The vast majority of ski holiday guests arriving in Val D’isere travel by air. Geneva airport GVA has a good choice of carriers operating from all over the UK including British Airways, Swiss Air and EasyJet. Transfers from the airport to Val D’isere take about 3 hours on the quickest route depending on traffic and weather conditions. Chambery, Lyon and Grenoble airports are also options for flying to Val d’isere but they offer a limited number of flights and have much longer transfer times.
For the ultimate peace of mind and convenience, a private transfer from the airport to your resort is the best option. This will be more expensive than a bus or train but is guaranteed to get you to your accommodation safely and with minimal stress.
Most of the big transfer companies operate a private service from Geneva to Val D’isere, although you can also find independent drivers for this journey if needed. The advantage of booking a private transfer is that the driver will be waiting for you at the airport when you land or at the station when you arrive and will drive you straight to your resort. This is one of the fastest ways to get to your holiday destination but you should always allow a good amount of extra time for the transfer if travelling during peak winter holiday weeks when the roads are busy with other travellers all heading to or from their chalets, hotels and apartments.
If you are travelling as a group of friends or family members it may work out cheaper to book a seat on a shared transfer from the airport to Val D’isere. There are a good number of companies running these services and competition has driven the prices down. During the winter season you should be able to find these buses departing every few hours throughout the day from outside the main exit out of the Arrivals hall.
Alternatively, you can catch a train from Geneva to Bourg-st-Maurice which is the closest train station to Val d’isere. There are regular buses from Bourg-st-Maurice to Val d’isere which can be booked through the SNCF website. 1st Lift Transfers can also arrange to meet you at the train station and transfer you directly to your accommodation.
If you prefer to use public transport, the easiest way to reach the resort is by bus. There are regular bus connections from Geneva to Val d’isere, operated by a variety of different companies including Altibus and Ben’s Bus. The schedules vary slightly so we recommend visiting the website of the company you wish to use before travelling to check for the latest information. When travelling by bus it is important to remember that the single road down to the valley from the Col de l’Iseran mountain pass is very busy on Saturdays and when the French have their national holidays. Buses are usually fully booked on these days so it is a good idea to plan ahead and buy your tickets online in advance if possible.