How to travel from Nice to Chamonix, France

The distance between Nice and Chamonix is around 450km (280 miles) and the quickest way to get there is to fly and then take the bus which takes around 4h 25m.

5 routes found

We've found 5 different ways to get from Nice to Chamonix by bus, train, car and plane. The recommended routes, which include information on duration, ticket price, and level of difficulty, can be found below.

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

🚀 Fastest
1
plane
+
bus
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Plane and Bus

Fly from Nice (NCE) to Lyon (LYS) then take the bus to Chamonix Sud - Bus station.

  • Duration4h 25m
  • Flight time55min
  • Typical cost
    €225($225)
Operated by

Multiple operators

2
3 x bus
+

Bus

Take the bus to Turin then Aosta and then to Chamonix.

  • Duration6h 35m
  • Departs5 times a week
  • Typical cost
    €39($39)

1 similiar route

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

3
3 x train
+

Train

Take the train to Lyon Part Dieu then Bellegarde and then to St-Gervais-les-Bains-le-Fayet.

  • Duration8h 45m
  • Departs5 times a day
  • Typical cost
    €260($260)
4
car
+

Drive

Drive to Chamonix.

  • Duration4h 40m
  • Distance458km (285 miles)
Get turn-by-turn directions

Frequently asked questionsabout travel between Nice and Chamonix

There are several options for getting from Nice to Chamonix by bus, train, car and plane. The cheapest option is to take the bus which costs around €16 ($16) and will take around 10h 10m. If you need to get there more quickly, you can fly and then take the bus and arrive in approximately 4h 25m, though it is a bit more costly at approximately €225 ($225).

The distance between Nice and Chamonix is around 450km (280 miles). In a direct line (as the crow flies), the distance is 250km (155 miles)

It takes around 6h 35m to get from Nice and Chamonix by bus. If you are travelling by car it will take around 4h 40m to drive there.

The quickest way to get from Nice to Chamonix is to fly and then take the bus which takes around 4h 25m and will set you back approx €225 ($225).

The cheapest way to travel between Nice and Chamonix, if you exclude driving, is to take the bus which will typically cost around €16 ($16) for a standard one-way ticket.

Train travel

Yes there is a train service that runs between Nice and Chamonix. It typically takes around 8h 45m and departs 5 times a day.

There are no direct train services that runs from Nice to Chamonix. However, you can instead can take several connecting trains with a changeover in Lyon Part Dieu, Bellegarde and St-Gervais-les-Bains-le-Fayet. These services run 5 times a day and will take a minimum of 8h 45m.

TGV inOui, Swiss Railways and SNCF run train services between Nice and Chamonix. Trains depart 5 times a day 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 Nice and Chamonix. It typically takes around 6h 35m and departs 5 times a week.

There are no direct bus services that runs from Nice to Chamonix. However, you can instead can take several connecting buses with changeovers in Turin and Aosta. These services run 5 times a week and will take a minimum of 6h 35m.

FlixBus, Zou! LER and Swiss PostAuto run regular bus services between Nice and Chamonix. Buses run 5 times a week and take around 6h 35m on average but will vary depending on you book with.

Flights and Airlines

It doesn't look like you can fly directly from Nice to Chamonix. We recommend that you fly from Nice (NCE) to Lyon (LYS) then take the bus to Chamonix Sud - Bus station. instead which will take 4h 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 Nice and Chamonix. The distance is around 458km (285 miles) by road and it will take around 4h 40m in normal traffic conditons.

If you don't have a car, the easiest way to get from Nice to Chamonix is to take the bus which takes, on average, 6h 35m and will usually cost around €39 ($39).

How do I get from Nice to Chamonix

Compare travel optionsbetween Nice and Chamonix

Transport options from Nice to Chamonix
Transport optionDurationCostFrequencyDistance
Plane and Bus
4h 25m
€225($225)
every 20 mins512km (318 miles)
Bus + 1 similar
6h 35m
€39($39)
5 times a week450km (280 miles)
Bus via GRENOBLE - Gare Routière - GRENOBLE10h 10m
€16($16)
3 times a week503km (313 miles)
Train
8h 45m
€260($260)
5 times a day791km (492 miles)
Drive
4h 40m
€62($62)
on demand458km (285 miles)

Top Carriersoperating between Nice 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