Thought every ski trip had to start with a flight? Not any more. We’ve partnered with fellow travel experts, Byway, to bring you some incredible European ski itineraries – and there’s not an airport runway in sight.
Travel to your ski destination by train and bus, and you can make the most of the scenery on the way – not just when you get there. And because all your travel and accommodation is included, you can sit back and properly enjoy the journey.
In fact, the Byway team are on hand via WhatsApp with free rerouting and on-demand support, so you’re covered in the unlikely event you need anything. So sit back, earbuds in, and watch the view turn to white on The Snow Train to Tignes. Or, pit-stop in places like Paris and Barcelona en route to the powdery slopes of the Pyrenees.
Wherever you fancy, we’ve picked out some seriously scenic itineraries to get you started. The après ski is up to you…
Ski by train to Soldeu, Andorra
9 days – Toulouse, Soldeu, Barcelona and Paris
One of the biggest benefits of travelling by train is the chance to stop off at places you’d otherwise miss on a plane. And on this trip, that means exploring the cities of Toulouse, Barcelona and Paris as well as speeding down the blue runs in Soldeu.
You’ll go from London to Paris by Eurostar, then take the train to Toulouse to get to know the French city for a couple of days. From here it’s a bus through the countryside up to Soldeu, which is in the middle of the Grandvalira, Andorra’s biggest ski area. Ride the gondola and make the most of 200 kilometres’ worth of slopes, plus all the high-altitude views that come with it. You’ll have four days to find your ski legs in this picturesque part of the world.
From here it’s on to Barcelona via taxi and bus, so you can hit the beach, nosey round the Gothic Quarter and kick back at your hotel for a night. Then it’s a direct train from Spain to Paris for a day spotting boulangeries and boulevards before heading back to London by Eurostar the next day.
Take a look at the Soldeu itinerary >
Ski by train to Tignes, France
9 days – Bourg-Saint-Maurice, Tignes
You’ll be in Tignes before you know it on this trip – it’s a hop, skip and a jump (OK, a train, a train and a bus) to the frosty French Alps from London’s not-so snowy streets. And you’ll get a full seven nights in the French ski resort, so you can really get to grips with the runs here.
Learn the ropes on long, easy greens, or flaunt your pro moves off-piste. Swanky Val d’Isère is practically next door, but Tignes is higher up – so the views are even better. Byway will pick out the perfect hotel for you, so you’ve got a nice place to crash each night after long days on the slopes.
This itinerary rounds off with a night in Bourg-Saint-Maurice, with the Vanoise National Park mountains as your backdrop. This place is the gateway to Les Arcs ski area, so you’ve got one last skiing op in France before you ride the Eurostar home.
Take a look at the Tignes itinerary >
Ski by train to Zermatt, Switzerland
7 days – Zürich, Zermatt and Paris
This trip to Switzerland is as scenic as it gets. Travel through the French countryside on the Eurostar, then ride the TGV and watch as the scenery morphs into Alpine peaks just as Zürich comes into view. You’ll spend one night in this pretty Swiss city, so you can do as much or as little as you fancy. Climb Uetliberg or go tobogganing if you want to kick things off with a bang. Or mooch around the old town if you’d rather ease yourself in gently.
Next up, you’ll ride the Glacier Express – the slowest express train journey in the world, in a good way – through glacial canyons and winding valleys. Your destination? Zermatt – one of the best ski resorts in the world, with the huge Matterhorn peak as its photogenic backdrop.
There’s loads to do here. Ski to a mountainside restaurant and tuck into a fondue, ride the open-air Gornergrat cog railway for epic views, or snowshoe your way through the kind of winter landscapes that wouldn’t look out of place on a Christmas card. After four nights here it’s off to Paris by train, so you can scope out the French capital before taking the Eurostar back to London.
Take a look at the Zermatt itinerary >
Looking for more articles? You’ll find them on the Inspire homepage.
Ready to ski off into the sunset? Check out these and more flight-free ski itineraries or explore more winter holidays by train.
Author: Katie Gregory
Last updated: 22/05/2024
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