New Eurostar Ski Route to French Alps

31st August 2023

Last modified on September 1st, 2023

Eurostar has announced a new ski service from London to the Alps via Lille. UK tour operator, Inghams Ski, is among those selling the product with a ski holiday included. It has met with mixed reaction. UPDATED

The rail service is set to launch on 16th December 2023 as the main ski season starts.

‘Eurostar Snow’ will run from St Pancras International in London to Chambéry, Albertville, Moutiers, Aime-La Plagne and Landry before arriving in Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

The service will run for eight weekends from 16th December until 3rd February, with tickets now on sale.

Normally the old Eurostar Ski Train had 17 departures each season.

Eurostar Snow has only eight.

The new train service has been welcomed as people look at more environmentally responsible ways to travel to the Alps.

Train travel typically generates less than a quarter of the carbon emissions of a similar package involving flights and remains the most environmentally advantageous option for skiers.

Trains will depart London St Pancras International on Saturdays and return from the Alps on Sunday mornings.

Tickets can be bought independently or as part of a packaged ski holiday.

One-way fares start from £99 in standard and £149 in standard premier for off-peak dates (13 Jan – 4 Feb), increasing to £149 and £199 respectively for peak dates (16 December until 13 January).

Eurostar previously ran a direct service to the Alps in partnership with Travelski Express, but that was axed back in July as we reported:

Direct Travelski Express to Alps Axed for Next Winter

The duration of the outbound trip is 8 hours 19 minutes, including a 50 minute connection at Lille.

It is 8 hours 34 minutes on the return journey with a 1 hr 5 minute connection at Lille.

Passengers travelling from France to the UK will go through check-in, security and immigration at Lille before continuing their journey to London.

Eurostar. Image © PlanetSKI

Inghams Ski is combining it with a new ski package for the 2023/24 season by train, offering a low hassle, sustainable option for customers travelling to France.

The new Inghams Ski packages will serve the Val d’Isère, Tignes and Les Arcs ski areas.

Tignes, France – photo © PlanetSKI

Inghams Ski has committed to support the new Eurostar route by purchasing an allocation of seats per week, with the option to sell more on request.

“We are so excited to be able to offer our customers a new, more sustainable travel option after a frustrating few years of debate around the ski train,” said the Senior Sustainability Manager at Hotelplan UK and Inghams Ski, Krissy Roe.

“We are proud to be one of Eurostar’s partners at the launch of this service and are committed to supporting them on this venture.

“Flying is the fastest growing source of carbon emissions and has the largest slice of the pie when it comes to the carbon footprint of our customers holidays.

“To be able to offer a lower carbon alternative that is convenient and competitive on price is hugely welcomed.

“We’re expecting the train to prove popular with guests this coming season as people seek out more sustainable holidays.

Lead in Price:

8 nights half board at Hotel Ducs de Savoie, Val d’Isère. Departing 6th January 2024 from Kings Cross St. Pancras from £1298 per person including rail travel, transfers and overnight stay in Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Based on 2 adults sharing.

See here for further details on the holidays offered by Inghams Ski.

Schedules are as follows:

Eurostar timetable

* Eurostar has not yet confirmed timings.

“We’re proud to offer our customers a sustainable travel option to the Alps by launching our first connecting service as Eurostar Group,” said the CCO of Eurostar Group, Francois Le Doze.

“With a quick and easy connection, competitive pricing and five stops to choose from, passengers can enjoy a seamless experience with us from the city of London to the snowcapped mountains of France.”

The new service also gives an extra day of skiing but that means an extra night’s accommodation is needed and that might cause problems.

“Almost all apartments and chalets work on a seven-night basis and won’t want to give you an extra night, because that would shorten the following week for other guests,” said Daniel Elkan the founder of the specialist rail to the mountains web site, Snowcarbon.

“Hotels in resort might be more flexible.

“If you can’t find eight night’s accommodation in resort, you may need to find one night’s accommodation in one of the villages that the train departs from (Chambéry, Albertville, Moutiers, Aime-La Plagne, Landry and Bourg-Saint-Maurice).

“Eurostar isn’t planning to offer any accommodation suggestions for the eighth night, and so some research is needed. In this sense, it feels like the offer from Eurostar hasn’t really been fully thought through, from a skiers perspective.

“It’s a bit bizarre.”

One company offering 8-nights accomodation is Travelski Express.

It will run outbound from London on Saturday mornings from 30^th December and returning the following Sunday (also daytime).

Eight nights of accommodation, to facilitate a full seven days of skiing, are included as standard.

The line-up of resorts for Travelski Express is Tignes, Val d’Isere, Val Thorens, Meribel, Brides les Bains, Courchevel, Les Menuires, Les Arcs, La Plagne and La Rosiere.

There has been some mixed reaction to the news over on the PlanetSKI Facebook page:

Kate Stratford – Yes arriving Saturday and parting Sunday ….. What use is that!! And just until the 3rd of February right when it gets busy!!

Charie Bulbrook – the only until Feb thing I reckon is just because the SNCF tend to release their ticket dates in chunks so I don’t think this means it’s only running until Feb I think they’ll release Feb-April in a few months time. Still not much use and the sat-sun thing just makes zero sense. How are Inghams selling it as part of a package when it’s 8 nights? It must include a stay in Bourg on the returning Saturday but I can’t see how that makes sense for them to take on?? The mind boggles

Timothy Antcliff – it’s a new kind of madness

Jennifer Tsang – I just read the review in the Telegraph that seems to give the impression that the train is only available for 8 weeks and not after Feb.

Charlie Bulbrooke – Ah fair enough then; I try to steer clear of that gammon rag but I’d be surprised if it’s only til Feb

Daniel Jaff – You can do a similar trip anytime, eurostar to Lile, sncf to either Paris or chambury and finally local train to 3 vallys.

Stuart Horsley – Why can’t they just bring back the eurostar snowtrain, as it was, prior to Covid? Fri and Sat departures?

Resorts served by Albertville station
Arêches Beaufort

Resorts served by Moutiers station
Couchevel (30 mins), Doucy, La Tania (25 mins), Les Menuires (40 mins), Méribel (20 – 35 mins), St Martin de Belleville (25 mins), Val Thorens (50 – 60 mins) and Valmorel.

Resorts served by Aime La Plagne station
La Plagne (20 – 45 mins)

Resorts served by Landry station
Peisey–Vallandry (20 – 25 mins)

Resorts served by Bourg St Maurice station
La Rosière (40 mins), Les Arcs (25 – 45 mins), Sainte Foy (25 mins), Tignes (45 mins), Val d’Isère (45 mins).

The alternative way of reaching the French Alps by train from London is to take a Eurostar to Paris, then cross the city to Gare de Lyon, and take a direct TGV from there.