Convenient, fast and less polluting, the train invites you to relax and reach many French ski resorts without the hassle of driving in the mountains. Every year, more and more travellers choose this option for their winter holidays. With a well-developed rail network across France and direct high-speed TGV connections (via SNCF or Trenitalia), plenty of ski resorts in the French Alps are easily accessible, often faster than by car. This selection presents the best destinations for combining skiing with eco-friendly travel, whether setting off from Paris or another major French city.
Contents:
- Where Can You Ski Without a Car?
- How to Get to the Alps by Train
- Resorts Directly Accessible by Train
- Resorts Accessible by Train with a Shuttle
- Train Times and Fares: SNCF and Trenitalia
- Tips for Travelling with Ski Equipment by Train
- Our Accommodation Suggestions Near a Train Station
Travelling from the UK: Eurostar & Travelski Express
If you’re travelling from the UK, you don’t need to fly, or even change trains yourself in Paris: a direct service now runs straight from London to the heart of the French Alps. There are two ways to book it — as a standalone ticket, or as part of an all-inclusive package.
The Eurostar Snow Train
Eurostar runs a direct Snow Train from London St Pancras International straight to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, calling at Lille, Chambéry, Albertville, Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne and Landry along the way. For the 2026/27 winter season, it departs every Saturday from 19 December 2026 to 20 February 2027, with the journey taking just under 8 hours. The return service runs every Sunday morning, plus selected Saturday afternoons, from 27 December 2026 to 28 February 2027 (around 9 hours).
From Bourg-Saint-Maurice, connecting coaches take you on to Val Thorens, Val d’Isère, Courchevel, La Tania, Tignes, Méribel and Les Menuires. Adults can bring up to two pieces of luggage, one item of hand luggage, and skis or a snowboard — all included, with none of the liquid restrictions you’d face when flying. Tickets can be booked directly via eurostar.com, and are fully exchangeable up to an hour before departure at no extra cost.
Travelski Express
For a fully packaged trip, Travelski Express bundles the same London–Alps train service with transfers, accommodation and your lift pass, all booked together. Trains depart on Saturday mornings, with a return on either the following Saturday or Sunday. For winter 2026/27, Travelski Express covers 12 resorts: Tignes, La Plagne, Les Arcs, Val d’Isère, Val Thorens, Courchevel, La Rosière, Les Menuires, Méribel, Brides-les-Bains, Chamonix and La Clusaz, with accommodation ranging from self-catered apartments to hotels and chalets.
It’s a good option if you’d rather not organise transfers and accommodation separately — everything is arranged to line up with your train times. Departures are also available from Paris and Lille for those starting their journey there. You can browse packages directly on uk.travelski.com.
Where Can You Ski Without a Car?
Taking the car for a ski weekend or longer stay can sometimes be a hassle, and fairly pointless too, since it won’t move for the whole trip once you arrive… This is even more true if you rent your skis and your ski clothing once you’re there. So if you don’t have a car, or simply don’t want to drive on snowy roads, plenty of French ski resorts are accessible without one. At Saint-Gervais, Chamonix and Les Arcs, for instance, the station is linked to the slopes by ski lift, while it takes over an hour by shuttle to reach Val d’Isère from Bourg-Saint-Maurice, or Bonneval-sur-Arc from Modane — but it remains an excellent option for enjoying the snow and mountains this winter.
How to Get to the Alps by Train
The Alps’ many railway stations are served by trains from Paris, Lyon, Chambéry, Valence and Geneva for the Northern Alps, and from Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Avignon and Gap for the Southern Alps. In season (at weekends, and sometimes on weekdays too), SNCF high-speed TGV trains serve the Arve valley (Saint-Gervais, Megève, Chamonix), the Tarentaise valley (Les 3 Vallées, Tignes, Val d’Isère, Paradiski) and the Maurienne (Les Sybelles, Val Cenis and Valloire…). The Maurienne is also served twice daily by Trenitalia on the Paris-Milan line. From there, shuttle buses serve almost every resort every weekend, and sometimes daily.
Explore the map of Alpine railway stations and ski resorts:
➡️ Also discover the most beautiful train lines in the Alps
The Most Accessible French Ski Resorts by Train
Stations With Ski-In Trains
Setting off “ski-in” from Paris, Marseille or Lyon is entirely possible. Here are the 4 resorts in the French Alps that are directly accessible, or almost, by train, right at the heart of the mountains:
- Chamonix (Haute-Savoie)
Located at the foot of Mont Blanc, Chamonix is a legendary ski resort accessible via the Mont-Blanc Express train. This line links Chamonix directly to the TGV station at Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, making it easy to reach from Paris, Lyon or Marseille. Once you arrive at the station, it’s just a few minutes to the town centre and the lifts serving several ski areas totalling 120km of pistes. - Les Arcs – Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Savoie)
The town of Bourg-Saint-Maurice is a real hub for ski enthusiasts. From the station, a funicular whisks you up in just 7 minutes to the foot of the slopes at Les Arcs (Arc 1600), with the 425km of pistes of Paradiski. This ski area is huge. Bourg-Saint-Maurice is also the gateway to Tignes, Val d’Isère and La Rosière, all accessible by shuttle. - Briançon – Serre-Chevalier (Hautes-Alpes)
Briançon, a fortified town listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers direct access to the Serre Chevalier ski area. Trains from Marseille, Grenoble and Paris arrive at a station just 1km from the first lifts. With 250km of pistes, this is the largest ski area in the Southern Alps, and often bathed in sunshine. - Saint-Gervais-les-Bains (Haute-Savoie)
This charming spa resort is linked to Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet station by a brand-new gondola. From there, you can easily reach the Évasion Mont Blanc area, which links 400km of pistes between Megève, Saint-Gervais and Les Contamines. The resort also has access to the Les Houches ski area, a magnificent viewpoint over the Mont-Blanc massif. - Vallorcine, Argentière and Les Houches are also accessible by train in the Chamonix valley.
French Alpine Resorts Accessible by Train with a Shuttle
In almost every ski resort in the French Alps, shuttle buses connect the nearest station to the resort. Altibus, Transaltitude and Zou! Neige run these services. If you’d rather not spend hours on a coach, it’s worth choosing a resort that’s relatively close to a station:
- Combloux (15 minutes) or Megève (30 minutes) are fairly close to Sallanches station
- Les Contamines is close to Saint-Gervais station (30 minutes)
- Les Carroz d’Arâches is close to Cluses station (30 minutes)
- Samoëns and Les Gets are 30 minutes from Cluses station
- The first sectors of La Plagne are accessible in under 30 minutes from Aime-La Plagne station
- La Rosière is also around 30 minutes away by mountain road
- It also takes around 30 minutes to reach Saint-François-Longchamp or Saint-Colomban-des-Villards from Saint-Avre-La Chambre station.
- You can reach La Féclaz in 45 minutes from Chambéry with a daily shuttle at regular bus fare (€1.50)
- The same journey time applies between Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne station and the resorts of Le Corbier or La Toussuire.
- It takes 30 minutes to reach Valmeinier from Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne station
- Less than 20 minutes separate Modane station from Aussois, Valfréjus and La Norma.
- From Embrun station, you can reach Les Orres in around 30 minutes
- The same is true for the resorts of Risoul and Vars from Montdauphin station
Here are the ski resorts linked to a station by shuttle:
➡️ Also discover all our ski resorts.
Train Times and Fares 2025-2026: SNCF and Trenitalia
To plan your winter holiday in the Alps, two main operators serve France: SNCF and Trenitalia.
- SNCF: SNCF runs numerous direct TGVs, notably from Paris (Gare de Lyon). For example, during the 2025-2026 Christmas holidays, direct trains to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne depart on Saturdays at 07:46, 11:34 and 14:53 (a journey of around 4hr 4min). For Haute-Savoie, a direct Paris–Saint-Gervais TGV is often available on Saturdays (departures around 10:50/10:56). Fares vary enormously: book your tickets several months ahead for the best price, especially if you’re travelling from Paris or the wider Île-de-France region.
- Trenitalia: The Italian operator Trenitalia links Paris to Milan via Lyon, Chambéry, Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne and Oulx. It’s an excellent option for the Maurienne resorts or nearby Italian resorts. There are two direct trains a day (departing Paris at 07:30 and 15:25; returning from Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne at 09:15 and 18:38). Fares are often competitive and released well in advance.
And Beyond the Alps? (Massif Central, Vosges, Pyrenees)
Other French mountain ranges also offer great train-accessible skiing opportunities.
- Massif Central: The resort of Le Lioran (Cantal) has the only SNCF station in France located directly at the foot of the slopes. A drag lift, the “Téléski de la Gare”, takes you from the platform to the heart of the ski area in 3 minutes. The station is served by regional TER trains (notably from Clermont-Ferrand or Aurillac). For Le Mont-Dore (Sancy), access is via Clermont-Ferrand station, from where a bus (Line P46) reaches the village in 1hr 30min to 1hr 45min. Free shuttles then connect to the slopes.
- Vosges: To reach La Bresse-Hohneck, the TGV takes you to Remiremont station (2hr 50min from Paris). From there, a TER coach takes you to the centre of La Bresse in around an hour, and a free winter shuttle then drops you at the resort.
- Pyrenees: Several Pyrenean valleys are well served. Ax-3-Domaines is the most direct: a train (an overnight Intercités service from Paris, or a TER from Toulouse taking 2 hours) arrives at Ax-les-Thermes station. A gondola, reached by a free shuttle from the station, then takes you up to the resort in 10 minutes. Since the reopening of the Montréjeau–Luchon line, Luchon-Superbagnères is also very accessible: the train arrives at Bagnères-de-Luchon station (direct services from Toulouse, or via Montréjeau), and the new “Crémaillère Express” gondola links the town to the Superbagnères plateau. Skirail deals are often available. Other resorts such as Cauterets (via Lourdes station) or Peyragudes (via Lannemezan station) are also accessible by combining train and shuttle.
Tips for Travelling with Your Ski Equipment by Train
Travelling by train with your ski gear is an important thing to plan for. Here are a few practical tips:
- Bags are compulsory: your skis or snowboard must be in a bag (maximum dimensions 120x90cm with SNCF).
- Luggage: most TGV services (INOUI, Ouigo) and Trenitalia accept your ski bag as standard luggage.
- Placement: use the luggage racks at the entrance to each carriage. Avoid blocking the aisles. Arriving on the platform a little early gives you a better chance of finding the best spot for your equipment.
Our Accommodation Suggestions Near a Train Station
Here are some lovely places to stay, located close to both a train station and the ski slopes:
Le Base Camp Lodge in Bourg-Saint-Maurice
This hybrid hotel offers affordable dorm-style stays as well as double rooms with a contemporary mountain look. Access to the Les Arcs ski area via the funicular.
Le Plan B in Chamonix
This laid-back Chamonix hotel offers rooms and apartments for 2 to 10 people, close to the station and the slopes. Lounge area, mini-bowling and a kids’ space available.
Rocky Pop in Les Houches
Rocky Pop is another recent, laid-back hotel, located between Les Houches and Chamonix. We love its restaurants, communal spaces and pop-art décor!
Le Parc & Spa in Briançon
This beautiful 4-star hotel with a pool is located between the station and the slopes of Serre Chevalier. It has a direct view of the pistes and easy access to the lower town centre.
FAQ – Your Questions About Skiing by Train
– From Paris, several resorts in the Alps are accessible in under 4 hours by train. Chambéry and Grenoble are around 3 hours from Paris by TGV, and the nearest ski resorts can be reached with a 40-minute shuttle ride. From Chambéry, head towards La Féclaz, while from Grenoble you can reach Chamrousse or Lans-en-Vercors. To reach Haute-Savoie, it takes 5hr 30min by train to get to Saint-Gervais or Chamonix, at the foot of Mont Blanc, with a transfer by gondola or train.
Chamrousse, Lans-en-Vercors, Villard-de-Lans and La Féclaz are therefore the closest ski resorts to Paris by train, ideal for quick getaways.
– To the east, you can reach Remiremont in 3 hours by train, then La Bresse, the largest resort in the Vosges, in 30 minutes by car or coach.
– To the south, Le Lioran‘s SNCF station is reached in 5hr 30min. From Paris, allow at least 7 hours by train to reach the Pyrenees.
Yes, the Intercités night train (SNCF) is a very popular way to travel without losing any time. The Paris–Briançon night train is the best known for the Southern Alps: it leaves Paris Austerlitz in the evening and arrives early the next morning at Briançon station, letting you be on the slopes of Serre Chevalier for opening time. It also serves other useful stations such as Gap, Embrun (for Les Orres) or Mont-Dauphin (for Risoul/Vars). In the Pyrenees, there’s also a direct Paris-Austerlitz night train to Ax-les-Thermes station (for the Ax-3-Domaines resort).
For SNCF trains (TGV INOUI, Ouigo), the simplest option is to book via the “SNCF Connect” website or app. That’s where you’ll find the best fares for your holiday.
For the Paris-Lyon-Milan line, which serves the Maurienne (Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne) and Oulx (Italy), book directly on the Trenitalia website.
Yes, night trains do exist, notably from Paris (Gare d’Austerlitz) to Briançon (for Serre Chevalier, a resort known for its sunshine) or to Latour-de-Carol (for the Pyrenean resorts).
Alpe d’Huez doesn’t have its own station. The simplest route from the capital is to take a direct SNCF TGV to Grenoble (around 3 hours). From Grenoble station, a shuttle bus takes you up to Alpe d’Huez in around 1hr 30min, right into the heart of the ski area.
Absolutely. Travellers from Île-de-France are in a privileged position, since most direct TGVs depart from the capital. Whether heading to the Northern Alps (Savoie, Haute-Savoie) or even the Southern Alps (via Grenoble or Valence), there are plenty of options for reaching the ski resorts, especially at weekends.
This is one of the great advantages of the train! Unlike the road, bad weather (heavy snow, ice) very rarely affects TGV or Trenitalia services to the Alps. Travelling from Île-de-France, you avoid the stress of driving on snowy roads and the nerve-wracking road weather reports.
By TGV, the quickest resorts to reach from Paris are those in Savoie (via Chambéry or Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne) or Isère (via Grenoble), which then require only a short shuttle ride (under 45 minutes).
For the Vosges, you can take a TGV to Remiremont, then a shuttle bus to La Bresse or Gérardmer.