurostar Ski Train.

• Transfers are not included in the price.  A funicular railway links Bourg St Maurice rail station with Les Arcs, a 10 minute ride up the mountain.  Buses & taxis link the railway stations with the other ski resorts, see the map above (but note that the Eurostar doesn't call at Chambéry, Albertville or Landry).  Transfers are not included in the price, so see the table of transfer options below. 

• The Eurostar Ski Train has proved extremely popular, and seats get booked up well in advance, so book early to avoid disappointment.  See www.eurostar.com for times, fares & online booking.  Booking for the Ski Train usually opens in late July.

• There's also an overnight service, but remember this is a normal Eurostar train with seats not couchettes or sleepers.  Standard class seats do not recline, and even first class seats only recline a limited amount, so it's not a particularly comfortable night!  In addition, from 2016 onwards the overnight Eurostar ski train is alcohol-free - there's no on board sales nor are you allowed to bring any along.  The day service is recommended if you like your comfort.

• Buy tickets online at www.eurostar.com.

Both 'day' and 'night' trains are normal Eurostar trains, with seats and bar car but no sleeping berths.

The Eurostar ski train in the station at Bourg St Maurice.  It's easily the best way to the French Alps...		Standard (2nd) class seats are arranged 2+2 across the car width.  Most are unidirectional but there are some tables for 4 like this.

Standard Premier (1st) class seats are arranged 2+1 across the car width, with some unidirectional seating, some solo seats, some tables for 4 and some tables for 2 like this.		Cafe-bar.  There are two bars on each train in cars 6 & 13, selling tea, coffee, wine, beer, snacks & hot dishes such as chicken tikka massala. Pounds, euros & cards accepted.

Scenery...  The Eurostar passes lovely snowy scenery in the French Alps as it approaches Bourg St Maurice.  This is Landry.		Transfer to Les Arcs:  There is a funicular (mountain railway) from Bourg St Maurice up to Les Arcs, a 10 minute ride up the mountain.  The funicular station is right next to the mainline rail station at Bourg St Maurice.  Fare around €6.  There's a ski pass bureau & cash point at the funicular station.

Watch the video:  Eurostar Ski Train to the Alps...

Step 4:  Transfers from station to resort...

If you book a package ski holiday this will probably include transfers from rail station to ski resort.  But if you're travelling independently, tickets for the Eurostar Ski Train don't include transfers.  For most resorts you can either take a bus (cheapest) or book a taxi (quicker, but expensive unless there's a group of you to share the cost). 

• Taxi prices shown here are for the whole taxi for 1-4 people.  Slightly higher prices apply for a minivan for over 4 people. 

• Bus fares are per person, there's a 50% discount for children under 12, children under 4 free.

Step 5:  Skis, poles, ski boot hire, lift passes...

• You'll need to hire skis, ski poles & ski boots, or a snowboard & snowboard boots, unless you have your own.  You hire these when you arrive, but it's best to pre-book.

• Try www.skiset.co.uk.

Step 6:  Winter sports travel insurance...

• A necessity, not an optional extra! 

• Try Columbus Direct.

There are many beautiful ski resorts in Switzerland, including favourites Gstaad, Zermatt, Grindelwald, St Moritz, Davos.  All of these have rail stations at the resort.  Package operators generally don't offer skiing holidays to Switzerland with train travel, only flights, but it's easy to buy train tickets and arrange accommodation separately.

Swiss ski resorts & how to get there by train...

• Zermatt, at the foot of the Matterhorn:  Train times, fares & how to buy tickets London-Zermatt

• St Moritz, Klosters, Davos in the Engadin skiing area:  Train times, fares & how to buy tickets London-St Moritz, Davos, Klosters

• Gstaad:  Train times, fares & how to buy tickets London-Gstaad

• Grindelwald, at the foot of the Jungfrau:  Train times, fares & how to buy tickets London-Grindelwald

Accommodation & ski hire...

• Arrange a self-catering chalet separately through companies like www.neilson.co.uk,  www.skihorizon.co.uk, or book a hotel or guesthouse room using the HotelsCombined hotel search.

• You'll need skis, ski poles & ski boots, or a snowboard & snowboard boots.  You hire either these when you arrive or pre-book.  Try www.skiset.co.uk.

• Insurance with winter sports cover is a necessity, not an optional extra!  Try Columbus Direct.

• www.inghams.co.uk offer some package skiing holidays to Switzerland with rail travel from the UK, so they are worth a look.

Watch the video...

There are many popular ski resorts in the Austrian Tyrol.  Package operators generally don't offer skiing holidays to Austria with train travel, only with flights, but it's easy to buy train tickets and arrange accommodation separately.

UK to Austria by daily scheduled trains..

•  There are daily scheduled trains between the UK and Austrian, see the London to Austria page for train travel details.

Schnee Express ski train from Cologne to Austria

• There's an overnight train with couchettes, bar and disco-car from Cologne and several other German cities to ski resorts in the Austrian Tirol including Kitzbühel or St Anton, see www.schnee-express.com.  It's in German, but easy enough to work out if you use Google Chrome browser with its automatic translation feature.  Add a London-Cologne ticket at www.loco2.com.

As well as booking your trains...

• You can arrange a self-catering chalet separately through companies like www.neilson.co.uk,  www.skihorizon.co.uk, or book a hotel or guesthouse room using the HotelsCombined hotel search.

• You'll need skis, ski poles & ski boots, or a snowboard & snowboard boots.  You hire these when you arrive, but it's best to pre-book.  Try www.skiset.co.uk.

• Insurance with winter sports cover is a necessity, not an optional extra!  Try Columbus Direct.

Andorra has plenty of good ski resorts, and it's easy to get to by Eurostar to Paris, overnight couchette train from Paris to l'Hospitalet près l'Andorre then a scenic bus ride over the mountains.  No package operators offer skiing holidays to Andorra with train travel, so you'll need to go independently, booking train tickets and ski resort accommodation separately.

• See the London to Andorra page for train travel details. 

• Arrange accommodation separately through companies like www.neilson.co.uk,  www.skihorizon.co.uk.

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