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Salzburg to Italy - but how?

Posted by (USA) on

Fellow travelers,

Spending two weeks in Europe with two teens (18 and 15), arriving Munich (from US) July 14 morn. Jetlagged, we'll take in Munich that day, nap, eat. July 15 we will visit Dachau, and then depart July 15 eve or early July 16 for Salzburg (presumably 2-3 nights in Salzburg enough?). Easy train. Had originally planned to travel to Austria, then Lucerne, Switzerland, then to Italy. Alas, that seems a LOT of time spent in transit. We'd like more time in Italy (Milan/Piedmont/Turin) and less time on trains (unless other experienced travelers feel differently!). Question is... would it be best to train from Salzburg to Italy? And if so, what route/train for beautiful Alps views? Or do we save time and backtrack to Munich and take a flight to Milan?

We'll rent a car for the time in Italy. Our family likes big hikes (which perhaps we should do in Salzburg?), great food, getting the local feels, and the parents love Nebbiolo/Barolo sipping. July 19 - July 28 are reserved for Italy. Depart late morn from Malpensa on July 28. Thinking we'd start in Milan (attend Mass July 20), spend a day or two... then possibly visit a lake? Maybe not. Take in Turin (birthplace of my ancestors). And find a quaint home base for several days in the Piedmont... for vineyards, activities for teens (who love good food, culture),... any suggestions?

Primarily worried about the time on trains... unless there is a beautiful route from Salzburg to Milan? Suggestions? Any travel tips for flights? Had hoped to fit in a fourth country (France/near Turin) or Switzerland, but don't want to spend the entire two weeks working thru constant travel logistics.

We have only booked the flight into Munich July 14 and the flight home from Milan July 28. The rest is wide open!

Thoughts most welcome and very much appreciated.

Posted by
2433 posts

You must decide what is most important for you, shorter travel times or watching the landscape when crossing the Alps.

Going by plane from Munich to Milan is the fastest way for sure, but it is not even twice as fast as the train (5:30 vs. 9 hours).

Train Salzburg to Munich airport (2:30 hours), time for check-in and security check (1:30 hours), flight (1:15 hours), etc.

Train from Salzburg to Milan, one change in Zurich, (9 hours), e.g. RJX 368 / EC 117 (departing 7:56am).

Alternatively you can take the NightJet sleeper train directly from Salzburg to Milan: NJ 40295, departing 10:02pm (9:45 hours).

Posted by
162 posts

I can address your Salzburg dilemma. You can fly from Salzburg to Milan Linate, a 5 hour flight with an hour and a half layover in Frankfurt, or you can take the [NightJet][1]

[1]: https://www.nightjet.com/en/ticket-buchen/#/home which takes 9h 40minutes and finishes in Milan Rogoredo or you can take day time trains which entails switching trains, twice, and takes 8h 33m, or you could drive and it would take about 5.5hours. Alternatively you could train back to Munich airport and then fly to Linate with the same layover in Frankfurt. Personally, mainly since you mentioned you’re hikers, I’d skip Austria altogether and head to the Dolomites because THAT is where some great kick ass hikes are to be found.

Posted by
22185 posts

Salzburg to Milan is going to be a travel day no matter how you cut it. Might as well take the train to Innsbruck, then a train to Verona, then a train to Milan. It is 8 hours, but the first leg to Innsbruck is in a deep valley between mountains and the second leg is over the Brenner Pass and down the Adige Valley in the Dolomites. Maybe you could stop for a few hours in Verona

Posted by
3 posts

Thank you for this input! We'll take a look at all these options - including direct to Italy from Germany. And yes, we are definitely intd in hiking and had originally looked at Dolomites. We'll also look into skipping Austria and choosing Lucerne or a base in Switzerland to travel to from Munich, and then on to Turin or Milan from there. Lots of options - and in part, that's the challenge! We'll try to toe the line between ambitious without crossing over into overly ambitious.

Posted by
2745 posts

I was just going to recommend a stop in the Dolomites. Take the train from Salzburg to Bolzano, then the bus or rental car to Ortesei or Santa Cristina Val Gardena. It’s a magical part of the world with the most spectacular views, fabulous food (both Italian and Austrian influences) and hikes galore. We’ve visited Austria, Switzerland and the Dolomites, and I preferred the Dolomites.

You could then spend some time at Lake Garda. Check out Limone sul Garda or Malcesine. If you pick up a car in Bolzano, it will be easier. Lake Maggiore is another great option from Milan. We loved Stresa.

Posted by
3 posts

Thank you for this latest tip on the Dolomites! That sounds like a perfect stop en route to Milan and one we'd regret not making.

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