Where is Cervinia, Italy?

Cervinia ski resort is on the sunny Italian side of the Matterhorn (Cervino) above the town of Breuil-Cervinia in the Aosta Valley (Valle d'Aosta).

The Cervinia ski resort is on the Swiss border along the spine of Europe, south of the iconic holiday town of Zermatt. The resort includes the villages of Breuil-Cervinia & Valtournenche in the skiing area. By road, the villages are 9km & 600m elevation apart.

Breuil Cervinia forms the heart of the ski resort and is 120km north of Turin and 41km northeast of Aosta by road. The nearest railway station is 29km south at Chatillon St Vincent and the closest major international airport is Milan Malpensa, 185km to the east. Chatillon St Vincent is the linchpin town in any journey to Cervinia.

Flights to Cervinia Ski Resort

The best international gateway airport to Cervinia for travellers from non-European destinations is Milan Malpensa (MXP). If flying to Cervinia from the UK, Scandinavia or mainland Europe, Turin (TRN) provides the best access. Geneva  (GVA in Switzerland could be utilised as well, but connections to Cervinia are more complex unless using a private transfer.

Search for a great deal on a flight to Turin, Milan or other airport here.

Airport Transfers Direct to Your Accommodation

The Powderhounds usually recommend taking the train & bus from the airports to Cervinia & Valtournenche where possible, however it is not the easiest location to get to by public transit. If you cannot abide public transport, are in a larger group of 3+ people or just have the cash to splash, the quickest way direct to the door of your Cervinia hotel from the airports is a private transfer with our local partners, Skitaxi.

Driving to Cervinia & Valtournenche

Driving to Cervinia is possible via various routes into the Valle d’Aosta from Italy, France & Switzerland. All routes are via the town of Chatillon St Vincent. Driving in from France is the most expensive option due to higher motorway tolls & exorbitant Mont Blanc Tunnel (MBT) toll.

From Turin or Milan, reasonably priced motorway tolls can be expected. The drive from Milan Malpensa airport is entirely on tolled & toll-free motorways before exiting at Chatillon St Vincent. Smaller local roads are utilised from Chatillon St Vincent, heading north on the SR46 for the last 29km to Cervinia (20km to Valtournenche). It is possible to drive from Milan Malpensa airport to Cervinia in about 2.5hr. Road conditions in the final mountain stage from Buisson to Breuil Cervinia will dictate the true journey time as the difference in elevation, temperature & snow/ice cover is significant.

From France, head to Chamonix on the N205 road, take the MBT directly to the Aosta Valley & on to Chatillon St Vincent before exiting to Cervinia.

From Switzerland, depending on the starting point, routes can be via France and the MBT or via Martigny and the Grand Saint Bernard Tunnel to Aosta. From Aosta, join the E25 motorway east to Chatillon St Vincent. Note the Grand Saint Bernard Tunnel is shorter and more scenic than the MBT, but only a little less costly. Swiss roads don’t have tolls, however a single one-off fee for all motorways may be required to be paid at border crossings.

Car Rentals

All the major airports and cities have car hire available, however if coming into Cervinia via Turin or Milan, we recommend avoiding driving in the city and getting a vehicle directly from the airport. If seeking a hire car locally, Aosta has some useful outlets. From all hire locations, ensure the rental car comes with snow tyres and/or snow chains (bare minimum). All-wheel drive or 4WD vehicles offer the safest driving experience when driving to Cervinia or other such high elevation locations. If driving a diesel, fill up in the petrol station at Breuil Cervinia to avoid any issues with fuel gumming.

To search for all rental cars by availability and rate, select here.

Train & Bus Transport to Cervinia

If one does not have a car or wish to pay for private transfers, travel to Cervinia from Aosta, Geneva, Turin or Milan is possible via public bus (Savda and/or Sadem) or combination of train & bus. As with driving, the town of Chatillon St Vincent is the key turning point in any bus or train journey. At least 8 public bus services run from Chatillon St Vincent & Cervinia Valtournenche per day; see timetable here. Search & book train tickets to Aosta & Châtillon St Vincent here.

From Milan Malpensa airport to Chatillon St Vincent, public bus services run twice daily (& 3 times on weekends). See an example of the timetable here.

From Turin airport it is necessary to travel into central Turin. Regular buses make the 45min journey and stop at both major railway station in Turin (Porta Nuova and Porta Susa). The main bus terminal (Autostazione corso Bolzano) is conveniently situated opposite the Porta Susa railway station. Buses to Chatillon St Vincent (destination Aosta or Courmayeur) leave from both main train stations three times daily (& 4 times on Fridays). See an example of the timetable here.

From Geneva airport public bus services run twice daily to Courmayeur (& 3 times on weekends), where other services can be utilised to Cervinia via Chatillon St Vincent. See an example of the timetable here.

See all the Savda bus timetables here.

Trains to the Valle d’Aosta terminate at Aosta but make an earlier stop at Chatillon St Vincent where the train is met by the Cervinia bus. All train services start at Chivasso on the main Milan-Turin line.

Once in Breuil Cervinia, all local timetables are on display in the bus shelter at the main terminal near the entrance to town.

Getting Around the Ski Resort

Local buses run by Savda do regular circuits around Cervinia from the central bus station near the town entrance (cost €1 a trip).

Unless staying out of the main village area, it is small enough to walk most places, even the apartment buildings higher up in the resort (although you will puff a bit!).

Nearby Ski Resorts

Cervinia is in the Aosta Valley alongside some of Italy's best ski resorts within a short distance. To the west via the city of Aosta, are magnificent Courmayeur, the amazing Skyway Monte Bianco, La Thuile, secret stash Crevacol and the surprise packet, Pila. The Powderhound paradise of Monterosa Ski is to the east. Just south of Cervinia are some fun 'local' ski hills including beautiful Chamois above Buisson & Torgnon. Further south is the isolated Champorcher; perfect for those looking to be off the beaten track.

Zermatt in Switzerland is lift pass & ski trail linked to Cervinia. Direct lift connections from Cervinia's Testa Grigio across the Theodul Glacier to Zermatt's Kleine Matterhorn are under construction for winter 2019/20. There are also serious plans afoot to lift link the Cime Bianche at the top of Valtournenche in Cervinia with Frachey (Champoluc) in the Monterosa Ski area, creating the world's largest international interconnected ski resort.