Heading to Tignes for your winter ski holiday? If you plan on flying, then choosing the right airport is the first decision. The 4 main airports serving the Tignes resorts are: Geneva, Grenoble, Lyon and Chambéry. Each one has its own pros and cons, so it’s important to choose the right one. Below, we’ve compared the transfer times and prices from each airport. Ben’s Bus offers transfers to Tignes from 3 of these 4 airports.
Once you’ve chosen your airport, the next step is deciding how to get from that airport up to the resort. This will depend on what your priorities are: budget, convenience or overall journey time. Choosing the right transfer to Tignes can save you both time and money. Here are your options for getting from your chosen airport to Tignes:
SHARED TRANSFER: This is generally the cheapest and most environmentally friendly option. Shared transfers are often quicker than public transport.
PRIVATE TRANSFER: This option offers a quicker journey and provides a door-to-door service. However, the costs are significantly higher than shared transfers.
CAR HIRE: Hiring a car gives you greater flexibility, but means driving on potentially snowy and busy mountain roads, as well as covering the cost of tolls, fuel and parking.
Ben’s Bus is one of the few shared transfer companies that operate to Tignes from Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon airports. We believe we offer the best value and most frequent transfers. All our shuttle buses make stops at Tignes Les Brevieres, Tignes 1800, Tignes Le Lac (for Le Lavachet) and Tignes Val Claret.
The large coaches we use offer considerably more room than the vehicles used for private transfers, so the journey can be more comfortable.
Tignes is a very popular French ski resort, linked with Val d’Isère. Their combined ski area boasts an impressive 300km of piste and enjoys an enviable snow record.
Depending on the airport you’re using, our transfers run between the 5th December 2026 and the 24th April 2027. Click an airport button above for exact dates.
Transfers from Geneva to Tignes run every Saturday and Sunday. Grenoble Airport services run on Saturdays and some Sundays. Lyon Airport services only run on Saturdays.
Prices start from just under £82 Return. Enter your details into the booking banner above and the next page will show the quote, including any discounts for groups and children. See our luggage allowance and policy here.
The closest airport to Tignes is Chambery Airport and it has the shortest transfer time. However, it’s a small airport and quite prone to delays due to its geographical location. Geneva (GVA), Lyon (LYS) and Grenoble (GNB) Airports are a little further away but they have a far greater choice of airlines and destinations.
The transfer time depends on the travel and weather conditions at the time. We know when the journey may take longer, such as during the French school holidays, and we allow extra time when we think the roads may be busy. The transfer times shown below are for Tignes Les Brevieres, the first resort you arrive at.
Geneva Airport to Tignes is 174 km
The transfer time to Tignes from Geneva Airport is about 3 hours 20 minutes
The first resort you arrive at from the airport is the pretty village of Tignes Les Brevieres. Next is Tignes 1800, then the more popular Le Lac (for Le Lavachet) before arriving at Tignes Val Claret. All our services from all airports can drop you and pick you up from all of these resorts. The Tignes Tourist Office Map can help you find where you are staying. The free in-resort shuttle buses circulate around and between each Tignes resort and can get you closer to your accommodation if needed. Our e-tickets will include a map showing our stop.
Tignes and Val d’Isere make up the amazing ski area formerly known as “Espace Killy”. It offers some of the best skiing in the world. There are 300km of marked runs, serviced by 88 ski lifts. It has a wide range of pistes catering for all types (27 black runs, 40 reds, 66 blues and 23 greens) but it’s really a resort for intermediate and advanced skiers. Its position between the French and Italian Alps provides reliable snowfall. This, as well as the access to 2 glaciers, including the famous Grand Motte Glacier, ensures your holiday is snow guaranteed.
The ski resort of Tignes was conceived in the 1950s, when a French government-built a dam flooded the original village. The resulting purpose-built resort suffered from the architectural style of the time. However, what the resort lacks in architectural aesthetics, it makes up for in skiing and facilities. It has plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants and a modern sports & leisure complex. It is an affordable alternative to its glamorous neighbour, Val d’Isere.
TIGNES RESORT INFORMATION: TRANSPORT, WEATHER...
Cheapest Ski Transfers
We’re sure we offer the cheapest ski transfers to Tignes. We also have low cost transfers to many other ski resorts
Geneva Airport is probably the best airport for getting to Tignes and one of the most popular for a lot of travellers. It has a massive selection of international and UK flights and plenty of transport options to get to the resort. It can get busy at the week-ends though. Lyon and Grenoble Airports are both good alternatives. Chambery Airport, although closer by distance, has a limited choice of flights and can sometimes be prone to delays.
Turin Airport might seem close on a map, but the high mountain pass (the D902 Col d'Iseran) that crosses over into the Maurienne valley is closed during the winter.
Chambery Airport (CMF) is the closest airport to Tignes. The distance to Tignes Le Lac is 135 km and the journey takes just under 3 hours. Geneva Airport (GVA) is the second closest (174 km) and the journey takes just over 3 hours. Grenoble Airport (GNB) is the next closest (214 km) and the journey takes about 3 hours 30 minutes, followed closely by Lyon (LYS), which takes about the same time (219 km).
The transfer times quoted are for an average Saturday during the winter ski season. They vary a lot depending on the weather, traffic and road conditions.
Although Chambery Airport is geographically the closest, Geneva Airport is often considered the most convenient choice for getting to Tignes. This is because of the range of international flights on offer. Chambery has a more limited flight schedule.
Turin Airport might seem closer and it is, in the summer. However in the winter the high mountain pass (the D902 Col d'Iseran) that crosses over into the Maurienne valley is closed and inaccessible.
Ben's Bus has a stop in all of the 4 main Tignes resorts. All of our stops are positioned somewhere safe, with decent onward transport options by way of the frequent, free in-resort shuttle buses. Some of these buses, known as 'navettes' in French, run 24 hours a day. We have stops at the bus station of Tignes Val Claret, the bus station of Tignes Le Lac (which can be used if you are staying in Le Lavachet), at the bus stop on the roundabout at Tignes 1800 and in the main parking area of Tignes Les Brevieres. A bus station in French is called a 'Gare Routiere'.
How Long Does It Take To Get From Geneva Airport To Tignes?
The transfer from Geneva Airport to Tignes usually takes about 3 hours 20 minutes,, depending on the traffic and weather. The journey can take longer during busy periods, particularly at Christmas, New Year and during French February school holidays. Between around 8am - 3pm the roads, depending on which direction you're driving, can get extremely congested between Moutiers and Bourg St Maurice. This is because the road narrows to 1 lane at times and this road services so many ski resorts, such as Les Arcs, La Plagne and Val d'Isere.
How Long Does It Take To Get From Grenoble Airport To Tignes?
The transfer from Grenoble Airport to Tignes usually takes about 3 hours 30 minutes, although journey times can vary depending on traffic and weather conditions. Extra time is needed at certain times of the day, especially between 8am - 3pm (depending on your direction of travel). The roads can get very congested between Moutiers and Bourg St Maurice. This is because the N90 road also services Val d'Isere, Les Arcs and La Plagne and it bottlenecks into 1 lane in places. A lot of extra time is needed when the European schools, particularly the French, are on holiday.
How Long Does It Take To Get From Lyon Airport To Tignes?
The transfer from Lyon Airport to Tignes usually takes about 3 hours 40 minutes. This journey time will depend heavily on the traffic conditions and weather at the time. The journey does take longer if you're travelling between 8am - 3pm (depending on the direction you're driving). Over the festive season and during the February European holidays, the roads can become extremely congested between Bourg St Maurice and Moutiers, where the road narrows to 1 lane in places. There can also be queues at the peages (tolls) around Chambery and Lyon, since the Parisians and Lyonnais use this route to get home.
Delays happen. We get it. It's why we have processes, systems and contingencies in place to ensure your holiday gets off to the right start. Take a look at our Flight Delay Policy to see what we do to manage this.
To see how much luggage is included in your Ben's Bus ticket, and what to do if you want to bring more, please visit our Luggage Allowance & Policy page.
Yes, children can travel on Ben's Bus but our policy on carrying children depends on the route you are travelling on. For more exact details, please visit our childrens page.
