Need to get to Chamonix and all routes are taking me through Switzerland. Is this covered on my France eurail pass? If not, do I just need to buy a ticket for the portions of the trip that aren’t covered?
Answer
Beaune to Chamonix on France eurail pass
Best answer by rvdborgt
A route via France:
No reservation needed, the bus is a rail replacement bus.
Use St Gervais-les-Bains as a via.
A pass for France is not valid in Switzerland. You would need an extra ticket between Geneva and Le Châtelard-Frontière.
What's your travel date?
Ticket on sbb.ch or the SBB app, price CHF 61.40. Only to Le Châtelard-Frontière because that's where you enter France again.
Is there any particular reason why you're planning to travel this way? From Beaune via Geneva to Chamonix means you're leaving shortly after 9 am, so you'll be travelling all day and paying extra to go via Switzerland. You can also stay in France and have a shorter journey.
We are trying to go through France but can’t find a route that doesn’t take us into Switzerland. Are you aware of a route?
A route via France:
No reservation needed, the bus is a rail replacement bus.
Use St Gervais-les-Bains as a via.
This route would work too :
- TER Beaune - Lyon Part-Dieu 07:02 - 08:43
- Bus Lyon Part-Dieu - Bellegarde 09:10 - 10:50
- Bus Bellegarde - St-Gervais 11:15 - 13:30
If you're lucky the bus is a bit early (possible) and you can catch this train :
- TER St-Gervais - Chamonix 13:28 - 14:23
If not, it'll be the same one an hour later. SNCF doesn't like optimised connections unlike Switzerland next door... the train always leaves just before the connecting bus arrives.
It's quite long because SNCF likes detours and rail replacement buses (even when there's no engineering works).
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