How to Get From Geneva Airport to Val Thorens

Val Thorens is one of the most popular ski resorts in the French Alps, and quite rightly has a fantastic reputation. With a high altitude and huge ski area, Val Thorens can guarantee excellent snow conditions for skiers and snowboarders throughout the winter. The towns lively apres-ski and nightlife attracts hordes of young skiers year after year – and the vast majority will travel from Geneva airport to Val Thorens.

Accommodation in Val Thorens is varied, and although there are some high-end and boutique hotels the majority of the buildings tend to be apartments. This means there are some fantastic bargains to be found in terms of rooms in Val Thorens. Those looking to book a ski holiday on a budget can find some of the best deals in France here if they book independently. Bargains on flights to Geneva airport can also be found from the low-cost airlines like Easyjet too.

We find that the most asked about question regarding booking a ski holiday is actually ‘how do we get from Geneva airport to Val Thorens cheaply’. There are actually plenty of options out there for keenly priced ski transfers – it’s just finding them. Snowcompare was set-up to help people find the best deals on airport transfers to Val Thorens – and that’s what we’re covering here…. We’ll be looking at:

• Private taxi transfers to Val Thorens
• Shared bus transfers to Val Thorens
• All other travel options to Val Thorens

The Best Airport to Fly to for Val Thorens = Geneva Airport

We’ll come straight out and say it – Geneva is not the closest airport to Val Thorens. That honour falls to the small, winter-only airport in Chambery. You might also have noticed that Geneva airport isn’t even in the same country as Val Thorens – it’s in Switzerland. Grenoble and Lyon airports are at least in France you’re probably thinking!

The reason that we are focussing on Geneva as the airport of choice when visiting Val Thorens is that it is the busiest and best-connected international transport hub in the local area. Sitting just over the French-Swiss border, Geneva airport caters to hundreds of thousands of skiers and snowboarders each winter – many of them going on to Val Thorens.

You’ll find the best deals from low-cost airlines with regular timetabled flights to Geneva from all over Europe. Most importantly in this instance though, the popularity of the airport means that there are more companies running cheap private and shared transfers between Geneva and Val Thorens than anywhere else.

The Journey from Geneva Airport to Val Thorens

Shortest distance: 153km

Average journey time: 3 hours

There are two main routes from Geneva airport to Val Thorens – and the decision between the two normally comes down to whether you want to travel less kilometres, or less time – let us explain…

Travelling on smaller roads and going around Annecy Lake provides a route which is shorter, at 153km, but can often take longer due to the restricted speed limit and other traffic on single lane roads. The view around the lake and of the surrounding countryside is much better this way though.

The alternative is to keep to the highways and toll roads which take you a longer route of 203km via Chambery. Although 50km longer, this highway journey can be up to 30 minutes shorter, but includes additional costs for petrol and tolls. Most transfer companies will choose to take the Annecy Lake route unless traffic is particularly bad.

As they get closer to their destination, both routes pass through the towns of Albertville and Moutiers in the valley before beginning the long climb up mountain roads towards Val Thorens. As you would expect, the highest ski resort in Europe does not have one of the shortest ski transfers from Geneva airport. From Geneva airport to Val Thorens can be between a 2.5 and 3.5 hour drive depending on weather and traffic.

Private Transfers from Geneva Airport to Val Thorens

Best for: Convenience – travel door-to-door based around your flights

Worst for: Expense – especially for smaller groups

By far the easiest method of travel between Geneva and Val Thorens is to hire a private minibus with an experienced driver. They’ll meet you directly from your flight in the Geneva arrivals hall and take your group to the vehicle. You can then settle in and relax while they take you all the way to the hotel door.

Of course, these private transfers have an associated cost to them, just as you would expect. Snowcompare put the best local private transfer companies together so that you can compare prices and get the best deal – but even so you have to remember the price is based on a round trip of over 300km and up to 7 hours driving time as well.

Private transfers from Geneva airport to Val Thorens start at around £240 GBP but prices do increase on weekends and at popular times of the season as demand increases. Expect to pay between £300 and £350 for a group of 6 people to travel on a Saturday.

Most private transfer companies operate 8 seat minibuses. Some of Snowcompare’s partners running private transfers to Val Thorens include; Alps Angels, Rock Drop Transfers, Spiral Cab, Le Praz Transfers, Cool Runnings & 3Sixty Transfers. For larger groups our partners Snowbus run private transfers for up to 19 passengers, and Simply Transfers have coaches for up to 50 people to travel together.

Shared Transfers from Geneva Airport to Val Thorens

Best for: Cost – only pay for your seat

Worst for: The potential for waiting time at Geneva airport

If you’re travelling to Val Thorens as an individual or as part of a smaller group, or if you are skiing on a strict budget, then a private transfer isn’t going to be the best option for you. The long journey time from Geneva airport to Val Thorens makes the cost of a private transfer prohibitive for groups of four or under normally.

Luckily, Snowcompare has partners who offer shared transfers in this situation. By running transfers at set times and charging a per-person cost, these shared transfers cut the cost of travelling between Geneva airport and Val Thorens. There may be some waiting time at the airport, and most shared transfers will drop off at the bus station in Val Thorens rather than at your hotel, but the cost makes this option much more attractive. You can expect to pay around £40 – £50 for a shared transfers between Geneva airport and Val Thorens – a big saving on the cost of a private taxi.

Shared transfers will usually have a longer journey time as they often pick-up passengers from the resorts of Les Menuires and St Martin de Belleville on the way. More passengers could join you in Albertville on occasion – so if you travel this way we would definitely recommend leaving more time for the journey. Our partners Simply Transfers run regular shared transfers from Geneva airport to Val Thorens and are a great option for small groups of skiers.

Other Ways of Getting from Geneva Airport to Val Thorens

Train – Geneva train station is attached to the airport and they run regular trains. The nearest station to Val Thorens is Albertville – but you will still need to find a taxi or bus for the journey up the mountain to resort.

Helicopter – Believe it or not there are a couple of companies out there that will fly you in a helicopter directly from Geneva to Val Thorens. The journey time is cut to around 30 minutes which is certainly appealing, but the cost increases ten-fold. A very nice option if you can afford it.

Hitchhiking – not recommended folks. The French do have a more relaxed attitude to picking up strangers on the side of the road – especially in the mountains. Still, you’ve got to travel over 150km from Geneva airport to Val Thorens, with all your ski gear, and be able to talk French. Just don’t do it guys.

Snowcompare.com allows you to easily search, compare & book the best value Geneva airport to Val Thorens transfers. See what transfers are available, read customer reviews and see prices side by side. Whether you need a private or shared ski transfer between Geneva airport and Val Thorens, Snowcompare can help.