The first time I took the train to a ski resort, the Channel tunnel was still under construction. We had to take a train to Dover, catch the ferry, then a connecting train from Calais overnight.
Thirty years later, thanks to Eurostar, it’s simpler and faster to travel by train to the mountains – and it is always my first choice for any ski trip.
Not only does travelling by train generate just 15 per cent of the carbon emissions of a flight, but there’s none of the stress associated with flying. Check-in and security at London St Pancras takes minutes; there’s no nonsensical separate bag for toiletries, no ‘go to gate’ last minute sprints.
Travelling alongside pristine lakes perfectly reflecting snowy mountains, train travel lets you enjoy, rather than endure, your journey. It may take slightly longer or cost slightly more (although not always), but when travelling is this civilised, it’s worth it.
Les Arcs, France
(Les Arcs)
Although Eurostar stopped its direct service from London to the Alps in 2020, the good news is that French tour operator Travelski revived it last winter.
British skiers can now travel straight from London St Pancras overnight on Fridays on the ‘Travelski Express’, arriving into Moutiers (for Les 3 Vallées) and Bourg St Maurice (for Val d’Isère, Tignes, La Plagne and Les Arcs) on Saturday morning.
Only upright seats are available, which can make a good night’s sleep challenging, but the chance to catch the first lift – and enjoy seven days of skiing (the return is during the day the following Sunday) – more than makes up for it.
Our pick is Les Arcs, which can be accessed via their futuristic funicular, located only minutes from the railway station.
Serre Chevalier, France
Serre Chevalier- is 10 minutes from Briancon
(Philip Glowinski)
In 2016 most of the ‘Intercités de Nuit’ routes around the ‘Hexagone’ were axed, but the service to Briancon in the southern French Alps continues.
The train leaves Paris Austerlitz at 20.52, arriving into Briancon at 08.24. Most people opt for the triple-bunk couchettes, although four-bed couchettes are available in 1st class. Every traveller is provided with a water bottle, ear plugs (always useful) and an eye-mask.
As the 250km of pistes in Serre Chevalier are just a 10-minute drive from the station, it means that, with a bit of organisation,…
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