How to get from Chamonix to Verbier
Chamonix is Verbier’s French neighbour, another extensive ski resort with a big appetite for mountaineering. The two are a short journey apart, perfect for a day trip. If you’re got your own car or a hire car, it’s just over an hour over the Col de Forclaz, a scenic mountain pass connecting the two regions. Leaving Chamonix you head toward the Swiss border, and the pass will bring you out in Martigny, only a half an hour drive away from Verbier. Remember your passport; it’s a short journey but you will need either this or an ID if you’re from within the Schengen zone.
If you don’t have access to a car, the Mont Blanc Express train makes for a very scenic if slightly longer journey. It’s less ideal for popping over just for a single ski day unless you don’t mind an early start, as it takes 2 hours on the train to Martigny, and then a further 20 minutes from Martigny to Le Chable, the village at the foot of Verbier. To continue up to Verbier the quickest way is to take the gondola, or if you’re visiting out of season or after hours (the gondola runs 08.45-19.30 from December to late April during the winter season) there is a bus. Use www.sbb.ch to plan your journey online easily, which includes all the bus and gondola connections too.
How to get to Verbier from Zurich
Zurich is a bit further than Geneva when heading to Verbier, but it’s still a doable journey for a weekend or trip away.
By car is the easiest way to make this journey, at just over a 3 hour drive. If you’ve got your own car this is no problem at all, but if renting a car you may want to make sure your accommodation offers parking during your stay in Verbier or you can use paid parking facilities. There is free day or longterm parking in Le Chable, or up in Verbier, Perrin behind the Centre du Sportif is free for 24 hours and only CHF 5 a day after that.
Train is a great way to get from Zurich to Verbier, the journey takes about 3hr 45 minutes from the city centre train station, or a bit longer if travelling from the airport. You’ll need to change at Lausanne and then again at Martigny to travel toward Le Chable. From Le Chable you’ll then need to take a bus or a gondola depending when you arrive, if you’re staying up in Verbier.