Tignes Transport & Parking

Transport & Parking in Tignes

Environmental concerns are pushing more and more Alpine resorts to become traffic-free; with free buses, train links and plenty of long-term covered parking spaces you may find that you can happily manage without the car whilst in Tignes. If you are staying in a catered chalet enquire with your host about the availability of minibus transport, many chalets offer this service to and from the slopes and sometimes of an evening as well.

Car Parking in Tignes

Parking is taken rather seriously in Tignes. Car parking permits are compulsory in Tignes and can be paid and booked direct with the Tourist Office. Any cars left on the streets are consistently and diligently towed. There are up to 3000 covered parking places in three covered and one uncovered car parks. Since legal parking is only available in the car parks and garages, the 24 hour bus system between Tignes Le Lavachet and Val Claret Grande Motte is usually your best way to get around.

There is plenty of space in free parking areas at les Boisses and les Brévières.
There are covered car parks in Tignes-Le-Lac town centre and Val Claret Grande Motte; it should cost around €70 for the week.

There is large open parking area available at Val Claret Grande Motte.

Don't forget and get caught out, the local Police Municipal are very diligent with their towing for unauthorised parking!

last updated 25-Apr-2008

Public Transport in Tignes

Tignes is committed to preserving the countryside and improving the air quality, and is proud that is has reduced the volume of car traffic in resort. Tignes operates a bus service that is FREE of charge and runs from Le Lavachet to Val Claret 24 hours a day.

Le Lavachet-Grande Motte
A continuous bus service operates from 08.30 to 20.30, with buses every 30 minutes from 06.30 to 08.30 and 20.30 p.m. to 00.00, then hourly from 12.30 to 06.30

Les Boisses-Tignes le Lac
buses run every 30 minutes between 08.45 and 18.45

Bourg St. Maurice Train Station is 30km / 20miles from Tignes. Numerous trains (TGV, Eurostar etc) frequently arrive in Bourg St Maurice throughout the winter. You can find details of routes and timetables from SNCF.

Bus services run regularly from Bourg St. Maurice to Tignes and take about 1hr. Check out the Bus Services, or alternatively, you can take a local taxi (approximate cost €80).

last updated 15-Feb-2008

Travelling Between the Airport & Tignes

Chambéry airport is the closest airport to use for Tignes at just over 2½ hours away on a good day by motorway and then by mountain road. Chambéry is used by several UK tour operators and there are some low-cost carriers who use it too, but usually just on weekends.

Next up is Geneva and Lyon St. Exupéry (Satolas) each being 3½ and 4¼ hours away respectively.

To travel from these airports you have the choice of scheduled bus, shared shuttle, hire car, taxi, tour operators, private helicopter transfer or train. However, make sure you check with whomever you booked your accommodation in Tignes with to see if they make arrangements for you anyway or as an 'optional extra'.

Buses:
From Geneva Altibus provides a means for booking coaches on-line, with SAT being the principal operator for the route. Moreover, a timetable for buses departing Geneva Airport for all ski resorts, can be found at Geneva Ski Resort Bus Timetable.
From Lyon St. Exupéry Satobus
From Chambéry there is no regular route so either look to hire a car, go by train, or book through a tour operator.

Shared Shuttle:
A Chamonix-based company ATS run shared minibuses which take you door-to-door. From Geneva the shared cost one way is €72. Private transfers can be booked from €263. Price is the same from one to eight passengers. Booking on-line is recommended to save telephone booking charges.

Car hire:
Car hire can be arranged from each of the airports above and if there are several people travelling is not always an expensive option. Pre-booking is highly recommended if not obligatory. Try using Holiday Autos for the best searches and prices.

Taxi:
A taxi for up to 4 people will cost approximately €300 from Chambéry/Lyon/Geneva. For more than 4 people the cost will be higher. See Taxis for contact details.

Tour Operators:
Here there are two possibilities:
1. you can book a Flight & Transfer with an operator which they sell through their agents/web-sites/call-centres - therefore it is paid for in advance and you will appear on the transfer manifests
2. you can make your own flight arrangements and upon arrival at the airport catch up with a rep from one of the companies and book onto their coaches.
In both cases as the reps are unlikely to know where you are staying (they have no details as you made your own accommodation arrangements), make sure you establish the return journey procedures: give them the flight you are on, get the resort office's contact details and call on Thursday evening for transfer details/confirmation.
Method 2 is not guaranteed but is usually fine. Expect to pay €50 one-way for Geneva-Chamonix and you will have to pay the two journeys separately (as the return cannot be guaranteed till the end of the week).
See Tour Operators for contact details.

Helicopter: A helicopter transfer with for up to 5 people (without much luggage) can be arranged to Tignes. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes from Chambéry Airport and 35 minutes from Geneva Airport. In bad weather conditions the helicopter cannot fly and it must arrive during daylight hours. Click here for details of companies that can provide this service.

Train:
Although it is possible to come from/go to all the above airports by train a journey would involve changing at least once and would take a great deal of time and is therefore not recommended, perhaps with the exception of Chambéry.

last updated 15-Feb-2008