Artouste Train
The Artouste Train
Presentation
Take in the views from Europe’s highest narrow-gauge railway! Open from 8 May to 4 October 2026
The Artouste Train: an unforgettable experience!
Enjoy a unique adventure aboard the little Artouste train amidst breathtaking scenery
Ready for an open-air tour to explore the heights of the Ossau Valley?
Climb aboard Europe’s highest narrow-gauge railway for a truly extraordinary journey! Clinging to the cliff face, wind your way through the Ossau mountains at an altitude of nearly 2,000 metres, and pass through spectacular scenery throughout your excursion.
An ideal outing, whether you’re with family, friends, as a couple or even on your own.
The Artouste Train is accessible from the village of Laruns, 20 km away, or from the Col du Pourtalet. It covers 10 km at an altitude of 2,000 metres, hugging the mountainside – a truly amazing journey!
It offers magnificent scenery throughout the Soussoueou valley, rich in flora and fauna. The luckiest visitors may even spot marmots.
Tickets are on sale at the Ossau Valley Tourist Office.
How to take the Artouste train?
From Laruns, take the road towards Artouste station (about 45 minutes by car).
From the village of Fabrèges, take the Sagette cable car (10 to 15 minutes).
It will take you from an altitude of 1,250 metres to 2,000 metres, where you can admire an exceptional panorama with the Pic du Midi d'Ossau in your line of sight.
Please note: The train time selected at the time of purchase corresponds to the train's departure time.
To arrive on time for the train, we recommend that you arrive 45 minutes before the cable car departs.
At the top of the cable car, board the train and set off on a 55-minute journey along 10 km of track on the mountainside.
Once you arrive at Lac station, it is a 20-minute walk to Lac d'Artouste.
Our advice:
- To help you plan your day as effectively as possible, tourist information offices offer tickets for sale at the counter during busy periods.
No discounts are available. - You’ll be heading to the mountains at an altitude of 2,000 metres, where the weather can be changeable, so please bring: a hat, sunglasses, sun cream, closed-toe shoes, and warm, waterproof clothing.
- This excursion is not recommended for children under one year of age, due to the rapid ascent in the cable car, covering 800 metres of elevation gain in 10 minutes.
- For young children, please ensure they drink water during the ascent and descent in the cable car to clear their sensitive ears.
- Dogs are allowed free of charge, provided they are kept on a lead throughout the excursion.
- Please respect the National Park regulations at the Lac d’Artouste site.
Our day tickets
Discovery Ticket
Cable car + return train journey with a 1 hour 20 minute stop at the site in high season (minimum 3 hours 30 minutes) and a 1 hour 40 minute stop in low season.
The cable car from Lac de Fabrèges (1,250 m) takes you to the train station (1,950 m) in 15 minutes
Train journey: 55 mins outbound and 55 mins return
Stopover time: 1 hour 20 mins or 1 hour 40 mins depending on the season, including the walk along the path to Lake Artouste: 30-minute round-trip walk
Return journey by cable car: 15 mins
High Season (4 July to 30 August)
9.00 am to 5.00 pm with a train departing every half hour
Low Season (1 June to 3 July and 31 August to 4 October)
One train departure every hour from 10am to 3pm (except from 1 June to 19 June and from 14 September to 4 October, last train at 2pm).
- Adults: €28
- Children aged 4 to 12: €20
- Children (under 4): free (proof of age required)
- Family (1 adult + 2 children): €63
- Family (2 adults + 2 children): €88
- From the 3rd child onwards: an additional €16 per child
Please note:
We recommend arriving at the car park 45 minutes (low season) or 1 hour (high season) before your train departure time.
Dogs are allowed on a lead at no extra charge.
And, to round off the day:
At the top of the cable car, take a walk to the Pic de la Sagette orientation point to enjoy a beautiful view (1½ hours return)
Evasion Ticket
Cable car + return train journey with a 2½-hour stop at the site.
The cable car departs from Lake Fabrèges (1,250 m) and takes you to the train station (1,950 m) in 15 minutes
Train journey: 55 mins outbound and 55 mins return
Stopover time: 2½ hours, including the walk along the path to Lac d’Artouste: 30-minute round-trip walk
Return journey by cable car: 15 mins
High Season (4 July to 30 August)
with trains at 10.00, 12.30 and 15.00.
- Adults: €36
- Children aged 4 to 12: €32
Escapade Ticket
For hikers wishing to spend a day in the mountains or for those wishing to extend their stay at Lake Artouste
Cable car + Return train ticket (Extended stay at Lake Artouste or full day)
The cable car from Lac de Fabrèges (1,250 m) takes you to the train station (1,950 m) in 15 minutes
Train journey: 55 minutes each way
Return journey by cable car: 15 minutes
High Season (4 July to 30 August)
Trains depart every hour from 9am to 5pm / return journey only at 7.15pm
Low Season (1 June to 3 July and 31 August to 4 October)
Trains depart every hour from 10.00 to 15.00 / return journey only at 17.45
- Adults: €34
- Children aged 4 to 12: €30
Our other tickets
Camper Ticket
For a night in the mountains
Cable car + train outbound and return train the following day or two days later
Departures available on all trains.
Returns at specific times:
- High Season (4 July to 30 August): returns on trains at 10.15 am or 10.45 am
- Low Season (1 June to 3 July and 31 August to 4 October): returns on the 12.45 pm train
Prices:
- Adult: €35
- Children aged 4 to 12: €31
Excursion One-way or Return Ticket
Cable car + Train (outbound OR return)High Season (4 July to 30 August).
From 9.00 am to 5.00 pm with a train departure every half hour
Low Season (1 June to 3 July and 31 August to 4 October).
From 10am to 3pm with a train departure every hour
- Adults: €24
- Children aged 4 to 12: €14
The Train and its History
Before 1914, the Compagnie des Chemins de Fer du Midi devised a programme to build hydroelectric power stations to electrify its Pyrenean railway network.
In 1920, in the Ossau Valley, to facilitate the construction of the Artouste Lake dam, the company laid a construction railway line from La Sagette.
For eight years, the Artouste train transported workers, equipment, fuel and materials, including the tonnes of cement required.
In 1924, a service cableway on the slopes of the Pic de la Sagette and a single-track railway with a 50 cm gauge were constructed. The Compagnie des Chemins de Fer used its ten kilometres of narrow-gauge track, intended purely for industrial purposes, to transport men and
equipment to the construction site of the Artouste Lake dam.
The company was looking for a new source of energy and decided to harness the water resources of the Ossau Valley. To convert the power of the water into electricity, it was necessary to create reservoirs and a network of pipes linking the high-altitude lakes to the power stations in the
Ossau Valley. Thousands of men worked for eight years digging underground tunnels and building the dam.
Today, Lake Artouste holds 24 million cubic metres of water, and the hydroelectric power stations in the Ossau Valley generate electricity for Engie.
Since 1932, the Artouste site has been open to the public and the little train carries thousands of passengers every summer.
