Travelling by train can be great way to get to Tignes. Being a major international train station it’s possible to get to Bourg St Maurice from most nearby countries without too many changes, if not directly, so check out the SNCF website for more details and timetables: www.sncf.fr. Once you get to Bourg St Maurice you then have to get a bus or taxi up the mountain which takes about 45 minutes.
If you are coming from ourside the UK you can find out more by calling Rail Europe on 0870 5848848.
The Snow Train goes direct from the UK (London St. Pancras or Folkestone) straight to Bourg St. Maurice. Leaving every Friday night it is a great way to start your holiday. Whether you choose to get a good night's sleep in your separate couchette carriage or start the party in the onboard bar/disco on the way.
You can also take a train from London to Bourg, via Paris, using the Eurostar.
On arrival at Bourg St. Maurice you then catch a bus, which leaves every hour to Tignes, costing around 15 euros, or a taxi which is usually about 70 euros to your door.
To get the best prices it can be cheaper to split your journey into two. London to Paris, change trains (and station) in Paris under your own organisation and then Paris to Bourg St Maurice on the local French service, not the Snow Train. It is possible to do this every day and most nights of the week during the winter.
If the snowtrain is heavily booked it often works out more expensive. So as we have already mentioned it's also possible to get the eurostar from London or Folkestone, change in Paris Nord, then get the underground or taxi to Paris Austerlitz station and then catch the overnight train straight to Bourg St. Maurice. This train normally gets in an hour after the snowtrain but often works out a lot cheaper and you still get a couchette. On the return journey the train leaves Bourg St. Maurice at around 9pm which therefore gives you the opportunity to get 8 days on the slopes instead of 6!
On top of this, the times for the UK legs of the journey are more flexible and you can travel everyday rather than just at the weekend, so as with transfers, you can choose exactly how long you stay in the resort.
Phone Rail Europe on +44 (0)870 5848848 for more details but don’t forget to ask for the discounts and Prem fares and make a point of getting them to double check as it can often make up to a 25% difference.
It's always worth calling the offices to be sure but for a guide line take a look at the websites www.sncf.fr, Eurostar and Rail Europe for the specific time tables.
