11 of the Best Ski Resorts by Train

Europe Rail-Accessible Ski Resorts 2025–26

For skiers considering a switch from plane or car to train – and for those already travelling by rail – some interesting new options have arrived for winter 2025-26.

Firstly, there’s a big improvement to the Eurostar Snow service from London to the French Alps via Lille-Europe. For two winter seasons, the service departed London on a Saturday and returned from the Alps on a Sunday. This created a logistical challenge because most Alpine accommodation is available on a Saturday-to-Saturday basis, meaning skiers or tour operators had to find eighth-night accommodation.

Thankfully, for this winter, Eurostar has added a Saturday return, alongside their pre-existing Sunday return. However, what remains a problem is that there are far too few seats on the service (only 339 on each train) to cope with demand. Peak dates sell out quickly.

Hence, an alternative and popular way of getting to Alpine resorts is to take a high-speed train from Paris. Last season, a major route between Paris and Turin was closed due to a landslide. Happily, it’s now reopened, meaning that high-speed TGV and Frecciarossa trains from Paris to Oulx can once again deliver you to resorts of the southern Alps such as Montgenèvre, Serre Chevalier, Sauze d’Oulx and Sestriere.

There’s a new overnight option to France, too. French tour operator Travelski has chartered a sleeper train to run between Paris and Bourg-Saint-Maurice. It’s called the Travelski Night Express (TNE), and it departs Paris on Friday nights, returning overnight on the Saturday of the following week. There’s a restaurant-bar carriage on board, and travelling this way gives you eight days on the slopes instead of six. However, the train can only be booked as part of a Travelski all-in-one train + transfer + accommodation + ski pass package. As with the TGV option above, the Eurostar between London and Paris has to be booked separately.

For Austrian-bound skiers travelling at February half-term, a relatively unknown train called the Urlaubs Express provides another interesting overnight option. From London, you catch a Eurostar to Brussels, then another Eurostar to Cologne, where there’s time to grab some food and drink before joining Dutch and German skiers travelling overnight to a vast array of Austrian resorts.

Austria’s ski resorts can also be reached by combining a Eurostar to Paris or Brussels with a Nightjet sleeper train (pictured above), which runs multiple nights per week.

So, what are some of the resorts you can reach? Here’s our selection of some of the finest.

Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, France

As one of the smaller villages comprising Les Trois Vallées, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville has managed to keep a relatively low profile and, with that, much of its charm. While ski development exploded across the Alps in the 1950s and 60s, Saint-Martin’s locals battled to preserve their village’s historic character, the resort’s first piste not opening until 1983.

As a result, Saint-Martin has only a few truly ‘local’ slopes, with most of its skiing options (as part of Les Trois Vallées) requiring a shuttle bus to neighbouring Les Menuires and Val Thorens. That said, expect a much quieter skiing experience, with (rumour has it) some of the best, untapped off-piste in the Tarentaise Valley. Unusually, while the resort doesn’t cater too well for on-piste beginners (having no greens and few blues), it does provide an excellent launchpad for amateur free-riders in the form of the Liberty Ride area: safe, patrolled, and always within sight of the lift.

Beyond skiing, Saint-Martin is perhaps best known for the three Michelin-starred La Bouitte, arguably the best restaurant in the French Alps, headed by local father & son chefs René and Maxime. However, La Bouitte is not your only option when it comes to high (altitude) dining: Le Montagnard, L’Etoile des Neiges, and Simple & Meilleur each offer stunning reinventions of Savoyard fare. Combined with many more less-expensive (yet equally tasty) eateries, Saint-Martin has earned its place as one of the Alps’ culinary capitals.

Highlights

– Charming historic village
– Exceptional choices for dining
– Big emphasis on relaxation: luxury spas, tranquil forests, good food

Example rail journey

Depart London St Pancras 09:01 on Saturday on the Eurostar Snow service via Lille-Europe, arriving at Moûtiers—Salins at 17:00. From there, it’s a 25-minute transfer.

St Anton am Arlberg, Austria

St. Anton in Tirol is widely considered the birthplace of Alpine skiing, and it’s easy to see why. With some of the world’s most exciting runs, accessed via a lift pass covering 280km of groomed terrain and five villages, it’s nothing short of a snowsports mecca.

Given the resort’s reputation, it would be hard to condense every aspect of it into a few paragraphs. Yet rest assured, regardless of what you’re looking for on and off the slopes, you’ll find it here. St. Anton is very much a bucket-list destination, and for that reason can get quite packed in peak weeks. However, we think the hype is worth it. You really can’t go wrong when it comes to the resort’s snow quality, scenery, accommodation, dining, and nightlife: St. Anton has it all.

One highlight that we must single out is St. Anton’s rail-accessibility. Even better than Les Arcs, where visitors must switch from train to funicular, the train from Zurich HB pulls right into St. Anton’s centre, at the highest mainline station in Europe. It’s not only a feat of 19th century engineering—it’s pretty damn convenient too.

Highlights:

• Some of the best snow and slopes in Austria
• Lively yet charming base village
• Home to Europe’s highest mainline train station

Example rail journey

Depart London St Pancras on Friday on the 09:31 Eurostar to Paris-Nord. Change to Paris-Lyon and take the 12:22 TGV from Paris-Lyon, changing in Zurich onto the 18:40 RailJet to arrive at 21:01 in St Anton.

Crans-Montana, Switzerland

Crans-Montana is one of Switzerland’s most prestigious ski resorts, catering to a highly international clientele. Perched 1,500m above the Rhône Valley across the border from Chamonix, it boasts over 140km of piste, including glacier skiing at its peak of 2,927m.

While the resort’s south-facing slopes and lower altitude make snowfall a little less reliable compared to resorts like Zermatt, they also mean that Crans-Montana receives a near year’s worth of sunshine. For this reason, it’s equally popular in the summertime, especially among golfers on its three sizeable courses. Come winter, Crans-Montana caters best to intermediate skiers and snowboarders, with three-quarters of its slopes being reds.

Owing to its global renown, Crans-Montana is as much a skiing as a shopping destination. Expect designer brands like Louis Vuitton, Boggi Milano, Moncler, and Vietti along the Rue du Prado, as well as five-star hotels, and Michelin-star restaurants. If you’re looking for something a little more ‘down to earth’, however, there are also some good saisonnaire joints, including Zerodix (for après-ski) and the local legend Monk’is Bar.

Highlights

– Luxury brands, dining, and accommodation
– Excellent sun, over 300 days of the year
– Perfect for intermediate skiers

Example rail journey

Depart London St Pancras on the 08:01 Eurostar to Paris Nord. Change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 12:18 TGV, changing at Geneva to arrive at Sierre at 18:07. From there, it’s 12 minutes by funicular to Montana.

Tignes, France

Tignes is an old favourite among British skiers, and particularly university ski socs. However, few of them are probably aware that it’s reachable by rail: taking the Eurostar to Paris, and then the TGV to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, before a short bus or taxi transfer.

Like Les Arcs, it’s a purpose-built ski resort with fantastic slopeside access, albeit in a more traditional design. Owing to its high base village altitude (at 2100m), glacier access, and ample freeriding terrain, its gained a reputation as a ‘sporty’ resort: hosting the first Winter X Games outside of the USA in 2013, and famed for the Face de Bellevarde black, which it shares with neighbouring Val d’Isère. While there’s not too much by way of tree skiing, freestylers and powderheads are spoilt for choice.

Relative to its neighbour, Tignes is generally considered the more affordable resort, with the cheapest accommodation found in the lower villages of Les Boisses and Les Brévières, a short shuttle ride from the slopes. If you’ve saved for a bigger budget, however, you’ll find that Tignes Val Claret provides the best slopeside access and nightclubs; Tignes Le Lac the best hotels and restaurants; and Tignes Le Lavachet a quieter, family friendly atmosphere.

Highlights

• Snow-sure and sporty, with steep slopes
• Good après-ski scene, with access to La Folie Douce
• Generally more affordable than Val d’Isère, while providing access to the same slopes

Example rail journey

Depart London St Pancras 09:01 on Saturday on the Eurostar Snow service via Lille-Europe, arriving at Bourg-Saint-Maurice at 17:45. From there, it’s a 45-minute transfer.

Sestriere Credit Turismo Torino

Sestriere, Italy

Sestriere is one of the oldest ski resorts in Italy, and is perhaps the most snowsure in the Italian Alps thanks to its north-facing slopes and base altitude of 2035m. As part of the Via Lattea Ski Area, it provides access to nearly 400km of piste, spread across the resort as well as neighbouring Pragelato, Sauze d’Oulx, and Sansicario.

For families and students, the resort’s high value for money makes it a no-brainer. Expect budget hotels and pizzerias, with a few more upmarket spots catering to wealthy Turinese weekenders. Moreover, Sestriere strikes an impressive balance between a wide range of beginner slopes (perfect for tots and late-learners alike) and an even wider selection of après-ski options, if you’re thirsting for a festa.

Ultimately, while perhaps not what some have in mind when picturing a charming Alpine getaway, Sestriere more than delivers on all the essentials of a ski holiday: good food, good music, and above all, good snow.

Highlights

• Snowsure resort, thanks to its high altitude
• Affordable accommodation and dining
• Authentic Italian and Piedmontese cuisine

Example rail journey

Depart London St Pancras on Saturday on the 09:31 Eurostar to Paris Nord. Change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 14:48 TGV to arrive in Oulx at 19:23. From there, it’s 25 minutes by taxi or 45 minutes by bus.

Les Arcs, France

Les Arcs is probably the funkiest-looking resort in the French Alps, with near-total slopeside access rivalled only by Tignes. It’s also one of the easiest to access by train, thanks to a funicular leading from the platform at Bourg-Saint-Maurice station, opened in 1986 and upgraded in 2019.

Designed in the 1960s by visionary modernist architect Charlotte Perriand, Les Arcs comprises four main villages: Arcs 1600, 1800, 1950 (opened in 2012), and 2000. Each has its own strengths and quirks, with the latest addition, Arc 1950, taking a noticeable departure towards more traditional, Savoyard architecture. However, owing to the resort’s founding principles of accessibility and natural immersion, the four villages share an unprecedented range of ski-in, ski-out accommodation, built directly into the slopes.

This last point is important when you consider the virtually unlimited options for skiing at Les Arcs, being part of the Paradiski mega-domain. With over 425km of slopes, including access to neighbouring La Plagne via the world’s longest and highest cable car, the Vanoise Express, you’ll want to be out of your bed and in the snow as quickly as possible.

Highlights

– Unlimited skiing, thanks to the Paradiski domain
– Directly accessible from the train station platform
– Plenty of slopeside accommodation

Example rail journey

Depart London St Pancras 09:01 on Saturday on the Eurostar Snow service via Lille-Europe, arriving at Bourg-Saint-Maurice at 17:45. From there, it’s seven-minute transfer to Arc 1600, with free connecting buses to onward villages (15 – 25 mins away)

Montgenèvre, France

Unlike Les Arcs and other resorts built during the post-WWII skiing boom, Montgenèvre is the oldest official ski resort in France, opening its slopes in 1907 to Paris’s haut monde. Over a century later, ‘Monty’ is now a popular family destination among French and Brits alike, with inexpensive accommodation and ski passes, easily accessible nursery slopes, and excellent childcare facilities.

Montgenèvre’s family-friendly image has further benefited from the preservation of its old village. A major infrastructure project in the 2000s redirected cross-border traffic out of town, while the village itself has steadily pedestrianised, leaving an idyllic, old-world Alpine town, straight out of Beauty and the Beast.

Finally, thanks to its proximity to Italy, Montgenèvre is the only French resort that is part of the massive Via Lattea Ski Area, comprising 400km of slopes and numerous Italian resorts, including Sestriere. As it’s predominantly north-facing, it’s also got the best snow record within that domain, meaning you can ski across the border in the morning, before stopping at a lunchtime pizzeria, and hopping back to France for a snowy afternoon.

Highlights

– Perfect for families, with plenty of beginner and nursery slopes
– Charming, historic village
– Good powder opportunities for freeriders

Example rail journey

Depart London St Pancras on Saturday on the 09:31 Eurostar to Paris Nord. Change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 14:48 TGV to arrive in Oulx at 19:23. From there, it’s 30 minutes by taxi or bus.

Val Cenis, France

Nestled in an ancient mountain pass on the Franco-Italian border, Val Cenis is something of a hidden gem. Its lack of fame is no measure of its character, however: as a small collective of year-round, working villages, its got a unique community feeling that can’t be found anywhere else in the Alps.

Quiet and unpretentious, Val Cenis nonetheless boasts a surprising 125km of panoramic, groomed runs and a solid record of snowfall. Beginners are well-catered for, thanks to dedicated facilities at the mountain’s main access points, and Europe’s longest green run, Escargot. Intermediates have also got plenty to work with, including the views from the top of the Met chairlift, while experts can find plenty of untracked powder below the Glacier de l’Arcelle.

As stated, Val Cenis is a working village, with bars and restaurants built for locals. This has kept prices fairly low and family-friendly. It also means you’ll find plenty of non-ski activities, including snow-tubing, ice climbing, and toboggan runs.

Highlights

• Exquisite, virtually untouched scenery
• Very friendly mountain community
• Good for beginners looking for gentle forest runs

Example rail journey

Depart London St Pancras on Saturday on the 09:31 Eurostar to Paris Nord. Change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 14:48 TGV to arrive in Modane at 18:50. From there, it’s 30 minutes by taxi or bus.

Val Thorens, France

As the highest base village in Europe (at 2300m), Val Thorens narrowly edges out Sestriere and Tignes to the title of most snowsure resort. With a skiable summit of 3200m and guaranteed snowfall from December to the end of April, it’s probably your best choice for early and late-season fun.

Part of the Les Trois Vallées domain (alongside Saint-Martin), Val Thorens provides access to over 600km of slopes. Those above the village can be pretty severe and wind-exposed, and thus form an excellent testing ground for ‘beginner experts’. Fans of big-bowl skiing can head over to Orelle, at the top of the resort, before taking the long route back to the village, where the party pops off pretty early on.

Indeed, we think a good tagline for Val Thorens might be ‘work hard, play harder’. Après-ski enthusiasts are spoilt for choice, from the highest pub in Europe (The Frog) to the highest nightclub (Klub Summit), as well as several dance festivals throughout its lengthy season—and of course, there’s a Folie Douce too.

Highlights

• Unparalleled snow conditions, all season long
• Large range of ski-in, ski-out chalets
• Excellent nightlife and après-ski

Example rail journey

Depart London St Pancras 09:01 on Saturday on the Eurostar Snow service via Lille-Europe, arriving at Moûtiers—Salins at 17:00. From there, it’s a 55-minute transfer.

Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria

Within Austria, Zell am See is to Salzburgerland what St. Anton is to Tyrol. Its gorgeous lakeside location, lively après-ski, and access to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier have made it a favoured winter stay for Europe’s most glamorous for over 150 years.

While its 138km of slopes make it a world-class ski destination, much of the appeal of Zell am See comes down to the town itself. Like Chamonix, it’s a large urban area at a distance from the slopes, with a huge range of dining, shopping, and accommodation options, as well as non-ski activities. Unlike Chamonix, most of its buildings are Belle Époque relics, unbelievably stunning when set against the backdrop of the Kitzbühel Alps.

For that reason, we would recommend Zell am See not merely as a ski destination, but as a historic landmark in Central Europe: complete with castles, ancient towers, and Romanesque churches. For musical fans, it’s the birthplace of the Von Trapp family and inspiration behind The Sound of Music; similarly, motorheads will be pleased to hear that, as the seat of the Porsche family, Zell am See hosts an annual Porsche Ice Race on Lake Zell.

Highlights

• Large and historic luxury ski town, with many points of interest
• Excellent rail access, with the train pulling right into the resort
• Extensive dining, shopping, and accommodation options

Example rail journey

Depart London St Pancras on Friday on the 15:04 Eurostar, changing at Brussels-Midi to the 18:05 Eurostar to Cologne. There take the 22:45 Urlaubs Express sleeper train to arrive Zell-am-See at 09:00.

Vaujany, France

Tucked around the corner from the more well-known Alpe d’Huez is Vaujany, a small and quiet farming village, with settlements dating back to antiquity.

Relative to its big brother, Vaujany is an Alpine idyll; think vin chaud and winter walks, evenings at the local bowling alley, and rustic stone churches. While the nearest slopes from Montfrais (1650m) and Alpette (2050m) aren’t expansive, from Vaujany, you have access to the vast Alpe d’Huez Grande Domaine via a series of ski lifts. Hence, skiers can enjoy a fast-paced day above one of the busiest ski resorts in the Alps, before slowing down beside the fire with a mug of hot chocolate, and a peaceful, snowy evening outside.

Relative to the more in-demand Alpe d’Huez, Vaujany’s out-of-the-wayness makes it vastly more affordable too, at no cost to quality. The architecture is charming, the scenery pristine, and, thanks to the Alpe d’Huez Grand Domaine, the skiing more or less the same.

Highlights:

• Quiet and peaceful—perfect for a romantic or spa getaway
• Good family activities, with family-friendly prices
• Range of restaurant options, from fine dining to crêperies

Example rail journey

Depart London St Pancras on Saturday on the 09:31 Eurostar to Paris Nord. Change to Paris Gare de Lyon and take the 14:14 TGV to arrive in Grenoble at 17:13. From there, it’s 90 minutes by taxi or bus.

Useful guides and resources

Guides on journeys into Europe and the Alps can be found at SnowCarbon, Seat 61 and Ski Flight Free.

An excellent planning and travel companion is the Rail Map of Europe

Plan your trip and book your tickets direct through rail booking agencies such as Railtrail or Trainseurope

Alternatively use online ticket agents such as Rail Europe and Trainline

Pic top credit: Daniel Elkan

 

Discover the ideal destination for your next getaway with our comprehensive Resort Guide. Explore top vacation spots, find travel tips, and plan your perfect trip effortlessly. Visit Resort Guide for all the essential information you need.

The post 11 of the Best Ski Resorts by Train appeared first on InTheSnow.