If you are dreaming of taking a ski trip in France but worry about the journey and additional luggage costs then consider the ski train to France with Rail Europe, the UK’s leading provider of European rail tickets.
Eurostar services to Paris connect easily with day and overnight services to ski areas throughout the whole of France. With no lengthy check ins, no extra charges for carrying skis and stations close to the resorts, the train is a great alternative to the plane and could even gain you an extra day or two on the slopes.
The Eurostar Direct Ski Service offers overnight and daytime options, from London or Ashford direct to Moûtiers, Aime la Plagne and Bourg St Maurice (Rhone-Alpes region).
Daytime services run on Saturdays while the overnight service departs on Friday evenings and returns the following Saturday evening, giving passengers an extra two days skiing.
The Eurostar Direct Ski Service goes on sale in July and runs between December and April.
Fares start at £149 return per person
Journey times from 9 hours
Eurostar plus SNCF services run throughout the year to ski destinations, with an enhanced service running during the winter months. Daily daytime and overnight services operate to destinations including Chambéry, St Gervais les Bains and Bourg St Maurice from where easy connections can be made into numerous ski resorts.
Passengers travel on Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, then transfer to Gare de Lyon (30 minutes by train/20 minutes by taxi) for a day train, or Gare Austerlitz (40 minutes by Metro/25 minutes by taxi) for an overnight train to the Alps.
Eurostar services can be booked 120 days in advance of the date of travel, while SNCF services for mid December onwards will become available on 17 October when trains running to the new winter timetable go on sale.
Fares from £134 return per person in a 6-berth couchette from London to Bourg St Maurice
Journey times from 11 hours 45 minutes
*Please note that these prices are correct at the time of writing (September 2013). However, the new winter timetable is published during October. This could result in some routes, services and/or prices changing.
For information or to book, call 0844 848 4070, visit www.raileurope.co.uk or call into the Rail Europe Travel Centre at 193 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU.
