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Transfers from Tarentaise Resorts – Rockslide
LAST UPDATED 13:55 (French Time) FRIDAY 8th FEB – PLEASE REFRESH THIS PAGE TO SEE THE LATEST VERSION
Following the landslide that occurred on the Tarentaise access road, the situation on Saturday 8th February remains dynamic and uncertain. The news coming from the authorities is that the road will now fully re-open on Saturday. However, since the news has changed about 6 times since we first created this blog post, it would be prudent to prepare for significant delays.
TRANSFERS TO THE AIRPORTS
Our team have worked extremely hard to change a lot of our bus times so they leave earlier in the morning. Please check your emails for any new etickets we might have sent you.
To be certain of your bus times, you can request an up-to-date eticket at any time. If you want to change to an earlier bus, you can edit your booking. If you now arrive at the airport way before your flight, take a look at this page to see what tips we have to kill time at the airport.
TRANSFERS FROM THE AIRPORTS
We plan on running all our transfers from the airports as the latest news is that the road will be fully re-open. However, please do plan for a longer-than-expected journey as we do not know what the roads will be like.
We appreciate that the situation may have been frustrating for you and has impacted your holiday and we are sorry about this, but we ask for your understanding in these very challenging times. The authorities have been working with a difficult situation and we are sure that they, like us, have always had safety as their Number 1 priority. We have to react to the news we were getting from the authorities. Our team are working exceptionally hard to re-arrange our buses so we can get you to the airport on time.
List of affected resorts : Val Thorens, Les Menuires, St Martin, Meribel, Mottaret, La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes and Val d’Isere, Bourg St Maurice, Aime and Moutiers.
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Landslide on Tarentaise Trunk Road 1st Feb
PLEASE VISIT OUR LATEST BLOG POST ABOUT THE LANDSLIDE AND HOW IT AFFECTS THIS COMING WEEKEND
LAST UPDATED 11:27 LOCAL FRENCH TIME – PLEASE REFRESH THIS PAGE TO ENSURE YOU SEE THE LATEST VERSION AND UPDATES
EXTRA SUNDAY 2nd FEBRUARY BUSES LAID ON BY BEN’S BUS
We have laid on the following extra buses on Sunday 2nd Feb. These services are free for anyone presenting a Ben’s Bus eticket. Please bear in mind that in these crisis situations we must ask passengers to be polite, courteous and patient with our drivers and staff, who have had a tiring past 24 hours. We are all doing our best in very difficult circumstances. We have laid on as many buses as we can but many drivers are well over their hours having been stuck in gridlocked traffic.
– If your final destination is Val Thorens, Les Menuires or St Martin de Belleville, you could take a bus to Moutiers and arrange your own onward transport from there
– If your final destination is Val d’Isere or Tignes, you could take a bus to Bourg St Maurice and arrange your own onward transport from there
– If your final destination is La Plagne, you could take a bus to Aime and arrange your own onward transport from there
– From Geneva Airport: We have buses to most resorts at 11:10, 12:50 & 16:55. We have laid on as many extra buses as we can at 11:10 and 12:50. Please approach our reps at the airport desk from 09:30 to check for availability.
– From Albertville Emergency Accommodation Centre : Pick Up Point : https://maps.app.goo.gl/TFLVwTPrnxZ214Xq5
You may also decide to take a train from Albertville to either Moutiers, Aime or Bourg St Maurice and then take a taxi or public bus up to your resort. The authorities may also be laying on their own emergency buses.
08:30 Bus 1 (Grey MAGNUM Bus Reg Number EB-476-FX – Franck) to Val d’Isere
08:30 Bus 2 (Grey MAGNUM Bus Reg Number DC-209-MX- Alexis ) to Moutiers > Bourg St Maurice > Les Arcs 1950
08:30 Bus 3 (Grey MAGNUM – Nicolas ) to Moutiers > Aime
10:00 Bus 4 (FAURE) to Moutiers and the Val Thorens valley resorts.
10:00 Bus 5 (FAURE) to Bourg St Maurice & Tignes
About 11:00 Bus 6 (Aurore Evasion) to Moutiers and the Val Thorens valley resorts. Running late!!
About 11:00 Bus 7 (Aurore Evasion) to Bourg St Maurice, Val d’Isere & Tignes Running late!!
– From Lyon Airport : Departing at 09:30: Bus Bay 11 (Corrine) For Les Menuires & Val Thorens | Bus Bay 12 (Christian) for Bourg St Maurice, Tignes and Val d’Isere
– A list of the Emergency Accommodation Centres opened up by authorities can be found here
– Real Time Traffic information can be seen here
– Specific information about the incident can be found here
There has been a landslide on the main road leading to all the Tarentaise ski resorts which is affecting access to Val Thorens, Meribel, La Plagne, Les Arcs, Tignes and Val d’Isere.
Please understand that this is a very dynamic situation and we are making decisions based on the information as we receive it. We will continue to make decisions based on the security and safety of our passengers and staff.
AIRPORT TO RESORT TRAFFIC
As we have been monitoring the situation as the day progressed, it has become clear from our drivers on the road, the local traffic webcams and traffic websites, that the road between Albertville and Moutier is now very heavily congested. The local authorities are advising no-one to enter this road and to make a U-turn. We cannot send out buses into this as our drivers, for safety reasons, are limited by the number of hours they can drive. We will not knowingly send our buses into a situation where our drivers will probably go over their hours. We are sorry but for the moment, we will not be sending any buses to the Tarentaise resorts for the rest of Saturday 1st February. We would advise the following:
Flying into GENEVA Airport – if you have not already taken your flight, consider changing your flight to arrive in on Sunday 2nd Feb. We have buses on Sunday with space and you can approach our rep and if we have space, they will let you travel for free. If you have already arrived at Geneva Airport, you could stay in a hotel either at Geneva Airport or in Geneva itself. There is a shuttle train into Geneva.
Flying into GRENOBLE Airport – If you have already arrived at Grenoble Airport, our team at the airport will advise you to book a hotel in Grenoble centre before taking a bus which we will lay on to take you into the city centre. You would then need to make your own way to your resort on Sunday. We do have one bus from Grenoble Airport late on Sunday morning but please check with your rep at the airport on Saturday to see if there is space for you. Please bear in mind that the airport is 45 minutes in the opposite direction of your resort so it would be best to make your own way there.
Flying into LYON Airport – If you have already arrived at Lyon Airport, our team at the airport will advise you to book a hotel at Lyon Airport or in Lyon city centre. There is a shuttle train from the airport to the city centre. You would then need to make your own way to your resort on Sunday as we have no buses from Lyon Airport on Sunday.
https://savoie-route.fr/
https://inforoute.hautes-alpes.fr/www/index.html
We would advise keeping any receipts for any costs you incur to assist in any insurance claim you may wish to make. We thank you for your understanding that we cannot be held liable for any costs you may incur as a result of this major incident, nor will we be able to offer any kind of refund.
RESORT TO AIRPORT TRAFFIC
We believe the authorities are allowing traffic to flow out of the resort but under at a very restricted level. Obviously the roads will be moving very, very slowly and delays may continue to be severe late into the day. Our drivers may stop at a train station en-route for those that may wish to get off our bus and onto a train, as that seems to be the only sensible, viable way out of the valley. We cannot be sure when and how the authorities will re-open the road during this crisis.
If you are in the resort and waiting for our bus to take you to the airport, please understand that our buses may be stuck in the traffic coming up to pick you up. You may wish to consider alternative transport. We will endeavour to contact you directly via SMS with updates. The train lines from Bourg St Maurice, Aime and Moutiers do not seem to be affected. So it could be possible to take a train from there to your airport.
We will update this post as we receive more information from the authorities.
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EES Scheme for Non-EU Residents
The European Union (EU) is in the process of implementing a scheme called the EES which will affect how non-EU passport holders travel to most EU countries. The EES was scheduled to start on the 10th November 2024, but has now been delayed indefinitely. When it comes into effect, it will impact any non-EU citizens travelling to any airport which Ben’s Bus operates from during the 2024 / 2025 ski season. Passengers should prepare for potentially longer queues at Passport Control.
WHAT IS THE EES?
The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) is a system for digitally registering travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries when they first cross an EU external border. It is being introduced to allow stricter controls of movement into the Schengen area.
As reported in this BBC article and quoting EU Commissioner Johansson, the rules will mean “we will know if people stay too long” and “will make it harder for criminals, terrorists or Russian spies to use fake passports“.
HOW WILL THE EES AFFECT ME?
If you hold an EU passport, you won’t be affected. If not, the first time you enter the EU, you will be asked to register your biometric data (such as fingerprints and / or a photo). This will be done in special EES kiosks when you arrive.
Authorities are anticipating it will take an extra 1 minute to process each passenger. Although most airports have invested in extra staff and technology, you will probably experience longer queue times when you arrive at your airport. You should consider this when selecting a bus time on our website.
Your data will be held for 3 years. EES registration will replace the current system of manually stamping passports, so it should be a quicker, smoother process the next time you enter the EU.
WHAT CAN I DO TO PREPARE FOR THIS?
You do not need to apply for the EES and there is not much you can do in advance. As reported in this Europe Street News article, Frontex, the EU border agency, may develop a mobile app where travellers could pre-register some of their details. However, this would not replace the need to register biometric data at the physical border.
As mentioned above, you should consider the potential for longer queues at Passport Control. You should select a later Ben’s Bus if you think, once you enter your flight arrival time, our first bus time listed is too tight for you. Most of our routes have many buses operating each day. For instance, our Geneva Airport to Val Thorens service has up to 11 services a day, so you wouldn’t have to wait long until the next bus.
It is obviously impossible for us to say how long you should allow, as this would depend on many factors. Such factors could include where you are sitting on the plane, how many people are in your group, how many bags you have to pick up, how busy the airport is and whether you’ve already travelled to the EU and registered your biometric data.
You can read about how we manage late-arriving customers here.
We recommend upgrading to Ben’s Bus Plus in case you need to edit your booking. For instance you may decide, after booking, that you actually want to take a later bus. You get free changes with Ben’s Bus Plus.
FURTHER INFORMATION
We would also advise checking your own governments’ website for precise information and advice. For the UK, this can be found here.
Another scheme the EU is planning on implementing in the first half of 2025 is the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). This will take the form of a paid-for travel authorisation, which will be required for citizens of non-EU countries that do not need a visa to enter the EU.
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Transfers to European Gay Ski Week 2025
Posted 18th August 2024
EUROPEAN GAY SKI WEEK VAL THORENS TRANSFERS FROM €54pp
The European Gay Ski Week is returning for 2025. The Number 1 ski event for the LGBTQI+ community runs from the 22nd – 29th March 2025. Ben’s Bus is the only shared transfer provider running from 3 different airports.
The EGSW is located in Val Thorens, part of the famous les 3 vallees ski area in France. The resort offers fantastic skiing and even better apres-ski, complemented by the brilliant activities and events laid on by the organisers.
Extra buses are available from Geneva Airport to Val Thorens, with 11 running up to the resort on the 22nd March. We also have transfers from Grenoble Airport to Val Thorens and Lyon Airport to Val Thorens. Return transfers cost from €107pp.
Our shuttle buses stop at the main bus station and the UCPA centre. Visit our Val Thorens Airport Transfer page to view maps of the resort. We’re used to running large numbers of transfers for festivals, so you can feel confident booking an airport transfer with us. In December 2024, we operate about 50 buses from Les Deux Alpes for the RISE music festival.
We transport our customers in large coaches, which is the most environmentally friendly way of getting from the airport up to the resort. However, this year we’ve gone a step further and created a unique initiative to make all our airport transfers carbon neutral. No other shared ski transfer company does this – as far as we know.
GENEVA AIRPORT TO THE EUROPEAN GAY SKI WEEK VAL THORENS
Geneva Airport is the closest airport to Val Thorens at only 155km away. This means the journey takes about 3 hours. A Single cost €55.50pp, but we have some great discounts for groups. View the route from Geneva Airport to the EGSW in Val Thorens.
GRENOBLE AIRPORT TO THE EUROPEAN GAY SKI WEEK VAL THORENS
Grenoble Airport is 187km away and a lot of the journey is on motorways. If there is no traffic, the journey takes just over 3 hours. A Single costs £52pp. View the route from Grenoble Airport to the EGSW in Val Thorens.
LYON AIRPORT TO THE EUROPEAN GAY SKI WEEK VAL THORENS
Lyon Airport is the furthest airport, at 199km away. The journey usually takes about 3 hours and 20 minutes. A Single costs £52pp. View the route from Lyon Airport to the EGSW in Val Thorens.
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WINTER SKI TRANSFERS FOR 2024 / 25 NOW ON SALE!
Posted 14th August 2024
ALL AIRPORT SKI TRANSFERS NOW ON SALE
We’ve still got a few more weeks of summer, but at Ben’s Bus we’re always looking to when we can get back up the mountain. All our transfers for the 2024 / 2025 winter season are now on sale.
Many of you will have already booked your ski holiday. If you’ve booked your flights and accommodation, the next thing you need to sort out are your ski transfers. Many of our services sell out as we are the cheapest and most environmentally friendly way of getting from most airports to most ski resorts.
OUR NEW CARBON OFFSETTING SCHEME
If you need to fly to your resort, by travelling on a shared transfer you’ll already be significantly reducing your carbon emissions.
We’re delighted to announce that this year, all our transfers will be fully carbon neutral. You can help further by following a few useful tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint when flying.
2024 / 2025 WINTER SKI SEASON – AIRPORT TRANSFERS
Select a Ski Resort below to see how we can get you from your airport to your destination, or scroll down for more information.
We can also help you get to La Tania, Peisey and Les Coches (from Aime) La Rosiere, Villard Reculas and Auris en Oisans.
Our transfers from Grenoble Airport are currently only on sale up until the 29th March 2025. Our April 2025 transfers will go on sale around late November. Find out more on our Easter and Spring Transfer Buses Page.
Transfers for the RISE festival in Les Deux Alpes will run between the 7 – 14 December. For all other resorts, our Saturday-only service starts on the 14th December. The resorts we service are listed on our Lyon Airport page. Our transfers are now on sale and you can get a quote or book online!
Ski transfers from Geneva Airport operate on Saturdays and Sundays. For our most popular routes, such as Geneva to Val Thorens, Geneva to Tignes and Geneva to Val d’Isere, we have up to 11 buses per Saturday.
If you are heading to Alpe d’Huez and Les Deux Alpes, we will have a bus connecting with every single scheduled flight, any day of the week, throughout the season. Our services to other resorts such as Tignes and Val Thorens, will run on week-ends all the way through season .
WHAT REFUND GUARANTEES ARE THERE?
We know that you need the peace of mind of receiving a refund should you need to cancel. Flexibility to change your booking for free is another key requirement for many holidaymakers. That’s why we recommend upgrading to Ben’s Bus Plus. This allows you to book with confidence.
To keep up to date with all our news, follow us on facebook.
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Ben’s Bus Goes Carbon Neutral!
Posted 14th June 2024
CARBON NEUTRAL AIRPORT SKI TRANSFERS
We’re delighted to announce Ben’s Bus Airport Ski Transfers are now Carbon Neutral! That’s right folks, if you travel on any of our transfers, you will now have your carbon footprint offset via our new new environmental scheme.
As a responsible company who’s always cared about climate change, we’ve found a way for our monetary contributions to make a real difference. We’ll be donating a large sum at the end of the season to SolarAid.
Shared transfers are already the most environmentally friendly way to get to your ski resort. Since you’ll be on a large vehicle with lots of other passengers, you’ll all be sharing your carbon emissions. However, we’ve gone a step further and will now, at the end of the season, calculate our total carbon emissions. We’ll then convert that to money and donate it to the award-winning SolarAid. Their initiatives in Africa not only reduce CO2, but make a real difference to people’s lives.
REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT EVEN FURTHER
Did you know you could go even further in reducing the pollution in our beautiful mountains? All you need to do is make a few small gestures when you travel to our ski resorts and collectively we can save tons of CO2.
We’ve written a guide with some top tips on how to get your carbon footprint even lower, including cunning ways to reduce your luggage weight on the plane.
As far as we know, we’re the first shared transfer company to go carbon neutral. So now, whether your on a bus from Geneva to Val Thorens or Grenoble to Tignes, you can travel in the confidence that the impact you’re having on global warming is as low as it can be.
Our Geneva Airport Ski Transfers and our Lyon Airport ski transfers are now on sale. We hope to get our Grenoble Airport ski transfers on sale by the end of July 2024. Sign up to our mailing list below to be notified as soon as we’re live and to hear about any early bird discounts we may offer.
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Thank You to Our Customers and Bus Companies
Posted 8th May 2024
BEN’S BUS SAYS ‘MERCI & AU REVOIR’ TO THE 2023 / 24 SKI SEASON
We’ve now run our last bus of the 2023 / 2024 ski season and it’s been another great year. This was our 18th season running airport buses to the ski resorts and we’d like to thank you all for your custom over the years.
A huge thank you must go out to our amazing reps and managers, our bus company partners and their office teams for ensuring our customers had the best possible experience.
And of course to the unsung heroes – the drivers. Waking up at crazy hours to drive up and down mountain roads, in sometimes treacherous conditions, to get people safely to their ski holiday destinations and home again.
We’re already planning for the 2024 / 2025 season and are working hard to ensure we have even more buses for you all. We’ll also be trying to keep our prices as low as possible, despite ever-increasing costs. We’re hoping that we will only have to increase our prices by a very small margin this year.
Our transfers from Geneva and Lyon Airports should go on sale in early June 2024, whilst our Grenoble Airport transfers will go on sale around early August 2024. Sign up to our mailing list using the form below to be alerted as soon as we are live.
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New Youth Football Team Sponsored by Bens Bus
Posted 11th February 2023
BEN’S BUS ANNOUNCES NEW YOUTH FOOTBALL TEAM SPONSORSHIP
We’re delighted to have just received this photo of the Under 11 youth football club we sponsor. Wessex Giants play in the south Somerset youth league and are doing great! We’re so pleased that our money has bought them new kits and assistance to fund training programs. Good luck for the season boys and stay active!
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Travel Restrictions Ease & Snow Arrives in France
Posted 19th September 2021
COVID TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS EASE AS SNOW HITS THE ALPS
It’s as if the Snow Gods heard the announcement that double-jabbed Brits will face less stringent travel restrictions. There’s no longer a need to take expensive tests and both France and Switzerland have moved to the Green List. The news was greeted with jubilation by the ski industry and skiers alike.
24 hours later – the snow starts falling in most of the resorts we cover. It’s a good omen!
VAL THORENS
Of course, the highest ski resort in Europe picked up some snow. Our transfers to Val Thorens run regularly from Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon Airports
ALPE D’HUEZ (and LES 2 ALPES)
Alpe d’Huez and Les 2 Alpes also received their first snowfall of the Autumn. Travel there from Grenoble and Lyon Airport.
VAL D’ISERE (AND TIGNES)
Val d’Isere and Tignes have an excellent snow record.
LA PLAGNE
La Plagne is linked toLes Arcs via the Paradiski Express lift
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Ski Holiday Flights | How to Reduce CO2 Emissions
Updated 8th May 2024
HOW TO REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT WHEN FLYING TO YOUR SKI HOLIDAY
After a summer of extreme floods, heatwaves and wildfires, the issue of Climate Change has never felt so real. Sustainability has become an important part of all our lives. Many travellers are now asking “How can I reduce my carbon footprint and still fly to my ski holiday?”
Carbon offsetting initiatives such as easyJet’s sustainability scheme are helpful, but they don’t eliminate the CO2 emitted when flying. However, done right and over a certain distance, flying is not actually as bad as some people think. Trains and cars still use energy and electricity is not yet 100% green. The extra emissions caused by congestion if everyone were to stop taking planes needs to be considered.
TOP TIPS TO REDUCE YOUR CO2 EMISSIONS WHEN FLYING
1. TAKE DIRECT FLIGHTS
A large percentage of greenhouse gas emissions on short flights are used on take-off. There’s a huge selection of direct flights to airports such as Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon, so it’s hard to justify stop-over flights via places like Amsterdam or Munich.
If you can’t find a flight that suits your budget / time, Skyscanner has a great function where you can click “Add Nearby Airports”. You could also fly into one airport and out of another if the times / prices suit you better.
2. USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO GET TO THE AIRPORT
For some people, driving to the airport cannot be helped. Electric cars are great, but remember that not all electricity is green yet and your car still contributes to congestion. Consider getting a taxi to the bus / train station if you have bags / children in tow.
Most UK airports do have good public transport access. Find out how to get to your UK airport by bus or by train. It can also be cheaper when you factor in airport parking and it’s a nicer way to arrive, since you’re usually dropped right outside Departures.
3. USE SHARED TRANSFERS TO GET UP TO YOUR SKI RESORT
Most of the big resorts like Tignes, Val Thorens and Val d’Isere have at least one shared transfer service, public bus or train service. See a list of which ski resorts we cover.
Just one Ben’s Bus can potentially replace 15-20 private transfers / hire cars on the road. On the busy weeks for ski resorts, the congestion on the access roads can sometimes result in total gridlock. This slow moving traffic caused by so many vehicles considerably increases the CO2 emissions / person.
4. HIRE SKIS IN RESORT
Ski hire shops have come a long way in recent years. Prices are very reasonable and probably comparable with the extra cost of bringing your skis / board on a plane. That extra weight adds a lot of CO2 onto your carbon footprint.
Most shops have a large range of modern equipment and some even deliver to your accommodation. You don’t need to lug your gear to and from the airport and wait at the oversized luggage. Visit our discounted ski hire page to get a quote.
5. PACK LIGHT
Every extra kilo in your bag means more CO2 going into the atmosphere. This article by Fly Aware explains how if everyone on a Heathrow to Frankfurt flight took 1kg less in their luggage, in 1 year they would have collectively saved 60 tonnes of Co2!! You’ll also put less strain on your body, so you’ll arrive fresher and fitter to enjoy your ski holiday.
Set yourself a challenge this year to see which of our top tips you can use and how many kilos you can shed:
– DON’T OVERPACK. Give more thought to what goes in your bags. Do you really need all those clothes? Potential Saving = 3kg
– LAPTOPS and chargers don’t make for a relaxing holiday. Maybe your phone can do everything? Potential Saving = 2.5kg
– LIGHTWEIGHT SKI GEAR. For instance, Merino wool thermals are very light and effective. Potential Saving = 1kg
– TOWELS & LINEN. Check if your accommodation could provide or rent towels and sheets. Potential Saving = 1kg
– TOILETRIES such as shower gel and shampoo could be bought in resort and shared. Potential Saving = 0.5kg
– CO-ORDINATE with your friends so you don’t bring 4 sets of hairdryers / speakers. Potential Saving = 0.5kg
– DUTY FREE. Check if your arrival airport offers a pick up service. Potential Saving = 1kg
– LOSE WEIGHT. Easier said than done! Potential Saving = ????kg
For those who aren’t regular skiers, or just trying it for the first time, you could rent your ski clothes in resort. This would also save you a lot of money.
6. CHOOSE A RESORT IN EUROPE
The US and Japan are inviting, exciting destinations if you’re lucky enough to afford it. Perhaps those long-haul flights could be used for a longer trip though? You could include skiing in a 3 week holiday to that country? The ICAO has developed a flight CO2 calculator. Below is a list of how much CO2 is produced for a Round trip flight from London, in economy class.
Tokyo, Japan = 774kg of CO2
Denver, Colorado, United States = 764kg of CO2
Geneva, Switzerland = 200kg of CO2
As a comparison, driving to Geneva, Switzerland = 171kg of CO2 (according to the CO2 myclimate website). This is based on a 2,000km round trip from London to Geneva in a mid-range petrol car with 4 of you in the car. This is interestingly not that much less than flying! Put a roof box on the car and it adds between 10-25% to your fuel bill, so flying becomes a carbon-efficient way of getting to the resort.
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