Venice to Interlaken

Did exactly that 3 weeks ago. You change trains 2 times but all of this is not difficult. We bought our tickets about 4 days before travel. You can go to the Trenitalia information office in the Venice train station (not the TI which is nearby) and they will print you a complete schedule from Venezia Santa Lucia to Interlaken West or Interlaken Ost whichever you need. Then you go over to the ticket window, wait in line and buy the ticket. You will get three tickets. (1) Venezia to Milano, (2) Milano to Spiez, (3) Spiez to Interlaken. (Make sure you know which Interlaken station you want). There are serveral different types of trains that you can take. Eurostar from Venice to Milan, EuroCity (EC) or Cisalpino (CIS) from Milan to Spiez and EuroCity or interregional (IR) from Spiez to Interlaken. Wherever you can, I suggest Eurostar, EuroCity or CIS trains. They are the fastest. They also have fewer stops.

Second part of message. I've never bought train tickets online so this is strange to me. www.raileurope.com will show you the schedule and train numbers but they won't show you what type of train you are on. Big problem here. You could get on a very slow local and not know it. www.trenitalia.com will show you a schedule from Venice to Spiez but not to Interlaken. Here, you will see the types of trains. However, any Trenitalia information office or travel agent in Italy WILL be able to book you completely through to Inerlaken. We did this. We left Venice at 10:51am and arrived in Interlaken Ost at 7:03pm. About 8 hours. I can give you train numbers if you wish. If, as part of your visit, you wish to proceed into Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Gimmelwald and other sites, it's an easy trip into Lauterbrunnen from Interlaken Ost (not Intelaken West). The trains area all locals and you pay for the tickets in Swiss Francs. If you have more questions, I have more answers.

I would love to hear the train no.s from Venice to Grindelwald if anyone knows. Thanks!

the most comprehensive site for looking up international trains is the German train company site at http://www.bahn.com/i/view/USA/en/index.shtml You can find the trains, routes, travel times, you name it...

I find the Swiss rail site easier to use. www.rail.ch for English, otherwise it is www.sbb.ch.

From Venice to Grindelwald, you go Venice--Milan--Spiez---Interlaken Ost ----Grindelwald. Sometimes there is an additional change at Brig.

It's a long train ride but worth it in the end when you arrive in the Swiss Alps. Grindelwald is Alpine town that's just overrun with tourists and tour buses. Nothing wrong with that as long as you know what to expect. The quieter villages of Wengen and Mürren are perched higher up on a cliff overlooking the Lauterbrunnen Valley. There are still tourists here but no tour buses or cars.

Your particular train from Interlaken Ost will split during the small journey. The front half of the train will continue to the Lauterbrunnen Valley while the back half of the train goes to Grindelwald.

Don't miss Trummelbach falls and another cool place nearby is Thun. Take a short train ride, see the castle, Shloss Thun and return by boat to interlaken. It was a great day!