Private transfer from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens

How much does a taxi from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens cost?

The minimum cost of a taxi trip from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens is 490 – 680 €, depending on the type of vehicle, amount of luggage, time of day, day of the week and waiting time in traffic. The driver will tell you the final amount only at the end of the trip. Therefore, it is better to find out in advance exactly what affects the price of the trip.

* The indicated rates apply to passenger cars (sedans). For minibuses (van), the rates are significantly higher.

Taxi or private transfer from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens: which is better?

Many tourists believe that a taxi from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens is clearly inferior to a private transfer. A taxi is more expensive, the number of types and classes of cars is significantly smaller, and the level of comfort is quite low. The only advantage of a taxi is the possibility to arrive at the airport and immediately get into a taxi, without prior booking (however, during the high season there are not enough cars).

Disadvantages of official taxi from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens:

1. A taxi from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens is considered one of the most expensive types of transport. The cost of the trip usually starts from 490 € for a passenger car and from 680 € for a minivan (for 6 - 8 people). During the high tourist season, the final cost may be even higher. For example, a private transfer costs from 320 EUR for an Economy-class sedan and from 430 EUR for a van with a capacity of 8 passengers.
2. One of the obvious disadvantages of a taxi is that you will only be able to find out the final price at the end of the trip, when you are taken to the hotel. Since the cost depends on the distance, time of day, traffic jams, ski equipment, number of suitcases and other factors, you can only roughly estimate its amount.
3. Unlike a private transfer, you cannot choose the class or model of a taxi car. Usually, the passenger gets into the first available car that arrives at the taxi stand.
4. The condition and cleanliness of the cars may not be the most pleasant. Especially during the high season, taxi drivers do not have time to wash the car often.
5. For foreign tourists, the language barrier can also become an inconvenience. Not all taxi drivers speak English (mostly their own language).
6. Taxi drivers usually wait for passengers inside the car, at the official stand near the terminal, and do not meet them with a sign in the arrivals area. Therefore, you have to look for the car and carry the suitcases yourself.
7. Families with small children should take into account that child seats are not available in all taxis. It is even more difficult to find a seat suitable for a specific age and height of the child.
8. If you are arriving in a large group (for example, 6-10 people) or have a lot of suitcases, finding a suitable large vehicle can take a lot of time. Basically, taxis are small passenger cars, while vans and minivans are used much less often and are quickly taken during the high season.

Advantages of official taxi:

One of the undeniable advantages of a taxi is the possibility to take it immediately after arrival, without prior booking. It is enough to leave the airport terminal and get into a car at the taxi stand near the exit.

However, this possibility does not always exist. During the high season, long queues of tourists and a small number of cars can often be found at the taxi stand. Waiting for a taxi can take 30–40 minutes, or even longer.

Taxi or private transfer (main differences):

Let's summarize and compare the main advantages and disadvantages of a taxi and a private transfer from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens. It is clearly visible that a transfer is a more comfortable and affordable service in terms of price, unlike a taxi.

1) How to meet the driver at the airport or hotel

Meeting the driver at the airport:

The driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals area of Lyon Airport with a sign showing your first or last name (or the version you specified when booking the transfer). There are often many tourists at the airport (especially during the high season), and some of them are also met by drivers with signs — so sometimes it can be difficult to find the right one. To make meeting the driver easier, our operator will send you his name and contact details in advance.

The driver will help you with your luggage and accompany you to the car in the parking area. When booking the transfer, we ask you to provide the flight number — this is necessary so that the driver can track possible delays and adjust to the actual arrival time. As a rule, if the flight is delayed by no more than 1 hour, you will be met by the same driver who was assigned. If you arrive 2-3 hours later than the scheduled time, we will find another car for you, as your driver may already have another transfer starting by that time. In any case, our operators and driver are always in contact and adjust the transfer depending on changes to the flight.

The transfer price already includes 1 hour of waiting at the airport after the scheduled landing time of the flight. If after arrival you are delayed for more than 1 hour, further waiting time is paid additionally — approximately 60-90 euros per hour, depending on the class of the car (the exact price will be provided by the operator when booking the transfer). If you need to stop at a shop, restaurant or meeting on the way, this waiting time is also paid separately.

Meeting the driver at the hotel or apartment:

If you are traveling back from the hotel to the airport or to another city, the driver will meet you at the reception with a sign and help with your suitcases. Some hotels and apartments do not have parking (especially in the city center) — in this case, the driver waits for passengers in the car and drives up to the door immediately before boarding, stopping for only a couple of minutes. The transfer price includes 15-20 minutes of waiting at the hotel from the agreed departure time. After that, an additional charge of 60-90 euros per hour will also be required.

2) What you need to know about luggage when booking a transfer

Please pay close attention to the luggage information when booking a transfer from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens. Describe to our operator in as much detail as possible how many suitcases you have, what size they are and whether they are soft or hard. Whether you will have alpine skis and snowboards, and the length of their bags. Also describe all hand luggage in detail — one small bag will take up almost no space, but 5-10 such bags can already significantly affect the situation. If you are traveling with a pet, be sure to inform us so that we can take into account the size of its carrier and select a driver who does not have an allergy to this type of animal.

It is important for us to know the exact parameters of your luggage in advance in order to choose a car with enough space for you and all your belongings. Otherwise, some of the suitcases may simply not fit, and you will have to carry them in your hands, or you may need to order a second car with an additional charge — and two small cars together always cost more than one large van.

Standard suitcase sizes:

Suitcase dimensions can be differentiated by height, width and depth (these are the parameters that should be provided to our operator). Suitcases are usually divided into several categories depending on size: S, M, L and XL. They may differ slightly between manufacturers, but the following sizes are most common:

• Size S (small suitcase): height 48-53 cm, width 32-35 cm, depth 20-23 cm.
• Size M (medium suitcase): height 58-63 cm, width 39-42 cm, depth 23-26 cm.
• Size L (large suitcase): height 65-70 cm, width 47-50 cm, depth 26-29 cm.
• Size XL (very large suitcase): height 74-80 cm, width 51-54 cm, depth 30-32 cm.

Hand luggage and other belongings:

In addition to suitcases, passengers often take with them: bags, backpacks, packages, sports equipment (alpine skis, snowboards, boots, helmets, poles), children's toys, musical instruments, carriers with dogs or cats, wheelchairs and much more. All this must also be indicated when booking the transfer, because sometimes such things take up even more space than the suitcases themselves. Unfortunately, tourists have arrived more than once with luggage that was much larger than originally stated. Because of this, they had to take a second car, and when our cars were occupied, clients ordered a taxi to the location specifically to take several suitcases — it turned out very expensive.

Travelers' advice about luggage:

It is not always easy to understand what size a suitcase is, or which category to put a large suitcase in — L or already XL. The same applies to bags and backpacks. It is especially difficult to understand the size of ski or snowboard bags, some of which are very long and have a rigid frame (they are especially difficult to fit in the car and take up a lot of space). In such cases, it is better to send our operator a photo of all suitcases, bags and ski bags together — this way we can calculate their actual total volume and choose a car with a suitable trunk.

3) Traveling with children: child seats and what you need to know

If you are traveling with small children, be sure to inform our operator about this when booking the transfer. Each child must travel in their own separate seat — holding them in your arms is strictly prohibited under any circumstances. If the child's height is less than 1.5 m, according to European traffic rules, they must be provided with an appropriate child car seat.

If you are booking a car for four passengers, indicate that this transfer is specifically for 4 adults. If in fact there are 4 adults plus a small child — then you will have to order a second car or change it to a van. Unfortunately, this sometimes happens.

What types of child seats are there:

Below is a table with types of child seats. It will be useful to you when preparing for the transfer.

4) How to choose the right car for the transfer?

Choosing the right car is, perhaps, one of the most important points when preparing for a trip. It determines how comfortably you will get there, whether there will be enough seats for all passengers and whether all your luggage will fit. Usually, when choosing a car, attention is paid to two parameters: the capacity of the car and its class.

Car capacity:

Different types of cars are available for transfers from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens: sedans, SUVs, vans and buses.

Small passenger cars are suitable for 1-4 passengers with a moderate amount of luggage (usually 1-2 large suitcases and 1-2 small ones, plus bags). These include Volkswagen Jetta, Ford Focus, Skoda Octavia and similar models.

Large sedans and SUVs. Four passengers can be comfortably accommodated in them. The interior is more spacious, and the trunk can fit more things (two-three large suitcases plus hand luggage). These include Volkswagen Passat, Skoda Kodiaq and similar models.

Vans and minivans are designed for 5-8 passengers (although they are often booked by just 1-2 people — simply for the extra space). Such cars are often ordered specifically because of the large number of suitcases and bags. At the same time, their trunks are different: the most spacious is the Renault Trafic Extralong (up to 8 XL suitcases plus hand luggage), and the Volkswagen Caravelle Extralong has a similar volume. The versions with a short or simply long body have less luggage space. Mercedes vans have more compact trunks, even in the Extralong version. The Mercedes V-Class accommodates up to 7 passengers, and in some configurations — 4-6: the seats are more comfortable, but there are fewer of them. Renault Trafic and Volkswagen Caravelle accommodate up to 8 passengers plus the ninth driver's seat.

Buses are needed for large groups — 10, 14, 20, 40 and even 50 people. For example, Mercedes Sprinter or Scania. But a large bus cannot reach every hotel: sometimes only smaller cars can pass through the narrow old streets of the center of Val-Thorens or along a winding mountain road, so instead of one bus, 2-4 vans are used.

Car class:

The second parameter when choosing a car for a transfer is the car class. For many passengers, it becomes the main one.

Economy class — the most affordable transfer option. It includes small cars from inexpensive brands. They are suitable for those who do not care much about making an impression — as they say, "just get there". These are Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf. However, sometimes when ordering Economy, a higher-class car arrives — if your transfer coincides in time with another order.

Comfort class — this is a more spacious interior, better sound insulation and higher-quality materials and equipment. These include: Volkswagen Passat, Tesla Model S, Toyota Camry, as well as Renault Trafic and Volkswagen Caravelle vans.

Business class is chosen by passengers who value status and comfort, as well as those who are simply used to good cars. For them — Mercedes E-Class and Mercedes Vito vans.

Premium class — the most comfortable and spacious cars. The best finishing materials, space, technical equipment and smooth ride. Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7, Audi A8 sedans, as well as Mercedes V-Class vans (in different interior configurations).

Tell our operator about your preferences, and we will select the optimal car for your transfer from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens. It is better to book the car in advance — then there is a greater chance of getting the desired class and size at a better price.

5) How to get from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens: train, bus, car rental, private transfer or helicopter?

Above on this page, we have already discussed the difference between a transfer and a taxi when traveling from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens. But it is better to know how to get there using other types of transport: train, bus, car rental or helicopter. Let’s briefly look at their features — in general, they are similar for most European cities.

Train or transfer:

The train is undoubtedly a convenient way to travel. It is usually 5-8 times cheaper than a transfer. Traffic jams are not a problem for it, because it travels on its own tracks. But first you need to get to the train from the airport by tram or bus. And most importantly, a train will never take you directly to the door of your hotel, wherever it is: from the station you will still have to change to another form of transport. In the mountains, it is generally rare for a train to come close to a ski resort; usually 40-60 km of winding mountain roads remain. In addition, the train has a strict schedule. For example, you will not be able to leave by train at night, even if you need to get to the airport early for your flight.

Bus or transfer:

The bus is a popular option for many tourists, including those traveling from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens. First of all, this is due to the low price — it is approximately the same as the train. But the price is perhaps the only advantage of the bus over a private transfer.

The bus will also not take you directly from the airport to the hotel — you will have to change to another bus, and at the end you will also have to walk with your suitcases. In traffic jams, the bus takes almost as long as a car ordered for a transfer. And since the bus makes many stops along the way and enters different cities, the journey often takes twice as long as by transfer. And getting on a bus immediately after leaving the plane is unlikely to be possible. Buses run according to a schedule, which means you can wait at the stop for 10 minutes or even 2 hours — it depends on the schedule.

Helicopter or transfer:

Flying by helicopter from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens is elegant, fast and comfortable. But, firstly, the price is usually noticeably higher than a transfer. Secondly, it is most often impossible to fly directly to the hotel (not every hotel has its own helipad) — you will have to land at the nearest one and then continue by transfer to the hotel. Thirdly, the flight may be canceled due to bad weather, and in the mountains this happens quite often.

Rental or private transfer:

Renting a car and driving to Val-Thorens yourself seems like a cheap and convenient option. But in reality, everything turns out to be more expensive than it seems at first glance. Renting a car makes almost no sense if you are going to spend your entire vacation in Val-Thorens and do not plan trips to neighboring cities or ski resorts. In addition to the rental itself, you will have to pay for parking, insurance, fuel and toll roads. In the end, this will cost at least the price of two transfers (there and back). There will also be the hassle of parking and processing the car, plus you will have to drive on unfamiliar snowy roads and stand in traffic jams during the peak tourist season, putting chains on the wheels yourself in the middle of the road. And after your vacation, you may receive serious fines for violating traffic rules. No one is protected from this when driving in unfamiliar cities.

Let's compare the ways to get to Val-Thorens:

Look at the table below to understand which type of transport is right for you for a trip from Lyon Airport to Val-Thorens.