MIlan train station

Hi malguev. One hour is plenty of time. Milan Centrale is a very large station but easily manageable. I would be comfortable with as little as 15 minutes, but an hour will give you some extra time to stretch your legs. The train station is impressive; if interested, look up and around and appreciate the history and architecture. Enjoy your trip!

One hour is more then enough time. The tracks are all on the same level. When you get off your train, walk to the front and looks on the electronic departure boards for your train to Zurich, then go to that track. Easy.

You should be able to book this as a through ticket from both www.trenitalia.com or www.sbb.ch. The SBB scheduling shows connections with either a 1 hour or 30 minute connection times which are perfectly OK. You could even do a 10 minute connection of you had to. Fortunately, that isn't necessary.

There is a nice grocery store in the station where you can buy snacks for the next leg. We made that run to Zurich a couple of years ago. Pretty ride.

Is this all booked thru Rail Europe? thanks

Some train basics that will help you:

1. With very limited exceptions, there is no security check or passport control when taking trains in Europe. So, when changing trains, you just get off the first one and get on the second one.

2. In many stations, to change tracks you have to go down some stairs, through a passageway connecting the platforms, then up to your new platform. But Milano Centrale, while huge, is a terminus station, and all the tracks are on one level (the other levels are shopping, restaurants, etc). So, there are no stairs between tracks. All you have do is get off the first train, look on a departures board for your second train, and go to that track.

3. Some train-finding tips. Be sure you're looking at a departures board rather than an arrivals board. Look for your train by departure time and train number, rather than your destination; boards show the final destination prominently, and the intermediate ones in smaller letters or not at all (depending on where you're looking). And remember that the board will show the local names of places (not the English language ones). So, if you're taking a train from Milan to Florence, it will probably terminate in Rome or Naples. So don't look for Florence or even Firenze, but for Roma or Napoli.

4. Rail Europe does not operate any trains. It is a reseller of tickets, it does not show all routes or tickets, and it often marks up the tickets it does sell (sometimes substantially). So, unless you have a VERY specific reason to use it, ignore it.

5. For schedules for almost all European trains, use the Bahn (German Rail) website http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en, following Rick's tutorial: http://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains/online-schedules. While this has schedules, it does not show prices or sell tickets for routes that do not start or end in Germany.

6. You usually want to buy a ticket from the company that operates the train, and usually from the country where it starts. In this case, however, Sam (above) says you can buy it all as one ticket from either Trenitalia or Swiss Rail (see his links). If you have any trouble with this, you can buy it as two tickets - Venice to Milan from Trenitalia and Milan to Zurich from Trenitalia or Swiss Rail. When buying a ticket from a website other than the one where the train starts, be SURE you can print it at home. For instance, if you buy a ticket from France to Italy from the Italian rail site, and then have to pick it up in Italy, you'll be stuck, since you start in France and can't pick it up there. You'd want to buy that ticket from a French rail site instead, so you can pick it up in France (where you start).

7. Here's Rick's introduction video about riding the rails in Europe: http://tinyurl.com/ac82c92. And here's a video specifically about Italian trains, made by an Italian: http://tinyurl.com/mvjjbyh

8. It really is easy once you're on the ground in Europe - I promise. Once you've taken your first train, you'll get the hang of it.

9. Want more detailed information? You can't beat The Man In Seat 61. Here's his Italian train section: http://www.seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm#.VZeCdkZzujA

Try booking through the national train sites, you will have better prices and more options.