Touristic Trains/Cable Cars Etc, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

If you stay a couple of days in Chamonix, and plan to use multiples telecabines, check if you're better off with a MULTI-PASS (even in summer: to make great walks without climbing).

Prices depends on the number of days (ex. 75 EUR for four days, 62 EUR while lower part of Aiguilles du midi was broken).

Remember you get 3 EUR refund if you return your card afterwards.

It is possible to walk to the glacier "Mer de Glace" from the station of Montenvers. It is a long way down, so be prepared for a long walk back up again! You can pay to get into the glacier once you get down to the bottom, but it must be in cash - it's only a few Euros.

However, there is an easier and quicker way to get there, and that is by cable car. It is more expensive, obviously, but you aren't going to end up absolutely exhausted after walking a few steps back up again in the thinner air, like I did!

You can ride inside a cable car from the peak at Mont Blanc over a glacier across the border to Italy.
When I was there the line was long and the car in front of us accidently stopped en route. Inside was a group of four frightened Korean tourists who could not understand any European languages and so one of the French workers looked at me and asked for help based on the assumption that anybody who can speak Chinese fluently is probably also conversant in Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, Vietnamese, and Thai. I did study Japanese in college however and was able to communicate with the elderly Korean who understood the language of Korea's wartime occupation. In fact, all of the Koreans seemed to know "Chotto matte kudasai" which essentially means "Please wait a little longer"

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The slopes in Chamonix now offer 4 hour passes, which are good starting at any time (ie no more 'half day' passes where you must wait until noon to start using them). The clock counts down from the time you first go through a turnstyle, and from then you have 4 hours of skiing.

If you are a beginner or intermediate who is still wobbly on red runs, do not bother getting the 'Mont Blanc Unlimited' ski pass. This more expensive pass contains higher lifts that access several black ungroomed and off piste runs which will not be useful for your ability level.

Instead, get Chamonix 'Le Pass' which allows you to access all of Le Tour, Le Brevent, and Le Flegere as well as all but one lift at Les Grandes Montets. You can always pay the difference to upgrade your pass later if you want to, even if you buy a several day pass.

If you want a rest day check out the 'non consecutive day' ski passes on offer. They cost a bit more but allow the flexibility to take 1 or 2 days off from skiing to do something else, and then ski again a day or two later.

For hikers - do not be fooled into getting an Unlimited Pass for 1 day. You will never see 2 sites in 1 day if you are really doing any walking. If all you want to do is dash up 1 lift, take a few photos, dash down and then go up another and take a few photos, it might be worth it. But not if you intend to actually explore the area - you will only see 1 site a day in that case. An Unlimited pass for a multi-day is worth it if you will hike daily, or if you want to avoid long queues such as in August when it is very crowded - in this case the money you pay in extra fees saves a lot of extra time. Not such a worry in September.

This is a tiny cogwheel train that brings you from Chamonix to the mer de glace, a wonderful glacier: from there you can go for hikes or just hang around to soak in stunning views. It's a classic, yet unforgettable, day trip from Chamonix
Price: 10.30 euros, and it runs from 8 AM. it's worth to get there early and take the first train out, later it gets very crowded

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The cog wheel train ride to the Mer de Glace may not be counted as one of the great train journeys of the world but I can say that the views on this ride are totally outstanding.

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Chamonix has one of the highest cable cars in the world, which links the town to the summit of the Aiguille du Midi .

Take a cable car to get up to the beautiful mountains. It's really a great thing for all lazy hikers like me!!!

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There are many lifts in the resort ranging for open chair lifts to very large cable cars, each one lift you dizzy heights.