The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) benefits from a number of buses, trains, and cable cars along the trail.
The extensive public transport options available along the route can greatly enhance your experience. Using this network, hikers can easily access additional accommodation, shorten or skip stages, and avoid hiking in inclement weather.
Whether you’re looking to take a break from the trail, avoid strenuous sections, or simply want to soak in the spectacular views from a different vantage point, public transport on the TMB provides flexibility and convenience, making this incredible journey even more accessible.
TMB Trek Planner users can easily and intuitively incorporate transit into their itinerary to compare route options, shorten days, or avoid long ascents or descents. Learn more about the TMB Trek Planner below:
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Public transport along the TMB opens up a number of itinerary possibilities
Use cable cars to reduce distance and elevation.
Access additional accommodation.
Skip entire stages and avoid hiking in bad weather.
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Public transport on each stage of the TMB
We’ve summarized the public transport options on each stage of the Tour du Mont Blanc below. Find out the options available, how they help, and our thoughts on when it makes sense to use them.
Stage 1 – Les Houches to Les Contamines
The first stage of the TMB benefits from a number of public transport options that can be used to shorten the stage as well as skip it entirely if desired.
Stage 1 shortcuts
Bellevue Cable Car
The Bellevue cable car departs from Les Houches very near the official start of the trail. It ascends to the top of the Col de Voza, the high point for the stage for hikers sticking to the standard route.
- Why use it?
- Many TMB hikers want to cut out the first ascent on the trail from Les Houches to the Col de Voza. This ascent is mostly on wide paths and roads and is not known as one of the best climbs on the TMB.
- Our thoughts
- This is one of the most popular short cuts on the TMB, with many hikers opting to take the cable car. However, we really enjoy the hike to the Col de Voza. No, the trail isn’t the nicest on the route, but the views are underrated and it is a good way to get your legs used to the rigors of the TMB.
- We do like to take the Bellevue Cable Car if opting to hike the variant to Les Contamines via the Col de Tricot as it makes that route much more manageable.
Les Contamines bus system
Upon arrives in the Les Contamines-Montjoie valley you’ll find a convenient bus system that can save you a few kilometers of walking at the end of the stage.
- Why use it?
- This bus route runs along the road where the TMB first arrives in the valley all the way to Notre Dame de la Gorge. You can ride it to save the final few kilometers on Stage 1 into Les Contamines or use it to cut out some distance if you’re staying at either Refuge Nant Borrant or Refuge de la Balme.
- Our thoughts
- We think this bus really only makes sense to take on Stage 1 if you are pressing on past Les Contamines to Refuge Nant Borrant or Refuge de la Balme.
Skipping Stage 1
You can skip Stage 1 of the TMB entirely by first taking the train from Les Houches to the Saint-Gervais Les-Bains train station. Outside the train station you’ll find the bus that connects Saint-Gervais to Les Contamines. Plan on about 1.5 hours to complete the journey.
Stage 2 – Les Contamines to Les Chapieux
There is not much in the way of public transport to shorten this stage and skipping it entirely is difficult as well. Les Chapieux is quite remote and there is not a direct road or train route between the two villages.
Stage 2 shortcuts
Les Contamines bus to Notre Dame de la Gorge
You can ride the bus described in Stage 1 from the center of Les Contamines to Notre Dame de la Gorge, saving you a bit of walking on a long stage.
- Why use it?
- This is the only way to shorten Stage 2 of the TMB. You’ll save about 4 km of walking on relatively easy paths.
- Our thoughts
- If you are concerned about a long stage 2, we recommend this option to save a bit of distance. The bus doesn’t cut out a difficult section, but it will save you 4 km of walking.
Stage 2 alternate accommodation
Les Chapieux > Bourg Saint Maurice bus
Les Chapieux is a notoriously difficult place to secure accommodation on the TMB. If you weren’t able to get a bed at one of the options in the village you can take the bus down the valley to Bourg-Saint Maurice.
- Why use it?
- There is additional accommodation available in Bourg-Saint-Maurice should all of the options in Les Chapieux be fully booked.
- Our thoughts
- The once daily bus leaves Les Chapieux in the evening and arrives at the main train station in Bourg-Saint-Maurice from which there are several hotels in walking distance. In the morning, the bus heads back to Les Chapieux where you can pick up the trail again.
- In addition to the bus, taxis are a popular option to wisk hikers between Les Chapieux and Bourg Saint Maurice.
Skipping Stage 2
Skipping Stage 2 entirely will be a costly and time consuming endeavor. You best bet will be a taxi, but plan to spend a few hundred euros on that since it is about a 2 hour drive.
Public transport is theoretically possible, but the time and logistics involved don’t make it feasible.
Stage 3 – Les Chapieux to Rifugio Elisabetta
Stage 3 benefits from possibly the most commonly used transport shortcut on the TMB: the navette that connects Les Chapieux>Ville des Glaciers>Parking des Mottes.
Stage 3 shortcuts
Les Chapieux Navette
This small shuttle bus runs between Les Chapieux and the parking lot adjacent to Refuge des Mottets, eliminating a section of road walking and shortening Stage 3 by about 5km.
- Why use it?
- The section of the TMB between Les Chapieux and Refuge des Mottets spends much of its time along the valley road or an easy track across the river from the road. The navette cuts out the majority of this by dropping hikers at either Ville des Glaciers or Parking des Mottets.
- Our thoughts
- It seems that nearly every TMB hiker plans to use this navette to save a bit of time on Stage 3. We highly recommend using it if your accommodation at the end of the stage is beyond Rifugio Elisabetta as you’ll be glad to save a few kilometers on what will be a long stage.
Skipping Stage 3
Taxi is the only reasonable way to skip Stage 3 on the TMB. It is about a 1.5 hour drive from Les Chapieux to Courmayeur, so plan to spend a few hundred euros on a taxi.
Stage 4 – Rifugio Elisabetta to Courmayeur
Stage 4 has a few public transport options that will be of interest to TMB hikers. The final descent into Courmayeur can be eliminated utilizing a pair of cable cars and the section of the trail between Lac Combal and Courmayeur can be detoured around utilizing the La Visaille/Val Veny bus.
Stage 4 shortcuts/detours
Maison Vieille Chairlift & Dolonne Cable Car
Towards the end of the stage you will arrive at the Plan Chécrouit ski area and Rifugio Maison Vieille. From here, the TMB takes a long and steep descent into Courmayeur. This can be skipped by taking the Maison Vieille chairlift and Dolonne cable car which will drop you in Dolonne, just across the river from Courmayeur.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR 2026 HIKERS: The Maison Vieille chairlift will be closed for renovations for the entirety of the 2026 hiking season. Hikers can still utilize the Dolonne cable car to skip the lower portion of the trail.
- Why use it?
- The final descent into Courmayeur is steep, loose, and not particularly scenic. Using these cable cars provides an easy way to get directly into town at the end of the stage.
- Our thoughts
- The downhill section into Courmayeur is one of our least favorite parts of the entire TMB – so as you might guess we highly recommend utilizing these cable cars!
Val Veny Bus
As the main TMB reaches the end of Lac Combal you’ll find a detour off the main route into the Val Veny. This road travels at the bottom of the valley where you’ll find a few campgrounds as well as a convenient bus that connects to Courmayeur.
- Why use it?
- There are a number of reasons you might find yourself detouring in Val Veny and taking advantage of this bus. Should bad weather present itself on this stage it would be wise to avoid the high trail between Lac Combal and Maison Vielle and instead head to Courmayeur using this detour and bus. Also, if you’re camping on the route you can head this way to directly reach one of the campgrounds in the valley.
- Our thoughts
- This is a very useful and commonly used bus route on the TMB. We find ourselves using it frequently, especially to help with logistics while camping on this section of the route.
Skipping Stage 4
There is no way to completely skip this stage as there is not road access to Rifugio Elisabetta. To reduce this stage as much as possible you’ll need to hike down from the rifugio before taking the detour to La Visaille and catching the bus into Courmayeur from there.
Alternatively you can also arrange for a taxi from Courmayeur to meet you at La Visaille.
Stage 5 – Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti
There is no direct transport on the stage between Courmayeur and Rifugio Bonatti, however, there is useful transport available to help should you encounter bad weather or not find available accommodation at Rifugio Bonatti
Stage 5 shortcuts/detours
Val Ferret Bus
The Tour du Mont Blanc route climbs steeply out of Courmayeur before reaching a beautiful balcony trail that leads to Rifugio Bonatti. The trail sits high on the mountainside above the Italian Val Ferret. At the bottom of the valley below the trail you’ll find a useful bus route to use on this stage.
- Why use it?
- In the event of bad weather you can take the bus from the center of Courmayeur to the Rifugio Bonatti stop. Here you’ll find a steep connector trail that will bring you directly to the rifugio in only a few kilometers. This allows you to still reach the rifugio while only having to be in the elements for a short time.
- Should you not be able to secure a bed at Rifugio Bonatti you can hike to the rifugio and then take the connector trail down into the valley. From here, simply use the Val Ferret bus to head back to Courmayeur where you’ll find ample accommodation.
- If you are camping on this stage you can use this bus to reach one of the two campgrounds located in the Val Ferret.
- Our thoughts
- The Val Ferret bus is a very convenient option on this stage where many hikers need to access additional accommodation. We use it frequently!
Skipping Stage 5
If you need to skip stage 5 you have a few options. First, as described above, you can eliminate the vast majority of this stage by taking the bus to the Rifugio Bonatti stop and then hiking up the connector trail.
If you need to skip this stage entirely you can stay an extra night in Courmayeur and then the next day take the bus to either the Rifugio Bonatti stop or the Arp Nouvaz stop (near Chalet Val Ferret) and pick up the TMB from there.
Stage 6 – Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly
The route from Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly crosses the Grand Col Ferret, a stunning pass that can hold snow well into July. There is the possibility to saving a few easy kilometers of walking at the end of this stage, but skipping it entirely will be a more difficult endeavor.
Stage 6 shortcuts/detours
Ferret – La Fouly bus
Once over the Grand Col Ferret the TMB meandres it’s way down into the Swiss Val Ferret. Here, you’ll find the tiny village of Ferret which has a bus stop where you can connect to La Fouly saving about 3 km of walking via bus 272.
- Why use it?
- If you’ve simply had it with Stage 6 and are ready to get to La Fouly you can take bus 272 from Ferret to La Fouly, saving about 3 kilometers of easy walking.
- If you are heading further on this stage, bus 272 travels the length of the Swiss Val Ferret before arriving in Orsières.
- Our thoughts
- This bus won’t be worth it for most TMB hikers unless you are continuing past La Fouly on this stage.
Skipping Stage 6
Skipping Stage 6 is possible, but will involve a long day of public transport riding. First, you would descend from Rifugio Bonatti into the Italian Val Ferret and catch the bus back to Courmayeur. From here, you’ll take the bus from Courmayeur to the regional hub of Aosta where you’ll transfer to another bus to Orsières. Finally, in Orsières you’ll catch bus 272 to La Fouly.
Expect this to take most of day and be sure to carefully check timetables, as buses aren’t especially frequent on this journey.
Stage 7 – La Fouly to Champex
Stage 7 benefits from frequent and reliable bus service that gives TMB hikers lots of options to shorten or skip the route between La Fouly and Champex.
Stage 7 shortcuts/detours
La Fouly – Orsières – Champex Bus
Stage 7 is a valley walk for the majority of the hike before a steep final ascent to Champex-Lac. The valley portion of the trail runs parallel to a road that has frequent bus service via route 272. This allows hikers to skip portions of the first segment of the stage.
Bus 272’s final destination is the town of Orsières, which is off the main TMB. However, here you will find bus 273 which connects Orsières to Champex-Lac. So, combining the two buses will allow you to skip Stage 7 entirely via a connection in Orsières.
- Why use it?
- You can skip a portion or all of Stage 7 using this bus.
- Our thoughts
- This is the easiest stage of the TMB, but the bus can still be very useful. Using the bus to skip this stage or reduce the distance is popular for hikers combing stages or looking to complete the entire route in fewer days.
Skipping Stage 7
As described above it is easy to skip Stage 7. Simply take bus 272 from La Fouly to Orsières and then transfer to bus 273 which will take you to Champex-Lac.
Stage 8 – Champex to Trient/Col de la Forclaz
Stage 8 doesn’t have any public transport options to shorten the stage, but it is possible to skip it entirely and also to use public transport to access additional accommodation.
Stage 8 shortcuts/detours
Martigny – Col de la Forclaz – Trient – Le Châtelard bus
A bus route connects Col de la Forclaz and Trient, both on the main TMB route, with the city of Martigny to the east and the small train station/village of Le Châtelard to the west.
- Why use it?
- The most common reason to use this bus is to access additional accommodation in Le Châtelard or Martigny if there is none available in Trient or Col de la Forclaz.
- Additionally, some hikers opt to take the bus down from Col de la Forclaz to Trient to save ~40 minutes of downhill walking.
- Our thoughts
- Be sure to carefully check the timetables if you are heading towards Martigny, as the bus does not run frequently. We much prefer finding additional accommodation in Le Châtelard, as it is a far faster ride. Look for space at Les Touristes.
Skipping Stage 8
Stage 8 is easily skipped using the excellent Swiss public transport system. There are a number of ways to make this journey and we recommend checking SBB for the easiest option for your dates. Expect the total travel time to take between 3 – 5 hours.
Stage 9 -Trient/Col de la Forclaz to Tré le Champ
Stage 9 enjoys both possibilities to shorten the stage as well as good transport should you need to skip the stage entirely. Once you’ve reached Tré le Champ you’ll be back in the Chamonix valley where excellent public transport makes the logistics of hiking the final sections of the TMB much easier.
Stage 9 shortcuts/detours
Balme(Autannes) – Charamillon – Le Tour Chairlift to Le Tour
Upon reaching the Col de Balme hikers can opt to descend using a series of chairlifts into the village of Le Tour. From Le Tour, you will have access to the bus which connects to the rest of the Chamonix valley.
- Why use it?
- By taking the chairlifts to Le Tour you avoid the long descent into Tré le Champ and also significantly reduce the mileage.
- Our thoughts
- The section of trail between the Col de Balme and Tré le Champ is quite spectacular, so we only recommend using the chairlift in poor weather.
Chamonix Valley bus
Once in Le Tour you’ll have access to the bus that runs the length of the Chamonix valley.
- Why use it?
- There is a bus stop in Le Tour that makes for easy connections to villages further down in the valley where you are likely headed for your accommodation.
- Our thoughts
- It is an easy walk from Le Tour to Argentiere or Tré le Champ, but the bus is a good option as well. Keep in mind during peak season the line for the bus at Le Tour can get quite long!
Skipping Stage 9
Stage 9 is another stage that is fairly easy to skip should you need to. Plan to take the bus from Trient to Le Châtelard where you’ll get the train to Vallorcine and then onwards to Montroc-Le Planet (the best stop for Tré le Champ) or Argentiere.
Stage 10 & 11 -Tré le Champ – La Flégère – Les Houches
We’ve combined Stages 10 and 11 as all of the transport in the Chamonix valley is relevant for both stages. Both stages benefit from cable cars that make it easy to get from the trail down into the valley as well as bus/train service that connects Chamonix with the rest of the valley, including Les Houches.
Stage 10 & 11 shortcuts/detours/alternative accommodation
La Flégère cable car
The Flégère cable car connects the TMB and Refuge de la Flégère with the Chamonix valley and Les Praz.
- Why use it?
- Should you not be able to secure accommodation at either Refuge Lac Blanc or Refuge de la Flégère, the two refuges on this section of the TMB, you can take the Flégère cable car down into the valley where you’ll find plenty of place to stay.
- In bad weather you can skip hiking this stage and simply take the cable car up to Refuge de la Flégère.
- Our thoughts
- We often work with TMB hikers who end up using the Flégère cable car to access additional accommodation in the Chamonix valley. It is very easy to ride it down in the afternoon, spend the night at a hotel, and then ride back up the next morning to complete the trail.
Planpraz – Brévent cable car
Similar to the Flégère cable car, the Planpraz and Brévent cable cars offer a convenient way to connect Chamonix with the TMB. One or both of these cable cars are frequently used to access additional accommodation or to avoid the long final descent into Les Houches.
- Why use it?
- Many hikers will walk from Tre-le-Champ to Planpraz or Le Brévent as a final stage and skip the final descent into Les Houches by taking one or both cable cars.
- Similar to the Flégère cable car, you can also use these two to access additional accommodation in the valley before returning to the trail the following morning to complete the route to Les Houches.
- Our thoughts
- Similar to the Flégère cable car we find the Planpraz and Brévent cable cars are a great resource to use for the final segments of the TMB.
Chamonix Valley bus & train
Finally, TMB hikers will also benefit from the frequent and reliable bus and train service in the Chamonix valley. You can use this to get between Les Houches, Chamonix, and the rest of the villages in the area at the end of the hike.
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Tour du Mont Blanc Gear List
Packing the right gear is essential to staying comfortable in the TMB refuges.
Check out our full gear list to make sure you’re prepared.
Camping on the Tour du Mont Blanc
Fed up with the refuge booking process and don’t mind carrying a bit of extra gear?
Then camping along the TMB is for you! Our guide has all the info you need to successfully camp along the Tour du Mont Blanc
How to Plan a Last Minute TMB
Have you started planning your TMB hike late in the season and aren’t sure if it is still possible to complete?
We’ve got you covered!
Check out our guide to planning a last minute TMB hike.
