Taking the train to the mountains is my favourite way of getting to Les 3 Vallées. Of course you are on the move for a number of hours, but those hours feel completely different from time in a car. You aren't wedged into the same spot for the whole journey, you can stroll around now and then and you don't have to keep an eye on the traffic all the time.
Thanks to the wifi and the power sockets at your seat, you can work on the way, watch a film or simply ease gently into your holiday. When you finally step off in Moûtiers, you don't feel as though you have already put in a full day of travelling.
Direct from the Netherlands and Belgium
In winter, Eurostar Snow runs directly from the Netherlands and Belgium to the French Alps.
In the Netherlands you can board at:
- Amsterdam
- Schiphol Airport
- Rotterdam
In Belgium the train stops at:
- Antwerp
- Brussels
For Méribel you get off at Moûtiers, the station at the foot of Les 3 Vallées. The direct journey to Moûtiers takes about 8 hours from Amsterdam, 6.35 hours from Antwerp and 6.11 hours from Brussels.
If you are departing from another Belgian city, you can add a Connection ticket when booking for the domestic train to the Eurostar station.
Only during the ski season
Eurostar Snow doesn't run all year round. During the 2026-2027 season the train leaves for the Alps every Saturday, from 19 December 2026 to 3 April 2027 inclusive.
The return journey is possible on Saturdays and Sundays, from 19 December 2026 to 10 April 2027.
That the outbound journey only runs on Saturdays is no coincidence. The ski season in Les 3 Vallées largely runs on Saturday-to-Saturday stays. Especially during the French school holidays and around Christmas and New Year, many properties are let only by the full week.
And your ski equipment?
If you travel without your own ski equipment, the train is exceptionally easy. With an ordinary suitcase you board in the centre of Amsterdam, Antwerp or Brussels and travel to Moûtiers without changing.
If you are bringing your own skis, ski boots and other gear, you need to think a little harder about luggage. Dragging a full ski bag and a large suitcase through several stations isn't always the handiest option.
Fortunately, there are now practical ski and snowboard bags, at Decathlon among others, in which you can store your equipment together. A bag with wheels makes the stretch to and from the station considerably more pleasant.
With Eurostar Standard you may bring two pieces of luggage and one small rucksack or handbag. Your skis or snowboard may come along in a cover of up to two metres, but that cover does count as one of your two large pieces of luggage. Check the luggage rules in advance if you want to bring extra or unusually large luggage.
My conclusion
For me, the extra hassle of luggage doesn't outweigh hours of driving and the risk of traffic jams on the way to the Alps. Especially if you hire your ski equipment on the ground, Eurostar Snow is one of the most comfortable ways to travel to Méribel.
You board in the Netherlands or Belgium, can work or relax on the way and arrive directly in Moûtiers. From there, it's just a matter of heading up the mountain.
Would you like me to coordinate the train, your transfer from Moûtiers and the rest of your stay? Then I'll include that in your personal travel plan.
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