How to get to your ski resort - planes, trains and automobiles

If all goes well, flying is usually the fastest way to travel to your ski resort, with flights to European destinations ranging from 90 minutes to around three hours.

Of course, you have to add on check-in time, transfers and possible flight delays to that journey, but at its best air travel is fast, easy and convenient.

On the downside, flights are often scheduled painfully early in the morning, tickets can be expensive (especially during peak holidays) and there’s those dreaded baggage restrictions. If you want to take your own skis or snowboard, you could be looking at an extra cost of around £50 each way with some airlines.

Top tips for air travel

•  Try and book as far in advance as possible to get the best ticket offers

•  If you’re pushing the limits of your baggage allowance, wear your ski jacket and big snow boots on the flight and squeeze some clothes into your ski or board bag – as an added bonus they’ll help cushion your equipment

•  If hitting the slopes as soon as possible is your goal, choose a resort with a short transfer time from the airport

Great ski destinations by plane

Les Deux Alpes, France
A relatively short transfer of two hours from Grenoble will get you to this energetic glacier resort. Les Deux Alpes is popular with families and groups alike, thanks to its extensive 220km ski area and fun resort life.

Mayrhofen, Austria
A two-hour flight to Innsbruck and a super-fast 60 minute transfer is all it takes to reach the buzzing slopes of Mayrhofen. You’ll need every spare minute to explore the immense 515km of piste in the Zillertal Superski area.

Rail travel is becoming an increasingly popular option for skiers and snowboarders. So much so that Eurostar runs a special direct Ski Train, taking you from London’s St. Pancras International Station all the way to Bourg-Saint-Maurice in the heart of the French Alps in around eight and a half hours.

Travelling by train is a fantastic option if you’re looking to decrease your carbon footprint. It’s by far the most eco-friendly way to travel, producing up to 91% less carbon emissions than flying.

While rail travel can almost match the door-to-door journey time of flying for those based near London, it might be less appealing if you’re faced with a long journey to reach St. Pancras. And while you’ll be given a blanket, pillow, eye mask and ear plugs on the night train, sleeping in reclining train seats doesn’t always equal a good night’s sleep. The generous baggage allowance of two bags, plus a free ski or board bag, softens that blow considerably though.

Top tips for rail travel

•  You won’t be allowed to bring any booze on the night train and none will be served on board either. This is to keep the vibe more peaceful and less party. You can save money by bringing your own food aboard though

•  While the direct Eurostar Ski Train is great, you can also easily access other areas by planning an indirect journey. Simply get the Eurostar to Paris and then hop on an onward TGV train to the Alps. This will open up some beautiful Italian, Swiss and Austrian ski resorts for you, as well a wider choice of French destinations

•  From Bourg-Saint-Maurice train station, several top resorts, such as Tignes and Val d'Isère, can be reached via an easy coach transfer. To reach other resorts, you might need to pay for a taxi instead. Sharing the journey with fellow passengers is cheaper and kinder to the environment

Great ski destinations by train

Les Menuires, France
It takes just an hour to reach the slopes of Les Menuires from Bourg-Saint-Maurice station. Once there, join the action on the slopes as you explore the huge 600km Three Valleys ski area or relax after your journey in the chilled out resort with its cosy bars and state-of-the-art leisure centre.

La Plagne, France
You’ll need to grab a taxi to get you from Bourg-Saint-Maurice to La Plagne. It will cost you around €80-100, so worth sharing the fee with others if you can. But in under an hour your holiday in this picturesque village really begins. At a snowsure altitude of 2,050m, most of the accommodation here is ski-in, ski-out, giving you a wonderful relaxed break.

Travelling to your ski resort by car is the slowest option as it takes around 10 hours from getting on the Eurotunnel at Folkstone. However, plenty of skiersand boarders choose this option every year, relishing the freedom that having your own wheels brings.

Pack as much as you can fit in the car, sing along to your favourite road trip songs at the top of your voice and enjoy the knowledge that you’ve saved a considerable amount of money compared to flying.

Once at your destination, having your own transport makes exploring other ski areas and towns much more convenient. You can even plan a day away from the slopes and travel to a nearby city or attraction.

Top tips for road travel

•  Make sure you have all the self-drive essentials you need for a long journey – snacks, more snacks, audiobooks/podcasts/playlists, and a long list of car games

•  Be prepared. Plan your route carefully, bring along money for toll roads and check that your car insurance and breakdown cover are valid for driving in Europe

•  Get snow ready – you’ll need snow tyres and, in most places, snow chains for driving around the resort. If you’re nervous about driving in winter conditions, it’s worth breaking your journey with an overnight stop to avoid travelling through the Alps in the dark

Great ski destinations by road

Alpe d’Huez, France
Drive just nine hours from Calais and you’ll arrive in bustling Alpe d’Huez. This sunny resort is a beginners’ paradise, with an endless choice of wide, open blues and reds to cruise down. The après-ski’s not bad either…

Sauze d’Oulx, Italy
You might be surprised to discover that the drive to Italy’s closest ski resorts isn’t much longer than France. Road trip for nine hours and 15 minutes from Calais to reach the popular party resort of Sauze d’Oulx, the northern gateway to the huge 400km Milky Way ski area.