How to Get to the Alps by Train at Christmas

The three ways to go by train at Christmas 2026

For a chalet week of Saturday 19 to Saturday 26 December 2026, three rail routes from London reach the French Alps on or just before changeover day:

For Switzerland and Austria there is no ski train from London, but Zermatt, Verbier and St Anton are on scheduled rail routes.

Is there a Eurostar ski train in 2026/27?

Yes, in the form it has taken since winter 2023/24. The old direct London to Bourg-Saint-Maurice train no longer runs. It was suspended during the pandemic and ran as a Travelski charter in 2021/22 and 2022/23. Since 2023/24 it has been two trains: a Eurostar from London to Lille Europe, then a second Eurostar (the former Thalys) from Lille to the Tarentaise. Seat 61 describes the outbound change at Lille as a cross-platform interchange of about two minutes.

For winter 2026/27 Eurostar lists outbound trains on Saturdays from 19 December 2026 to 20 February 2027, and returns from 27 December 2026 to 28 February 2027. The trains serve Chambéry, Albertville, Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne, Landry and Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Eurostar gives the journey to Bourg-Saint-Maurice as just under eight hours out and nine hours back. Tickets went on sale in July 2026, with fares from £125 each way in Standard and £175 in Eurostar Plus, and prices rise as trains fill.

For Christmas 2026 that means the first outbound train, on 19 December, lines up with the usual Saturday changeover. The first return is on Sunday 27 December, so a Saturday-to-Saturday chalet week needs either a night elsewhere or a different way home. Families taking the 26 December week can go out on Saturday 26 December and come back on a later weekend train.

The Travelski Night Express sleeper from Paris

Travelski's overnight train runs from Paris Gare de Lyon to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, and for 2026/27 a second route has been added from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels. The operator, Compagnie des Alpes, announced 15 return journeys between mid-December and the end of March, leaving on Friday evenings and returning on Saturday evenings, with all trains now hauled by electric locomotives. Bookings for both routes opened in the week of 20 April 2026.

The first outbound train leaves Paris on Friday 18 December 2026 and the last on Friday 26 March 2027. It departs at 22:52 and reaches Moûtiers at 07:36, Aime-la-Plagne at 07:55 and Bourg-Saint-Maurice at 08:09. From London, Snowcarbon suggests the 17:31 Eurostar, which reaches Paris Nord at 20:50, then crossing Paris to Gare de Lyon. Coming back, the sleeper reaches Paris at 06:40 on Sunday and the 09:02 Eurostar gets to St Pancras at 10:30. Adult fares for 2026/27 run from €99 to €125 one way depending on date; children aged 13 and over pay the adult price.

It fits a Saturday-to-Saturday week well: you arrive on Saturday morning and leave the following Saturday evening.

Eurostar and TGV via Paris on any day

The Eurostar from London to Paris takes 2 hours 16 minutes. From Paris Gare de Lyon, TGV INOUI trains run to the Tarentaise and the Mont Blanc valley. Val Thorens' booking site gives Paris to Moûtiers as under five hours by TGV. In winter 2025/26, TGV INOUI ran to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, calling at Chambéry, Albertville, Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne and Landry, from Thursday to Monday between 12 December 2025 and 29 March 2026, and a daily OUIGO return from 18 December. TGV INOUI also ran to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet on Fridays to Sundays from 14 December 2025, for Chamonix and Megève.

When SNCF tickets for Christmas 2026 go on sale

SNCF opens TGV INOUI, OUIGO and Intercités tickets for travel from Sunday 13 December 2026 to Wednesday 6 January 2027 on Wednesday 30 September 2026, from about 05:45 French time. International TGVs to Switzerland open the same day, for travel from 13 December 2026 to 31 March 2027. TGV INOUI and Intercités tickets can be changed or refunded free of charge up to seven days before departure.

Which resorts are easiest from the station?

The Tarentaise resorts are the natural choice, because the ski train and the sleeper stop right below them. Eurostar lists coach connections from its Alpine stations to Val Thorens, Val d'Isère, Courchevel, La Tania, Tignes, Méribel and Les Menuires. The last column below comes from our Christmas Snow Report: Christmas mornings since 1996 with 30cm or more of snow at the station serving each resort.

The Val Thorens station has a shorter record than the others.

Les Arcs

From Arc 1600, free shuttles continue to Arc 1800, Arc 1950 and Arc 2000.

Zermatt

Zermatt is car-free, so the train from Visp is how most people arrive. Drivers stop at Täsch and take the train from there.

Verbier

Trains run to Martigny and on to Le Châble, where the cable car to Verbier runs continuously from 05:10 to 23:55. The Verbier tourist office gives Le Châble as 2 hours 40 minutes from Geneva and 4 hours 20 minutes from Zurich. On winter weekends and public holidays the Verbier Express runs direct from Geneva Airport to Le Châble.

St Anton and Lech

St Anton is a Railjet station with seven direct trains a day from both Zurich and Vienna, according to the tourist office, and the station is in the village. For Lech and Zürs, buses 91 and 92 run from Langen am Arlberg or St Anton stations.

Chamonix

The closest mainline station is Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet, where the Mont-Blanc Express runs up the valley through Servoz and Les Houches to Chamonix and on to Martigny in Switzerland.

Getting the timing right

• Book the chalet first, then check that its changeover day matches a train. The ski train is a Saturday service and the sleeper leaves Paris on Fridays.
• Watch 30 September 2026 for French domestic tickets over Christmas.
• Leave margin crossing Paris between Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon on separate tickets.

For chalets near these stations, see our Christmas ski chalets and the family Christmas chalets.

Sources

• Eurostar — ski train 2026/27 dates, stations, change at Lille Europe, journey times, coach connections
• Seat 61 — 2026/27 timetable, fares, on sale July 2026, history of the service
• Eurostar — London to Paris in 2 hours 16 minutes
• Compagnie des Alpes — Travelski Night Express 2026/27 routes, 15 return journeys, bookings from week of 20 April 2026
• Snowcarbon — Night Express 2026/27 dates, times, fares and London connections
• Voyagerentrain.fr — SNCF Christmas 2026 sales open 30 September 2026 for 13 Dec 2026–6 Jan 2027
• Voyagerentrain.fr — international TGV sales for 13 Dec 2026–31 Mar 2027 open 30 September 2026
• Voyagerentrain.fr — 2025/26 TGV INOUI and OUIGO services to Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Saint-Gervais
• Val Thorens — Paris to Moûtiers under five hours by TGV
• Altibus — Moûtiers to Val Thorens bus, about 1 hour, via Les Menuires
• Les Arcs — funicular 7 minutes, free with train ticket in winter
• Zermatt Tourism — Visp to Zermatt every half hour; car access ends at Täsch
• Verbier – Val de Bagnes — Le Châble journey times, cable car hours, Verbier Express
• St Anton am Arlberg — Railjet station, seven direct trains a day from Zurich and Vienna
• Arlberg — buses 91 and 92 to Lech and Zürs from Langen and St Anton
• Chamonix-Mont-Blanc — Mont-Blanc Express route from Saint-Gervais-Le Fayet