Trains in Verbier

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

What's the closest train station to Tignes?
Located at the foot of the valley, Le Châble is the nearest train station to Verbier – a lift will take you all the way from the train station to the centre of Verbier in just 10 minutes. This modern underground train station has a direct train line, the Saint-Bernard Express, running to and from Martigny, from where connecting trains will take you to Geneva, Lausanne and even across the French border into the Chamonix Valley. In the winter, from December to April, there is also a direct train service between Le Châble and Geneva that operates on Saturdays and Sundays, twice per day.

Read the section about 'Getting from the train station to Verbier' for more information on how to reach the ski area.

You may think that coming to Verbier 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 Verbier by train?
It depends on where you're travelling from. The London to Verbier train travel time is between around 10 hours while rom Geneva it's only about 2 hours and 15 minutes, or 3 hours and 30 minutes from Zurich, 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. Eurostar ski train tickets usually go out for sale in mid-July and that's when they're at their cheapest. SBB (Swiss Federal Railway) train tickets from Genva and other Swiss 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.

How much does it cost to travel to Verbier by train?
Once more, it depends. On average, one-way standard prices between London and Le Châble by train range between around CHF 150 and CHF 300 when booked well in advance. If it's Geneva you're travelling from, then one-way standard prices start at around CHF 20 and at around CHF 35 from Zurich.

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

The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB in German, CFF in French and FSS in Italian) is Switzerland's national railway company and offers what is one of the best train services in Europe, thanks to its reliability, widespread service (especially taking into account how incredibly mountainous the country is) and unfailing punctuality. They have a selection of routes and train services that connect the main Swiss cities, including Le Chable.

How do you get from Geneva to Verbier by train?
The Verbier Express train runs from Geneva airport to Le Châble on Saturdays, Sundays and some public holidays during the ski season (from December to April). The train leaves Geneva airport in the morning, at 07:20, and returns from Le Châble in the evening, at 16:55. There are discounts on the 1-day Verbier ski pass offered to those travelling on the Verbier Express.

For any other days of the week or outside the winter season, hop on a train to Martigny from Geneva (stopping at Geneva airport and Geneva centre). Once in Martigny, change to the Saint-Bernard Express train which will take you all the way to Le Châble. From there, it's only a short lift up to the centre of Verbier. The train travel time from Geneva airport to Le Châble is around 2 hours 15 minutes and one-way tickets start at around CHF 20.

How do you get from Zurich to Verbier by train?
Hop on a train to Visp from Zurich (stopping at Zurich airport and the Hauptbahnhof or main train station). In Visp, change to a train going to Martigny, from where you'll be able to get the Saint-Bernard Express all the way to Le Châble. The train travel time from Zurich airport to Le Châble is around 3 hours 30 minutes and one-way tickets start at around CHF 35.

There are no direct Eurostar ski trains from London to Verbier. This means that, in order to get from the UK's capital to Le Châble train station, you'll need to take a minimum of three trains plus a local Paris metro, commuter train or taxi.

How do you get from London to Verbier by train? – A step by step guide
Taking around 10 hours, the fastest route to get to Verbier from London by train is via Paris and Geneva or Lausanne.

1. Hop on a Eurostar train from London St Pancras or Ashford (Kent) to Paris Gare du Nord. This journey takes around 2 hours and 15-30 minutes.
2. You'll need to change train stations in Paris, from the Gare du Nord to the Gare de Lyon. There are several ways to do it and you should allow at least one hour for this connection:
   • Book a taxi. It takes between 20 and 50 minutes, depending on traffic, and costs around €20.
   • Get on Line D of the RER (‘Réseau Express Régional’) suburban commuter trains towards Melun/Malesherbes. It takes under 10 minutes and single tickets cost around €2.
   • Hop on Metro Line 4 towards Montrouge and change in Chatelet to Metro Line 14 towards Olympiades. It takes 15 minutes and single tickets cost around €2.
3. If you're travelling on a weekend from December to May, head from Paris Gare de Lyon to Geneva (around 3 hours and 15 minutes) as there are direct trains from Geneva to Le Châble on Saturdays, Sundays and some public holidays (see 'From Geneva to Verbier by train' below).
4. Once in Le Châble, take the lift up to Verbier (around 10 minutes) or a bus into town (around 25 minutes). See the section about 'Getting from the train station to Verbier' for more information.

When travelling outside winter weekends, from Paris Gare de Lyon, board a train to Lausanne (around 4 hours), where you can change to trains to Martigny (around 50 minutes). Once in Martigny, hop on the Saint-Bernard Express train which will take you to Le Châble.

Verbier is only 10 minutes away from Le Châble train station by lift or 25 minutes by bus.

How do you get from Le Châble train station to Verbier?
To get from Le Châble to Verbier, there is a gondola that whizzes passengers up from the train station to the centre of Verbier in only 10 minutes. Access to the lift is included in your Verbier and 4 Vallées lift pass, and there are also single and return tickets available starting at CHF 11. Buses run between Le Châble and Verbier as well, with the journey taking around 25 minutes.

For more information and timetables, or to purchase train tickets online, visit the Eurostar website for train travel from London to Paris, the SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) website for train travel within Switzerland and the SNCF (National French Railway Services) website for train travel within France. If you have questions, you can also book by phone but bear in mind that there's usually a booking fee that you need to pay.

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

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 will be transported for a fee of £30-£40 and fully assembled bikes for £35-£55. Limited spaces available. If you're travelling with any dangerous sports equipment like, for example, mountaineering gear such as ice axes or crampons, you'll need to contact EuroDespatch in advance.

How much luggage can you carry on Swiss trains?
There is no official luggage allowance but you must be able to carry it yourself, this includes skis and snowboards. As for bikes, you can take them on most trains operated by SBB free of charge as hand luggage if you pack it into a transport bag, with the front wheel removed. There are also bike tickets that you can purchase to transport your equipment in special bike carriages (take a look at the sign on the carriage's door) – in this case, there's no need to dismount your bike or use a bag to carry it.

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.