My family is planning to go on around a two week trip to Italy, then we would like to spend about five days or so in Austria. The planning to me is so overwhelming. This will be my first trip overseas and I am 70 years old and in reasonable health; I know this is the first and last trip for me and I want to try to do as much as I can while I can. I am treating my kids to this trip so we will have good memories of our time together seeing everything we can fit into that approximate time frame. We also would like to ride the Bernina Express on the way to Austria. I know this train ride does not go into Austria? We would also like to spend a few days in Switzerland. How would we plan to incorporate the train ride into this trip? Also, could some experienced travelers provide the "must sees" for each of these three countries? I am thinking of about three weeks total in this trip. Sorry for the long email - Many thanks to all!
Posted by
Franklin, TN
328 posts
Where will you end up in Italy? That will help to determine how to cross Switzerland to Austria. How much do you want to see in Austria? How long will you be there? Don’t panic!
It can be done! This travel forum can figure anything out!
Posted by
10275 posts
How much total time do you have to visit Italy, Switzerland and Austria?
What cities do you want to visit in Austria?
https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/experiences/bernina-express/
https://www.berninarailway.com/albula-train-line/
The Album line ends in Chur, which you could then plan to head east into Austria. Either rent a car from Chur into Austria, but if you drop it in Austria there will be a huge drop charge in another country.
You could take the train.
Suggest not missing Vienna and Salzburg, also possibly Innsbruck.
Switzerland is beautiful, but probably the most expensive country in Europe.
As far as Italy is concerned, don't miss the big three, Rome, Florence and Venice. However, if you do the Bernini Ex you should had to Milan after Venice.
Consider flying into Rome and flying out of Vienna.
Do some major research. TripAdvisor.com is great for finding day tours, lodging and planning. For Example, go to that site and "things to do in Rome." and it will highlight the key things to do there.
The high speed train from Rome to Florence and then to Venice is great.
Posted by
Arctophilia (x26), Northamptonshire, England
37020 posts
Welcome to the Forums.
I have the same questions as Gigi8 but also two more - when will this trip happen (do we have a month to work out the details or a year?) and how many total (you and two adult children? grandkids? spouses?).
That will help a lot for us to be able to gently guide you.
All 3 countries are bigger than they look. Is this the first time to Europe for the whole family? You could easily spend the whole 3 weeks in just Italy.
Anywhere you have heard of? Or maybe anybody else on the trip?
It seems the only fixed item is the Bernina Express (or perhaps its less expensive normal trains cousins on the same tracks with the same scenery for a fraction of the price). That train goes from above Lake Como on the Italian Swiss border through (yes through) many mountains and valleys to St Moritz and Chur in far southeast Switzerland. Easiest way into Austria by train is towards Zurich and then a sharp right hand turn into Austria, via Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna. You won't have time for a fraction of that so we need to put on the weeding gloves and unfortunately some beautiful flowers will go into the bin.
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
2135 posts
The Bernina line goes from Tirano (north of Milan) to St. Moritz or Pontresina.
From both St. Moritz or Pontresina you can easily reach Chur through the Albula railway line, then a short connection to Buchs that is a stop of the Zurich-Innsbruck-Salzburg-Vienna trains, so no need to backtrack to Zurich. (I assume you are going there past Oct. 18th as at present the Buchs-Feldkirch route is under renovation).
A more adventurous link is St.Moritz to Scuol (easy by train), then a bus to Landeck (the connecting railway was never built); Landeck, again, is a stop of trains to Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna.
As you only stipulate you want to do the Bernina railway, these are the Italy-Austria connections through it. If you do not want to spend a long time in transit, the fastest way from Italy is through Brenner to Innsbruck and Salzburg, or through Villach to Vienna. Vienna is quite distant on the eastern side, so consider flying to spare time if you are mainly interested in Vienna.