Eurostar’s dedicated winter “Snow” service is back for the 2025/26 ski season, with fares from £99 each way, a longer 16-week timetable and simple rail connections from London to some of France’s busiest Alpine hubs.
Skiers, snowboarders and rail fans have just been handed a big winter upgrade. Eurostar has confirmed that its dedicated Eurostar Snow ski train will return for the 2025/26 season, running for 16 weeks from 20 December 2025 and offering one of the most straightforward, low-carbon ways to reach the French Alps from London.
Tickets for Eurostar Snow start from £99 each way in Standard class, according to the operator’s own winter 2025/26 announcement , with prices rising on peak Christmas and February dates. Specialist rail-to-ski sites such as Snowcarbon report a broader range of dates and a longer season than previous years, reflecting strong demand from travellers trying to avoid airport queues and short-haul flights.
When does Eurostar Snow run in winter 2025/26?
For UK skiers, the key date is Saturday 20 December 2025, when the first Eurostar Snow service of the season departs London. The outbound trains run on Saturdays from 20 December 2025 until 28 March 2026, giving passengers 16 different weekends to choose from, before the final returns from the Alps operate into early April.
- Outbound: London St Pancras International → Lille Europe → Alps, Saturdays from 20 December 2025 to 28 March 2026.
- Returns: Bourg-Saint-Maurice → Lille Europe → London on Saturdays and Sundays between late December and early April 2026.
- Season length: around 16 weeks, giving more choice than the earlier, shorter pilot seasons.
The core timetable has trains leaving London St Pancras on Saturday mornings, with arrivals in the Alps late afternoon. The return journey typically takes a little longer, but for many travellers the ability to relax with a book, a coffee and working Wi-Fi more than compensates for the extra time compared with flying.
Route: from London to Lille and into the heart of the French Alps
Eurostar Snow is not a fully non-stop service, but the change is deliberately simple. Passengers board at London St Pancras International, clear all passport and security checks in the UK, and then travel through the Channel Tunnel to Lille Europe. Here, they make an easy cross-platform transfer to a high-speed French service that continues deeper into the Alps.
From Lille, Eurostar Snow connects directly to six key stations in the Tarentaise valley:
- Chambéry
- Albertville
- Moûtiers
- Aime-La-Plagne
- Landry
- Bourg-Saint-Maurice
From these hubs, frequent coach transfers and local buses fan out to some of Europe’s most famous resorts, including Val Thorens, Courchevel, Méribel, La Tania, Les Menuires, Tignes and Val d’Isère. UK travellers eyeing a car-free ski week will find the rail-plus-transfer combination especially attractive, and several tour operators now package Eurostar Snow into their chalet and hotel deals.
The route also dovetails neatly with the UK’s wider rail reforms and branding push, including the new Great British Railways identity , which aims to make long-distance train travel more coherent and easier to understand for passengers.
What’s included on board – luggage, skis and Wi-Fi
One of Eurostar Snow’s biggest selling points is what you can bring with you. According to Eurostar’s official ski train page, passengers can typically travel with:
- Two main bags (up to around 85cm) plus one piece of hand luggage,
- One pair of skis or a snowboard at no extra charge,
- No 100ml liquid restrictions on toiletries or cosmetics.
On board, expect free Wi-Fi where coverage allows, power sockets at most seats and access to a café bar or vending machines, depending on the leg of the journey. Many regulars still treat Eurostar Snow as part of the holiday: breakfast from St Pancras, a late-morning coffee through northern France, then a celebratory drink as the snowy peaks appear.
How much do Eurostar Snow tickets really cost?
While the headline fares start at £99 each way, that price is limited and aimed at early birds travelling on off-peak weekends. Detailed monitoring by rail-to-ski experts at Snowcarbon and Ski Flight Free suggests that returns for peak Christmas and half-term dates sell out quickly and can climb into the high hundreds of pounds.
For better value, seasoned travellers recommend:
- Booking as close to the ticket release date as possible.
- Avoiding the busiest festive and UK school-holiday Saturdays if you can be flexible.
- Considering January and March for cheaper fares and quieter slopes.
Even at higher prices, many skiers argue that the ability to avoid airport transfers, luggage fees and weather-related flight chaos makes the train worth a premium – particularly for families travelling with children and lots of gear.
Why Eurostar Snow matters for climate-conscious skiers
The return of Eurostar Snow also plays into a wider shift towards lower-carbon ski holidays. Long-distance train travel within Europe can emit a fraction of the CO₂ of a comparable short-haul flight, especially when multiple passengers are sharing a compartment rather than driving. Campaigners and travel writers have spent years calling for better rail links to Alpine resorts; services like Eurostar Snow prove that there is strong commercial demand when those links exist.
Recent coverage in outlets such as The Independent highlights how the snow train has become a flagship example of what a “flight-free” ski holiday can look like: one train change, generous luggage rules, and a direct arrival in the heart of the mountains.
How to plan your trip on Eurostar Snow
If you’re thinking of heading to the Alps this winter or next, the basic planning steps are straightforward:
- Pick your week: Check the Eurostar Snow timetable and identify Saturdays between 20 December 2025 and 28 March 2026 that fit your plans.
- Choose your station: Decide whether you want to get off at Moûtiers (for the Three Valleys), Aime-La-Plagne, Landry or Bourg-Saint-Maurice for resorts deeper in the valley.
- Book transfers and accommodation: Many tour operators and resorts now offer rail-inclusive packages, but you can also book coach transfers separately once your train is confirmed.
- Book early: Set a reminder for when tickets go on sale and move quickly for the best fares and seat choices.
With the 2025/26 season just days away, anyone who missed out on the first batch of tickets may still find availability on quieter January and March weekends. For everyone else, the return of Eurostar Snow is a sign that rail-to-ski travel has momentum – and that more European rail upgrades could be on the way.
