Lyon Airport to Val Thorens, Tignes & Les Arcs: 2026/27 Transfers

The simplest way to get from Lyon Airport to Val Thorens, Tignes, Les Arcs or Val d’Isère is a direct ski coach or a pre-booked transfer. Altibus coaches leave the airport bus station from Friday to Sunday in the 2026/27 season, with adult fares from €55, and take about 2 hours 20 minutes to Val Thorens and about 2 hours 45 minutes to Tignes and Val d’Isère. A private Lyon Airport transfer covers the same roads door to door on any day and at any hour.

This guide covers winter 2026/27 (December 2026 to April 2027) and compares coaches, shared shuttles, trains, private transfers, taxis and hire cars from Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS) to the Tarentaise resorts, plus Alpe d’Huez and Les 2 Alpes.

Lyon Airport to Val Thorens, Tignes and Les Arcs: quick comparison

Option	Price	Journey time	Runs	Best for
Altibus LYS’Express coach	Adults from €55	About 2 h–2 h 45 min	Fri–Sun, 11 Dec 2026–3 Apr 2027	Solo travellers and couples on a budget
Ben’s Bus shared transfer	Singles from about £43.50–£53 (about €50–61)	About 2.5–3.5 h	Saturdays only, 12 Dec 2026–early Apr 2027	Saturday-to-Saturday ski weeks
Private transfer	Per vehicle, fixed in advance	About 2–3 h	24/7 on request	Families, groups, late or midweek arrivals
Rhônexpress + train + resort bus	€16.30 tram plus SNCF and bus fares	Around 4–5 h with changes	Daily, limited direct trains	Light travellers who prefer rail
Taxi	Metered or quoted – expensive over 150–200 km	About 2–3 h	24/7	Last-minute trips only
Hire car	Daily rate plus fuel and motorway tolls	About 2–3 h	Any time	Visiting several resorts

Lyon Airport to Val Thorens and the Tarentaise by coach (Altibus)

Altibus runs the LYS’Express ski coaches from Lyon Airport to the Savoie resorts. For winter 2026/27, the service runs from 11 December 2026 to 3 April 2027, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays depending on the destination – it is not a daily service. Adult fares start at €55. Children under 3 travel free, ages 3–12 get 30% off, and in groups of five or more the fifth ticket is free.

• Direct routes: Val d’Isère and Tignes, and most departures to Val Thorens and Les Menuires.
• Via a change: other resorts connect at Moûtiers or Aime station with a local bus, minibus or taxi. Moûtiers is the hub for Méribel, Courchevel, Brides-les-Bains and the Belleville valley; Bourg-Saint-Maurice for Sainte-Foy, Tignes and Val d’Isère.
• Coming later: at the time of writing, Altibus lists Courchevel, Méribel, La Plagne, Les Saisies and Brides-les-Bains as “coming soon” for sales.
• Where to board: the airport bus station (gare routière) at Terminal 1, level 0. Check the boards and meet the driver on the platform.
• Luggage: both fare types include one carry-on and one hold bag; add extra bags or skis when you book.

Lyon Airport lists approximate coach times of about 1 hour 40 minutes to Moûtiers, 2 hours 10 minutes to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, 2 hours 20 minutes to Val Thorens and 2 hours 45 minutes to Tignes and Val d’Isère. These are good-weather times; Saturday traffic in the Tarentaise valley can add a lot more. The coach will not wait for a late flight, so leave a margin and choose the more flexible Premium fare if your flight could be delayed.

Ben’s Bus and shared shuttles from Lyon Airport

Ben’s Bus runs shared transfers from Lyon Airport on Saturdays only, from 12 December 2026, aimed at Saturday-to-Saturday ski weeks. For Val Thorens, it quotes about 3 hours 20 minutes over 199 km, with singles at £53 (about €61) and lower per-person prices on group returns. Passengers are met at the Lyon Airport bus station, a short flat walk from the terminal. Ben’s Bus also serves Tignes, Val d’Isère, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Moûtiers and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, and Alpe d’Huez and Les 2 Alpes on the Oisans side.

Alpine Fleet also runs coach transfers from Lyon Airport to Tarentaise resorts, including Les Arcs, according to the airport’s ski page. Check each operator’s site for exact days and fares.

Shared or private: which works out cheaper?

Coaches and shared shuttles charge per seat; private transfers charge per vehicle. For one or two people, a seat is almost always cheaper. For a family of four or a group of six to eight with skis, the price of a private minibus divided between everyone can come close to the total of individual seats, and you leave when you land rather than when the coach is scheduled. Ask for a group quote before booking seats.

Private transfers from Lyon Airport to the ski resorts

A private transfer is often the most practical way to cover the 150–200 km from Lyon to the high Tarentaise resorts. You agree a fixed price in advance, the driver tracks your flight and meets you in arrivals, and you are dropped at your chalet or residence. It makes most sense for:

• Groups and families, who share one vehicle price.
• Midweek, Monday to Thursday or night arrivals, when coaches do not run.
• Children, because you can request child seats and boosters.
• Lots of luggage, including ski and board bags.
• Accommodation away from bus stops, such as upper Les Arcs villages or Tignes Les Brévières.

Our Lyon Airport transfers page lists companies serving the Alps. Resort pages cover operators based in the mountains: Val Thorens, Tignes, Les Arcs, Val d’Isère, Courchevel and Méribel. Companies listed for these routes include Tarentaise Transport, Taxi Val Thorens, Vona Taxi Val-d’Isère, Skiidy Gonzales Transfers, AlpyBus and Esprit VIP by Easycabs. Contact them directly for prices for your dates, and confirm waiting time for delayed flights, ski carriage, child seats and night or Saturday supplements.

Lyon Airport to Les Arcs and Bourg-Saint-Maurice by train

You can reach the Tarentaise by rail, but it takes longer than the road and involves changes.

1. Rhônexpress tram from the airport to Lyon Part-Dieu: about 30 minutes, every 15 minutes in the daytime and every 30 minutes early morning and late evening, from 05:00 to midnight. An adult single costs €16.30 and a return €28.50; under-12s travel free.
2. Train from Lyon to Moûtiers or Bourg-Saint-Maurice. In the ski season, some direct TER trains run from Lyon Part-Dieu to Bourg-Saint-Maurice at weekends; otherwise change at Chambéry. Lyon Saint-Exupéry also has its own TGV station next to the terminal, but direct trains to the Tarentaise from there are rare, so check SNCF Connect for your date.
3. Last leg: from Bourg-Saint-Maurice, the Les Arcs funicular climbs to Arc 1600 in about 7 minutes and is free for a return trip if you show your train ticket; shuttles continue to Arc 1800, 1950 and 2000. Buses from Bourg-Saint-Maurice serve Tignes and Val d’Isère, and buses from Moûtiers serve Val Thorens, Les Menuires, Méribel and Courchevel.

Allow around 4 to 5 hours from landing to arrival, depending on connections. The train works best if you travel light or rent skis in the resort.

Lyon Airport taxi to Val Thorens or Tignes

Taxis wait outside the terminals at Lyon Airport, but a metered fare over 150–200 km into the mountains is very high, and many Lyon taxis prefer not to do the return run empty. If you need a car at short notice, ask resort-based taxi firms for a quote; for a planned holiday, a fixed-price private transfer is usually better value. Ride-hailing apps operate in Lyon, but drivers rarely accept trips to high-altitude resorts in winter.

Driving: winter tyres, chains and tolls

The road route runs on the A43 motorway past Chambéry, then the N90 up the Tarentaise valley to Albertville, Moûtiers and Bourg-Saint-Maurice, before the final climbs to the resorts. Motorway sections are tolled. Ben’s Bus gives 199 km to Val Thorens; Tignes and Val d’Isère are further up the valley.

• Loi Montagne: from 1 November to 31 March, cars in designated mountain communes in Savoie and Isère must have winter tyres or carry chains or snow socks. Ask the hire company to confirm the equipment.
• Snow chains: carry them even with winter tyres; the access roads to Val Thorens, Tignes and Val d’Isère can require chains after heavy snow.
• Parking: many resorts are largely car-free in the centre, with paid covered car parks. Book a space with your accommodation if possible.

Saturday transfer day in the Tarentaise

Most chalets and residences in the Tarentaise change over on Saturdays, and the single valley road between Albertville and Moûtiers becomes one of the busiest routes in the Alps on peak weekends, especially during the French February school holidays. Journeys that take 2 hours 20 minutes in quiet traffic can take much longer. Plan for delays, carry water and snacks, and if your accommodation allows Sunday or midweek arrivals, consider them.

Ski luggage, child seats and late arrivals

• Skis and boards: declare ski bags when booking any coach or transfer, and give private transfer companies an accurate count of passengers, suitcases and ski bags.
• Child seats: French law requires suitable child restraints. Coaches and taxis rarely provide seats for small children, so request them with a private transfer or hire car.
• Late arrivals: coach departures from Lyon Airport end in the evening. For late flights or delays, a pre-booked transfer with flight tracking is the reliable option.

Lyon Airport to Alpe d’Huez and Les 2 Alpes

The Oisans resorts lie south-east of Lyon, via Grenoble. Ben’s Bus runs Saturday shared transfers to Alpe d’Huez (about 2 hours 30 minutes over 148 km, singles £43.50, about €50) and to Les 2 Alpes (about 2 hours 30 minutes according to the airport). The last climb to Alpe d’Huez is the famous 21-bend road, so chains are essential in snow. Grenoble Alpes-Isère Airport is an alternative gateway for these resorts on some winter routes.

Alternative airports

Geneva Airport is the other main gateway to the Tarentaise and is closer to the northern Alps. See our Geneva Airport transfers page and the guides to Geneva Airport to Courchevel, Méribel and Val Thorens and Geneva Airport to Chamonix. Ben’s Bus suggests Geneva if you need a Sunday transfer.

Tips for the journey

• Check coach days. Altibus runs Friday to Sunday and Ben’s Bus on Saturdays only; for any other day, book a private transfer.
• Book early for February. Coach seats and transfer vehicles sell out first in the school holidays.
• Use licensed drivers only. Avoid anyone offering rides inside the terminal.
• Payment: most transfer companies and taxis accept cards, but confirm when booking.
• Tipping is not expected in France, though rounding up for help with ski bags is appreciated.
• Allow time for the return. Altibus advises at least 3 hours between the scheduled arrival at the airport and your flight.

Once you have chosen how to travel, compare companies on our Lyon Airport transfers page and book directly with the operator. Official information: Altibus Lyon Airport shuttles, Lyon Airport ski page and the Les Arcs funicular.