How to travel from La Rochelle to Chamonix, France

The distance between La Rochelle and Chamonix is around 749km (465 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to take the train, then fly and then take the bus which takes around 6h 20m.

6 routes found

We've found 6 different ways to get from La Rochelle to Chamonix by train, plane, bus and car. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

👋 Also check out ChamonixLa Rochelle if you're planning a return trip.

🚀 Fastest
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train
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plane
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bus
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Train to Poitiers, plane and bus

Take the train to Poitiers then fly from Poitiers (PIS) to Lyon (LYS) then take the bus to Chamonix Sud - Bus station.

  • Duration6h 20m
  • Flight time1hr
  • Typical cost
    €340($340)
Operated by

Multiple operators

2 similiar routes

We’ve grouped similar routes together, click the arrows to see the other options.

2
3 x train
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Train

Take the train to Paris Montparnasse 1 Et 2 then Bellegarde and then to St-Gervais-les-Bains-le-Fayet.

  • Duration8h 45m
  • Departsevery 4 hours
  • Typical cost
    €275($275)
💰 Cheapest
3
3 x bus
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Bus

Take the bus to Bordeaux City Centre then Lyon - Saint-Exupéry Airport and then to Chamonix Sud - Bus station.

  • Duration12h 35m
  • Departsonce daily
  • Typical cost
    €50($50)
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car
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Drive

Drive to Chamonix.

  • Duration8h 35m
  • Distance867km (539 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between La Rochelle and Chamonix

There are several options for getting from La Rochelle to Chamonix by train, plane, bus and car. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around €50 ($50) and will take around 12h 35m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take the train, then fly and then take the bus and arrive in approximately 6h 20m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately €340 ($340).

The distance between La Rochelle and Chamonix is around 749km (465 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 620km (385 miles)

It takes around 6h 25m to get from La Rochelle and Chamonix by train, plane and bus. If you are travelling by car it will take around 8h 35m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from La Rochelle to Chamonix is to take the train, then fly and then take the bus which takes around 6h 20m and will set you back approx €340 ($340).

The cheapest way to travel between La Rochelle and Chamonix, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around €50 ($50) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between La Rochelle and Chamonix. It typically takes around 8h 45m and departs every 4 hours.

There are no direct train services that runs from La Rochelle to Chamonix. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Paris Montparnasse 1 Et 2, Montparnasse Bienvenue, Bercy, Paris Gare De Lyon, Bellegarde and St-Gervais-les-Bains-le-Fayet. These services run every 4 hours and will take a minimum of 8h 45m.

TGV inOui, Swiss Railways and SNCF run train services between La Rochelle and Chamonix. Trains depart every 4 hours and will take around 8h 45m, however, this may vary depending on the particular service and whether it runs express or stops all stations.

Bus travel

Yes there is a bus that runs regularly from La Rochelle and Chamonix. It typically takes around 12h 35m and departs once daily.

There are no direct bus services that runs from La Rochelle to Chamonix. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Bordeaux City Centre and Lyon - Saint-Exupéry Airport. These services run once daily and will take a minimum of 12h 35m.

Blablabus and FlixBus run regular bus services between La Rochelle and Chamonix. Buses run once daily and take around 12h 35m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from La Rochelle to Chamonix. We recommend that you take the train to Nantes then fly from Nantes (NTE) to Lyon (LYS) then take the bus to Chamonix Sud - Bus station. instead which will take 6h 25m.

The closest major airport to Chamonix is Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) (LYS) which is approximately 141km (87 miles) from Chamonix. Dole-Jura Airport (DLE) (DLE) and EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL) (BSL) are also nearby and might be a better alternative airport depending on where you are flying from.

Drive yourself

Yes it is possible to drive from La Rochelle and Chamonix. The distance is around 867km (539 miles) by road and it will take around 8h 35m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from La Rochelle to Chamonix is to take the train, then fly and then take the bus which takes, on average, 6h 25m and will usually cost around €130 ($130).

How do I get from La Rochelle to Chamonix

Compare travel optionsbetween La Rochelle and Chamonix

Transport options from La Rochelle to Chamonix
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Train to Poitiers, plane and bus + 2 similar
6h 20m
€340($340)
every 20 mins749km (465 miles)
Train, Plane and Bus6h 25m
€130($130)
every 20 mins909km (565 miles)
Train to Bordeaux St Jean, plane and bus7h 10m
€140($140)
every 20 mins894km (555 miles)
Train
8h 45m
€275($275)
every 4 hours1,055km (656 miles)
Bus
12h 35m
€50($50)
once daily977km (607 miles)
Drive
8h 35m
€115($115)
on demand867km (539 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between La Rochelle and Chamonix

Airports near Chamonix

The following major airports near Chamonix offer regular flights to various popular destinations within France and internationally.

LYS
Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS)
International Airport
Distance
141km (87 miles) from Chamonix
DLE
Dole-Jura Airport (DLE)
Domestic Airport
Distance
166km (103 miles) from Chamonix
BSL
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL)
International Airport
Distance
193km (120 miles) from Chamonix