Eurostar to relaunch London to Alps winter ski trains
Weekly service will stop at five ski destinations
Skiers can benefit from taking equipment with them on the train free of charge
EvaL Miko / mrphoto757 / Shutterstock
Eurostar will relaunch its ski train service between London and the Alps after a four-year absence.
Trains under the ‘Eurostar Snow’ moniker will depart every Saturday between December @! 2024 and March ! 2025 from London, and return from the Alps every Sunday between December 29 2024 and March 2 2025.
There will be one service on each of these days.
The tickets include the ability to bring ski equipment on board with no additional charge, as well as two bags per person.
The news has been welcomed by both environmental groups and local politicians in the Alps, who see the eco-friendly travel alternative as a boost to the local economy.
Eurostar cancelled their ski train service in 2020, citing cutbacks corresponding to the Covid pandemic.
Prior to this it had been running annually since 1997, carrying around 25,000 passengers per year.
Where in the Alps will the service stop?
Alpine destinations on the route include Chambéry, Albertville, Bourg-Saint-Maurice, as well as other smaller stations, with each train stopping at all destinations.
The journey between London and final destination Bourg-Saint-Maurice takes around eight hours from start to finish.
The service will not be direct and will require passengers to change at Lille to catch a connecting service.
The service leaves London at 09:01, arriving in Lille around 11:25, with the corresponding connecting train departing at 11:50. Information will be provided to help passengers catch the connecting service.
Prices begin at £119 each way, with tickets available to purchase now. Full information can be found on the Eurostar website.
Eurostar trains are not limited by the 100ml liquid rule, recently reintroduced across all airports in Europe.
Read more: Change to cabin luggage rules in French airports from September 1
However, passengers will be subject to the new Entry/Exit System (EES), with the border security rules launching on November 10.
Read more: New EU border control checks to launch November 10 - official
