Day trip from Turin
Around 55 kilometres north of Turin, the Aosta Valley begins: castles on rocky spurs, the Roman town of Aosta and, at the end of the valley, the cable car up to 3,466 metres on Mont Blanc. Here's what's realistic in a day and how to get there.
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The Aosta Valley is Italy's smallest region and borders directly on Piedmont. From Turin, the A5 motorway runs up the valley: after 55 kilometres you reach Pont-Saint-Martin at the entrance to the valley, after 78 kilometres the Forte di Bard and after 98 kilometres the Aosta Est exit. Beyond that, the road continues to Courmayeur at the foot of Mont Blanc.
You can't do it all in one day. Pick a focus:
Important for 2026: on the railway between Ivrea and Aosta, buses replace trains until 13 December 2026 because the line is being electrified. That makes the journey without a car considerably longer – details below.
Distances are from Turin via the A5 motorway.
| Destination | What to expect | From Turin | Without a car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forte di Bard | Fortress with Alpine museum, prisons and panoramic lifts | 78 km, Pont-Saint-Martin or Verrès exit | Train to Ivrea, replacement bus to Hône-Bard |
| Castello di Fénis | Challant family castle with Gothic frescoes | A5 towards Aosta | awkward – better by car |
| Aosta | Roman town with theatre, city gate and Arch of Augustus | 98 km, Aosta Est exit | Train to Ivrea + replacement bus, or Arriva bus |
| Skyway Monte Bianco | Cable car to Punta Helbronner, 3,466 m | A5 to Courmayeur | bus from Aosta to Courmayeur (1 hour) |
| Breuil-Cervinia | Mountain village below the Matterhorn at around 2,050 m | A5, Châtillon exit | Arriva buses, check the timetable |
| Gran Paradiso | National park with ibex, summit at 4,061 m | Piedmont side via the Orco valley, Aosta Valley side via Cogne | only with plenty of time |
Distances according to lovevda.it (Aosta Valley regional tourist board) and fortedibard.it. As of October 2026.
Normally, regional trains run directly from Torino Porta Nuova and Porta Susa to Aosta. Since January 2024 the line between Ivrea and Aosta has been undergoing electrification. Until the timetable change on 13 December 2026, you therefore take the train to Ivrea (just under an hour from Porta Nuova) and change there to the replacement bus. The bus stops at Pont-Saint-Martin, Hône-Bard, Verrès, Châtillon-Saint-Vincent and Nus, among others, and takes a good 1.5 hours to Aosta. To Hône-Bard, the stop for the Forte di Bard, it's a good half hour.
For the one-way journey Turin–Aosta, allow around two and a half to three hours at the moment. For a day trip, that means an early start and ideally just one destination. You'll find timetables at Trenitalia, and information on Turin's stations on our page Train stations in Turin.
Arriva connects Turin with Aosta and other places in the valley, with connections to Courmayeur and Breuil-Cervinia. In Turin the buses stop at Porta Nuova and Porta Susa, among other places. A single ticket to Aosta costs €15.00, a return on the promotional fare €25.00. You have to reserve a seat. The current timetable is valid from 13 April to 30 November 2026 and is available on arriva.it.
A car gives you the most flexibility, especially for Fénis, Cervinia or the Skyway. The A5 is a toll motorway and runs from Turin to Courmayeur. If you pick up a hire car in Turin, watch out for the traffic zones in the city centre – more on this under Driving and parking in Turin.
Aosta was founded in 25 BC as Augusta Praetoria. Much of the Roman street plan can still be seen today, and the old town is small enough to explore on foot in half a day.
A combined ticket for €10.00 (full price) covers five archaeological sites: the Teatro romano, the Cryptoporticus, the early Christian church of San Lorenzo, the Regional Archaeological Museum (MAR) and the megalithic area. The Arch of Augustus and Porta Praetoria can be seen for free from the street.
From October to March the archaeological sites are open daily 10:00–13:00 and 14:00–17:00, from April to September 09:00–19:00. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing; closed on 25 December and 1 January.
If you'd like to see Aosta with a licensed guide: this tour is private, so just for your group, and starts right at the Arch of Augustus. You arrange your own travel to Aosta.
Two hours on foot from the Arch of Augustus via the Pont de Pierre stone bridge and the Porta Praetoria to Sant’Orso. You'll see the Roman theatre from the outside. Offered in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish. The price is per group of up to 20 people.
from €298.00
Details & bookingFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance according to the product page.
The fortress sits on a rock above the medieval village of Bard, blocking the valley at its narrowest point. In 1242 Bard passed to the House of Savoy. In May 1800 the fortress held up Napoleon's army for around two weeks; afterwards he had it razed. From 1830 it was rebuilt on the orders of King Carlo Felice – as you see it today. The military abandoned the site in 1975, the region bought it in 1990, and it reopened in 2006 after restoration. Read more about the dynasty on our page on the House of Savoy.
Three panoramic lifts take you up from the village. Inside the fortress you'll find the Museo delle Alpi, the former prisons with 24 cramped cells, the Museum of Fortifications and Frontiers, an Alpine area for children and changing exhibitions. All levels are accessible by lift or ramp.
By car via the A5, Pont-Saint-Martin exit (6 km) or Verrès exit (9 km). The car park at the foot of the fortress costs €5.00 during the day; several car parks 200 to 600 metres away are free. Without a car: train to Ivrea, then the replacement bus to Hône-Bard – the station is 500 metres from the fortress.
The online ticket corresponds to the tour of all museums and exhibitions. You exchange it for an admission ticket at one of the two ticket offices.
Entry to the fortress with panoramic lifts, the Museo delle Alpi, the fortifications museum, the prisons and all current temporary exhibitions. Plus an audio guide via the Museon app. The ticket is valid for 90 days. You can redeem it at the first panoramic lift or up in the village behind the church.
from €24.00
Details & bookingFree cancellation up to 24 hours in advance according to the product page.
Along the A5 you keep spotting castles on rocky spurs. The best known is the Castello di Fénis between Châtillon and Aosta – with towers and crenellated walls straight out of a picture book. Aimone di Challant had the towers and walls built in the mid-14th century. Until 1716 the castle was the seat of the Challant family.
After that it fell into decay: cows were kept on the ground floor, hay was stored upstairs. In 1895 the architect Alfredo d’Andrade bought the castle and donated it to the state. Today it belongs to the Aosta Valley region.
The courtyard is famous: above the semicircular staircase, St George fights the dragon, and on the wooden galleries stand sages and prophets with mottos. The frescoes of the Annunciation and St Christopher come from the circle of the painter Giacomo Jaquerio, around 1425–30.
Booking is recommended, especially at weekends – via the region's ticket portal (Midaticket) or the tourist offices. Other castles such as Issogne or Verrès are also in the main valley; by car, Bard, Fénis and Aosta combine well in one day.
The Skyway Monte Bianco starts in Pontal d’Entrèves near Courmayeur at 1,300 metres. In about four minutes you reach the intermediate station Pavillon du Mont Fréty (2,200 m), and in another five minutes Punta Helbronner at 3,466 metres. The cabins rotate a full 360 degrees during the ride. At the top you look out over Mont Blanc and the glaciers on the border with France.
According to the operator, these fares apply until 1 November 2026.
The cable car closes at times for maintenance work. In 2026 it was closed in spring from 20 April to 22 May. In autumn 2025 it was out of service from 14 October to 6 December. The dates for the 2026 autumn maintenance had not been published on 1 October 2026. Only plan a visit from mid-October after checking on montebianco.com whether the cable car is running.
By car via the A5 to Courmayeur. Without a car, the Skyway is a very long day from Turin: train and replacement bus to Aosta, then an hour on the Arriva bus to Courmayeur. The private tour with pick-up in Turin is more convenient.
We haven't found a group coach tour from Turin to Mont Blanc. You have two options: travel independently and buy your ticket in advance, or book the private day tour with a driver from Turin.
The operator's ticket for the ride from Courmayeur to Punta Helbronner and back, valid on one day. Included are the sun terrace at the Pavillon, the Hangar 2173 museum and the exhibition on Paul Helbronner. The meeting point is the valley station in Entrèves. Non-refundable according to the product page.
from €59.00
Details & booking
Ten hours with a private guide and driver, pick-up at your hotel in central Turin. Skyway tickets are included, lunch is not. On the way you visit the Saussurea Alpine garden at the Pavillon and ride up to Punta Helbronner. Offered in German, English, French, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Free cancellation up to 2 days in advance.
from €720.00
Details & bookingCancellation terms according to the product pages: Skyway ticket non-refundable, private tour free up to 2 days in advance.
In Italian the Matterhorn is called Monte Cervino, and it's 4,478 metres high. Breuil-Cervinia lies at around 2,050 metres right at its foot. By car, take the A5 to the Châtillon exit and then drive up the Valtournenche. A popular photo spot is the Lago Blu, where the mountain is reflected in the water.
From Cervinia, cable cars run via Plateau Rosa to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and – with the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing, open since July 2023 – on to Zermatt without skis. Note: the Alpine Crossing is closed for maintenance from 7 September to 23 October 2026 and, according to Zermatt Bergbahnen, runs again from 24 October 2026. Children under three are not allowed on the highest sections.
From Turin, Cervinia makes a good day trip by car if the view of the Matterhorn is enough for you. For the trip to Zermatt and back you'll need a very early start.
The Gran Paradiso was the hunting ground of the House of Savoy and in 1922 became Italy's first national park – founded to save the ibex. The park ranges from 800 metres up to the summit of the Gran Paradiso at 4,061 metres. With a bit of luck you'll see ibex, chamois, marmots and golden eagles.
The park lies in Piedmont and the Aosta Valley. From Turin, the Piedmont side with the Orco valley and Ceresole Reale is closer; there are visitor centres in Locana, Noasca and Ceresole Reale, among other places. On the Aosta Valley side, you reach Cogne and the Valsavarenche from Aosta. For either, you'll need a car and a full day. Information on trails and visitor centres is available on pngp.it.
Each as a day trip, returning to Turin in the evening.
In the morning, take the train to Ivrea and the replacement bus to Hône-Bard. Spend the morning at the Forte di Bard, then continue by bus to Aosta: Arch of Augustus, Porta Praetoria and the Roman theatre. Return via Ivrea in the evening. Until 13 December 2026, a long day.
First the Forte di Bard (from 10:00, closed on Mondays), then the Castello di Fénis, and in the afternoon Aosta on foot. Check the opening hours: in the winter months Fénis closes as early as 17:00 and is shut on Mondays.
Set off early on the A5 to Courmayeur, take the Skyway up to Punta Helbronner and have lunch at the Pavillon. On the way back, a short stop in Aosta. Check beforehand whether the cable car is closed for maintenance.
No. The Torino + Piemonte Card and the Royal Pass cover museums and residences in Turin and Piedmont; attractions in the Aosta Valley are not included. If you visit museums a lot, take a look at the annual Abbonamento Musei Piemonte Valle d’Aosta pass (2026: €58 full price) – it gives free entry to the Castello di Fénis, among others. For Turin itself, the Torino Card is worth it.
Less time on the road, and mountains too: the Sacra di San Michele abbey stands 40 kilometres west of Turin above the Susa Valley. Then there are wine tastings in the Langhe and Lake Maggiore. All destinations at a glance:
Via the A5 motorway it's 55 kilometres to Pont-Saint-Martin at the entrance to the valley, 78 kilometres to the Forte di Bard and 98 kilometres to Aosta (Aosta Est exit). Courmayeur and the Skyway are at the upper end of the valley.
At the moment only as far as Ivrea. Because the line is being electrified, replacement buses run between Ivrea and Aosta until 13 December 2026. Allow around two and a half to three hours for the one-way journey. After that, through trains are due to run again.
Yes, Arriva runs from Porta Nuova and Porta Susa to Aosta, with connections to Courmayeur and Breuil-Cervinia. A single ticket costs €15.00 and a reservation is mandatory. Timetables on arriva.it.
Yes – ideally by car via the A5 to Courmayeur, or on the private tour with pick-up in Turin. By train and bus it's a very long day until December 2026, because you have to change in Ivrea and Aosta.
A return trip from Courmayeur to Punta Helbronner costs €59 online outside high season (the Christmas holidays and August are more expensive). Children under 8 travel free with a full-paying adult. These fares apply until 1 November 2026.
The cable car closes at times for maintenance; in autumn 2025 it was closed from 14 October to 6 December. The 2026 dates had not been published on 1 October 2026. Check montebianco.com before you go.
Tuesday to Friday 10:00–18:00, at weekends 10:00–19:00. It's closed on Mondays, except in August. The ticket office closes an hour earlier. Standard admission costs €15.00, the ticket for all museums €24.00, and entry is free for under-18s.
Yes, it has been open again since 3 July 2026 after almost three years of restoration – partly for now, as work is still going on in the southern area. Admission is included in the €10.00 combined ticket for five archaeological sites.
No. The Torino + Piemonte Card is valid in Turin and Piedmont. In the Aosta Valley you pay standard admission; with the annual Abbonamento Musei Piemonte Valle d’Aosta pass, entry to the Castello di Fénis, among others, is free.
In October 2026 we only found a private Mont Blanc tour with pick-up in Turin. In Aosta there's a private walking tour on site, and for the Forte di Bard an online ticket. We didn't find any group coach tours from Turin to the Aosta Valley.