The Bourg-via-Brussels saver!

When it comes to rail travel to the Alps, curiosity can be a useful and enjoyable thing. It can lead to the discovery of different routes with particular benefits - and can save money too. 

If you are planning to travel from London to Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne, Landry or Bourg-Saint-Maurice by train, there's a route via Brussels that could save you money or and get you into resort earlier, too. 

The usual ways of getting from London to Bourg-Saint-Maurice are: 

a) London - Lille - Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Eurostar Snow)
b) London - Paris - Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Eurostar + TGV)

What one cat (Loki, pictured) and few people know is that Eurostar also runs a direct train service between Brussels and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, leaving every Saturday morning. Confusingly, it's also called Eurostar Snow, but it's the version that is marketed to Dutch and Belgian skiers. But, starting out from the UK the night before, you can take this train and get to your resort earlier on the Saturday. For peak dates, it can even save you money. So, this creates a third option:

c) London - Brussels (stopover) - Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Eurostar + hotel + Eurostar Snow)

Instead of taking the Eurostar Snow service from London, which travels outbound during the day on Saturdays with a change of train at Lille, you do the following instead:

Step 1: Travel by Eurostar from London to Brussels-Midi station on a Friday afternoon or evening. 
Step 2: Stay at a hotel in Brussels, near the station.
Step 3: Take Eurostar Snow from Brussels-Midi station to Bourg-Saint-Maurice. 

The result is that you travel outbound earlier, have a night in a quality Brussels hotel, and then get into your resort and on the slopes earlier the next day, i.e., mid-afternoon instead of early evening. And, at peak dates particularly, it might save you money. This is the outbound time

Fridays - take a Eurostar from London, eg:
Depart           18:04              London St Pancras
Arrive             21:04               Brussels-Midi
(you could choose an earlier or later Eurostar instead)

Then stopover in a nice Brussels hotel.

'Darling, look they've got a mini bar...'
'Don't touch it!'

Saturdays - take Eurostar Snow from Brussels
Depart             07:45              Brussels-Midi
Arrive              13:56               Moûtiers-Salins
Arrive              14:20               Aime-la-Plagne
Arrive              14:31               Landry
Arrive              14:41               Bourg-Saint-Maurice

For winter 2026–27, this is all bookable already. Below, compare prices for Eurostar Snow via Lille with going via Brussels.   

Sat 16 Jan 2027 - Eurostar Snow via Lille

As you'll see below, it's currently £199 one way from London to Bourg-Saint-Maurice on the Eurostar Snow service. 

 

Fri 15 - Sat 16 Jan 2027 - via Brussels stopover

London to Brussels-Midi costs £64.  

A 3-star hotel in Brussels costs £81 for a double room, or £41 per person. I used Booking.com to find these hotels. 

Then Brussels to Bourg-Saint-Maurice on Saturday morning costs £100.

So, Eurostar Snow via Lille = £199
The alternative route via Brussels = £64 + £41 + £100 = £205. 

Granted, it's £6 more expensive, but you leave London earlier in the day and get into the resort earlier—with a night in Brussels to enjoy yourself.

At half-term, however, you can (currently) save a packet - see below. 

Sat 13 Feb 2027 - Eurostar Snow via Lille

As you'll see below, it's currently £499 one way from London to Bourg-Saint-Maurice on the Eurostar Snow service, in Eurostar Plus.  Eurostar Standard is showing as sold out, and when there were tickets, it was still a whopping £398 one way. 

Fri 12 - Sat 13 Feb 2027 - via Brussels stopover

London to Brussels-Midi costs between £64 and £110, one way. 

A 4-star hotel in Brussels costs £80 - £107 for a double room, or £40 - £54 per person. 

Then Brussels to Bourg-Saint-Maurice costs £65, which seems like an insanely good deal.  

So, Eurostar Snow via Lille = £499 (in Eurostar Plus)
The alternative route via Brussels = £87 + £40 + £65 = £192. In other words, nearly 2/3 off the original price.

That's a big saving.  And if you don't mind leaving on a Friday evening, it gets you into your resort earlier in the afternoon, so you can get yourself set up with things like a visit to ski rental, etc.

What about the return journey - back to London?

You can do this via Brussels route the other way, leaving the French Alps on Saturday, stopping over in Brussels and taking a Eurostar back to London on the Sunday. 

For context, how much is Bourg-Saint-Maurice to London on Eurostar Snow via Lille? £499, in Eurostar Plus. 

But again, going via Brussels is cheaper, I found. 

Sat 20 Feb - Sun 21 Feb 2027 - via Brussels stopover

This is what I found when I checked prices for February half term.  As you'll see, Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Brussels was £100.  It's the same price from intermediate stations such as Landry, Aime-la-Plagne and Moutiers. 

Notice that the Eurostar Snow to Brussels leaves at 15:25.  So you could get a cheeky morning's skiing in first, too. 

Then the Brussels hotels: 

And then back to London - you can choose any Eurostar you want on the Sunday. 

Overall, that's a big saving. 

Eurostar Snow via Lille is currently £499 in Eurostar Plus. 

Eurostar Snow via Brussels is £100 + £41 for the hotel + £75 back to London on Sunday. A total of £216.

How to book these Bourg-via-Brussels journeys

The prices I've shown you, like many rail fares are dynamic.  So they are affected by demand and generally get more expensive closer to the date of travel. 

You can book both legs of the journey on Eurostar's website (eurostar.com). And book the hotel on Booking.com or in any other way you choose. 

Hope this has been useful info.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, how you get on and any questions, of course.