Our guide to winter in Morzine › Getting to Morzine

How to get to Morzine: An expert’s guide

So, you're thinking about visiting Morzine and are currently wondering about the best way to get there...

If you’re looking for a short answer on the easiest way to get from the UK to Morzine here it is:

1. Catch a flight to Geneva Airport – there are flights from most UK airports and Dublin.
2. Travel from Geneva to Morzine in an airport transfer minibus – this will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
3. Enjoy your time in Morzine.

We find this is the quickest, cheapest and best option for ourselves and most of our clients who come and stay in our self-catered accommodation.

However, there are a few alternative options which may fit your situation better – catching the train, driving, or flying and hiring a car at the airport.

The nearest airport to Morzine is Geneva Airport. This might seem strange because Morzine is in France and Geneva is in Switzerland, but this is because Morzine is located very close to the French-Swiss border.

Geneva airport is 80km from Morzine which takes roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes by car or airport transfer. On that journey, you will cross the frictionless French-Swiss border where 99 times out of 100 you will pass through without stopping to show passports or documentation.

Booking your flights to Morzine: What routes fly to Geneva Airport?

Most UK airports have direct flights to Geneva each week, with major airports having multiple flights on a daily basis. Dublin is the only Irish airport that has direct flights to Geneva.

Here are the airlines that offer UK to Geneva, or Ireland to Geneva, direct flights broken down by airport:

UK to Geneva Airport Flights

Ryanair does not fly to Geneva Airport.

Search for flights for your Morzine trip using SkyScanner

Other airports that are close to Morzine

Chambery Airport

Chambery Airport is the next closest airport to Morzine after Geneva. It is roughly 130km away and it takes about 1 hour and 40 minutes to get to by transfer or car.

British Airways fly directly to Chambery from London Stansted Airport and London City Airport. However, they are generally much more expensive than flights to Geneva and because this isn’t a regular transfer route you’ll probably have to book a more expensive private airport transfer from Chambery Airport to Morzine.

Lyon Airport

Lyon Airport is 205km from Morzine and takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes to travel.

We don’t recommend this airport for getting to Morzine as it is very difficult and very expensive to get an airport transfer from here.

Grenoble Airport

Grenoble Airport is 208km from Morzine and takes roughly 2 hours and 20 minutes by car or transfer.

Again, we don’t recommend this airport for getting to Morzine – it is very difficult and very expensive to get an airport transfer from here.

How to get cheap flights for your next trip

These are the two best ways we’ve figured out to get cheaper flights for your next trip to Morzine:

1. Sign up for email marketing with your airline of choice and wait for them to announce that they’ve released the flights for the time you’re planning to visit Morzine. Flights are generally at their cheapest when they are first released.
2. Wait until the airlines that service your local airport have a sale – easyJet has regular sales and this can be the time to grab bargain flights. Again, we find being on the airline’s email marketing list is the best way to not miss sales.
   

Taking skis, snowboards and bikes on flights

Many people want to bring their own ski equipment, snowboard or bike to Morzine.

This is possible with all airlines but each airline will have its own policy on transporting sporting goods. Many companies will charge you an additional fee for putting your skis, snowboard or bike on the flight, however, others such at Swiss Air allow you to check your ski or snowboard bag for free.

Either way, be sure to pack your gear carefully so it doesn’t get damaged during handling or transportation. This is especially important for bikes which tend to be more fragile and will need to be packed in a bike bag or a box.

Once you’ve arrived in Geneva, either at the airport or the train station, then catching a transfer is the quickest, easiest and most cost-effective way to get to Morzine.

Airport transfer companies that service Morzine use 8 or 13 seater minibuses and can collect you from Geneva Airport, Geneva Cornavin train station or Geneva city centre. As the main route is from the airport to Morzine you can book cheaper shared transfers from there. Bookings from the train station or city centre will need to be private transfers.

There are a number of different providers offering a few different services so you should be able to find an option that fits your needs.

Transfer companies get very busy during the peak weeks of the winter season so we suggest trying to get your transfers booked as soon as you know your flight times and where you’ll be staying in Morzine.

How long do transfers from Geneva to Morzine take?

The transfer from Geneva to Morzine takes 1 hour and 30 minutes. However, It can take a little longer depending on the weather and traffic conditions. Heavy snow and peak holiday weeks will generally slow things up a bit.

The difference between private and shared transfers

The exact definition of private and shared transfers will change slightly from transfer company to transfer company.

But, this is the general consensus:

Shared transfer

In a shared transfer, you will be travelling in a minibus with other passengers who are on the same flight or flights that are arriving or departing very close to yours.

They will probably also be staying at different accommodations to you in Morzine so you may have to drop them off first before heading to your accommodation.

With shared transfers you may have a short wait time whilst other passengers arrive at the airport or, on your return leg, have to leave Morzine slightly earlier than you would expect to accommodate other passengers’ flights.

Booking a shared transfer is cheaper than a private transfer.

Private transfer

In a private transfer, you’ve booked exclusive use of the vehicle for your party. Therefore, you and your friends or family will be the only people on board.

The benefits of a private transfer are:

• No wait time at the airport
• No other drop-offs in Morzine (Geneva to Morzine leg)
• No other pick-ups in Morzine (Morzine to Geneva leg)

However, booking a private transfer is more expensive than a shared transfer.

Our recommended transfer company

Don’t believe us how good they are? Check out their reviews. Five stars all the way!

Other transfer companies who service Morzine

If you can’t book with Skiidy Gonzales because they are fully booked here are some alternative transfer companies you could consider:

• Mountain Dropoffs
• Ski Lifts
• AlpyBus

Taking skis, snowboards and bikes on a transfer to Morzine

The policy on taking skis, snowboards and bikes on transfers varies from company to company. Our recommended transfer company – Skiidy Gonzales – allows you to transport your gear for free, however, some other companies charge a small fee for this.

Catching the train from the UK to Morzine will generally be more expensive than taking a flight. However, it is definitely less damaging to the environment and can make for a more relaxing journey.

In this section, we will detail the two best routes. But before we do, we must make it clear that you can’t get all the way to Morzine on the train – there is no train station. Instead, you’ll need to take a short transfer as the final leg of your journey.

The train to Geneva Cornavin, then get a transfer to Morzine

Start your journey by taking the Eurostar from London to Paris.

In Paris you’ll need to change trains and stations – you’ll arrive in Gare du Nord and will need to take the Metro or a taxi across the city to the Gare de Lyon.

At Gare de Lyon simply catch the train to Geneva Cornavin (9785). This is a TGV Lyria train which is super fast and takes just over 3 hours to arrive in Geneva.

You can find out the latest train timings and book tickets on thetrainline.com.

UK to Geneva Cornavin by train: Journey summary

Getting a transfer from Geneva Cornavin train station

Getting a transfer from Geneva train station is possible but it will usually have to be a private transfer and will, therefore, be more expensive than if you booked a shared transfer from the airport.

Therefore, for many people, a better option is to catch a train from the Geneva Cornavin to the airport and then take a shared transfer to Morzine from there. The trains leave very regularly and the journey time is only 8 minutes.

If you do decide to take a private transfer from Geneva Cornavin train station then the transfer time is roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Get to Thonon-Les-Bains on the train, then get a transfer to Morzine

Thonon-Les-Bains is the closest station to Morzine and, thanks to the recently opened Léman Express, getting there from Geneva Cornavin is a breeze.

To get to Thonon on the train follow the instructions above to get to Geneva Cornavin and then jump on a Léman Express train taking the L1 line (coloured red) which leaves every hour. Travel time between Geneva and Thonon is just under 1 hour.

UK to Thonon-Les-Bains by train: Journey summary

Getting a transfer from SNCF Thonon-Les-Bains Train Station

A few transfer companies offer pickups from Thonon train station.

Our friends at PowderCab are one. A transfer from Thonon to Morzine should take about 40 minutes.

Many people choose to drive from the UK to Morzine as it can be cost effective if you’re travelling with a larger family or group of friends. Or why not make the road trip part of your holiday with some additional stops along the way to explore more of France?

To make things as easy as possible for you all Pure Morzine properties have private off-road parking.

The first part of your journey will involve leaving the UK via ferry or Eurotunnel and arriving in Calais, France.

Then, the French leg of the journey from Calais to Morzine takes roughly 8-9 hours of driving time but you’ll need to factor in extra time for breaks to eat, rest and use the toilet.

Also, as with any car journey, the weather, traffic and accidents on the road can add extra journey time. Therefore, many people choose to break up the journey with an overnight stop along the route.

The route above is generally the quickest and uses the A26, A4, A5, A31, A39 and A40 motorways before using local roads to arrive in Morzine.

All motorways in France are toll roads so you’ll need to factor in this cost when planning your journey. If you follow the route we suggested above the tolls will be roughly €80 each way.

The final part of your journey to Morzine will be on relatively steep and winding mountain roads. They can present difficult driving conditions and if you’re visiting in winter there may be fresh or cleared snow on the roads.

Once you’re in the mountains, legally you’re required to have winter/snow tyres and carry snow chains in your car and it’s a real possibility you may have to use them. We recommend having a practice or two at getting them on and off at home before you leave.

If you’re planning to fly to Geneva Airport another option for the final leg of your journey to Morzine is to hire a car and drive up to the resort.

This is generally more expensive than booking a transfer but can be a good option if you plan to travel around the local region during your visit to Morzine.

Most of the familiar car hire brands operate at Geneva Airport but we find it’s best to use a car hire comparison website to quickly find the best deal for your needs.

A slight complication in hiring a car at Geneva Airport

This only applies to EU residents...

Geneva Airport is located in Switzerland, however, because it is so close to the French border it has both a Swiss and French sector.

Almost all flights to Geneva from the UK arrive in the Swiss sector of the airport but, due to EU regulations, as your destination is in France, strictly, you should be hiring a car from the French sector.

The good news is that hiring a car from the French sector is cheaper than hiring in Switzerland. The bad news is that doing so will add about 45 minutes to your journey time to Morzine. Leaving the French sector of the airport takes you through smaller local roads whereas the Swiss sector is connected directly onto the motorway.

Another difference – cars hired in the Swiss sector tend to come with snow chains as standard whereas cars hired in the French sector do not.

We’ll have to leave that decision up to you...

Hiring a car in Morzine

There are no car hire offices in Morzine, however, it is possible to hire a car online from Europa car and get it delivered to the garage located near the Super Morzine telecabine.

This can be a great option if you’re staying in Morzine and would like to hire a car for the day to explore the surrounding towns and area – Chamonix, Evian and Annecy are all lovely day trips from Morzine.