Travelling to Val d'Isere

This really depends on personal choice, budget, phobias, hobbies (spotters!), and days of travel.

If you are travelling on Saturdays the Eurostar whilst potentially being more expensive than charter or low-cost flying, gets you to within a tiny distance of the 3 Valleys and Tarentaise resorts with the minimum of fuss in around 7hrs. Outside the weekends and without direct train links things are trickier and require the jury this end to investigate further before give you a definitive decision....

Flying, whilst seemingly less time moving between countries, involves much longer check-ins and greater potential for delays. This all counts towards stress, tiredness and length of time to get to your destination. With flying you are much more likely to get a 'bargain' price, and if you want to arrive/depart on days other than the weekend is probably less hassle than negotiating the train.

Driving out from the UK by car is relatively inexpensive if you can share the journey with several friends. Bear in mind that the normal nine hour journey across France may take much longer if you chose to travel on a busy Saturday or encounter heavy snowfalls. For more information on driving in Val d'Isere and getting here by road, take a look at our Driving in France article.

For Val d'Isere, the most convenient airport is Chambéry, situated  144 kms (2 1/2hrs) away bu motorway and then mountain road; From here, you have a number of different methods of transport to choose from to get you up to resort.

If you can’t get a flight to Chambéry, the next best options are Lyon (3hrs) and Geneva (3.5hrs) all of which are serviced by a number of the major airlines.  Each airport has it pros and cons. Chambery is closest but may close in bad weather and your flight be diverted elsewhere. Geneva has excellent bus/shuttle links to Val, but finding the route in a hire car isn't particularly easy. Lyon St-Exupery has fewer links to Val, expecially midweek, but the journey is easier and quicker than from Geneva if you hire a car. Each major airline carries destination information on its website - although you either have to try all of them to find one which operates to from your local airport or know your local operatorsHowever, before succumbing to a bargain flight into one of these airports, take a few minutes to investigate your onward transfer options below; your flight may only cost you £50 but your transfer to resort could set you back €300 - €400!!

Altibus operates public bus services from Geneva, Chambery, Lyon and Grenoble airports to all of the major French ski resorts.  They run at regular intervals throughout the winter (more frequently on Saturdays) and bus tickets can be purchased in advance on-line through Altibus.  Tickets can also be bought on the day of travel** from the Information desk inside the terminal, however, during the winter these services get very busy so it is advisable to book in advance to assure your place.   For return tickets, you must confirm your reservation 48 hours before departure at the local bus office in resort.

**For Geneva services to resorts in the Tarentaise (Meribel, Courchevel, Val Thorens, Val d’Isere, Tignes, La Plagne, Les Arcs, Les Menuires etc), seat reservations MUST be made in advance and can be done so on-line through Alpski-bus or by e-mailing accfrance@bluewin.ch.  Alternatively, call the “Acceuil France” office at the airport on +41 22 798 20 00.  All buses depart from the Swiss sector of the airport so you need to be in possession of a valid passport (and visa if necessary). 

If you’re travelling to one of the Swiss ski resorts from Geneva, they are all serviced by the local train network – see below. 

In this area, Transdev Martin (a subsidiary of Altibus) is the principal operator for the route.  You can find all the latest timetables and prices on the Altibus website but approximate journey costs from the airports are as follows:

Discounted rates are available for children (4-12 years) and groups (4 pax +) and Altibus can also organise private transfers if there are a few of you travelling together. *Route prices quoted in red are operated by Agbus - see below.

In addition to Altibus, Grenoble airport also has a public bus service operated by Agbus for resorts in the Tarentaise (Val d'Isere, Courchevel, Moutiers & Bourg St Maurice only) and to Lyon city centre.  Seats on these routes must be booked in advance (0479 68 32 96) and the latest timetables can be found below.

Travelling by train from the airport to French ski resorts is generally not a very convenient option.  Journeys tend to be long and convoluted with at least one change, making the public bus or an airport transfer a quicker, often more economical choice.

However, if trains are your thing, then times and prices for onward travel to French resorts can be found on the SNCF website.  For resorts in the 3 Valleys, Paradiski and Espace Killy, you can take the train from Geneva to Moutiers, Aime and Bourg St Maurice respectively in 3.5 to 4 hrs for around €27 each way.  All trains go via Chambery and include two changes with some lengthy waits for connections.  From these railway stations, you will then need to take a bus or taxi the final stretch to resort.

The only exception to the travelling by train rule is Geneva airport which offers direct connections to the Swiss and European rail network.  The railway station is located on the Arrivals Level at the far end of Main Terminal (continue past the car hire desks and straight on).  If you are travelling to a Swiss ski resort from Geneva then the only public transport option open to you is the train.  Swiss trains area excellent – clean, prompt and with meticulously timed connections, making it a very pleasant way to get to resort.  Tickets can be purchased from the ticket desks or machines located on the station concourse and Swiss francs, Euros and credit cards are all accepted.  All trains stop at Geneva-Cornavin (Geneva Centre), only 6 minutes from the airport.

There are a number of companies operating in and around Val d'Isere that offer door-to-door minibus transfers from most airports in the region. With all of them you have the option of booking either a private transfer or a more economical "shared" one, where up to 8 people arriving around the same time travel to resort together. Booking in advance is definitely recommended as you cannot guarantee to just pick up a transfer at the airport and some companies strictly forbid their drivers from doing this.  Below are approximate transfer costs comparisons between the various airports and resort:

Prices are approximate and for one-way shared transfers
*Surcharges may apply for transfers to Val Thorens

For a full list of all the Airport Transfer Companies in Val d'Isere, see our listings page.

Private Taxis
It is also possible to pick up a private taxi in one of the ranks found immediately outside the airport.  Prices to resort should be negotiated before setting off, but as a guideline it will cost approximately €300 from Geneva/Chambery/Lyon to Val d'Isere for up to 4 people.  For more than 4 people the cost will obviously be higher for a larger vehicle but probably cheaper per person.  Even though you agree a price beforehand, the driver is obliged to keep the meter running and may not charge more than the price shown (except for surcharges and motorway tolls etc).  Take a look at our Taxi Listings and also enquire about "private" transfer prices from the Airport Shuttle Companies above.

There are a number of companies that offer a long-distance coach service from various pick-up points in the UK to the Alps. The coaches are usually more comfortable than the type you used to get on school trips and many travel through the night, allowing you more time on the slopes once you are in resort.

Although the actual journey time is obviously longer, you don't have the usual airport hassle of checking in luggage and hanging around in the departures lounge waiting for your flight to board. It is also more eco-friendly and often a bit gentler on the pocket. Check out our Bus & Coach section for details of companies that provide this service.

Car hire can be arranged from each of the above airports and if there are a few of you travelling together, it is not necessarily an expensive option. It is however, worth checking in advance to see what parking facilities are available at your accommodation as it can be tricky to find a space in town at certain times of the season.

Pre-booking of car hire is highly recommended, if not obligatory, and you should also detail any extra requests such as ski racks and baby seats etc, at the time of booking.

When hiring a car from Geneva airport, you should be aware that you can do so from both the French AND Swiss sides.  If you have made a reservation in advance, make sure you know where you should be collecting your vehicle from.  This is especially important when it comes to dropping it off at the end of your stay at the French sector is not as straightforward to find and you should allow a little more time for your journey.  You can find directions to the French sector here.

Try our Ski Car Rental Finder for some of the best deals and rental prices at the moment, or for more information on driving in Val d'Isere and getting here by road, take a look at our Driving in France article.

Unless you book a private transfer or have a car, travelling between French ski resorts is generally not very easy. There aren’t regular inter-resort public transport routes meaning that your journey is likely to be time consuming and involve at least one change.

In Switzerland, it’s a different story, as the whole country is linked by its impeccably timed rail network, making travelling around almost pleasurable! You can find the latest train fares and timetables on the SBB Swiss train website. For journeys to or from Verbier, the nearest station to the resort is Le Chable, at the bottom of the valley, from where you must either take the Le Chable gondola to resort or the Post Bus (times also available on the SBB site above).

If you do wish to get from one side of the French Alps to another under your own steam, then there here are a few options to investigate further:

Go via the airport
Whilst this may take you a bit out of your way geographically, going from one resort to another via the airport is not as daft as it sounds. Airport transfer companies and tour operators run regular transfers to and from the airport (especially at the weekend) and they sometimes have spare seats that you can purchase from them. Once at the airport, the idea is to co-ordinate with an onward transfer to the resort of your choice, either with the same tour op or transfer company, or by one of the methods already explained above. As the majority of people travel on Saturday or Sunday, the weekend is your best chance of bagging an inter-resort transfer; mid-week or out of season travel is likely to be complicated and potentially expensive. You should enquire directly with the operators in resort about availability but they may not be able to confirm your place until the last minute as priority will go to their “package” clients.

Public Transport
You can potentially weave your way across the Alps by the buses and trains, but expect it to take you the best part of the day.  To help you plan your route, we’ve put together a list of the main feeder/connection points for the big resorts.  Use the Altibus (public bus) website or the SNCF Trains website to plan your connections to/from these towns.  From there, expect to take a taxi up to resort, or check out our Maps & Timetables section for public bus times (if any).

There are numerous options for getting your sports equipment to resort, be it flying, train or coach. Most travel companies have their own individual policy terms and conditions depending on the type of sporting equipment you are transporting. Here's a snap shot of the different transport options and a guide to their restrictions.

A review of airlines terms and conditions in relation to sports equipment baggage indicates that it is highly likely that you will be subjected to a standard charge for taking your sporting equipment on board. Leisure 'Equipment' that will require additional handling can include bikes, golf clubs, parachutes, mountaineering equipment or skis/snowboards. If you like your skis, it is imperative that you pack them in a ski or board bag for protection! Most airlines will still take your skis if they are not in a ski bag; just don’t be surprised at the condition they arrive in at the other end of your flight. A ski or snowboard bag can also be packed with soft items (ski trousers, jumpers etc) around your skis or board to give them added protection. Just be careful if the equipment is covered in storage wax.

If you choose to take a mountain biking holiday most holiday firms will collect you from the airport where the hours drive from the airport is included within your holiday price. However, should you choose to book your transfer independently most airport transfer companies will still permit you to take your mountain bike in the vehicle provided you give advance warning at the time of booking.

If you prefer the use of your own car you can drive down the autoroutes to Val d'Isere. Check out Viamichelin for exact route information. The most convenient way to travel with skis is a roof "coffin" style box that will carry several pairs of skis/boards, boots and poles. A roof rack is also a handy alternative and can be retned from many ski shops. If using a roof rack, try to cover the bindings over to prevent them getting covered in grit and salt. Roof boxes and roof racks should be lockable and therefore fairly secure from thiefs.

If you choose to take a train all the way to your ski resort it may involve a couple of changes and cost slightly more than a cheap flight. Eurostar recommends using its registered luggage service for your bike if you’re travelling from London, Paris, Brussels or Lille and charges approximately £20 for carriage of your bike. If travelling by France's national rail system check here for further train and route timetables.