Eurostar Snow Train: Ski train to the French Alps

The Eurostar Snow Train provides a seasonal rail route from London to the French Alps, with a connection at Lille and stops at key Alpine stations serving major ski areas. This guide explains how the Eurostar Ski Train works for winter 2026/27, where it stops, which station to use for your ski resort and how to complete the onward journey.

What is the Eurostar Snow Train and where does it take skiers? The Eurostar Snow Train is a seasonal rail service connecting London with the French Alps via Lille. Skiers can travel from London St Pancras to Alpine stations including Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne, Landry and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, before completing the journey from the appropriate station to their ski resort.

Jump to:

• What is the Eurostar Snow Train?
• 2026/27 dates and timetable
• Snow Train route and stations
• Ski resorts you can reach
• Which station for your resort?
• Journey time
• Tickets and prices
• When tickets go on sale
• Taking skis and snowboards
• Station-to-resort transfers
• Is the Snow Train worth it?
• Ski holidays by train with Skiworld
• FAQs

What is the Eurostar Snow Train?

The Eurostar Snow Train is Eurostar's seasonal ski service to the French Alps. From London, skiers travel from St Pancras International to Lille Europe, where they connect with the Alpine service. The route then serves a series of railway stations that provide onward access to ski resorts across the French Alps.  You may see the service described as both the Eurostar Snow Trainand the Eurostar Ski Train. Eurostar currently uses the "Snow Train" name for its seasonal Alpine service, while "Ski Train" remains a common way of describing the route for skiers travelling to the mountains.

For UK passengers, it is important to understand that the current London journey is not a direct train from London to the French Alps. You travel by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille Europe and change there for the train continuing towards the Alpine stations.  The train does not take you directly to most ski resorts. Instead, you leave the train at the Alpine station best suited to your destination and complete the final part of the journey by an onward connection such as a coach, transfer or taxi. Later in this guide, we map the relevant stations to Skiworld's French ski resorts.

Eurostar Snow Train 2026/27 dates and timetable

For winter 2026/27, Eurostar's Snow Train service from London operates to the French Alps on Saturdays from 19 December 2026 to 20 February 2027. Return journeys operate from 27 December 2026 to 28 February 2027, with Sunday morning departures and selected Saturday afternoon departures from Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

From London, the journey starts at London St Pancras International. Passengers travel to Lille Europe, change trains and then continue towards the French Alps.  The Alpine service calls at several stations before terminating at Bourg-Saint-Maurice. The station where you should leave the train depends on the ski resort you are travelling to, so travelling all the way to the final stop is not always the correct option.  The Snow Train is a seasonal service rather than a year round London to Alps route. If your preferred travel dates fall outside the dedicated Snow Train operating period, other Eurostar and TGV INOUI connecting journeys may still be available.

Important: Eurostar advises that departure times are subject to change, so check the current timetable before travelling.

Where does the Eurostar Snow Train go?

From London, the Eurostar Snow Train journey runs via Lille to six principal Alpine stations: Chambéry, Albertville, Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne, Landry and Bourg-Saint-Maurice. These stations act as gateways to different French ski areas, so the correct place to leave the train depends on your final resort.

The important point is that these are railway stations, not the ski resorts themselves. For example, reaching Moûtiers does not mean you have arrived in Méribel, Courchevel or Val Thorens; an onward journey into the mountains is still required.  The geographically closest station is also not automatically the best station for every journey. Transfer availability, road access and the resort you are staying in all matter.

The next part of this guide therefore looks at the relationship in the opposite direction: if you already know which ski resort you want to visit, which Snow Train station should you use?

Which ski resorts can you reach on the Eurostar Snow Train?

The Eurostar Snow Train provides rail access to many of the major French ski resorts sold by Skiworld, including Méribel, Courchevel, Val Thorens, Les Menuires, La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes, Val d'Isère and La Rosière. In most cases, you leave the train at the appropriate Alpine station and complete the journey to the resort by bus, transfer or taxi.  The main station to resort relationships are straightforward once you know which ski area you are travelling to:

• The Three Valleys: use Moûtiers for Méribel, Courchevel, Les Menuires and Val Thorens.
• La Plagne: Aime-la-Plagne is the principal station for the high-altitude La Plagne villages, although Landry is more appropriate for Montchavin-Les Coches.
• Les Arcs: Bourg-Saint-Maurice provides direct access to Arc 1600 by funicular and onward connections to the other main Les Arcs villages.
• Upper Tarentaise: use Bourg-Saint-Maurice for Tignes, Val d'Isère and La Rosière.

The important point is to choose the railway station according to your final resort and accommodation location rather than simply staying on the train until Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

Which snow train station should you use for your ski resort?

Moûtiers is the main snow train station for the Three Valleys, Aime-la-Plagne serves most of La Plagne's high-altitude villages, and Bourg-Saint-Maurice is the principal gateway for Les Arcs, Tignes, Val d'Isère and La Rosière. Your exact accommodation location matters, particularly in ski areas containing several villages.

Check your exact accommodation before booking the onward connection. Large destinations such as La Plagne, Les Arcs, Courchevel and Tignes contain several villages or sectors, so reaching the correct railway station is only the first part of the final journey.

1. Moûtiers for Méribel, Courchevel, Les Menuires and Val Thorens

Moûtiers-Salins-Brides-les-Bains is the main snow train gateway to the Three Valleys. Eurostar identifies Moûtiers as the station for Méribel, Courchevel, Les Menuires and Val Thorens, with buses, private transfers and taxis available for the remaining journey into the mountains.  The onward distance varies significantly. Méribel is around 18km from Moûtiers, while Les Menuires is around 27km away and Val Thorens sits farther up the Belleville Valley. This is why the train arrival time should not be treated as your arrival time at the accommodation.

2. Aime-la-Plagne or Landry for La Plagne

For most of La Plagne's high-altitude villages, use Aime-la-Plagne. The station provides onward access to Plagne 1800, Plagne Centre, Aime 2000, Plagne Soleil, Plagne Villages, Plagne Bellecôte and Belle Plagne, as well as Montalbert.  There is an important exception:if you are staying in Montchavin–Les Coches, Landry is the appropriate station for the onward shuttle connection. This is a good example of why the resort name alone is not always enough when selecting a Snow Train station.

3. Bourg-Saint-Maurice for Les Arcs

Les Arcs has one of the simplest station-to-resort connections on the Snow Train route. The funicular is directly accessible from Bourg-Saint-Maurice railway station and reaches Arc 1600 in approximately seven minutes.  From Arc 1600, resort shuttle services connect with Arc 1800, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000. This means your exact accommodation still determines what happens after the funicular, but the initial mountain connection is particularly straightforward.

4. Bourg-Saint-Maurice for Tignes, Val d'Isère and La Rosière

Bourg-Saint-Maurice is also the principal Snow Train station for Tignes, Val d'Isère and La Rosière. Unlike Les Arcs, these resorts require an onward road journey from the railway station.  For Tignes, the S83 bus provides a connection from Bourg-Saint-Maurice. La Rosière has a winter bus service from Bourg-Saint-Maurice to the resort centre and Les Eucherts. Val d'Isère can also be reached from Bourg-Saint-Maurice by coach, transfer or taxi.  For all three destinations, allow for the mountain transfer when comparing the train journey with other ways of reaching the resort.

How long does the Eurostar Snow Train take?

The Eurostar Snow Train journey from London to the French Alps takes around eight hours to reach the upper Tarentaise by rail, depending on the station and service. Eurostar currently states that London to Bourg-Saint-Maurice takes just under eight hours, including the Lille connection. You then need to add the onward journey to your ski resort.

The total journey therefore has three distinct stages:

1. London St Pancras to Lille Europe by Eurostar.
2. Lille to your Alpine railway station on the connecting Snow Train service.
3. Alpine station to ski resort using the appropriate funicular, bus, transfer or taxi.

Eurostar currently gives the London t -Bourg-Saint-Maurice rail journey as just under eight hours and the return rail journey as approximately nine hours. If you leave the train at an earlier Alpine station, your rail journey ends sooner, but your final arrival time still depends on the onward connection to your resort.  This distinction is important when comparing journey times. A published train time to Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne or Bourg-Saint-Maurice is not the total London-to-resort journey time unless your accommodation is at the railway station itself.

How much does the Eurostar Snow Train cost?

Eurostar Snow Train fares vary according to travel date, demand, availability and when you book, so there is no single fixed price for travelling from London to the French Alps. At the time of this guide's October 2026 update, Eurostar's dedicated London to Bourg-Saint-Maurice page states that Snow Train tickets are no longer available for sale.  Because fares are dynamic, historical Snow Train prices should not be used as a guide to what a 2026/27 journey will cost. When tickets are available, compare the fare for your actual travel dates and remember that the rail ticket is only one part of the journey: you may also need to budget for transport from your Alpine railway station to the ski resort.  If you are comparing rail with flying, compare the complete journey rather than the headline ticket price alone. Depending on your arrangements, this may include:

• Travel to London St Pancras or your departure airport
• Rail fare or flight fare
• Luggage and ski equipment costs
• Airport or railway station transfers
• The onward journey from the Alpine station to your ski resort

This gives a more useful comparison than looking only at the cheapest advertised train or flight fare.

When do Eurostar Snow Train tickets go on sale?

Eurostar says Snow Train tickets usually go on sale in July, although the exact release date can vary. Standard Eurostar services to and from London can generally be booked around 10 to 11 months ahead, but the seasonal Snow Train has its own sales timetable.  If tickets for your preferred Snow Train dates have not yet been released, Eurostar recommends monitoring its dedicated Snow Train page for updates. If the dedicated Snow Train does not operate on your required dates, connecting Eurostar and TGV INOUI journeys may provide another rail option to the French Alps.  Booking early can be particularly useful if you need to travel on a specific Saturday or during high-demand ski periods such as Christmas, New Year or February half term.

Can you take skis and snowboards on the Eurostar Snow Train?

Yes. Eurostar allows passengers on its Snow Train service to take one pair of skis or one snowboard in addition to the standard adult luggage allowance. Skis and snowboards must be carried in a protective case that covers the equipment completely.  This additional allowance is particularly useful for skiers who want to travel with their own equipment rather than hire it in resort.  There is an important distinction if you are travelling on a different rail itinerary. On connecting TGV INOUI services to the ski resorts, Eurostar states that skis or a snowboard count as one of your permitted pieces of luggage. Baggage rules can therefore differ according to the trains used for your journey.  Check the current luggage conditions for your specific booking before travelling, particularly if your itinerary is not the dedicated Snow Train connection via Lille.

How do you get from the Alpine station to your ski resort?

Most Snow Train passengers complete the final journey to their ski resort by scheduled bus, private transfer, taxi or, in the case of Les Arcs, the Bourg-Saint-Maurice funicular. The best option depends on the station, resort, arrival time and location of your accommodation. 

The key onward connections covered earlier in this guide are:

• Moûtiers: onward road connections to Méribel, Courchevel, Les Menuires and Val Thorens.
• Aime-la-Plagne: onward connections to the principal La Plagne villages.
• Landry: useful for Montchavin-Les Coches and other appropriate local connections.
• Bourg-Saint-Maurice: funicular access to Arc 1600 and road connections towards Tignes, Val d'Isère and La Rosière.

Do not leave the onward transfer until you arrive at the station without checking what is available. Train arrival times, bus timetables and accommodation check-in arrangements need to work together, particularly when travelling with children or ski equipment.  Also check your exact resort village. Destinations such as Courchevel, La Plagne, Les Arcs and Tignes cover multiple bases, and the final transfer can differ according to where you are staying.

Is taking the train to the French Alps worth It?

The Eurostar Snow Train can be a practical alternative to flying for skiers who value rail travel, generous luggage arrangements and access to French resorts through Alpine railway stations. Whether it is the best option depends on your dates, destination, fare and onward transfer.

Some of the main advantages are:

• Travel from central London rather than an airport
• Rail access deep into the French Alps
• The ability to take skis or a snowboard on the Snow Train
• No airport-to-Alps transfer at the French end of the journey
• Useful access to major ski areas including the Three Valleys, Paradiski and Tignes–Val d'Isère

There are also practical limitations. The London Snow Train operates only on selected winter dates, the journey requires a connection at Lille, and most passengers still need a transfer from the Alpine station to their resort. Rail fares can also vary considerably according to availability.  The best way to decide is therefore to compare the complete London to resort journey rather than simply comparing train time with flight time.

Ski holidays by Train with Skiworld

If you would prefer to book the rail journey as part of your ski holiday rather than organise each element separately, explore Skiworld's ski holidays by train.  The commercial page contains the current Skiworld train holiday options, destinations, package information and booking details. This guide is designed to help you understand the Eurostar Snow Train itself, choose the appropriate Alpine station and plan the journey to your resort.

Eurostar Snow Train FAQs

Is the Eurostar ski train direct from London to the French Alps?

No. For the London Snow Train journey, passengers travel from London St Pancras to Lille Europe and change there for the service continuing into the French Alps. It should therefore not be described as a direct London-to-Alps train.

What is the difference between the Eurostar ski train and snow train?

They refer to the same type of seasonal ski service in this context. Eurostar Snow Train is Eurostar's current name for its seasonal Alpine service, while Eurostar Ski Train remains a commonly used search term and description among UK skiers.

Does the Eurostar Snow Train go to Val Thorens?

The train does not travel directly into Val Thorens. For Val Thorens, leave the Snow Train at Moûtiers and complete the journey to the resort by bus, transfer or taxi.

Does the Eurostar Snow Train go to Méribel?

The Snow Train does not terminate in Méribel. Moûtiers is the appropriate Alpine railway station, followed by an onward bus, private transfer or taxi to the resort.

Does the Eurostar Snow Train go to Tignes and Val d'Isère?

For both Tignes and Val d'Isère, use Bourg-Saint-Maurice. From there, you complete the journey by road to the resort.

Can you take ski equipment on the Eurostar Snow Train?

Yes. On Eurostar's Snow Train, you can take one pair of skis or one snowboard in addition to the standard adult luggage allowance. The equipment must be completely enclosed in a protective case. Different baggage rules can apply if your journey uses other connecting train services.

Can you travel to the French Alps by train outside the snow train dates?

Yes. If the dedicated Snow Train does not operate on your chosen dates, it may still be possible to travel from London using Eurostar combined with a connecting TGV INOUI service. The itinerary, ticket conditions, baggage allowance and journey time may differ from the dedicated Snow Train service.