Hello, I am trying to book transportation from Beckenried Post to Milan on July 19th. I see what looks like a great choice for us leaving Beckenried Post at 8:43. It goes through Altdorf, and then Lugano to get there. When I go to checkout, I see this. "ORDINARA, Chiasso - Milan Central. What does ORDINARA Chiasso mean? I am going through SBB and the price is a lot higher (64.40 + $6 CHF) than it had shown, 38.20 CHF, on the initial screen. Why is that?
Posted by
Bainbridge Island
3128 posts
It is higher because the original price you see on SBB assumes you have a Half Fare Card.
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Thank you. We bought the Swiss travel Pass and it may not have been the best choice, but at least we can cancel it if needed.
What does "ORDINARA Chiasso - Milan Central " mean though? Our train doesn't go through Chiasso.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16401 posts
Your train does go through Chiasso, on the Swiss-Italy border. You route is bus from Beckenreid Post to Altdorf, where you board IC 21 to Lugano. You change there to a Regional train going to Milano Centrale, passing through Paradiso,Mendrisio, Chiasso, Como San Giovanni, and more before you reach Milan.
You can see these stops if you expand the view on SBB.ch.
Your Swiss Pass should cover the route as far as Chiasso. You will pay for the fare from Chiasso to Milan, which is 6 €. That is the “Ordinaria” part.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32921 posts
If your Swiss Travel Pass is valid on the day you are going to Italy you don't need a ticket until you reach the Italian border.
Actually on your route, the train which leaves Lugano at 11:02 (the RE80) does call at the border town of Chiasso from 11:26 to 11:31 (3 stops after Lugano and 5 stops before Milano Centrale). Because that is only a RE Regional Express (called Regionale Veloce in Italy) you don't need a seat reservation for that journey, and with the STP you would only need a ticket from Chiasso to Milano Centrale.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32921 posts
great minds think alike Lola even though we are 8 hours apart
Posted by
Wengen
1796 posts
The "Ordinaria" means ordinary, and it indeed refers to a regional train that has no special tariffs. Hence ordinary.
However there is an issue here, and that is that Trenitalia has decided to make online tickets for regional trains complicated. Even if you buy it from SBB, you will need the Trenitalia App to "check in" for the train. For this reason SBB now splits tickets at the border in Chiasso if they do not involve one of the EC trains.
So I would suggest you forget about booking this on SBB.
Since you will have the STP you only need a ticket Chiasso - Milano, and just buy that, using the Trenitalia app, on the day of travel. No need to book this in advance. This is a commuter train.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16401 posts
SBB shows that as one train, RE80, that they board in Lugano and stay on til Milano Centrale. Are you saying they still must “check in” with Trenitalia even though they have paid SBB for the ticket, and are boarding the train at Lugano?
Posted by
Wengen
1796 posts
For the Chiasso - Milano part they will have an Italian ticket. Even if bought via SBB. They will need to either load it in the Trenitalia app, or use the link SBB will send them to check in. It is unfortunately rather complicated, but SBB cannot do anything about it.
I recently travelled Interlaken - Florence. Booked tickets on SBB. The Spiez - Milano, and Milano - Florence tickets were Trenitalia ones, and I could even enter the booking codes in the Trenitalia app, and have them there.