It’s surprising how often we are asked if Chamonix has a train station. The good news is that it does and it’s well serviced from France and Switzerland, as well as along the Chamonix valley.
Where is the Chamonix Train Station?
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc train station is located near the centre of town on the southern side of the valley. It’s about a 5-minute walk to Place Balmat but is on the resort’s free Mulet navette service if you are staying further afield.
It’s NOT the Montenvers station
Don’t confuse the main Chamonix station with the separate Montenvers station, which is in a separate building (shown in the map above), about 100m away.
This famous rack railway goes up almost 900m to the Mer de Glace at 1913m. It’s a great excursion while you are in Chamonix, but it’s purely an out-and-back line.
If you’re on a ski weekend with us, you’re most likely to travel on this train back down to Chamonix having completed the famous Vallée Blanche off-piste run from the Aiguille du Midi with one of our guides.
Trains from St Gervais to Chamonix
The line from Saint Gervais Le Fayet to Chamonix is a spectacular route that has been running since 1901. It’s a very popular service, carrying around half a million passengers a year, with the highest numbers in summer.
Starting at 580m, the line gradually ascends to Servoz, Les Houches and into Chamonix (1035m), before moving through the Col des Montets tunnel (its highest point at 1365m) then dropping down to Vallorcine at 1260m.
All travel on this line between St Gervais and Vallorcine is free for Carte d’Hote pass holders, which is supplied by your accommodation provider.
You can view the full timetable (2019/20 season) by taking this link or live trains by going to the Oui SNCF website.
NOT the Tramway du Mont Blanc
This SNCF line should not be confused with the Tramway du Mont Blanc, which also starts in Le Fayet, but heads to the Nid d’Aigle on the Bionnassay glacier at 2372m and is popular with hikers, tourists and mountaineers.
Trains from Martigny to Chamonix
The stop at Vallorcine marks the change in ownership of the tracks from SNCF to SBB, the Swiss national railways organisation, and continues to Martigny in the Valais canton of Switzerland.
Construction on this side of the network started in 1902 and the line opened in 1906. The line is now known as the ‘Mont Blanc Express’, and it has more than 20 trains scheduled each day. To get to Chamonix you have to change trains in Vallorcine.
How to get to Chamonix by train
If you’d like to know more about how to get to Chamonix by train from the UK, please read this detailed blog post, which outlines all the options, including Eurostar to Paris and then onward travel by TGV and TER trains.
For anyone arriving by plane to Geneva airport, it’s now possible to use the Léman Express network to travel by train to St Gervais Le Fayet, before then connecting to Chamonix.
Chamonix Bus Station
The car park outside the Chamonix train station is not the ‘gare routière’ for resort, where buses from airports and other towns arrive and depart. It's is located nearer the entrance to the town, close to the Aiguille du Midi lift and linked by the free Mulet service (pictured below).
This page on the Chamonix website has more information.
Car Hire
There is a Europcar car rental office immediately outside the main Chamonix station.
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Ski Weekends in Chamonix
For details of accommodation options in Chamonix for either a weekend or longer, please contact the Ski Weekend team.
We can help you find the right property for your group, whether you’re looking for a hotel, apartment or catered chalet.
