Lift linked to the hugely popular Grand Massif ski area, Samoëns itself however is only now becoming more popular with British skiers. Because of its close proximity to Geneva, Samoëns is a very popular resort with locals and can be particularly busy at weekends as a result. At just 60 km away and an hour’s drive from Geneva, there are plenty of transport options available.
By Plane
Geneva Airport - 60 km / approx 1 hour
If you prefer a private or shared transfer then use Ski Lifts, or there is the hire car option as well.
Altibus serve the route well with a regular coach service
Chambéry Airport - 124km / approx 1 hours 30 mins
There’s not much in the way of public transport between Chambéry and Chamonix, but the drive isn’t too long so you can hire a car or take a private transfer with Ski Lifts
Lyon Airport - 200 km / approx 2 hours
Other than hiring a car and driving you can take a private transfer with Ski Lifts as above
Turin Airport - 225 km / approx 3 hours
Your only real option here is hire car, but at 3 hours it is an easily doable drive (albeit much longer than Geneva)
Car Rental
If you require a hire car for your ski holiday, there are a number of fantastic car rental companies based in Europe.
By Train
There are daily services between London and Cluses, about 18km from resort requiring a couple of changes along the way. The first leg is from London to Paris, where a change of station is required from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon. From Paris Gare de Lyon you can catch a direct TGV service down to Annecy, from where you can take your final train to Cluses. From Cluses there are regular buses scheduled up to resort or you can catch a taxi that takes about 20 minutes. To check ticket prices and train times go to rail-europe.com.
Self-Drive
Driving to the Alps is often a great option, especially for resorts like Samoëns that are easier to drive to as well as conveniently located to explore nearby resorts such as Chamonix, St Gervais and Megève. You can make it down to Samoëns in between 7 and 9 hours from Calais depending on the weather and traffic.
When driving to Samoëns we recommend you try to avoid Paris and take the route via Reims instead. For comprehensive directions and estimations of your toll and fuel costs go to www.viamichelin.com. On arrival at the resort you can park your car in the free car park next to the Grand Massif Express Gondola. However, if you know that it’s going to snow on your stay, it may be worth arranging covered parking for the week to avoid having to dig your car out of the snow.