Curiosity killed the cat, but it can also lead to useful discoveries.
Particularly about train tickets, to the French Alps, at half term.
For families, getting hold of tickets can sometimes feel less certain? The question becomes: ‘How can we be sure of getting hold of the train tickets we want?’
The most direct rail option from the UK, Eurostar Snow, sells out very quickly for half term dates. Travel by a combination Eurostar + TGV (e.g. via Paris), opens up more options and more destinations. However, for February half term, it can still feel like a bun fight to get tickets.
Last November 12th, at about 5am, SNCF put its trains on sale for Jan – March 2026 dates, including Feb half-term. Skiers had set their alarm clocks. Some managed to get the tickets they wanted. Others found that many of the TGVs from Paris seemed to have been snapped up quickly. Some people wondered, including myself, whether French school groups may have pre-booked group tickets, leaving fewer seats available to the public in the first place.
Alternative rail-ticket solutions for families at half-term were to book through rail-booking agents (some of whom had access to pre-reserved tickets on certain routes) or rail-inclusive package with tour operators.
But now it’s January, two months after Feb half term tickets went on sale. Logic would suggest that by now, there would be no tickets left at all. But things don’t always work logically.
Curious to see what the ticket situation is, today I did some research online.
This is what I found for outbound travel on Sat Feb 14th, returning Sat 21st Feb 2026, for various destinations.
| London to Cluses/Sallanches/St Gervais |
| Depart |
09:31 |
London St Pancras |
Eurostar |
| Arrive |
12:59 |
Paris-Nord |
|
| Depart |
14:18 |
Paris-Lyon |
TGV |
| Arrive |
16:59 |
Bellegarde |
|
| Depart |
17:15 |
Bellegarde |
TER |
| Arrive |
18:52 |
Cluses |
|
| Arrive |
19:09 |
Sallanches |
|
| Arrive |
19:15 |
St Gervais |
|
| St Gervais/Sallanches/Cluses to London |
| Depart |
09:13 |
St Gervais |
TGV |
| Depart |
09:22 |
Sallanches |
|
| Depart |
09:38 |
Cluses |
|
| Arrive |
14:07 |
Paris-Lyon |
|
| Depart |
16:02 |
Paris-Nord |
Eurostar |
| Arrive |
17:30 |
London St Pancras |
|
Return price, per adult at Feb half term: £589
to Moutiers/Aime-la-Plagne/Landry/Bourg
Depart 09:31 London St Pancras Eurostar
Arrive 12:59 Paris-Nord
Depart 14:48 Paris-Lyon TGV
Arrive 19:08 Moutiers-Salins
Arrive 19:29 Aime-la-Plagne
Arrive 19:40 Landry
Arrive 19:52 Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Moutiers/Aime-la-Plagne/Landry/Bourg to London
Depart 09:49 Bourg-Saint-Maurice TGV
Depart 09:58 Landry
Depart 10:09 Aime-la-Plagne
Depart 10:31 Moutiers-Salins
Arrive 14:07 Paris-Lyon
Depart 16:02 Paris-Nord Eurostar
Arrive 17:30 London St Pancras
Return price, per adult: £601
