We plan to fly into Milan and out of Rome. One possible itinerary takes us from Milan to Lake Come to Zermatt (to see the Matterhorn not ski), then down to C-T, Assisi, and onto Rome. Another skips Zermatt and substitutes Amalfi coast before ending in Rome. Any recommendations on one vs. the other. Are C-T & Amalfi similar at all? (BTW we've been to Venice & Florence (with 4 kids!) which is why we are bypassing them.)
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
Zermatt is a long way out of your way from Milan or Lake Como. You'll have to get to Brig, across the border in Switzerland and from there a long trip up to Zermatt. Depending on the weather, you may get all the way there and not be able to see the Matterhorn because of clouds. I'd guess you're talking the better part of two days just for that detour in your itinerary.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
It's a 4.0hr train trip from Milan to Zermatt. You do go to Brig where you transfer to the cog train. To see the Matterhorn, it is best to be there in the morning as it really can cloud up in the afternoon.
If you are arriving in Milan and departing from Rome, Zermatt is quite a diversion.
IMHO, the CT and Amalfi coast are both on the western coast of Italy but to me, they are not at all alike.
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
Larry - Correct me if I'm wrong but you have to get from Brig to another town to take the cog train the rest of the way to Zermatt. I can't remember the name of the midway town, but even driving to it is quite a feat. Can you get there by rail?
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Doug, actually, there are two ways to get there from Milan. When you go through Brig, you change to the the cog train at Brig. The cog train is in the Brig train station. If you look at www.sbb.ch website, you'll see a 7 minute walk to the train. It's actually a few hundred feet from the main Brig tracks. We did that to take the Glacier Express (it goes the other way).
The second method from Milan, is to change trains at Domodossola and take the shortcut to Visp and then transfer to the cog train.
Posted by
Portlandia
3313 posts
I was thinking of Tasch, which is as far as you can drive. Then you have to transfer to the train. But thanks for the link. I saw that Brig - Zermatt is itself about an hour and a half.