The journey from Grenoble to Tignes can be by road or, part way, by rail. The train terminates at Bourg-saint-Maurice, which is still an hour from Tignes, so the journey must be completed by road.
Whiterides Airport Transfers are pretty biased when it comes to travel from Grenoble to Tignes - the most convenient way is for your group to be picked up by us at the airport and take a direct, private transfer to your accommodation.
However we let you know all the other ways the journey can be taken here in our blog post.
Grenoble airport is officially called the Alpes–Isère Airport, and they offer some convenient flights to the Alps from all over the UK. Airlines such as Wizz Air, Ryanair, Jet2, easyJet, Flybe and British Airways operate here, and you can find some really cheap flights.
Getting from Grenoble to Tignes can sometimes be a bit more confusing.
Grenoble to Tignes by train
Firstly there is no train from Grenoble Airport, so if you need to take the 45 kilometres from airport to Gare Routiere, which is the main train and bus station in Grenoble. That takes about 40 minutes.
The train does not go all the way to Tignes either, as the line terminates at Bourg-saint-Maurice.
From Gare Routiere to Bourg Saint Maurice the journey is about 3 hours 15 minutes and there is one change, with approximately a 30 minute wait, at Montmélian.
The fair from Grenoble to Bourg is around €25.00 to €30.00, obviously depending on time of day and which season. We love The Trainline. SNCF is the official website.
Once you are in Bourg Saint Maurice there are a couple of options to take the last hour by road - private transfers, bus or taxi. The taxi’s at the rank can be very expensive, so try to book yours in advance. Here is a list of taxis on the SnowCarbon website.
Altibus are a shuttle service who take passengers from Bourg-saint-Maurice to Tignes, and in the winter they run from around 7.30 to 18.30 on a Saturday and Sunday throughout the winter. The service runs at a set time.
On weekdays Altibus take a 2 hour lunch break, so it might be nice for you to have lunch in Bourg whilst you wait! We can recommend The Cherry Garden for a delicious Asian meal, Snack Ski Roc for a quick pizza or Pause Cafe for a coffee, kürtös or a sandwich.
Altibus will drop you at recognised bus stops only - so ask your accommodation host which the nearest bus stop is. From there you could walk or call a taxi - so be prepared with a taxi number and a fully charged phone.
Grenoble to Tignes by bus
Ben’s Bus is a popular shared bus service from Grenoble to Tignes costing around £86.00 per person, return. The bus journey will take around 4 hours due to stops on the way. There are six buses per day on a Saturday, so organise a good time for you to take your bus from Grenoble airport to Tignes. The last bus is at 18.55.
On Sundays Ben’s Bus only operates in the morning.
Ben’s Bus will drop you at 1 bus stop in Tignes Le Lac (by the tourist information centre) and 1 bus stop in Tignes Val Claret (near the cinema). Do find out which one is closest to your accommodation through your host, and have a taxi number at hand in case of bad weather or delays.
Free shuttle buses frequently travel through Tignes and Tignes Val Claret, which may take you closer to your accommodation. Check the Tignes website for shuttle bus stops.
The red and the blue lines cover Le Lac, Val Claret and Lavachet. Red going Le Lavachet to Le Val, blue going the opposite way.
The green and black lines cover Tignes le Lac from Gare Routière ( which is the bus/taxi station) to Tignes 1800.
This bus route diagram was accurate at time of publishing, but please always check the Tignes website for up to date information.
Grenoble to Tignes by private transfer
Whiterides Airport Transfers offer private transfers in an 8 seater minibus (9 including driver), which will pick you up from departures at Grenoble airport and bring you straight to your accommodation door - be it apartment, hotel or chalet.
If you take a private transfer you do not have to wait for any other groups. We constantly check your arrival time, and if we can see you are delayed we wait for you - up to an hour.
All our drivers are professionally trained for winter driving, and are capable of driving safely on mountain roads even in the worst conditions. All can fit snow chains in heavy snow.
We also guarantee we can fit all your luggage including your skis in our minivans.
Prices vary depending on the number in the group travelling from Grenoble airport to Tignes. For example the base price for between 1 and 4 people is €355 (at time of writing), so €88.75 each.
We think you will agree that this is the most pleasant way to get from Grenoble to Tignes.
Grenoble to Tignes by shared transfer
Shared transfers are sometimes available and can make the journey cheaper, however it may mean you need to wait. Shared transfers are for two people minimum and are based on the the 'empty legs' we have going to and from airports. These are advertised on our LAST MINUTE page and the Whiterides' Facebook page.
Don’t worry! If you have already booked a private transfer we will never add anyone to your journey.