Moutiers bus transfers

By: Daniel Elkan
Wed, 18 Dec 2019

Here's the next episode in our investigation of connections from the Eurostar Ski Train and TGV trains to ski resorts in the Tarentaise region of France. This time Moutiers station (also known as Moutiers-Salins-Brides-Les-Bains), which gives you access to resorts in the huge Three Valleys. Moutiers train station  serves, Meribel, Les Menuires, Val Thorens, Courchevel La Tania (which are all in the Three Valleys), as well as Valmorel and Doucy (which are in a different ski area).

So that you can have an at-a-glance picture of the train-bus situation, we've created a series of tables (see below). 

You'll notice that in some cases, bus departures/arrivals and train departure/arrivals don't seem well aligned, giving a significant wait either after your train arrives, or before it leaves.  You might in those cases, of course, want to get a taxi instead. Or just count it as more time to have food and drink in or near Moutiers station at places such as the Three Valleys Cafe (which is in the station).

Please us know if you have questions, of course.

Outbound to Meribel (Saturday arrival)
Train to Moutiers Train arrives Next bus departs Bus arrives resort
overnight Eurostar Ski Train 05:32 06:30 07:10
07:18 TGV from Lille 12:56 13:30 14:10
08:45 TGV from Paris 13:09 14:30 14:10
12:45 TGV from Paris 17:05 17:30*a 18:10
daytime Eurostar Ski Train 18:27 19:00*b 19:45
Resort arrival timings above are based on Meribel Centre

*a: bus runs Saturdays 21st Dec - 4th Jan, and 8th Feb - 7th March 2020
*b: bus runs Saturdays  8th, 15th and 22nd Feb 2020

Return from Meribel (Saturday departure)
Train from Moutiers Bus departs resort Bus arrives train station Train departs
09:54 TGV to Paris 08:05 08:55 09:54
daytime Eurostar Ski Train 08:05 08:55 10:14
17:09 TGV to Paris 15:10 16:05 17:09
overnight Eurostar Ski Train 19:05 19:55 22:54
Resort departure timings above are based on Meribel Centre

See also our Moutiers to Meribel transfer guide

Outbound to Les Menuires (Saturday arrival)
Train to Moutiers Train arrives Next bus departs Bus arrives resort
overnight Eurostar Ski Train 05:32 06:30 07:15
07:18 TGV from Lille 12:56 13:30 14:15
08:45 TGV from Paris 13:09 13:30 14:15
12:45 TGV from Paris 17:05 17:30 18:15
daytime Eurostar Ski Train 18:27 19:00*b 19:45

*b: bus runs Saturdays  8th, 15th and 22nd Feb 2020

Return from Les Menuires (Saturday departure)
Train from Moutiers Bus departs resort Bus arrives train station Train departs
09:54 TGV to Paris 08:45 09:30 09:54
daytime Eurostar Ski Train 07:45 08:30 10:14
17:09 TGV to Paris 15:50 16:35 17:09
overnight Eurostar Ski Train 19:15 20:00 22:54

See also our Moutiers to Les Menuires transfer guide

Outbound to Val Thorens (Saturday arrival)
Train to Moutiers Train arrives Next bus departs Bus arrives resort
overnight Eurostar Ski Train 05:32 06:30 07:45
07:18 TGV from Lille 12:56 13:30 14:45
08:45 TGV from Paris 13:09 13:30 14:45
12:45 TGV from Paris 17:05 17:30 18:45
daytime Eurostar Ski Train 18:27 19:00*b 20:15

*b: bus runs Saturdays  8th, 15th and 22nd Feb 2020

Return from Val Thorens (Saturday departure)
Train from Moutiers Bus departs resort Bus arrives train station Train departs
09:54 TGV to Paris 08:15 09:30 09:54
daytime Eurostar Ski Train 07:15 08:30 10:14
17:09 TGV to Paris 15:20 16:35 17:09
overnight Eurostar Ski Train 18:45 20:00 22:54

See also our Moutiers to Val Thorens transfer guide

Outbound to La Tania (Saturday arrival)
Train to Moutiers Train arrives Next bus departs Bus arrives resort
overnight Eurostar Ski Train 05:32 06:30 07:10
07:18 TGV from Lille 12:56 13:30 14:10
08:45 TGV from Paris 13:09 13:30 14:10
12:45 TGV from Paris 17:05 17:30 18:10
daytime Eurostar Ski Train 18:27 19:00*b 19:40

*b: bus runs Saturdays  8th, 15th and 22nd Feb 2020

Return from La Tania (Saturday departure)
Train from Moutiers Bus departs resort Bus arrives train station Train departs
09:54 TGV to Paris 08:05 08:55 09:54
daytime Eurostar Ski Train 08:05 08:55 10:14
17:09 TGV to Paris 13:35 14:25 17:09
overnight Eurostar Ski Train 19:05 19:55 22:54

 

Outbound to Courchevel (Saturday arrival)
Train to Moutiers Train arrives Next bus departs Bus arrives resort
overnight Eurostar Ski Train 05:32 06:30 07:25
07:18 TGV from Lille 12:56 13:30 14:25
08:45 TGV from Paris 13:09 13:30 14:25
12:45 TGV from Paris 17:05 17:30 18:25
daytime Eurostar Ski Train 18:27 19:00*b 19:55
Resort arrival timings above are based on Courchevel 1550

*b: bus runs Saturdays  8th, 15th and 22nd Feb 2020

Return from Courchevel (Saturday departure)
Train from Moutiers Bus departs resort Bus arrives train station Train departs
09:54 TGV to Paris 07:55 08:55 09:54
daytime Eurostar Ski Train 07:55 08:55 10:14
17:09 TGV to Paris 13:25 14:25 17:09
overnight Eurostar Ski Train 18:55 19:55 22:54
Resort departure timings above are based on Courchevel 1550

Our conclusion from this research
You'll see from the tables above that in some cases, train and bus are well co-ordinated. And in other cases there are big gaps between train and bus, or vice versa.

It should be noted that there are more TGV departures and arrivals than those listed here - but we've listed the most useful TGVs for UK-based skiers. And this analysis has only been done for Saturday arrivals and departures.

Of course, there are plentiful taxi services that can be booked.  But if you are a couple, for example, a taxi just for two of you works out more expensive than one shared with others. From an environmental point of view, it would be better to be able to share a vehicle with others. Perhaps shared minibus and taxi services designed with train departure and arrival times in mind are something that needs to be developed if we are going to make it even better for rail-travelling skiers to travel by train.  We are working on that idea, to see what we might be able to do to help.