Taking skis by train: pack for every leg of your Alpine trip

A ski bag can be welcome on a train and still use up one of your luggage slots. Before booking a rail trip to the French or Italian Alps, check every service against the bags you actually intend to take. The allowance on the first train does not settle what you can carry on the next.

Start with a bag plan, then choose the tickets

Write down each train operator, the service name and the luggage you will carry: suitcase, ski or snowboard case, boot bag and small day bag. Measure the packed cases rather than the equipment alone. Keep the operator’s rule beside each leg, including the return journey.

Then try moving the full load together. A bag that fits an allowance can still make a station change awkward. Decide who will carry the children’s equipment and which hand you will need for tickets or a pushchair. If the combination is impractical, compare taking your boots and hiring skis locally.

Eurostar: an ordinary service is different from Eurostar Snow

For adults in Standard or Plus, Eurostar’s ordinary allowance is two pieces of luggage and one small hand item. Ordinary bags on routes to or from London can be up to 85 cm long. There is no fixed bag weight limit, but you must be able to carry the load safely yourself. Check the separate allowances for children and other classes. Official guidance.

The sports-equipment rule is the important part for skiers: on ordinary services, skis or a snowboard count as one of the two luggage pieces. Eurostar lists an additional ski or snowboard allowance for its Snow service to Bourg-Saint-Maurice via Lille. That exception does not make equipment an extra free item on every London–Paris journey. Use a protective case covering the whole item, with straps attached. Official guidance.

For an ordinary adult Standard or Plus journey, think of a suitcase, a ski case and a small hand item as the starting arrangement. A separate boot bag creates another item to account for. Check your complete packing plan against the actual booking before paying.

TGV INOUI: count the special item and check its type

SNCF’s standard arrangement with sports equipment is one suitcase, one special item and one hand item per person. The suitcase limit is 70 × 90 × 50 cm; the hand item is 40 × 30 × 15 cm. Label every bag and plan to carry the whole load in one go. The guidance also covers TGV INOUI services to and from Italy. Official guidance.

Skis and snowboards are treated differently. SNCF allows one pair of skis per person in a labelled ski bag without a ski size limit. A snowboard must be in a labelled cover no larger than 90 × 130 × 50 cm. Measure the cover: a snowboard accepted on one operator’s service may exceed the next operator’s stated dimensions. Ask SNCF before booking if yours does. Official guidance.

Trenitalia France: the ski case uses an allowance item

For Frecciarossa services operated by Trenitalia France, the published allowance is two cases up to 80 × 50 × 31 cm, including wheels and handles, plus a small hand item of 30 × 30 × 35 cm. A pair of skis or a snowboard in a closed cover up to two metres long counts as a luggage item. Only one special-item exception is allowed per passenger, and bags must show the passenger’s first and last name. Official guidance.

For a domestic Italian connection, consult that service separately. Trenitalia’s on-board FAQ permits easily carried items, including skis, free in the available luggage spaces, provided they do not obstruct passengers or staff or cause harm. This is not a promise of a dedicated ski rack or a reason to apply France’s dimensions to every Italian train. Official guidance.

OUIGO needs its own check

OUIGO has a different luggage system from TGV INOUI. Its France guidance places sports equipment under the extra or bulky-bag option, with covered skis accepted up to two metres long. Other covered sports items must meet the stated 90 × 130 × 50 cm limit. On a journey involving more than one OUIGO train, check and add the required option for each train. Compare the final basket with the bags included. Official guidance.

Leave time to handle the equipment

For Eurostar journeys to or from London, passport and luggage checks happen before boarding. Use the recommended arrival time on your current ticket; the time the gates close is not the time to turn up. Station and class guidance can differ. Official guidance.

For any connection, look beyond the minutes between trains. Will you change stations, use stairs or lifts, or need to keep a child close while carrying a long case? Choose a route you can manage with the packed bags. Keep tickets and essential documents in the small bag you can reach without unpacking.

Your final packing check

Count every separate case against every train’s rules, including boot bags.

Measure the full covers, close them properly and label the bags.

Keep the current operator guidance and any written equipment confirmation with the booking.

Tell the final transfer provider the number of people, suitcases, ski cases and other bulky items; ask them to confirm the vehicle space.

Recheck the rules before travel, especially after changing a train, class or route.

Once the bags work, put the station change and final transfer into the same itinerary. Our existing guide covers planning the whole journey.

If you would like help joining up the travel, accommodation and ski arrangements, send the team your dates, group details and equipment list through Snow’s trip-planning form.

Rules checked against the operators’ guidance on 31 October 2026. This guide covers luggage planning, not a particular winter timetable; check the conditions for your booked services again before departure.