From Buckinghamshire to Val Thorens by Train

Sometimes, SnowCarbon receives wonderful emails out of the blue from skiers who share their own research and insights.  These are hugely useful for two reasons. 

First, when it comes to rail travel to the Alps, there’s a lot to know. People will always find things that take even us by surprise (you can call it ‘citizen science’, if you like).

Second, it’s so useful to read things from other skiers’ perspectives. What is a convenient journey for one person might be a hassle for someone else. 

So, when skier Chris Sykes contacted us last week with his thoughts on the viability of different journeys and how they compare to flying, we were delighted.

Chris had done a great deal of research to answer the question: Is it possible to reach Val Thorens from England by 16:00? After investigating multiple journey options, he put together his findings in a handy three-page document, which he then forwarded to us. 

What Chris found was that, from his hometown in Buckinghamshire, rail travel was a far better option than flying. In his own words, “rail is more relaxing, there’s space to move around, it’s cheaper, it uses 80% less energy, and there’s no road traffic.” The challenge, of course, was finding the right route to reach Val Thorens before 16:00.

Chris in Val ThorensPhoto: Chris Sykes

First, Chris looked at a combination of a Eurostar and TGV, starting alternatively from Buckinghamshire and from London. In both cases, while it was feasible to reach Val Thorens within a day, he would not arrive until late in the evening, long after 16:00. Calculating for all costs, from door to door, Chris found this would cost him just £410, compared to £430 for an average Swiss RTN flight plus airport transfer.

Next, Chris looked at Eurostar Snow, which goes to Bourg-Saint-Maurice (the closest station to Val Thorens) indirectly via Lille. However, accounting for a station-to-resort transfer, Eurostar Snow wouldn’t arrive until 18:00. The estimated total for this was £534–significantly more expensive, if convenient.

Third, Chris looked at the Travelski Night Express, a sleeper service that departs from Paris for the Alps. While this meant that Chris technically had to leave England the evening before, he would arrive in Bourg-Saint-Maurice at 8:09 on the Saturday morning—successfully answering his question. Plus, the big upside of overnight travel was having two extra days on the slopes. At £470, this option was cheaper than Eurostar Snow but more expensive than the Eurostar + TGV.

Finally, Chris looked at an overnight stopover in Paris, taking the earliest morning TGV to Bourg-Saint-Maurice at 6:45 the next day. With this option, he would reach Val Thorens just after midday—again, fulfilling his question. This would cost him anywhere between £400 and £450.

On the return leg, Chris found that the best one-day rail option would be to take the TGV from Bourg to Paris Gare de Lyon at 10:13, before changing stations in Paris to get the Eurostar from Paris Nord at 19:12, commuting across London, and getting one of the last trains back to Buckinghamshire.

Altogether, Chris’s research showed that, when it comes to rail journeys to the Alps, UK skiers have several options according to budget and need. Moreover, despite air travel being seen as the cheaper and more convenient alternative, the truth is that it can often be more expensive, take just as long owing to transfers, customs, check-in, traffic, etc., and, crucially, is a lot more stressful. 

Thank you, Chris!