BackIMPORTANT UPDATE: For winter 2021-22, the Eurostar Ski Train has been chartered exclusively by a French ski-tour operator, Travelski, and rebranded as the Travelski Express. The big difference is that tickets are only available as part of an all-inclusive Travelski package of ski train, transfer, accommodation and a seven-day ski pass. Whereas Eurostar ran two direct ski trains each week, the Travelski Express is just one: overnight on Fridays from London to the Alps, looping back to the UK by day on Saturdays, every week from late December till mid April. You can find out more in our Guide to the Travelski Express.
Introduction
The Eurostar Ski Train to the Alps is the most direct way of getting from London to Moutiers, Aime and Bourg St. Maurice stations, which service resorts in the Tarentaise region of the French Alps.
It departs London every Saturday morning (and stops at Ashford International too) and returns the following Saturday morning from the Alps.
Travelling this way is a lot of fun. The train could probably do with a few more table seats in Standard Class, while in Standard Premier every seat has a table seat. There is a cafe bar, a happy atmosphere and compared to flying or driving it is easier, more enjoyable and frequently quicker too - door to door.
This is a new film that Snowcarbon founder Daniel Elkan made about it, commissioned by Eurostar.
Step 1: Take the Ski Train to the Alps
The Ski Train en routeThe Eurostar Ski Train, being direct, is the simplest of journeys.
You get on, and 7-8 hours later you get off, in the Alps, a short transfer by bus or taxi from lots of great resorts.
It's a smooth, comfortable journey, and the cafe bar is always lively with a nice ambience. However you spend the time on your journey on the Ski Train, you're guaranteed to be having a better experience than those who are navigating their way through airports, onto cramped flights and then long transfers. You'll probably reach the slopes faster — door to door — and with a fraction of the carbon emissions, too.
You can find out more about what it's like on board, and also read what other skiers say.
Step 2: Transfer to your resort
Once you arrive, all you have to do is make the relatively short transfer the train station to the ski resort. These transfers are typically between 25 minutes and 45 minutes, and are far shorter than airport transfers - which can take anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours - or even longer.
It's a good idea pre-book a taxi transfer, although at popular stations like Bourg St Maurice and Moutiers you can find a taxi driver on the spot too. We've launched a service to match people up to share taxis, saving you money and carbon emissions - find out more here.
There're also buses from train stations to ski resorts, usually timed to coincide with the arrival of the TGV.
For every ski resort on Snowcarbon, we have a transfer guide page to show you taxi and bus options and how to book them.
What children think of this journey
Daniel (Snowcarbon Founder) says:
"Travelling to the Alps, it never fails to impress on me how much children love the journeys. Walk up and down any train and you'll see very happy families - train journey really suit children - as well as adults.
I thought it would be interesting to make a film about what children themselves think of the journey. So I took my camera to St Pancras and got on board the daytime Eurostar Ski Train.
The children interviewed in this film were all found on location in St Pancras and on the train. They had a lot to say about the journey - and skiing! Indeed, they can teach us a thing or two about how to have fun when travelling by train to the Alps."
Daytime Eurostar Ski Train predicted timetable 2021-22 (if it runs)
Eurostar cancelled the Ski Train for the 2021-22 season, because of the pandemic. Eurostar has not yet confirmed that the Ski Train will run in 2021-22. We need more low-carbon routes to Europe, not fewer. Please sign our petition to reinstate this fantastic service and follow the updates of the Save The Ski Train campaign.
Here's a predicted timetable info for the Eurostar Ski Train 2021-22 season, if the train runs:
Outbound journey
- The first daytime outbound departure from London to the Alps would be Saturday 18th December 2021
- The last daytime outbound departure from London to the Alps would be Saturday 2nd April 2022
| Depart | Arrive | |||
| London St Pancras | Ashford | Moutiers | Aime | Bourg St Maurice |
| 09:45 | 10:28 | 18:27 | 18:46 | 19:03 |
Return journey
- CANCELLED: The first daytime return departure from the Alps to London would be Sunday 26th December 2021
- CANCELLED: The last daytime return departure from the Alps to London would be Saturday 9th April 2022
| Depart | Arrive | |||
| Bourg St Maurice | Moutiers | Ashford | London St Pancras | |
| 09:34 | 10:14 | 15:37 | 16:13 | |
Where the Eurostar Ski Train stops
We've created a graphic of railway stations in the Tarentaise area of the French Alps. You can see which stations the Eurostar Ski Train calls at and which railway stations TGV trains from Paris call at too.
Top Tips
There is no inbound Eurostar Ski Train stop at Aime Le Plagne. If you’re staying in La Plagne, you’ll need to get the Ski Train back from Bourg St Maurice (Bourg St Maurice station is easier access from La Plagne than Moutiers station)- The Eurostar Ski Train has a daytime (Saturdays) and overnight service (Friday nights out, Saturday nights back) every week of winter.
- If the Ski Train runs for 2021-22, the first outbound Eurostar Ski Train would be Friday 17th December 2021 and the last returning train is Saturday 9th April 2022.
- Multiple TGV trains depart throughout Saturdays and Sundays (and some weekdays) during the winter season.
Sunday to Sunday holidays and the Eurostar Ski Train at Feb half term 2022
Eurostar has announced the cancellation of the Ski Train for 2020-21 and have not committed to reinstating it in future.
We need more low-carbon routes to Europe, not fewer. Please sign our petition to reinstate this fantastic service and follow the updates of the Save The Ski Train campaign.
Usually for February half term, Eurostar would run an extra Ski Train, serving Sunday-Sunday holidays.
The outbound journey is overnight, departing London St Pancras on the Saturday in the evening, arriving in the Alps early on the Sunday morning.
The return journey is daytime, departing the Alps on the Sunday morning and arriving at London St Pancras the same afternoon.
Outbound schedule:
| MAYBE: Saturday 12th Feb - overnight travel | ||
| London St Pancras | dep | 19:45 |
| Ashford | dep | 20:28 |
| Moutiers | arr | 05:32 |
| Aime la Plagne | arr | 05:57 |
| Bourg St Maurice | arr | 06:16 |
Inbound schedule:
| MAYBE - Sunday 20th Feb - daytime travel | ||
| Bourg St Maurice | dep | 09:34 |
| Moutiers | dep | 10:14 |
| Ashford | arr | Not stopping |
| London St Pancras | arr | 16:02 |
It would be great if Eurostar ran a daytime Sunday - Sunday service every week. To help encourage Eurostar to build on this, please sign and share our petition for a Sunday - Sunday Ski Train
How much does the daytime Eurostar Ski Train cost?
Eurostar have announced the cancellation of the Ski Train for 2020-21 and have not committed to reinstating it in future.
We need more low-carbon routes to Europe, not fewer. Please sign our petition to reinstate this fantastic service and follow the updates of the Save The Ski Train campaign.
Usually, the lead-in fare for the Eurostar Ski Train is £160 return per adult i.e. the cheapest it can be. However the reality is that on peak dates, even if you book as soon as the train goes on sale, trains are priced at about £300 - £550 return.
Fares for children aged 4 - 11 are 30% cheaper than adult fares. Children under four years old can travel for free, but without a reserved seat.
These are our estimated prices for the Ski Train based on data from previous years:
| Date | Adult return price |
| Non-peak | £160 - £190 |
| Christmas | £300 - £350 |
| New Year | £320 - £400 |
| Feb half-term | £400 - £500 |
| Easter | £280 - £320 |
When can you book the Eurostar Ski Train 2021-22?
Eurostar cancelled the Ski Train for the 2021-22 season, because of the pandemic. Eurostar has not yet confirmed that the Ski Train will run in 2021-22. We need more low-carbon routes to Europe, not fewer. Please sign our petition to reinstate this fantastic service and follow the updates of the Save The Ski Train campaign.
Usually, tickets for independent travel on the daytime and the overnight Eurostar Ski Trains would go on sale mid July.
On our unique Live Ski and Snow Trains Price Check page you can view prices for our recommended train routes to the Alps.
Ski holidays with rail travel included, from ski tour operators, are already available to book. Click here to view them, or if you would like some advice on destinations and tour operators, ask Snowcarbon founder Daniel.
How to transfer from the daytime Eurostar Ski Train to your resort
To transfer from the Eurostar Ski Train to your hotel, chalet or apartment in resort, you have four options:
1. If you've booked a rail-inclusive ski package from a ski tour operator, your transfer will normally be included in the package.
2. If you've booked an independent chalet, the chalet company may be able to offer to pick you up from the train - check what they charge for this service.
3. You could book a local taxi (see table below)
4. You could book a bus transfer (see table below) if the bus times connect conveniently with the Ski Train (they don't always - but we at Snowcarbon are campaining to change that).
Local taxi transfers from the Eurostar Ski Train to resorts
The prices below are averages, sourced from a variety of local taxi-transfer companies.
We've launched a service to match people up to share taxis, saving you money and carbon emissions - find out more here.
| From Bourg St Maurice: local taxi prices to nearby ski resorts | ||||||
| Ski resort | 1 pax | 2 to 4 pax | 5 pax | 6 pax | 7 pax | 8 pax |
| La Rosière | 60 € | 65 € | 70 € | 80 € | 90 € | 100 € |
| La Plagne | 70 € | 75 € | 80 € | 85 € | 90 € | 100 € |
| Les Arcs 1600 | 50 € | 55 € | 60 € | 65 € | 70 € | 80 € |
| Les Arcs 1800 | 55 € | 60 € | 65 € | 70 € | 75 € | 85 € |
| Les Arcs 1950 | 65 € | 75 € | 80 € | 90 € | 100 € | 110 € |
| Les Arcs 2000 | 70 € | 80 € | 85 € | 95 € | 105 € | 115 € |
| Peisey – Vallandry | 50 € | 55 € | 60 € | 65 € | 70 € | 80 € |
| Sainte Foy | 45 € | 50 € | 55 € | 60 € | 65 € | 75 € |
| Tignes | 80 € | 85 € | 90 € | 100 € | 110 € | 120 € |
| Val d’Isère | 80 € | 85 € | 90 € | 100 € | 110 € | 120 € |
| From Moutiers: local taxi prices to nearby ski resorts | ||||||
| Ski resort | 1 to 3 pax | 4 pax | 5 pax | 6 pax | 7 pax | 8 pax |
| Couchevel le Praz 1300 | 63 € | 68 € | 73 € | 83 € | 93 € | 105 € |
| Courchevel Village 1550 | 68 € | 73 € | 78 € | 88 € | 98 € | 110 € |
| Couchevel Moriond 1650 | 70 € | 75 € | 80 € | 90 € | 100 € | 115 € |
| Courchevel 1850 | 75 € | 80 € | 85 € | 95 € | 105 € | 120 € |
| Doucy | 55 € | 58 € | 60 € | 70 € | 80 € | 90 € |
| La Tania | 63 € | 68 € | 73 € | 83 € | 93 € | 105 € |
| Les Menuires | 75 € | 80 € | 85 € | 95 € | 105 € | 120 € |
| Meribel Les Allues | 48 € | 53 € | 58 € | 68 € | 78 € | 88 € |
| Meribel Village | 55 € | 58 € | 60 € | 70 € | 80 € | 90 € |
| Meribel Centre | 58 € | 63 € | 68 € | 78 € | 88 € | 98 € |
| Meribel Morel | 58 € | 63 € | 68 € | 78 € | 88 € | 98 € |
| Meribel Mottaret | 65 € | 70 € | 75 € | 85 € | 95 € | 110 € |
| St Martin de Belleville | 63 € | 68 € | 73 € | 83 € | 93 € | 105 € |
| Val Thorens | 90 € | 95 € | 100 € | 110 € | 120 € | 140 € |
| Valmorel | 55 € | 60 € | 65 € | 75 € | 85 € | 100 € |
How to book the Eurostar Ski Train
Eurostar have announced the cancellation of the Ski Train for 2020-21 and have not committed to reinstating it in future.
We need more low-carbon routes to Europe, not fewer. Please sign our petition to reinstate this fantastic service and follow the updates of the Save The Ski Train campaign.
Usually, the Eurostar Direct Ski Train is simple to book online. If you already know where you want to go and are travelling independently, you can book the Eurostar Ski Train on Eurostar's website.
However, please note that if you are going to La Plagne, there is an error on Eurostar's website. So please read this article about the problems of booking to Aime La Plagne with Eurostar's website. (Don't worry, the solution is simple - just book to Bourg St Maurice instead)
If you are a group of 10 people or more, then you can register in advance for group tickets for the Eurostar Ski Train - see our guide to how to book group train travel to ski resorts in the Alps.
Or, if you would like to view possible resorts and see exact journey times and transfer information, visit the Resorts and Journey Planner page
One of the best ways to book the Eurostar Ski Train is with a rail-inclusive package from ski tour operators. The train travel costs about the same price as flights - and has transfers from station to resort included.You can visit the ski train holidays page to view ski holidays by train from a number of tour operators.
You can also find out more about how to book the Eurostar Ski Train in our guide to booking ski holidays by train.
Ski holidays by train — Ask Snowcarbon
At Snowcarbon we are always happy to help you with suggestions for great resorts, fantastic accommodation and how to get there.
Looking forward to helping you.