It’s not an obvious first choice of travel to the Alps but the coach is well worth considering. Fares tend to be low, there’s the convenience of door-to-door (or rather coach station to door) travel, and no charges for ski equipment. Overnight travel opens up the opportunity of more time on the slopes, and many of the coaches provide a good range of on-board entertainment including free Wi-Fi. Coach travel is also an effective means of minimising your carbon footprint – along with rail travel, the coach is usually the greenest means of getting to the Alps. Travelling by coach is also often best for enjoying the Alpine scenery – you’re considerably higher up and have bigger windows than car occupants, and there are fewer tunnels and cuttings than when you travel by train.

Eurolines - website

Eurolines is the only company to run scheduled services from the UK to a number of Alpine countries. Destinations include Grenoble, Chamonix, Geneva, Zurich, Munich and Milan.

SkiMeribel - website

SkiMeribel travel from London and Dover to Meribel with Friday night departures offering 8 full days skiing in the Alps. The company claims that restricted numbers allows for maximum legroom, and return prices start from £149.

Snow Express - website

Snow Express provides services to over 40 resorts in the French Alps including Chamonix, Les Arcs, Courchevel and Flaine. Services operate from London and Folkestone with two departure times on Fridays (14:00 and 19:00 from London). The 14:00 departure arrives in the Alps early on the Saturday morning. Snow Express has partnered with National Express to provide a 10% discount on internal UK services to London. 

Ski Bus UK - website  

Ski Bus is a partner organisation to Snow Express and offers a similar range of services. Prices start at £65 and coaches serve over 40 resorts in the French Alps with Friday afternoon and evening departures from London and Folkestone. The Friday evening departures arrive at the resort on Saturday afternoons – the afternoon departures will get you there on Saturday morning in time for a full day’s skiing.

Ski Weekends - website

Ski Weekends offer coach-based package trips for weekends and longer stays. Coach travel is £100-£200 cheaper than their flying alternatives, and produces just 10% of the carbon emissions. For an extra £30, ‘club class’ seats are available with extra legroom and increased seat recline. They offer coach travel to Meribel (Brides) and Morzine.