The
name of the main train station in Chamonix is "Chamonix Mont Blanc,"
which is serviced by France's national train system, the SNCF. However the easiest way to search for your correspondence, even within France is on the Swiss site, SBB.
Address: 40 Place de la Gare, 74400 Chamonix Ticket Office hours: Everyday 6:40-20:20
Click here for more information on trains within the Chamonix Valley.
page banner
From the UKWithin FranceFrom GenevaFrom MartignyHeader 5
Travelling to Chamonix from the UK by train is
not always the best option. If using public transport, air travel will nearly
always be quicker and less expensive.
If you do plan on coming by train,
here are a few tips to make your travel planning go smoothly and help you find
less expensive tickets.
The Snowtrain runs from St Pancras (London)
and Ebbsfleet (Kent) to numerous French stations.
No charge for skis or boards, spacious sleeping accomodations and a disco
carriage for those who want to start their holiday early!
If purchased in advance(60 to 90 days), Eurostar to Paris tickets begin at £29.50 for each leg.
For the best fares, you should include a Saturday night trip in your stay.
Too late for advanced booking? You can still find good deals if you take the
earliest (before 7am) or latest (after 7pm) trains of the day. Small children
(under 4) do not require a ticket as long as they are seated on the lap of the
parent.
There are often discounts for youth (25 and under) and senior (60) passengers so
if you fall into one of these categories make sure to inquire while booking.
Tesco Clubcard Vouchers can also be changed to Eurostar Vouchers.
Only need a one way ticket? One way is very expensive so you should
still purchase round trip as it is half the price. The other half of your
ticket can be given away or discarded.
The main TGV lines (fast train) from Paris :
- Paris - Annecy
- Paris - Lyon
- Paris - Bellegarde
- Paris - Chambéry - Aix Les Bains
These stations have onward connections to Saint Gervais Les Bains Le Fayet (which is serviced by TGV during some periods of the year)
Tip: If
you have trouble on the SNCF site finding a train, it may be because
there are too many train changes. Instead of using "Chamonix" as your
destination, try using "St. Gervais Les Bains Le Fayet."
From wherever you come in France, you will almost always have to change
trains at St. Gervais Les Bains Le Fayet (which is about 15 minutes
down the valley from Chamonix after Les Houches.)
The Swiss have an excellent rail network. the SBB, with major stations in Geneva and Zurich airports. However these do not provide easy access points to Chamonix.
We advise a transfer by road, but if you are set on using the train, cross Geneva to the Eaux-Vives rail station and take a French SNCF train to Annemasse or Roche-sur-Foron. Change here for Le Fayet/St. Gervais Les Bains. Change here onto the Mont Blanc Express and a panoramic ride to Chamonix.
Journeys will take between 2 hours 51 minutes & 3 hours 25 minutes. A shuttle transfer by road takes about 1hr.
The SBB timetable is better than the SNCF timetable. The latter does not provide times and routing from Geneva Airport, only from Eaux-Vives.
Take the Mont Blanc Express from Martigny to the foot of Mont Blanc, in Chamonix. This beautiful rail road takes you through some of the most amazing scenery you have ever seen.
TMR SA Rue de la Poste 3 1920 Martigny Tel. 41 (0)27 721 68 40 info@tmr.ch www.tmrsa.ch
double-click to add content
How trains in France work
You have to punch your ticket. There are machines at the entrance to the platforms. If you cannot find one, then you must find the train conductor right away.
If you have to get on the train without having bought a ticket, then you must find the conductor as soon as possible, who will sell you a ticket with a slight price increase (4-10 Euros depending on the distance).
If you do not have a ticket and you haven't found the conductor, then you might have to pay a penalty (25-63 Euros).
Discounts: If you are under 25 you can purchase a Carte de 12-25.
This card costs about 50EUR and will give you up to 50% discount on train
travel - great value. The SNCFalso offers a Carte Senior with similar
discounts if you are over 60. More Info(in French).
Travelling to Chamonix from the UK by train is
not always the best option. If using public transport, air travel will nearly
always be quicker and less expensive. 
