The Trail by Train Tour (TTT) is an international trail running circuit that brings together events in Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, and France. What do they have in common? They all offer starting points close to a train station. This proximity makes it easier for runners who have chosen to travel by train rather than by car, for example. This approach also brings consistency to their passion for trail running. Indeed, runners are nature lovers, almost by definition. However, they sometimes contribute to harming the environment when they forget to include the choice of a “green” mode of transport in the equation of their participation. The Trail by Train Tour (TTT) was therefore conceived in 2023 to encourage changes in habits.
In 2026, it is moving up a gear by also asking the events that make up the 13 rounds of the circuit to calculate their “transport” carbon footprint and reduce it. Travel accounts for more than 80% of an event’s total footprint. Concrete measures are then taken, such as organizing departures according to train schedules, providing shuttles from train stations, or linking the allocation of race numbers to the means of transport used. The TTT also becomes a valuable organizational aid and a label of quality.
Welcome aboard!
2026 calendar
14 European trail-running destinations, all accessible by train. The TTT team is working on benefits for prospective trail-runners when purchasing train tickets.
All concerned cities will be connected with high speed and/or international trains. 5 first European networks/corridors are used or will be used :
-the SNCF/SNCB/Thalys network > North Sea – Mediterranean – Atlantic corridor
-the SNCF/Lyria network > Alps – Rhone – Rhine corridor
-and the SNCF/Trenitalia network : Northsea – North of Italy corridor.
-the Nightjet network > North Sea – Eastern Europe corridor
-the EuropeanSleeper / SJ EuroNight > North Sea – Baltic Sea corridor
Ambassadors
Several well-known trailers support the TTT. Andrew “Andy” Symonds is the first one to become an ambassador of the TTT. We are proud of this association for at least two reasons. The first one is obvious, it’s the track record! Andy, a British champion living in France, has won several prestigious events such as the Lavaredo Ultra Trail in 2016, the Trail du Ventoux in 2012 or Les Templiers in 2011, as well as a top 5 at the UTMB in 2019.
The second reason is more surprising. Andy Symonds is one of the few elite international athletes (all sports included) to take into account the environmental impact of his travels when putting together his schedule. Recently, for example, he made the decision not to travel to the Trail World Championships in Thailand for environmental reasons. According to the calculation of his personal carbon footprint, this one trip would indeed ruin all the efforts made during the year to reduce his greenhouse gas emissions (link to the article). This responsible attitude seems to us to be in line with not only the climate challenges that our modern society have to face but also, of course, with the objectives of the TTT which aims, let’s remember, to encourage travel by train to reduce the carbon footprint of major trail-running events.
So we couldn’t dream of a better ambassador to launch the Trail by Train Tour.
Link to Andy’s blog : on his blog.
Xavier Thévenard does not need an introduction in the world of trail running. Nicknamed the “Little Prince of Mont Blanc” for his 3 victories on the UTMB, he is also the first trail runner to win all 4 distances of the event, and that is just part of his record of achievements! Xavier has also been crowned in Japan on the 2019 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Fuji and has twice won the 80km Marathon du Mont-Blanc.
Today, he shows a strong commitment to preserving the environment by renouncing participation in prestigious competitions far away in order to stop using airplanes. He has calculated his personal carbon footprint at 5 tonnes per year. He would like to aim for 2 tonnes per person per year by 2050, recommended to achieve carbon neutrality.
An interesting interview about his collaboration with the TTT can be found on Youtube.
Lucas Nanchen is one of Switzerland’s top runners, mainly on short trails. In 2022, he finished second in the renowned Trail Verbier Saint-Bernard and the Trail du Bresso in Switzerland. In 2023, he finished second in the 34km of the French GTL (Grand Trail du Lac), the final stage of the TTT this year.
Lucas justifies his commitment in these words: “We practice a sport in the middle of nature, which requires us to respect it. It’s paradoxical to promote a natural sport and, at the same time, destroy nature through our journeys. 80% of Co2 emissions linked to an event come from transport. If all runners undertook to take the train to competitions (whenever possible), the carbon footprint would be reduced. What’s more, the train is a very convenient means of transport, and one that is undergoing rapid development. The TTT allows us to enjoy our sport to the full, while preserving the environment in which we practice our passion. The future of our wonderful sport depends on it!”
Helena Roosen is a Belgian sportswoman who never stops setting herself sporting challenges: Ninjas Warriors in 2021, the famous survival programme Koh Lanta in 2023 and now her sights are set on running and trail running. She took part in the High Trail Vanoise the Millet X Trail Courchevel 2023 and she won the Run&Bike of the Meyboom Trail Brussels in 2023, a stage of the TTT.
Helena expresses her commitment for this european circuit in this way: “When you go trail running, you do it for the sporting activity, but also to enjoy the environment in which you’re running. Preserving this environment and being careful about our emissions is becoming increasingly important these days. Offering a European Trail circuit accessible by train means you can discover different races and environments while limiting your impact. We know that the travel of runners and companions accounts for the majority of emissions during a trail event, so it’s a great initiative on the part of the TTT to offer trails that are accessible by train”.
Sébastien Mahia, long known as the bulimic of running, has made a name for himself with his atypical vision of running: no training sessions, only official races! And all this without demerits. In fact, he was the winner of the Trail Meyboom Brussels (TMB) 2021 over a distance of 42km, which is a TTT event now known as the Europa Trail.
“I support the TTT because I think it’s an original way of travelling around Europe without having to use your car. During my binge years (200 competitions a year), I used my car a lot. Since I’ve reached my goal of 400 wins, I’ve calmed down in terms of my travels. Today, I’m just realising that it was excessive in terms of budget (petrol prices) but above all in ecological terms. This year, I’m giving drawing lessons in 2 schools in Brussels. I travel by train. It’s so much easier and less stressful.“
Access by train
The use of the train as a means of travel to the different events of the TTT is the real thread of the project. Studies show that, in large popular running events, transport of participants represents the bulk of their carbon footprint.
The TTT is based on an observation revealed by numerous studies: nearly 80% of the carbon footprint of a running event comes from the travel of participants. Waste sorting, the use of reusable cups or the recycling of old banners are important actions but have a limited impact compared to the transportation in the overall carbon footprint of a public event. Without fanaticism, the TTT tries to raise awareness, to better inform and to facilitate the use of the train as a means of transportation for athletes. Even if there are many obstacles on the way, it is not utopian to think that in a few years, trains will be chartered to go to and return from an event and that transport by train for athletes will be the rule and no longer the exception.
Train, car, plane: the difference is 2000! This means that for the same journey, some people produce 2000 times more carbon dioxide than others. At one extreme of the spectrum are private planes. A plane like the presidential Falcon emits about 4 kilos of CO2 per kilometer flown. Commercial airliners emit 25 kilograms of CO2 per kilometer flown. This pollution must be divided by the number of passengers, which amounts to between 150 and 260 grams of CO2 per kilometer and per person. That's a little more than a car carrying only one passenger (100 grams). It is much more than a bus trip (30 grams). In this ranking, the big winner remains the train with a CO2 production per kilometer that varies between 2 grams for fast trains and 5 grams for regional trains. The pollution generated by the train is therefore 15 times lower than that generated by the bus, 100 times lower than that of a private car, 125 times lower than that of a commercial airliner and 2000 times lower than that of a private jet. These few figures clearly argue for a shift in habits in favor of rail. A very complete article on the subject can be found in the February 2023 issue of Zatopek magazine.
To help you prepare for your train journeys, the Trail by Train Tour team has compiled a selection of tips and tricks (at the bottom of the page) and a simplified map of train access for each stage of the TTT below.
A unique Trail in the heart of the Haute Ardenne
International and national trains from Paris, Brussels and Cologne arrive at Gare de Liège-Guillemins, located in the Meuse Valley. From here, you can take a train to Gouvy station (duration 1h14), just a few kilometers from the departure point. Don't miss the first train at 6.07 a.m., arriving at Gouvy at 7.21 a.m., the last Belgian station on the line. In Liège, numerous accommodation and catering options are available around the station. For the return journey, there is a train every 2 hours on this line.
Station address: 2, Place des Guillemins, 4000 Liège (BE)
From Luxembourg-City station, you can reach Gare de Gouvy by taking a train on the Luxembourg (LU) - Liège (BE) line, just a few kilometers from the trailhead. You'll easily find accommodation around Luxembourg-City station. At the latest, take the 7.16 a.m. train on race day to arrive at 8.40 a.m. in Gouvy, the first Belgian station on the line. For the return journey, there's a train every 2 hours on this line.
Station address: 1, Place de la Gare, 1616 Luxembourg (LU)
Gouvy train stationAt the Gouvy train station, trail runners are 7km from the race start. In Gouvy, a few lodgings are available (it is advisable to book a room well in advance), and a shuttle service is provided on race day between the station and the start of the trail.
Station address: 31, Rue de la Gare, 6670 Gouvy (BE)
Start address: Rettigny at 6673 Gouvy (BE)
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: https://www.latharee-trail.be/
• +32 495 31 64 95
• info@latharee-trail.be
A trail in the streets of Paris
Paris has two major international train stations from which you can easily travel from all over Europe.
Paris-Gare-de-Lyon: Place Louis-Armand, 75012 Paris (FR)
Gare Paris Nord: 18, Rue de Dunkerque, 75010 Paris (FR)
From these stations, you can take a number of public transport lines (metro, RER) to get to the various race starts (see below).
Starting addresses: Salomon EcoTrail Paris offers a large number of races, with different starting locations. Some are directly accessible via the public transport network, while others are accessible via organized shuttles. We invite you to find out more directly on the organization's website : https://www.ecotrailparis.com/
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: https://www.ecotrailparis.com/
In the Belgian Ardennes, along the Ourthe river
Liège-Guillemins station
From Liège Guillemins international station, it will be possible to take a shuttle* (by train) to the two departure locations (42 and 21km) according to the following schedule:
8:07 a.m : departure of the train to Esneux, starting point of the 21 km trail.
8:14 a.m : departure of the train towards Comblain-La-Tour (Hamoir), place of departure of the 42km.
Station address : 2, Place des Guillemins at 4000 Liège (BE)
Departure address of the 21 km : Parc du Mary at 4130 Esneux (BE)
Departure address of the 42 km : Terrain C of RRC de Hamoir - 34, Rue de Fairon at 4180 Hamoir (BE)
*Registration includes train shuttle
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: www.zatopekmagazine.com
team@zatopekmagazine.com
From the historic heart of the capital
Luxembourg City station
From Luxembourg station, you can reach the start of the races on foot or by public transport. Since 2020, all public transport (bus, train, tram) has been free throughout Luxembourg.
Station address de la gare : 1, Place de la Gare at 1616 Luxembourg (LU)
Races starts address : Cité judiciaire - 18, Plateau du Saint-Esprit at 1475 Luxembourg (LU)
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: https://urbantrail.lu
contact@urbantrail.lu
A festival of canyons, cliffs, gorges and waterfalls
Neuchâtel station
Neuchâtel station is located on the heights of the city center of Neuchâtel, which can be reached by tram or funicular.
With 2 train lines per hour, it is easy to reach Couvet station. The journey takes 30 minutes. The first departure is at 5:40 am.
Staion address : 1, Place de la Gare at 2000 Neuchâtel (CH)
Couvet station
Couvet station is 800m from the start and finish of the races. It will therefore be easy to get there on foot, in just 10 minutes.
Station address : 5, Rue Pierre-Dubied at 2108 Couvet (CH)
Races departure address : EspaceVal - 15, Clos-Pury at 2108 Couvet (CH)
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: https://swisscanyontrail.com/
info@swisscanyontrail.com
Europe’s only trail running through vineyards
Two train lines (R3 and R4) connect the Lausanne and Lutry stations every 20 minutes. The journey takes 9 minutes on average.
The station is served by the TGV from Paris and the Léman Express from Annemasse.
Station address: Pl. de la Gare 5A, 1003 Lausanne, Suisse
The Lutry train station is a 750-metre walk from the departure point, the Collège du Grand-Pont.
Station address: 1095 Lutry, Suisse
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: xtratraillavaux.ch
An Adventure in the heart of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Nice
International and national trains from Paris, Brussels or Cologne arrive at Nice Station. From this station, you can take a Provence train called the Train des Pignes to St-André-les-Alpes station (journey time 2½ hours) or Dignes-les-Bains (journey time 3 hours 40 minutes). In Nice, there are many accommodation and dining options available around the station.
Station address : Avenue Thiers, 06000 Nice (FRA)
Dignes-les-Bains / Digne Rond Point du 04 Septembre
From Aix-en-Provence, stop at Digne-les-Bains station, also known as ‘Digne Rond Point du 04 Septembre’. You can reach Saint-André-les-Alpes station, the closest to the departure point, by taking a Pignes train.
Station address :
1 Rue Pierre Semard, 04000 Digne-les-Bains (FRA)
Saint-André-les-Alpes
At Saint-André-les-Alpes station, trail runners are 6.6 km from the start of the race. Some accommodation is available (it is advisable to book a room well in advance). A shuttle bus will run on race day between the station and the start of the trail in Hyèges.
Station address :
Imp. de la Gare, 04170 Saint-André-les-Alpes (FRA)
Start address : Hyèges (FRA)
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: https://www.thvtrail.fr/m-y-rendre/
The trail of the Alps. Grenoble, 4 massifs : Magic !
Grenoble station
All destinations lead to Grenoble! Whether you come from the region, from all over France or from abroad, Grenoble station is served by both TER and TGV trains.
As soon as you arrive at Grenoble station, you will be close to the city center. To reach the base camp located on Place Victor Hugo, tram A or B, or the C1 bus will take you there directly in less than 10 minutes. Finally, to get to the bib number pick-up, take tram A or B, or bus C1 to the Chavant stop, then walk the 550m to Halle Clémenceau.
Station address : 1, Place de la Gare at 38000 Grenoble (FR)
Base camp address :
Place Victor Hugo at 38000 Grenoble (FR)
Address for collecting race numbers: 40 Boulevard Clemenceau, 38000 Grenoble
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: https://ut4m.fr/fr
Contact : info@ut4m.fr
Through the Belledonne massif, as beautiful as it is demanding
Grenoble station
The organization has provided bus shuttles from the place of arrival, that is to say Aiguebelle.
Train travelers arriving in Grenoble have two possible choices. Either go to the start of their trail via Aiguebelle (arrival + collection of bibs) and take advantage of the organization's paid shuttles, or go directly to the start of the races by taking the option of sending the bib by postage. This last option seems more favorable to runners of the 149km Integrale which starts 20km from Grenoble. Be careful, if you go from Grenoble to the start of the races, you will have to find a transport solution (carpooling or public transport). In both cases, you will have to return from Aiguebelle (arrival) to Grenoble (possible accommodation) via the train for example.
Station address : Place de la Gare 1 at 38000 Grenoble
- Departure of the 149 km: 20km from the station
- Departure of the 84 km: 57km from the station
- Departure of the 64 km: 41km from the station
- Start of the Skyrace (21 km): 57km from the station
- Arrival of all races (except the Skyrace) in Aiguebelle: 72 km from Grenoble station
The journey from Grenoble to Aiguebelle only lasts an average of 1h40. To get from Grenoble to Aiguebelle, you can take one of the 12 trains that make this route daily.
Departure of the first train at 5:39 am, arrival in Aiguebelle at 7:00 am.
Aiguebelle station
In Aiguebelle, the trail runners are directly near the bib collection point, the arrivals of all distances (except the 21km skyrace) and the departure of the organization's paid shuttles (200m from the station).
Station address : Pré de Foire at 73220 Val-d'Arc (FR)
Schuttles departure : gymnasium - Collège de la Lauzière : 15, Rue des Écoles at 73220 Val-d'Arc (FR)
Information about the shuttles can be found via this link.
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: https://www.lechappeebelledonne.com/
Fabien : contact.belledonne@gmail.com
In the forests of the European capital
Brussels-Midi station
The Brussels-Midi International station is served by trains from all over Europe. This main station is also a departure point for regional public transport (train, tram, bus, metro). This will be useful for you to easily reach Boitsfort station, located 850m from the departures and arrivals village.
Brussels-Midi station will also allow you to reach the main attractions of the European capital as well as its city center.
In order to get to Boitfort, the train (departs every 40 minutes), the journey will take you 30 minutes.
Station addrese : 47B, Avenue Fonsny at 1060 Bruxelles (BE)
Boitsfort station
Located 850m from the village of the departures and arrivals of the trails, Boitsfort station will allow you to get there on foot (10 min) or by tram (6 min).
Station address : 195, Chaussée de la Hulpe at 1170 Watermael-Boitsfort (BE)
Races departure address : 114, chaussée de la Hulpe at 1180 Uccle (BE)
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: https://www.zatopekmagazine.com/
team@zatopekmagazine.com
Explore the scenic wonders of Sweden
Gare centrale de Stockholm
Stockholm Central Station is a strategic station with connections to Läggesta Tägstation for long-distance travel or Nyköping for other departures and arrivals.
Station address : Centralplan 15, 111 20 Stockholm, Suède
Gare centrale de Norrköping
From Norrköping station, continue your journey by train to Nyköping, then by bus to Jogersövägen, which is 1.4 km from the Jogersö campsite. You can stay there and/or take the free shuttle bus to the start of the 161 km, 100 km and 55 km routes. For the 21 km route, regional buses are available.
Station address : Norra Promenaden 94, 602 22 Norrköping, Suède
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: www.sormlands100.com
Cross majestic mountains, verdant valleys and rugged trails
Lyon Part-Dieu
International and domestic trains from Paris, Brussels or Cologne arrive in Lyon.
Station address : 5, Place Charles Béraudier 69003 Lyon
Geneva
International trains from the east and south arrive in Geneva.
Station address : Pl. de Cornavin 7, 1201 Geneva (CH)
Culoz
Culoz station is 1.9 km from the base camp (the village where the 7 km race starts and finishes).
Routes served:
Genève/Annecy – Grenoble – Valence
Saint Gervais / Evian / Genève – Bellegarde – Lyon
Chambéry – Culoz – Genève
Chambéry – Culoz – Ambérieu – Lyon
The organisation provides paid shuttle buses between the finish village and the various start locations.
Station address : Place Pierre Semard 01350 Culoz
Shuttle start / finish area address : zone de Loisirs En Verbaou, Av. Jean Falconnier, 01350 – Culoz-Béon
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: ultratrailgrandcolombier.com
The arduous tour of the largest natural lake in France
Chambéry - Challes-Les-Eaux station
Chambéry train station is less than 1 km from the city centre. Chambéry station will also allow you to reach Viviers-du-Lac station in just about 10 minutes. You will be able to take this line on average 11 times a day.
Station address : 1, Place de la Gare at 73010 Chambéry (FR)
Viviers-du-Lac station
From the Vivier du lac station, it is easy to reach the departure point (+ shuttle for the 34km trail) by bus. The journey takes an average of 20 minutes with departures every 20 minutes (bus 01).
A shuttle (at the price of 5€) is provided by the organization for the start of the 34km which is done in Chanaz. Booking is mandatory and can be done online, when you register or afterwards, in your customer area until October 12.
- Departure: 8 a.m. – "La Traverse" cultural space in Bourget-du-La
- Arrival: 9 a.m. – Chanaz (no bib pick-up).
Station address : 232, Route du Lac at 73420 Viviers-du-Lac (FR)
Address of the 75 km race departures + departure of the shuttles for the 34 km race: "La Traverse" cultural space - 15 Avenue Lac de Constance at 73370 Le Bourget-du-Lac (FR)
34km race departure address : Maison de Chanaz - Place Antoine/ Place Gianetto at 73310 Chanaz (FR)
We invite participants to visit the official website of the event to stay informed of the latest information: https://www.grandtraildulac.com/
contact.grandtraildulac@gmail.com
Tips
In order to prepare your train journeys as well as possible, the Train by Train Tour team summarizes a selection of tips and good plans.
Discover our various tips to help you to plan your train journeys.
For a pleasant journey by train, it is important to anticipate. It is important to pay attention to the different companies and connections. To do this, we advise you to visit the different websites of the companies in order to know what is offered. To buy a ticket, it is advisable to first check the national companies. Indeed, it is on the official websites of the companies concerned by your journey that the prices will be the most advantageous. If you are crossing borders, compare the fares of all the national companies of the countries you are crossing before buying. For example, if you are traveling from Luxembourg to Italy, you will most likely travel through France. It is therefore advisable to compare fares between Luxembourg, French and Italian companies. When a connection implies a change of company, it is sometimes more advantageous to buy the tickets separately. There are also private companies, such as thetrainline, which centralize different companies in order to propose you trans-European offers.
In order to find the best deal for your train ticket, the time of purchase is important. For high-speed trains, such as the EUROSTAR or ICE, prices are often more attractive two to three months before your trip. Anticipation is important, as is monitoring the promotional actions offered throughout the year for cross-border travel. For regional or national trains, prices generally do not vary. This can allow some flexibility when planning your trip.
Booking a non-flexible ticket well in advance can be very advantageous. This option is best if you are certain of your itinerary, such as going to a fixed date event. Another tip for saving money on train tickets is to find out about the many discounts that are available for different age groups or statuses (large families, students, military, journalists, railroad employees, etc.). Some high-speed train companies such as ICE even offer tickets without seat reservations. Be careful with this last point, you may be traveling standing up if all seats have been reserved. Some running or trail-running events regularly reserve entire carriages for their participants, but these are regional trains. This formula is not yet possible for cross-border trains but we are not far from it.
There are also various rail "passes" that can be a nice perk. For example, there is the Interrail Pass (interrail.eu or the app) which offers European commuters unlimited travel for a given period in 33 European countries at a fixed fare, but some fast or night trains still require seat reservations in advance, and thus an additional cost.
Seat reservations are not included in the Interrail Pass, but they guarantee comfort on busy European routes. In general, trains that require reservations save you time and offer many advantages, such as Wi-Fi connection, electrical outlets and sleeping places. You can also secure a seat next to your friends. Regional and national companies also offer similar passes for exclusive use in their territory (excluding high-speed trains).
Ranking
Here are the first rankings of trailers that take into account their mean of locomotion. A first in the history of trail-running!
These are the rankings of the best European “train taker” trailers. We could have talked about “ferrivopathic” trailers, i.e. those who love trains and prefer to use them for everyday travel or for more distant journeys such as going to a new trail-running event.
Of course, let’s remain modest. At this stage, these rankings only concern a selection of a dozen trail races in Europe and a few dozen participants. It is obviously the beginning of new mindset in sport. But it has the merit of existing and of tracing the way for the future, when, beside sport performances, the most precious gestures to preserve the environment will be taken into account. Make way for the pioneers!
