Trains in La Plagne

There is no train station in La Plagne but this doesn't mean that you can't come here by train. Aime, just down the valley, boasts an international train station with connections to London and Paris.

What's the closest train station to La Plagne?
Located on the valley floor, Aime is the nearest train station to La Plagne, around 28km from the resort centre. Ski trains from London and high-speed TGV trains from Paris stop here. To get from Aime to La Plagne there are local buses running to all the satellite villages during the winter, taking 45 minutes to reach Plagne Centre and one hour to arrive in Plagne Aime 2000.

See Getting from the train station to La Plagne for information on how to reach the ski area.

You may think that coming to La Plagne by train takes much longer than by plane but that's not always true. When adding up your transfers to and from the airport, plus all the waiting time, travelling by train can be as fast as flying. Train travel is also more sustainable and environmentally-friendly – studies have shown that carbon footprint can be reduced by as much as 90% when travelling by train as compared to flying. Plus, coming by train has its very own charms. As well as more legroom, on a train you can enjoy the everchanging scenery – from urban London to the French countryside and the majestic Alps, it never gets boring.

How long does it take to get to La Plagne by train?
It depends on where you're travelling from. The London to La Plagne train travel time is between nine and 11 hours while the Paris to La Plagne train travel time is about six hours, taking into account connections and transfers.

Train ticket prices depend on multiple factors: the time of year (peak weeks like Christmas, New Year, February half-term and Easter can be considerably more expensive), your age (there are discounts for children), the size of your group, your destination and even how far in advance you've booked.

Our top tip is that you try and book as early as possible. Ski train tickets usually go out for sale in mid-July and that's when they're at their cheapest. TGV train tickets from Paris to other French cities are normally available to buy 120 to 90 days before your travel time and, again, the earlier you book the lower the price will be.

A few accommodation providers and transfer companies offer special discounts for those coming to La Plagne by train, so it's worth asking when booking.

SNCF (Societé Nationale des Chemins de Fer Français) is France's national railway company, owned by the French state, operating throughout continental France and Monaco. There are over 32,000 kilometres of railway laid all across the country, a good chunk of them sustaining high-speed services, the world-renowned TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) which reaches average speeds of around 320km/h. Trains connect cities and towns all around France and even cross the border into Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium. Many routes will begin in Paris, stopping at convenient stations throughout the country before arriving near La Plagne.

How do you get from Paris to La Plagne by train?
Direct high-speed TGV trains connect Paris Gare de Lyon and Aime every weekend during the winter season (from Friday to Monday with more frequent trips on Saturdays). They take around 4h45 to reach their destination.

When travelling during the week or the rest of the year, the shortest route from Paris to Aime is to get a TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Chambery and then change to a regional TER train to Aime. Travel time is around five hours.

From Aime, there are buses, transfers and taxis going to La Plagne (see 'Getting from the train station to La Plagne' below).

It couldn't be easier to get from London to La Plagne by train. The nearest train station to the villages is Aime. There are two main options available, you can either take the Eurostar to Paris before changing to TGV, or book onto the Travelski Express ski trains running direct from the UK's capital to Moûtiers or Bourg St Maurice during the winter. 

How do you get from London to La Plagne by ski train?
Taking around eight hours, the fastest and easiest route to get to La Plagne from London by train is on a direct Travelski Express train from London St Pancras (and Ashford in Kent) to Moûtiers and Bourg St Maurice from December to April. Since winter 2021-22 these ski trains, previously run by Eurostar, have been exclusively chartered by Travelski, a French tour operator. Outbound trains travel to the Alps by day and returns are overnight. However, these tickets are only available as part of an all-inclusive package of train ticket, resort transfer, accommodation and ski pass. The train leaves London St Pancras early on a Saturday morning, from mid-December to early April, reaching Moûtiers and Bourg St Maurice late afternoon the same day.

The return ski train leaves Bourg St Maurice and Moûtiers for London on Saturday evenings, arriving back in London St Pancras early the next day. Bear in mind that for the overnight journey there are no beds on the Eurostar trains, only reclining seats.

NB: There are exceptions to the train times at Christmas and New Year, so you should check with Travelski if you plan to travel at this time of year.

How do you get from London to La Plagne by train? 
If you don't wish to take the Travelski Express, aren't travelling at the weekend or in the winter, you can always travel by train via Paris. Here's what you need to do:

1. Hop on a Eurostar train from London St Pancras or Ashford (Kent) to Paris Gare du Nord. This journey takes around 2h15-2h30.
2. You'll need to change train stations in Paris, from Gare du Nord to Gare du Lyon. There are several ways to do it and you should allow at least one hour for this connection. The options are to book a taxi (it takes 20-50 minutes, depending on traffic); get on Line D of the RER (‘Réseau Express Régional’) suburban commuter trains towards Melun/Malesherbes (it takes under 10 minutes); or hop on Metro Line 4 towards Montrouge and change in Chatelet to Metro Line 14 towards Olympiades (it takes 15 minutes). 
3. Then take a train direct to Moûtiers, there are 14 trains per day with an average journey time of 5h40.

For transfers from Moûtiers up to La Plagne see the section below. From Aime, there are buses, transfers and taxis going to La Plagne (see 'Getting from the train station to La Plagne' below).

There are no direct ski trains to return from Aime to London so you'll need to catch a short train from Aime to Bourg Saint Maurice (15 minutes) from where the ski train will take you back to the UK. Going to Moûtiers (12 minutes) is another option, but Bourg St Maurice is closer to La Plagne and the train station has more facilities and services. Taxi transfer are also available from La Plagne to Bourg St Maurice, taking around one hour.

When travelling outside winter weekends, hop on a Eurostar train from London St Pancras to Paris and then make your way to La Plagne from the French capital.

There are a few different options when trying to make your way from Aime train station to the La Plagne resorts. In our experience, the cheapest and easiest option is to hop on one of the local buses that run regularly between Aime train station and the satellite villages in La Plagne.

How do you get from Aime train station to La Plagne?
Local buses run from the bus stop right outside Aime train station to La Plagne several times per day during the winter (from mid-December to late April) and summer (July and August) seasons. They take 45 minutes to reach Plagne centre and one hour to arrive in Plagne Aime 2000, the furthest of the La Plagne satellite villages. Find the current bus timetables on our Bus Services page.

Local taxis also run between Aime train station and La Plagne with a transfer time of 20-30 minutes.

For more information and timetables, or to purchase train tickets online, visit the Eurostar website (train travel from London to Aime and Paris) and the SNCF (National French Railway Services) website (train travel within France). If you have questions, you can also book by phone but bear in mind that there may be a booking fee involved.

Being able to carry more luggage with you is one of the main advantages of travelling to La Plagne by train, especially if you want to bring your fat powder skis, heavy split board or your bulky downhill mountain bike with you.

How much luggage can you carry on Eurostar trains?
Eurostar's standard luggage allowance includes two large bags (85cm max) and one small piece of hand luggage. On Eurostar trains to Lyon, you can carry one pair of skis or one snowboard with you in addition to your two bags. However, on trains to Paris, skis and snowboards are included as one of your two large pieces of luggage. They must be kept in a protective case that covers them.

Bikes can only be taken on Eurostar trains between London, Paris and Brussels. All non-folding bikes or those over 85cm long need to travel with EuroDespatch, Eurostar's luggage service. Boxed bicycles and fully assembled bikes will be transported for an additional fee. Limited spaces available. If you're travelling with any dangerous sports equipment, such as mountaineering gear: ice axes or crampons, you'll need to contact EuroDespatch in advance.

How much luggage can you carry on French trains?
French TGV and TER trains let you carry luggage and bikes (boxed or in a bag measuring max. 120 x 90cm). There is no maximum number of pieces or weight limit but you must be able to carry all your luggage by yourself. Skis are also allowed on TGV trains (max. 2m).

Snowcarbon was launched in 2009 as the one-stop source for train travel to the Alps after its founder, Daniel, realised how hard it was to figure out which ski resorts could be reached by train and how. They offer a very helpful tool, the Snowcarbon Journey Planner which you can use to design your train trip, from viewing the recommended journey times for any date during the season to journey and transfer information to and from the train station.