Arriving for a ski season means landing at Geneva Airport with far more than a holiday bag: skis, boots, a season's clothing and often a bike or guitar too. Resorts are typically 1 to 3 hours away, from Chamonix at about 1 h 15 to Val d'Isère at roughly 2 h 45, and lugging everything through train changes is hard work. Sharing a van with AirportsTransfers.ch among several new staff splits a fixed vehicle price and gets everyone, and everything, to the door.
- Luggage: expect two large bags, skis or board, boots and a rucksack each
- Best vehicle: Mercedes V-Class for up to seven people with ten bags and skis
- Group arrivals: employers often fly staff in on the same day
- Cost: fixed per vehicle, so sharing lowers the cost per person
- Timing: season start often coincides with the first busy weekends
A season's worth of luggage
Instructors, chalet hosts, lift staff and bar workers all face the same problem: everything needed for four or five months has to travel at once. Airlines' sports equipment allowances help with skis and boots, but the journey does not end at the arrivals hall. Trains into the mountains usually involve at least one change, sometimes a bus for the final stretch, and moving two suitcases plus skis between platforms is a struggle, especially on a busy winter weekend.
A van removes that problem entirely. Load once at the airport, unload at the staff accommodation. The Mercedes V-Class carries up to seven passengers with around ten bags and skis. When a whole team of new arrivals travels together, a Sprinter minibus can take everyone, though luggage volume should be declared carefully so the right vehicle is sent.
Travelling with your new colleagues
Many employers in resorts, from chalet companies to ski schools, fly their staff in on the same day or the same weekend. That makes shared transport the obvious choice. The price is fixed per vehicle, so splitting it among four or six people makes a door-to-door transfer far more affordable than it first looks. Join the staff group chat early, find out who lands when, and coordinate one booking for each wave of arrivals.
If the employer is organising transport, ask what has been arranged before booking anything yourself. Where the company is paying, it may want an invoice in its own name, which can be issued.
Arrival day for seasonal staff is often busy: keys to collect, uniforms to try on, a first team meeting. Landing in the morning gives you daylight for the drive and time to settle in. If your flight lands late in the evening, let your employer know so someone can hand over keys, and consider whether a supermarket stop is still possible on the way. A transfer that drops you at the right building, rather than the village centre, saves dragging bags through snowy streets after dark.
Getting to resorts across the border
Geneva is the gateway to resorts in three countries. Chamonix, Megève at about 1 h 10, Courchevel at around 2 h 15 and Val d'Isère all lie across the border into France. Courmayeur, around 1 h 30 via the Mont Blanc Tunnel, is in Italy. Swiss resorts such as Verbier, Crans-Montana, Gstaad and Zermatt involve no border crossing. Workers from outside the EU or EFTA should make sure they have the right work authorisation for the country in which they will work, which is a matter for the employer and the authorities rather than the transfer.
Zermatt deserves a special mention: the village is car-free, so vehicles stop at Täsch, about 2 h 35 from the airport, and staff continue on the shuttle train. Heavy luggage can be managed with the trolleys at Täsch station, but it is worth knowing in advance.
Season-start practicalities
- Arrive with snacks and water: staff accommodation kitchens may be empty on day one.
- Plan a supermarket stop on the way if you are self-catering.
- Keep documents, contracts and medication in hand luggage.
- Label every bag, including boot bags and ski bags, with your name and resort.
- Save the employer's contact number in case of a late arrival.
The end of the season brings the same challenge in reverse, often with more luggage than you started with. Booking the departure transfer in good time is wise, because many seasonal workers leave on the same weekends.
Some seasonal workers also travel between resorts during the winter, for instance instructors moving to a different school mid-season or staff on a day off visiting friends in another valley. Point-to-point transfers between resorts are possible too, which can be easier than a long journey by train and bus with equipment.
Booking your season transfer
Enter the number of people, bags and skis, and AirportsTransfers.ch shows a fixed price for the vehicle before you pay online by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The chauffeur waits in arrivals with a name sign, tracks your flight and waits if it is late. Shopping stops can be added in the booking notes. For a group of new staff or an employer booking several waves, the team can help by phone or WhatsApp on +41 78 346 56 77, whatever the hour.
