Luggage on trains to ski resorts

Ski holidays require a fair bit of stuff. Clothing for indoors, clothing for outdoors, skis or snowboards and all the other things you might want to bring on an exciting winter holiday. 

Fortunately, you can take luggage, skis or snowboard with you by train to the Alps, for free. Unlike flying, where you are charged for the size and weight of your luggage (as well for taking skis or snowboards with you), all this stuff comes with you free, by train. You don’t pay nada. 

There's only one 'official' exception, and it's snowboards on TGV and Intercites trains. French rail operator SNCF states that you can't take a snowboard on its TGV and Intercites trains unless the snowboard is less than 130cm in length, which is bonkers. However, this rule isn't actually enforced - thank goodness.

Eurostar trains: luggage, skis and snowboards 

Snowboard on Eurostar

On Eurostar trains to Paris, Brussels, Lille or Amsterdam, and changing trains there, you can bring, for free, per person:

• One medium size suitcase (85cm maximum length)
• One piece of hand luggage
• Skis or a snowboard (in a bag, of any length)

Or, if you aren’t bringing skis or a snowboard, then for free, per person, you can bring:

• Two medium size suitcases (85cm maximum length)
• One piece of hand luggage

As with any train, there is no weight limit. 

Eurostar's own luggage page says:

‘There’s no weight limit on your luggage, meaning you can bring every little essential with you. All we ask is that you’re able to transport your bags safely on and off the train and that they’re stored out of harm’s way in our dedicated areas. And don’t forget to label your luggage clearly, too.

On our trains, each piece of luggage can be up to 85cm long on our routes to and from London, or 75cm on all other routes*. ‘Hand luggage’ refers to items such as backpacks, handbags, briefcases and laptop bags.’

*Eurostar is talking about its trains within Europe (it took over the Thalys network a couple of years ago).

Importantly, the 85cm-long limit on luggage does not apply to skis and snowboards, which will obviously be longer than that!

Eurostar’s special equipment (including skis and snowboards) page says:

'On our snow trains to Bourg-St-Maurice (via a connection in Lille), we allocate extra space on board so you can take one pair of skis or one snowboard on board with you in addition to your standard adult luggage allowance. For safety reasons, skis and snowboards have to be kept in a protective case that covers the whole item with straps attached to the case.

On all other trains, they’re included as one of your two pieces of luggage.'

Eurostar Snow
Eurostar Snow is Eurostar’s dedicated service to the French Alps, where you switch train at Lille. 
For travel on the Eurostar Snow service, Eurostar allows you to take skis or a snowboard in addition to two large suitcases - effectively giving you an extra item for free (see Eurostar’s luggage statement, saying that they 'allocate extra space' to enable you to bring your skis or snowboard on board in addition to two large items). 

Travelski Express (daytime)
Travelski Express is a French tour operator that offers daytime travel on Eurostar Snow as part of a rail-inclusive ski package. The luggage limit is the same as for Eurostar Snow.  Travelski has also launched a sleeper train from Paris (see section further down).

TGV and Intercités de Nuit 

Luggage on TGVPhoto: Daniel Elkan

On French TGV and Intercités de Nuit, skis are allowed and carried for free. Officially, snowboards are not allowed. However, unofficially snowboards are allowed. Our advice would be to read both our blogs (in the links above) and then decide for yourself. But as you'll read, we couldn't find anyone recently who had an issue.  

Also, the nominal limit for trains in Europe is two suitcases, a pair of skis and hand luggage.  But this is never enforced or monitored.  The basic, common-sense rule is:  if you can carry it, you can bring it.
On the TGV there is room for skis on the overhead racks, and large cases at the end of each carriage. There isn't endless amounts of luggage room, but everyone makes it work. 

On Intercités de Nuit sleeper trains, in a six-berth couchette, you can fit skis and snowboard bags under the lower beds, but if everyone had big cases some of these may have to go in the middle between the beds, and it will feel like a bit of a squeeze. Definitely no space to swing cats! If there are five of you it can be worth renting out the sixth bunk solely to put all the luggage on it.

Is your luggage safe?
In years of travelling to ski resorts by train, and hundreds of journeys on European trains, daytime and overnight, we’ve never known of anything going missing. Of course it is important to keep and eye on your luggage at city stations, but in Europe theft is rare on trains.

Travelski Night Express

Travelski Night ExpressPhoto: Daniel Elkan

On the Travelski Night Express sleeper train, you can take suitcases, skis and snowboards with you.  

Be mindful that on sleeper trains there isn't a huge amount of space for luggage, but there's enough to make it work. There's space under the bottom bunk and a cabin (see photo) for large items too.