Norway
Chamonix Travel Guide
TRANSPORT
Getting There
The bus station is in the train station building. The office of SAT Autocar (tel: 04 50 53 01 15; www.satobus-alps.com - in French; Mon-Fri -, -; Sat & Sun winter -, -) is near the train station entrance. Buses operate to Geneva bus station (1.5-2hr), Annecy (3hr) and Geneva airport (2.25hr). Services to Italy, through the Mont Blanc tunnel, include Courmayeur and Aoste.
If you're coming to Chamonix from Italy, you'll arrive via the Mont Blanc Tunnel (for the use of which there's a hefty fee), which enters town in the southern suburb of Les Pélerins. From France, the N205 travels to Les Houches and Les Bossons before arriving in Chamonix.
Chamonix-Mont Blanc train station (tel: 04 50 53 12 98; ticket counter -) is at the end of av Michel Croz. It has a left-luggage counter. Major destinations include Paris' Gare de Lyon (6-7hr, five daily), Lyon (4.5hr via Annecy), Annecy (2.5hr), Geneva (4hr via Annecy or Chambéry), and Grenoble (5hr via Annecy). There's an overnight train to Paris (10hr) year-round. The narrow-gauge train line from St- Gervais-le Fayet (23km/14.2mi west of Chamonix) to Martigny, Switzerland (42km/26.1mi north of Chamonix), stops at 11 towns in the valley including Argentière. There are between nine and 12 return trips a day. From St-Gervais-le Fayet, there are trains to all parts of France.
Getting Around
Bus transport is handled by Chamonix Bus (tel: 04 50 53 05 55; place du Triangle de l'Amitié; - winter, -; - Jun-Aug).
Bus stops are marked by black-on-yellow roadside signs. From mid-December to mid-May there are numerous lines to the ski lifts. During the rest of the year there are only two lines, both leaving from place de l'Église and passing by the Chamonix Sud stop. One line goes south to Les Houches; the other goes north via Argentière to Col des Montets. Buses stop running between and , depending on the season. In winter, buses are free for holders of ski passes.
There's a taxi stand (tel: 04 50 53 13 94) outside the train station. Tariffs are posted inside the station. Minibuses for two to eight people are available from Chamonix Transfer (tel: 06 07 67 88 85; www.chamonix-transfer.com in French).
Parking in town can be tricky. Car parks (some free) are scattered along Route du Bouchet, around Rue des Allobroges and in Chamonix Sud, but in season they're likely to be full. Another option is to park outside town and connect by bus or train: contact Chamonix Parc-Auto (tel: 04 50 53 65 71).
Between June and September, Le Grand Bi rents bikes (tel: 04 53 14 16; 240 av du Bois du Bouchet; 3-/10-speed mountain bike hire per day; Tue-Sat -; -).
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