Raclette, mulled wine, and pristine powder. Skiing and the après scene in the French Alps is dreamy, but getting there? Less so. The closest airports in Lyon and Geneva, are still more than 2.5 hours away. But starting Saturday, there will be a more environmentally-friendly way to reach the slopes: Eurostar Snow trains are back this year, running from December 20, 2025, through April 4 and 11, 2026.
Taking the Eurostar train to the Alps
Eurostar Snow trains run from London, Amsterdam, and Brussels (you can also board in Rotterdam or Antwerp) to several French Alps ski areas. Trains from London St. Pancras connect in Lille, where you’ll have 36 minutes to change platforms and go through immigration, while those from Amsterdam (and Rotterdam) and Brussels (and Antwerp) go directly to the Alps. All trains stop in the French ski areas of Chambéry, Albertville, Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne, Landry, and finally Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
These ski trains depart London on Saturday mornings at 9:10 a.m., with reverse routes also on Saturdays at 1:45 p.m. or Sundays at 10:54 a.m. From Brussels, there are two direct trains every Saturday morning at 6:06 a.m. or 7:52 a.m., with return trains on Saturday afternoons at 2:12 p.m. and 3:22 p.m (the latter train arriving 40 minutes earlier) and Sundays at 11:09 a.m. From Amsterdam, the Saturday morning departure is rough, leaving at 5:15 a.m., with return trains on Saturdays at 3:22 p.m. or Sundays at 11:09 a.m.
Preparing for the train ride is key, as each route is at least six hours long. From Brussels, the journey takes about 6 and a half hours, while the ride from London is eight hours and nine hours from Amsterdam.
On its snow trains, Eurostar has two ticket classes, standard and plus, both with the same luggage allowances, free Wi-Fi, plug sockets, and big windows. The main difference is seating; standard seats are in a two-two configuration, while in plus, the two-two-one seats are slightly wider and have more legroom. Plus tickets also include a (cold) meal delivered to your seat but only on routes from London to Lille.
Most trains have café cars, although Eurostar says some may have only vending machines, so we recommend packing a picnic spread and tucking into a good sandwich or hearty salad and even a glass of wine as the scenery rolls by outside your window.
From London, the price is £143 (US$170); from Brussels, the cost is €75 (US$88); from Amsterdam, the price is €109 (US$128).
Taking a sleeper train from Paris to the Alps
An alternative option to the Eurostar routes (if early morning departures aren’t your style), is falling asleep in Paris and waking up in the French Alps on a sleeper train. Today, December 19, Travelski Night Express is launching a night train between Paris and Alps ski areas Aime-la-Plagne, Moûtiers, and Bourg-Saint-Maurice through March 20, 2026. You can book one-way or round-trip train tickets or a weeklong ski package that includes accommodations, lift tickets, and ski gear.
The journey takes about nine hours each way, departing Paris Gare de Lyon on Fridays at 10:52 p.m. and arriving at Bourg-Saint-Maurice at 8:07 a.m. The return train leaves at 9:33 p.m. Saturday night, arriving in Paris on Sunday morning at 6:37 a.m.
If you want to come from London but still take the night train, you can catch the Eurostar from London St. Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, have dinner (we’re partial to Deux Gares Express), then take the night train from Gare de Lyon.
The Travelski Night Express starts at €80 (US$95) per person, one-way.
Where to stay and what to do in and around Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Wanderful Life Les Arcs is a modern chalet hotel with six rooms, a sauna, Jacuzzi, terrace, and 360-degrees of snow-capped peaks. Rent a single room or bring a group and book out the whole place, which has a well-equipped kitchen and dining room/lounge with fireplace. The hotel is a 10-minute walk from ski station Arcs 1600 (it also has a shuttle).
About a 30-minute drive from both Bourg-Saint-Maurice and Landry train station is Altezza Arc. The hotel is at the Arc 1800 ski station, known for the wild après-ski gatherings at La Folie Douce Les Arcs. The 80 contemporary rooms are ideal for families; standard rooms have king-size beds and tucked-away bunk beds, and suites have separate living rooms. All rooms have balconies, some with commanding views of the Tarentaise Valley. If your idea of après-ski doesn’t involve a DJ and possibly shots, head for the indoor pool—surrounded by all glass walls—or warm up in the hammam, Jacuzzi, and sauna.
30 minutes away at the La Plagne ski area, fly down the mile-long bobsleigh track or the luge track from the 1992 Winter Olympics, or take the whole family dog-sledding. For those really after an adrenaline rush, try the Aiguille Rouge zipline 8,800 feet up at ski area Les Arcs 2000, a 1.2-mile flight experience that reaches speeds up to 80 miles an hour. If you’re after something much more laid-back, contact yoga teacher and hiking/snowshoeing guide Marie Paule in Bourg-Saint-Maurice for a session of one or both.
