Where is Sestriere, Italy?

Sestriere is located high on the watershed of the Val di Susa in the Piedmont region of Italy.

One of Italy's highest alpine villages, Sestrière is about 100km west of Turin & only 21km from the transport hub of Oulx.

Travelling to Sestriere is possible by a combination of train & bus, bus only, car or ....................... helicopter! Yes, if you have the coin, a helicopter can drop you right in the heart of the village. A dramatic entrance indeed.

Flights to the Sestrière Ski Resort

The best international gateway airports to Sestriere (and the Via Lattea) for travellers from non-European destinations are Milan Malpensa (MXP), Lyon (LYS) & Paris (CDG). If flying to Sestriere & the Via Lattea from the UK or mainland Europe, Turin (TRN) provides the closest access. One can also fly directly into Sestriere by helicopter.

To search for a great deal on a flight to Turin or Milan, use one of our recommended flight search engines.

Flights into Turin Airport (TRN)

Turin (TRN) (Torino Caselle) airport is well placed to receive skiers & snowboarders heading to destinations in Sestriere & the Via Lattea. The airport receives flights from most European & English airports. The most time efficient method of getting to Sestriere from the airport is via a private transfer.

The drawback of Turin airport is the difficult public transport connections to anywhere other than the city centre. The best mode of public transport from the airport into the city of Turin is the bus. Buses (Sadem airport bus) leave every 15 min for the 45 min journey. Stops are at both major railway stations in Turin (Porta Nuova and Porta Susa). The main bus terminal (Autostazione corso Bolzano) is conveniently situated opposite the Porta Susa railway station. Connections can then be made to bus or train services to the ski resorts.

Turin airport is also served by a train line which takes about 19 min to travel to the GTT Dora station near central Turin. However, the Dora station is 2½km from the Porta Susa railway station and the main bus terminal from where transport heads to the ski fields in the Aosta valley, Bardonecchia, Oulx, the Via Lattea, Sestriere & Milan. Take one of the regular buses into Turin instead.

The airport is well located for car hire, as one can easily avoid the traffic and navigation challenges of the Turin city centre. A total of 9 major car rental companies are available at Turin airport, however the vehicles should be checked to ensure they are set up for winter driving (i.e. 4WD/AWD, snow tyres, chains).

Flights into Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP)

The Powderhounds favourite airport in Italy is Milan Malpensa (MXP). It serves flight origins from all over the world & is central to most Italian, French, Swiss and Austrian ski resorts. Train connections from the airport to the centre of Milan are straightforward via the Malpensa Express train to Milano Centrale station. For Sestriere, we recommend taking the bus to Turin, then connecting to Sestriere via train and/or bus (see below).

If you are flying into Milan Malpensa airport late in the day, or leaving early in the morning, we recommend staying at the Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel or the great value Moxy Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel.

Private Transfers

The Powderhounds usually recommend taking the train & bus from the airports to Sestriere. However, if you cannot abide public transport, are in a larger group of 3+ people or just have the cash to splash, the quickest way to Sestriere from the airports is a private transfer. Travel time is around 1½hr. Search & book here for your private transfer to Sestriere.

Train & Bus Transport

In the centre of Turin, the main bus station is called Autostazione corso Bolzano, conveniently situated opposite the Porta Susa railway station. The Sadem line 285 bus departs the Autostazione corso Bolzano every 2hr for Sestriere (& Oulx). The journey to Sestriere is via Pinerolo & takes just under 3hr.

Train transport to Sestriere is recommended for skiers visiting the resort from Lyon, Paris or Milan. The most important gateway town to Sestriere is Oulx. Oulx provides the best train & bus transport links to the resort.

Trains from Milan, Turin, Lyon and Paris all stop at Oulx. The train journey from Paris to Oulx is around 5hr, from Turin about 1hr. From Oulx station, regular buses (the line 285 Sadem bus) or taxi, link to Sestriere in about 30 minutes.

Search & book train transport from Paris, Lyon, Turin & Milan to Oulx . Purchase bus tickets to Sestriere from the driver when boarding at Oulx Stazione.

Driving to Sestriere

By car the quickest access to Sestrière from Turin is via Oulx & Cesana off the E70 motorway (autostrade - toll road). Travel time is 1½hr.

For a more scenic route, one can also take the A55/SP23 road from Turin via Pinerolo. Travel time is 2hr.

Sestriere can also be reached from southern France via Montgenevre or from the French Alps Maurienne valley via the Frejus tunnel, Bardonecchia & Oulx.

For hints, tips & warnings about driving to Italian ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Italy page.

Car Rentals

If you require a rental car, they are available from all airports, major train stations and towns. Be aware that many vehicles rented out of Turin & Milan will not be winterised or have snow tyres (& it can be a nightmare of a drive). Ensure they at least have snow chains and are preferably AWD or 4WD.

Search & book here for all car rentals.

Getting Around Sestrière

A free ski bus service operates around the Sestriere resort at least every half an hour, and more often during peak times. There is plenty of parking for day-trippers in free outdoor spaces near the gondola base or paid undercover parking under the long line of shops & services between the village & the beginner slopes

Nearby Ski Resorts

In addition to the interlinked Via Lattea ski resorts, a Powderhounds secret stash called Prali is a tantalising 60km drive away in a secluded valley to the south east. Bardonecchia ski resort on the French border towards the Maurienne valley is only a 12 min train ride from Sauze d'Oulx. In France, via the Montgenevre ski resort & near the town of Briancon, Serre Chevalier is well worth a visit (as is the old fort in Briancon).