How Skiers Can Travel by Train to the Slopes This Winter
Tickets for Eurostar’s winter snow train will be available starting Tuesday, July 9, almost two months earlier than last year. This season's schedule has been extended to include trains during the February half-term holidays, and the train's capacity has been increased by more than a third.
In 2023, Eurostar reintroduced its winter service to the Alps with a significant change: passengers now need to change trains in Lille instead of having a direct trip to the mountains. This "snow train" will operate for an additional month compared to last season, running from December to March, but travelers will still need to switch trains in Lille.
The train will now carry 347 passengers, up from 250 last year, departing from London St Pancras every Saturday morning from December 21, 2024, until March 1, 2025. After changing in Lille, the train will stop at Chambéry, Albertville, Moûtiers-Salins-Brides-Les-Bains, Aime-la-Plagne, Landry, and Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Return trips will be on Sundays, from December 29, 2024, until March 2, 2025.
This schedule means that skiers using the snow train can enjoy a full week on the slopes without missing out on sleep, as the outward journey is on Saturday and the return is on Sunday.
Last winter, tour operator Inghams introduced a new ski holiday by train, which included seven nights of accommodation, seven days of skiing, and an eighth night in a hotel in Bourg St Maurice for an early Sunday return to the UK. These holidays start at £689 per person. This year, Travelski is adopting a similar approach, with accommodations near the station for the eighth night when possible.
Inghams’ managing director John Mansell mentioned that they have tripled their ticket allocation for the snow train this year due to the success of the previous season’s arrangement. Skiers are transported from the slopes to their hotel in Bourg, where they can shower, dine, and be close to the station for their early departure back home.
Mansell warned that snow train packages tend to sell out quickly, with peak dates last year sold out by mid-September. He also noted that packages involving a change of trains in Paris, which includes a transfer from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, are even more popular than the Eurostar service.
“The snow train is ideal for families and those who prefer to bring their own equipment, but many travelers opt for the route via Paris,” he said. “For those renting gear at their destination, the transfer across Paris is manageable and available throughout the season.”
When do the tickets go on sale?
Eurostar’s snow train offers easy access to Les Arcs (connected to Bourg St Maurice by a seven-minute funicular ride) and other popular resorts such as Val d’Isère, Tignes, La Rosière, and resorts in the Three Valleys. Travelski, Inghams, and Ski Line offer holiday packages to these resorts, while the latter two operators also provide ski holidays by train to destinations in Italy, Austria, and Switzerland.
Skiline is collaborating with Rail Europe to offer ski chalet packages with a return journey via Paris on Saturdays. “Given the rising costs and time involved in transfers, we hope these chalet packages will be competitively priced,” said managing director Angus Kinloch. “Additionally, many skiers prefer to return home on a Saturday night to have Sunday free before the workweek.”
Last autumn, a landslide in the Maurienne Valley closed the line between Paris and Oulx in Italy, but UK operators are optimistic it will reopen for winter 2024-25. “This route was very popular before Covid,” Kinloch said. “Once you arrive in Oulx, the Italian ski resort of Sauze d’Oulx is just 15 minutes away.”
“We are also exploring options with the City Night Line, a sleeper train that travels through the Austrian Alps, as many travelers, especially younger generations, are now reducing their air travel. Many skiers prefer traveling by train.”
What about extra border checks?
Be sure to allow extra time at St Pancras this winter. With new EU border checks expected to be implemented this autumn, requiring UK travelers to provide biometric data, including fingerprints, before leaving for France, skiers are advised to plan for additional time at the station. These Entry Exit System (EES) rules apply to all non-EU travelers heading to Europe. Unlike airports where border checks are conducted upon arrival, French border control will carry out checks before passengers board ferries and trains from the UK.
