Milan/Monza/Cinque Terre/Switzerland

You're fine on both your planning and understanding of how you will travel. Milano Centrale/Monza is a simple 13-minute trip by Regionale train if you can get the few runs that are direct. Fare is 2Euro. Most runs, however, will send you to Milano Porta Garabaldi first where you would change trains for Monza. That journey will take 38-42 minutes. I don't know the fare but it won't be much. For your trip to the CT, you would just reverse this journey back to Milano Centrale. For your Milano Centrale/CT journey, the train is best. The best runs are direct with no train changes on the Intercity-class train. Travel time is just over 3.0hrs. Again, there are not many of these runs shown on www.trenitalia.com. More commonly, the runs will require 1-2 train changes along the way. Same travel time. When you are ready to depart for Switzerland, you are again correct. You will most likely reverse back to Milano Centrale where you will change trains for the remainder of your journey to Bern and Interlaken. If you can get the 6:55 train out of Monterosso for Bern, it's a 7.5hr train journey with one train change at Milano Centrale.

Thank you for your help. As we have limited time. I have been thinking of catching a plane from Genoa to Zurich and then taking the train from Zurich to Bern

Consider going to Interlaken and then to Lucerne. Both great places.

Thanks for the info on the race. We arrive on Sat in Milan and then are just going to go to the race on Sunday and I think we are going to get the ticket where you just walk around during the race and don't really have seats unless we find a spot on the grass. Thanks for reminding me about the ear plugs!

We are planning on going to Interlaken, Grindewald, I would like to see Thun and my husband also mentioned Murren. They look pretty close on the map, should we stay in one town ( we will only be there for 3 days) and just bus/train to each one ?

Terry, To begin with..... "I have been thinking of catching a plane from Genoa to Zurich and then taking the train from Zurich to Bern" I haven't checked but I doubt that air travel will be an option (provided there are even flights available on that route). Have you already booked accommodations in the C.T.? At this late date, it may be VERY difficult to find something. With the C.T. I usually start booking about March for travel in September. Also, have you got your transportation arrangements from MXP into Milan sorted? Regarding your travel route, you can check all the train connections using the German Rail website. As Larry mentioned in the previous reply, if you can get a direct train from Milano Centrale to Monza, the trip is only 13M at a cost of €2. If you use a train with connections, travel time will be ~42M. You'll likely be on a Regionale so DON'T forget to validate your ticket prior to boarding the train, or you may face a hefty fine. For travel from Milano Centrale to the C.T. (using Monterosso as an example), travel time will be 2H:52M if you choose a direct train. That will likely be an Intercity, so reservations will be compulsory. Don't be caught without a reservation, as you may be fined on the spot (and it won't be cheap!). There's somewhat of a difference between "Bern, Interlaken area" - which one is your destination? Travel time from Monterosso to Interlaken Ost is as short as 6H:52M. However that one has four changes, most of which are short, so you'll need to be "on the ball" with that route. There's a trip at 7H:33M with only two changes, so that might be a better choice if you haven't travelled by train in Europe before. Happy travels!