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How to Travel to La Plagne: All Your Questions Answered
What is the best way to travel to La Plagne ski resort?
There are lots of different elements to consider. Whether you're travelling to La Plagne with children, travelling on peak days, or in peak season, prioritising sustainable ski travel and more. I've got the breakdown of all the options for you.
Where is La Plagne?
La Plagne is pretty easily accessible by most methods of travel. We might not have a private airport (like Courchevel!), but we do have multiple heliports popping up for helicopter travel. A necessity as we see more luxury 4*+ chalets and hotels being built.
My recent post can tell you more about the history of the La Plagne region.
Watch Before You Book Your Ski Transfer
Before you arrange transport from the airport, watch this video comparing all the main transfer options. It'll help you decide whether a private transfer, shared transfer or hire car is the best fit for your holiday.
What is the closest airport to La Plagne?
La Plagne is located in the Tarentaise Valley in the French Alps. The largest local airport is Geneva, Switzerland, and is about 200 km or 125 miles from Geneva airport.
But, the nearest airport to La Plagne is either Lyon airport (195kms) or Grenoble airport (190kms).
When people ask how to get to La Plagne, flying is the immediate response. But it isn't the only option. In fact, as ski holiday companies and ski resorts look at operating in more sustainable ways, flying is becoming less and less attractive.
So, let's first have a look at airports near La Plagne and flying to the resort and then the more eco-conscious or environmentally friendly options of trains, driving and more.
Where to find cheap ski flights
When it comes to finding the most budget-friendly flights for your ski holiday, look no further than SkyScanner. This invaluable price comparison tool has become a go-to resource for savvy skiers worldwide. Whether you're jetting off to the French Alps or hitting the slopes in the Rockies, Skyscanner scours the web to deliver you a comprehensive list of flight options.
Its user-friendly interface allows you to input your travel dates and preferred departure airports, and then voilà – a plethora of flight choices sorted by price, airline, and duration. Plus, its flexible search feature lets you explore flight options across an entire month, helping you pinpoint the absolute cheapest days to fly.
With SkyScanner's powerful algorithms at your disposal, you'll be well on your way to securing the most economical flights for your ski adventure, leaving you with more cash to splurge on lift tickets and après-ski fun. So, if you're wondering where to find the cheapest ski holiday flights, let Skyscanner take the guesswork out of the equation and ensure you snag the best deal.
My top tip is to set a price alert for the route you are looking at e.g., Birmingham to Geneva, and Skyscanner will notify you of any price changes.
Geneva Airport to La Plagne
Geneva Airport is by far the most popular airport for British ski travellers arriving in the French Alps. Whilst it isn't technically the nearest airport to La Plagne, there are a couple of reasons why it is the most popular option:
- Regular flights options from a variety of UK airports
- London
- Birmingham
- Bournemouth
- Bristol
- Leeds
- Liverpool
- Manchester
- Southampton
- Belfast (all)
- All Scottish airport
- Cheap flight operators – like EasyJet with daily flights
- More and regular private ski transfer companies operating between Geneva and La Plagne – plus other French ski resorts
- Cheaper car rental options than other airports
As mentioned above, transfers from Geneva to La Plagne are about a 2.5-hour drive – on a good day – from Geneva Airport. You can rent a car to drive from Geneva, but there are also many very well-respected transfer companies that provide regular transfers, which are often a lot cheaper and easier than driving yourself.
Check out my Geneva to La Plagne transfer recommendations below.
If you'd like to know more about what to expect at different times of the year, have a look at my month by month La Plagne winter guide.
Grenoble Airport to La Plagne
Grenoble Airport is the second most popular airport after Geneva and is technically the closest airport to La Plagne. It is considerably smaller than Geneva, both a blessing and a curse.
Grenoble Airport is better than Geneva Airport in that it is much cheaper for food and drinks, and you can generally spend time there until your flight arrives. As it is a smaller airport, in theory, lines are shorter and move more quickly.
However, what has happened in previous years is a shortage of airport staff, struggling to manage increased security post-Brexit. Resulting in longer lines and slow passport control.
Grenoble is also a favourite with people living in ski resorts as the airport parking is much cheaper than Geneva airport parking.
Grenoble airport is about 2.5 hours to La Plagne on a good day. But considerably more in peak weeks.
Lyon Airport to La Plagne
Often forgotten about, Lyon airport is well worth checking out for travelling to as it is one of La Plagne's nearest airports. It is a smaller airport, although it has been redeveloped in recent years.
The main thing to check before you book flights to Lyon is to look at your ski transfer options. Most transfer companies provide fewer options to Lyon. So, whilst you might save money booking a cheaper flight, you might end up paying considerably more for your transfers. To find the cheapest La Plagne ski transfers, have a look at Ski Lifts, which is a price comparison site.
One of the great things about Lyon airport, though, is that the parking is super reasonable in comparison to Grenoble and Geneva.
Travelling from Lyon to La Plagne takes about 2.5 hours on quiet roads but considerably longer on busy days and peak ski holiday weeks.
Nearest airport and ski transfers to La Plagne
If you have booked a catered chalet holiday, your ski transfer might be included with your holiday – always check this before booking something separately.
Be aware that the most popular and regular transfers from Geneva to La Plagne are less frequent, with transfers from Grenoble and Lyon Airports to La Plagne happening less regularly.
There are lots of La Plagne transfer companies working between all the airports near La Plagne. You can choose from:
- Private transfers
- Shared transfers
- Private cars
- Minibus
- Coach transfers
The most popular is private minibus transfers. This option is up to 8 guests taking a transfer together from your choice of airport at your preferred pickup time, depending on your flight arrival. You should expect to pay approx €800 for a return transfer for 8 people in off-peak weeks.
When pricing up La Plagne ski transfers for visiting family, I always start with Ski Lifts to compare prices across companies. However, it's always good to support local La Plagne transfer companies when you can! So here are my top 5 La Plagne transfer companies:
- Feathers Рrun by the lovely Tim and Anna from the old Spitting Feathers English pub in BelleC̫te. They have limited buses available, and they are VERY popular. Definitely contact them sooner rather than later.
- Alpine Fleet – their expertise is in cheap shared transfers both on weekends and mid-week days as well. They have drop-off points throughout La Plagne, as well as across most Tarentaise ski resorts. Plus, discount code ThatsLaPlagne will ge you 5% off.
- Mountain Rescue – Simon and the team run a smooth and reliable service, door to door. All vehicles are 4 wheel drive, you might think this is obvious, but a lot of transfer companies don't provide this as standard. Mountain Rescue do!
- JB Taxis – Run by Jean Benoit, a true La Plagne local, born and bred. He runs a fantastic service and is often my go-to for taxis from La Plagne to the valley, as well as airport transfers.
- WhiteRides – Dan and the WR crew are super reliable and knowledgeable about the area, so they can get you up to speed on the resort, snow conditions, and more.
- Cool Bus is run by Rob, a leader in championing electric and eco-friendly transfers. Rob and the team have just purchased more Electric Minibuses for their transfer fleet. Plus, they are committed to being carbon neutral by 2025. Pretty incredible for a transfer company! Ask for an electric car or minibus.
- Bens Bus offers La Plagne transfers all the way to the main bus terminal in Plagne Centre. Bens Bus does have set departure times that you must book. So make sure your flight times fit with the coach times.
Top Tips:
- Ask for children's seats if you need them
- Save your driver's number before arrival so you can find them easily at the airport
- If the price quoted seems too good to believe, IT IS! There are a lot of illegal operators offering transfers. Please don't book with them. They will take your money, and you will never see them again.
Train Travel to La Plagne
“…according to the French government, the transport sector generates more greenhouse gases than any other, representing 31% of all emissions. Drilling down into the detail, 94% of greenhouse emissions are due to road transport, 4.4% to air and the rest to the rails – a proportion so small it is considered ‘negligible’ by the French government.”
Ski Flight Free
You might have heard that a snow train is no longer an option. THIS IS NOT TRUE.
Whilst the classic ‘snow train' that ran directly from London to the Tarentaise Valley doesn't run independently, there are still several options for you.
The part that people often struggle with is the thought of having to change stations on the route. For the 2023/24 winter ski season, the snow trains will transit through Lille instead of Paris, which will actually make the changeover much easier. The change in Paris used to be from Paris Gare du Lyon to Paris Gare du Nord – i.e. across Paris! But now, it is simply going from one platform to another in Lille.
Check out this top review with Iain Martin, from Ski Flight Free.
So, taking the ski train and transferring through Lille if you take the Eurostar and then a second train to La Plagne – or other ski resorts – is actually pretty fast and efficient. Have a look at the video below from Travelski Express, which will answer a lot of your snow train questions for this winter.
Now, let's look at the top reasons for travelling to La Plagne by train.
Why should I travel to my La Plagne ski holiday by train?
- Ski-train travel is more environmentally friendly than flying, with a lower carbon footprint. Train travel is becoming the greener way to take your ski holiday this winter.
- Trains are more reliable than airports and flights, with fewer delays. Plus, there is no ridiculous road traffic holding up your airport ski transfers. Those travelling on the train are often the only ones to arrive on time at the resort.
- Train quality. The French trains are much nicer than the UK trains, with first class and the high-speed TGV providing the smoothest options.
- Travelling with children is much easier, without all the standing around in lines, waiting on transfers and more.
- Luggage allowance. With airlines cracking down on how many bags you can take, travelling via train is so much more relaxed – perfect when you have ski and snowboard bags.
Where to find the cheapest ski holiday train tickets
As mentioned above, there is no longer a direct snow train from London to the French Alps. This means that you will need to look into booking your train tickets separately from your accommodation or ski holiday package. My top train booking tool for cheap ski train tickets is Rail Europe. I've used several sites, and this one seems to always pull up the cheapest train fares. If you are nervous about taking the ski trains for the first time with your family, have a look at Snow Carbon.
How to drive to La Plagne
Most ski travellers from the UK don't even consider driving to La Plagne – or other ski resorts. However, depending on where you are based in the UK, driving can be a good option – both financially but also in terms of how long it will take you to drive to the resort. It can also work out more environmentally friendly than other forms of ski resort travel.
Keeping to the crossing and the French side of the travel, you can expect the journey to La Plagne :
- From Calais – La Plagne: 7-9 hours, direct dive via the auto-routes
- Toll booths: 90€ / £78
- Fuel: 1.5 tanks
- Ferry crossing: £95 / 110€
- EuroStar crossing £110 / 126€
- Underground parking:72€
Jen's Driving Top Tip:
Whenever my family and I have driven from the UK, we have chosen to drive through the night for a couple of reasons:
- Cheaper train or ferry crossings at off-peak hours
- The kids sleep through the night in the car
- The roads are empty, which means we can drive freely and don't hit the typical ski resort traffic jams
Car parking La Plagne
There is some free parking around La Plagne, but not as much as in previous years. More and more accommodations are building where there was once free car parking. There are several underground car parks which you can book in advance of arrival and pay for (about 72€ per week). Have a look at this in-depth article about all the La Plagne parking options and phone numbers to book. But also check with your accommodation provider, as they often have garages and spaces available to reserve.
Driving to a ski resort – FAQs
One thing that people often forget to consider is what to do with their car once in the ski resort. By this, I mean you need to consider:
- La Plagne parking – ask all these questions from your accommodation provider
- Is there parking at my La Plagne holiday accommodation?
- Do I need to find and pay for parking?
- Is there a free parking option near my La Plagne holiday destination?
- What to do if snow arrives
- Make sure you have snow tyres or chains for your car – and know how to put them on your car if needed.
- Snow clearing your car – never leave until the end of the week- clear little and often whilst it is light snow, not ice frozen to your car
- Consider underground parking if snow is forecast (more expensive)
- Leave extra time to get where you need to go if it's snowing
Can you drive an electric vehicle or car to La Plagne?
In a word, YES!
You might have to be organised with your travel route and planning. But, more and more power and charging points are appearing across France.
There are limited charging points once up in the resort – but there are more each year. They are in demand, however, so plan ahead.
Also, check out this popular article on what it's like to drive to the French Alps in an Electric Car.
There are also more public electric vehicle charging points in La Plagne in:
- Boulevard parking in Plagne Centre
- Covered parking Plagne Soleil
And, new for winter 23/24, I’m pleased to say there are now publicly accessible electric vehicle charging points in the La Plagne 1800 car park and also in Montchavin. There are:
- 4 x 300kw charging points at Plagne 1800 at the entrance of the Mines car park
- 2 x 300kw charging points at La Plagne Montchavin, Route du Replat parking
Recharging is done either with a multi-operator card or using a QR code displayed on the screen. The price per kWh is 0.55 cts€ and 3 cts extra per minute when the vehicle is charged and not moved.
Ski and snowboard travel
How to travel with snowboard and ski bags
If you're travelling with your skis and snowboards, it can often be stressful getting the equipment to the resort.
For the full inside track on how to travel with ski gear, check out my popular article covering flying, trains, driving and ski transfers. However, for a quick recap, here are my top tips:
- Rent equipment in La Plagne! There is no need to travel with all the equipment, and you can rent top-quality, high-end equipment each holiday.
- If you do buy, prioritise boots first over skis or snowboards. Your own ski boots – and snowboard boots – will make a bigger improvement to your comfort and performance on the pistes, that skis or a snowboard.
- Bags – You can get very lightweight ski bags and snowboard bags. However, think about things like:
- Padding to keep equipment secure
- Wheels on the bag (like suitcase wheels)
- Additional space – for multiple snowboards, helmets, ski clothing, etc.
- For most airlines, you do need to book your ski or snowboard bag as additional out-size luggage. Prices vary per airline, so check this out when booking your tickets.
- When flying, ski boot bags can be taken onto some flights as hand luggage, but for stress-free travel, I'd recommend checking that bag!
- Helmets can also be taken on the flight and clip to the outside of hand luggage quite easily. This can be an easy space saver.
- For airport transfers to La Plagne, most transfer companies are set up for ski bags as standard. However, always confirm with your booking how many ski or snowboard bags your group will be travelling with.
- If you take the ski train, luggage allowance – or weight – can be less of a concern. Another reason why snow train travel might be the perfect option is if you are a larger party with several ski or snowboard bags.
- To save space travelling with snowboard equipment, it can be better to remove the bindings from your snowboard to give you more space flexibility. Don't forget to pack your snowboard tool to put everything back together on the other side!
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Lots of great tips here!
I LOVE the idea of a snow train! Even changing trains in Lille doesn’t sound too bad if you get to take the train the whole way to the mountains. That would be such a fun way to start a ski holiday!
Having doe it myself – although I changed in Paris – the trains are so fast and efficient. And the views are stunning! Much more relaxing that moving through airports and queues all day!
Jen
Great tips on how to travel in La Plagne including car parking, snow boards and ski bags! Thanks for the useful information. 🙂
No problem, hope it helps with the planning! There’s always so much to think about. Let me know if you have any questions.
Jen