From Lake Como to Montreux Switzerland by train

www.sbb.ch will give you the routes. There are actually several alternatives, but all start at Como San Giovanni station

I see Como S Giovanni to Montreux les planches. I am clueless if this is the correct destination or not. We are staying in Montreux. Would that be the correct station for Montreux? (les planches?) Thanks!

Our specific destination is Avenue des Alpes, Montreux 1820 Switzerland.

Avenue des Alpes is right at the Montreux main station. Just plain old Montreux.

It really depends on the amount of time you wish to allocate to this trip.

The most efficient way would be backtracking to Milan and then take an Eurocity train to Geneva. All EC trains along this route call at Montreux, as far as I remember.

Otherwise, take an EC train from Como to Zurich. You'll find plenty of coincidences over there. Montreux is also the terminal for the very scenic narrow gauge Montreux-Oberland-Bernoise (MOB) railway. They run an express train called "Golden Pass".

Hi. So you are saying. ..take a train from Como to Milan. From Milan to Geneva. But get off before arriving to Geneva at Montreux? On Eurocity.

Yes, that's what he's saying. Its the fastest route. Again, it's also what www.sbb.ch is saying, about 4 hours 11 minutes.

That's correct. Como -> Milan -> Montreux. Piece of cake.

You'll have some layover time at Milano Centrale.

A more ambitious itinerary would be the following, all-train:

Como to Bellinzona (Switzerland)
Bellinzona to Locarno (all-swiss route)
Locarno to Domodossola (Italy) via "centovalli" narrow gauge railroad. Very scenic.
Domodossola to Brig (Switzerland)
Brig to Montreux.

While you can't go wrong with the scenery on any route crossing the Alps, I'd lean toward taking the time to enjoy the longer route that David describes. You often have to tell the train schedule search or ticket machine that this detour is what you want, since it otherwise focuses on speed.

THAT "AMBITIOUS ITENIRARY" SOUNDS MARVELOUS BUT JUST DON'T HAVE THE SPARE HOURS. I AM ALSO RUNNING INTO A "BIT OF A MENTAL/EMOTIONAL WALL" BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT MY TRANSPORT OPTIONS ARE LIMITED TO THE BELOW SCHEDULE WITH A 7 MINUTE CONNECTION AND A 9 MINUTE CONNECTION FROM MONTREUX to INTERLAKEN AND THAT IT IS THE ONLY OPTION THAT I HAVE. IS IT EVEN REASONABLE TO THINK I COULD MAKE THIS TRAIN? NEVER RIDDEN ANY TRAINS IN EUROPE. I AM NERVOUS. I DON'T HAVE A PLAN "B". AND APPARENTLY IT IS THE ONLY TRAIN FOR THE WHOLE DAY. POSSIBLY RENT A CAR INSTEAD? ANY OPINIONS WELCOME. THANK YOU!

1. Departure: MONTREUX on MO 05/25/2015 at 08:36
   Arrival: BRIG on MO 05/25/2015 at 09:42.
   Train No: 37

2. Departure: BRIG on MO 05/25/2015 at 09:49
   Arrival: SPIEZ on MO 05/25/2015 at 10:24
   Train No: 815

3. Departure: SPIEZ on MO 05/25/2015 at 10:33
   Arrival: INTERLAKEN WEST on MO 05/25/2015 at 10:51
   Train No: 271

Switzerland is "train country". Trains go everywere, even up to 9000 ft mountain tops, every hour or so. So if you miss a train, you'll wait for the next one in 60 minutes or less. Your itinerary is no exception. Trains also run on time, it is necessary to let the system run smoothly. Don't be scared, you wont miss your coincidences.

I also noticed your itinerary above includes backtracking to Brig, which is quite a nonsense to me for you travelled on the same route on your way to Montreux. Why not considering taking the MOB (Montreux Oberland Bernois) railroad from Montreux to Interlaken via Zweisimmen? Multiple departures daily!

Yes, 9 minute connections are normal. You just get off of one train and step on to another. Worst case, you have to change platforms by walking down a flight of stairs (or a ramp), walking 20 feet, then up another flight of stairs These aren't airplanes. Everything is timed perfectly. The Swiss have been doing this for a long time, and have gotten rather good at it.
And yes, even though it takes an extra 45 minutes or so, the MOB line is worth it for the mountain scenery.

I don't know who told you "IT IS THE ONLY TRAIN FOR THE WHOLE DAY", but that is rubbish. There is at least one train per hour one every train route and every station in Switzerland.

As Sam says, A 7 or 9 minute change is normal, the system is designed for such connections. You will find dozens of people on your train doing exactly the same change.

You say you "NEVER RIDDEN ANY TRAINS IN EUROPE", you should realise that trains are the basic day-in-day out transport, not some minority method.

You can look up times on www.sbb.ch

FORGIVE MY IGNORANCE ALL. BUT EXPERIENCE/ADVICE IS GOLD AND THAT'S WHAT I DIDN'T HAVE IN THIS CASE. EVERYONE'S COMMENTS HAVE BEEN ENLIGHTENING AND HELPFUL. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR EASING MY WORRIES.
I'M GOING TO TAKE THE RECOMMENDATION OF USING THE "MOB". THIS FORUM ROCKS!!!

langang,

The route you posted from Montreux to Interlaken (Montreux - Visp - Spiez - Interlaken Ost) is the quickest route. But it is not the shortest or most scenic. Rail journey planners (e.g. www.sbb.ch ) always find the quickest route. If you put "Via Zweisimmen" it will pick the more picturesque MOB (Montreux-Oberland-Bernoise railway) route. There is a departure at 44 minutes past ever hour, for example:

Montreux depart 08:44, Zweisimmen arrive 10:55
Zweisimmen depart 11:03, Spiez arrive 11:47
Spiez depart 12:05, Interlaken Ost arrive 12:28

and then the same at 09:44, 10:44, 11:44, ... (Swiss timetables are so predictable)

P.S. Please do not post in block capitals. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE SHOUTING :-)

Yes, go for the MOB. They run, among many others, a panoramic train called "Golden Pass". It is definitively worth a try!

http://www.goldenpass.ch/en