Train from Paris to Chamonix
 

Can anyone provide the correct link to make a reservation and to view train departure times for the supposed TGV Snow Special? I found this on the Ski Europe website, but have been unsuccessful in actually getting to see the times of departures and any details for the trip.

Here's what the site had on it: Coming from Paris, it will be cheaper to reach Chamonix by train than by plane. The journey is approximately five-and-a-half hours on the TGV. There are five departures per day, and on Friday evenings and weekends, you can also take the direct TGV Snow Special. The SNCF (the French railroad company) offers many discounts, so go ahead and ask the cashier about them. Also, the further in advance you book, the cheaper rate you get. Car rentals and buses are available at the railway station in Chamonix, so getting to your accommodation will be a piece of cake.

http://www.ski-europe.com/resorts/chamonix7.php

We would need to leave as late in the afternoon as possible from Paris for 4 people arriving in Chamonix for the evening of Jan. 11, 2007. We all have our Eurail passes, but for some reason I can't seem to figure this one out!

Thanks for your help!

I don't know about the "snow special", but TGV trains depart Gare de Lyon for St. Gervais-les-Bains, taking 5 hours. From there you transfer to a regional train for the short ride to Chamonix.

Try the SNCF website:

http://tinyurl.com/ydcwka

Since January 11 is a Thursday, the weekend "Snow Special" won't be running. You would have to take regular trains.

From the Paris Gare de Lyon you could leave at 13:14, changing twice at Annency and St. Gervais-Les-Bains, arriving in Chamonix at 19:43.

Otherwise you could leave at 15:00, changing at Lyon Part Dieu and St. Gervais-Les-Bains and arriving at 21:37.

The previous poster has given you the French rail website.

Oops, you're right, I didn't notice the Snow Special was for Fridays and weekends. I'll have to check the French rail website and see if I can find it.

Thanks! Do you think I should make reservations now or would it be okay to wait until we get to France on Jan. 9? I thought I read somewhere that there is a larger ski event that weekend in Chamonix so I would hate to not get a seat on the train.

Since there are several of you, and you want a specific train, it is probably safest to make the reservations now. That way you won't be disappointed.

Have fun in Chamonix----be sure to try tartiflette.

Yum...a tartiflette! I didn't know what it was until I Googled it. I love potatoes!

Thanks again for your help!

Yikes! Am I too late to make reservations?? With having family visiting over the holidays and new year's I am finally getting back to this. I am not having any luck being able to book reservations for the 15:00 train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Chamonix Mont Blanc for Jan. 11. I have been on the www.raileurope.com website and it isn't even saying this is an option for a train!! I found the connections for the Paris to Chamonix trip on this website, but it won't let me book a reservation.
http://www.sbb.ch/en/

Any suggestions? I have emailed the hotel we will be staying at in Chamonix for assistance on how to book, but they referred me to the local tourism office.

The www.bahn.de website shows the correct train, but says it is not bookable online. I used the english version here: http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

So...am I going to be out of luck if I wait and try to book when we land in Paris on Jan. 9th???

Try the French rail website---I gave you the line above (it says "tinyurl" but that is the link to SNCF).

Generally, you can get schedules from other websites (sbb.ch, bahn.de) but you can only buy the tickets online from the country's own rail website.

RailEurope only sells tickets for selected trains, so it's not necessarily a problem if they don't show this one.

Good luck---or should I say, bonne chance!

Nope, that isn't working either as far as being an available option. Here's the only option that comes up: leaving Paris Austelitz at 22h44, arrive in St Gervais Les Bains Le Fayet at 08h28, then leaving at 08h42 and arriving in Chamonix at 09h25. This is a 10h41 minute trip! And is leaving at extremely inconvienent times unfortunately. I believe it's a night train.

YIKES again!

The best option you have is that proposed by "Music Teacher" leaving Paris at 13:14 arriving at Chamonix at 19:43 via Annecy and St Gervais Les Bains. I tried last February to make the same trip and since it was so inconvenient I settled for TGV to Grenoble and a bus to the ski station. Had a nice week-end anyway.

Good luck,
Larry J

I would be happy with either time frame at this point. Either the one leaving at 13:14 or the one leaving at 15:00, but my problem still is that I can't find a way to make a reservation for either of those two trains. I have tried several sites and the ones that will allow me to make a reservation are not times that will work and the sites with the above time slots, will NOT allow me to make online reservations.

The rest of my trip planning has gone rather smoothly compared to this detail. I already have a hotel reserved in Chamonix for the night of the 11th so I definitely need to get there that night.

Why not rent a car and drive. The most convenient way to go and if you are skiing, the easiest way to the slopes. I have not done this myself but I will be doing it in February with the family. I understand it will take 6 hours to drive. I will leave at noon and hopefully arrive at 6:00 PM. It's probably cheaper as well.

..There is finally a bit of snow in the Alps but the base is meager to say the very least. You might want to check ski conditions first before you finalize the trip.

We already have rail passes so that's the reason for wanting to take the train. Also, my husband works in sales adn drives every day for his job and is not at all interested in spending any of his time in a car.

Does anyone know if it's even possible to make reservations from the US? Again, I already have railpasses, but just need to make reservations on the high speed trains that require it. After emailing several different rail companies and also the hotel we will be staying at, I am still not getting a positive yes or no that that is even an option. The sites will let me book an actual ticket as if I didn't have any, but not just the reservation and fee for that.

Any other suggestions out there?

Thanks for everybodies suggestions so far, unfortunately I am still stuck on this one.

travelbunny~

Thanks for that memo...I hadn't even given a thought to checking the snow conditions!! I have been consumed with trying to get to Chamonix, but haven't given the snow conditions a second thought. I'll add that to my list of things to do yet!! Yikes, and we leave in less than a week.

You can of course buy tickets on the SNCF website from the USA for pick-up in France but you can not buy just a reservation to use in conjunction with a pass.

Larry J