Planning a trip for Girl Scout Troop - 38 people! to Venice, Milan and Zurich

It is always most economical to book a charter bus for such a group to move people around. Have you contacted a group specialist? Do you have airline tickets yet? I do this sort of thing for my ski club, and working with a good tour operator who has group airline contracts, connections with lodging and local transport makes it pretty easy.

I might add, where are you coming from?

We have not booked airline tickets yet, they won't let us until 1 year in advance, we are still a few months out from that...Where do you find a tour operator? And can you recommend a place to find chartered bus companies? 2 years ago when we went to London I did it all myself.....

Again, where are you coming from?

Oklahoma City, OK

I'll send you a PM.

I am thinking Swiss Air, very good for groups, but you will need a connection to/from O'Hare on United. They have flights to Venice (change planes in Zurich) and return from Zurich. A charter bus could get you to Adelboden in a day, unless there is something special in Milan. Also, with an early morning start, you could get to Zurich airport in time for the flight home. I think for such a group minimizing the number of places to stay and moving days is advantageous. Can you stay an extra day in Our Chalet? And I am thinking of monasteries in Venice which could take a group for three days, perhaps on Giudecca. This might be something you could do some leg work on as tour operators are more experienced with hotels (which pay commissions of course). So that would leave one bus transfer from Venice to Adelboden and Adelboden to Zurich airport.

There is something called a Rolling Venice Card specifically for young people that gives discounted vaporetto passes and museum entrances.

Link to rolling Venice card Sam mentioned.

https://quickvenice.com/transportation/actv-tourist-travel-cards.htm

This will save $$$. Normal vaporetto ticket is 7 euros.

In a quite area, 3 blocks from vaporetto stop, with air. Looks like they would have room for all the girls. I'd contact asap.

https://www.monasterystays.com/?a=destination&b=Italy/Veneto/Venice//VEV115

Hmmm, 38 Girls Scouts? Might you trade cookies for camping space? Maybe on historic Torcello Island in the Venice Lagoon.

Trenitalia has the Bimbi Gratis fare which allows 1 paying adult to travel with 4 kids < 16 and the kids are free. It's a great deal with large groups, and I assume you'll have more adults traveling with you than just yourself. Contact SBB Group Travel to arrange train travel for your group all over Switzerland. They're great to work with and you'll get a significant group discount on the train travel. We take groups of kids to Europe every year but we limit our group to no more than 21.

However - you need to get your airfare first and THEN start booking your hotels/hostels and train tix.

I would really urge you to drop Milan from this trip -- there is little to be gained but aggravation from a one night stop with a group this size. Add the night to Venice -- one full day is really not enough for Venice, again with such a huge group and your one full day is the day after an arduous flight and thus likely to be lost to a sick kid or two -- and go directly to your Chalet in Switzerland. 3 nights in Venice and 3 in the chalet before getting to the airport hotel is likely to be slightly less difficult and unpleasant and greatly increases the likelihood of wonderful memories.

I agree with janet. Drop Milan and add a day in Venice

Ditto. Skip Milan. A one-night stay is almost never worthwhile, especially traveling with a herd. My sister-in-law led a group of local Girl Scouts on a trip to Europe some years ago (like, 15 or 16 years ago,) and has some stories to tell about shepherding around a group of teen girls. Good luck, but I think at least 3 nights in each place would be optimal.

Why Milan, by the way? I'm not denigrating Milan; in fact, we're planning to spend 4 nights there ourselves this summer. If it's just to see the Last Supper, I'd rethink it. Yes, a wonderful art opportunity, but maybe a day-trip from Venice to see the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua instead?

Good luck!

Curious on why Milan, I'm not sure the age of Girl Scouts but I don't know what kids my fight interesting about this place. As an adult i was barely impressed. The duomo is amazing, I'm glad to have seen the Last Supper but other than that I'm glad I was only there for a day.

I also vote for focusing on two cities & drop Milan. Im having flash backs of a smart aleck 15 yr old purposely getting lost in toronto..when i was helping chaperone a church youth group up there.....

You may be interested in a detailed report posted by Felicia, about taking a Girl Scout group to Adelboden and Italy (Florence and Venice): https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/girl-scouts-home-from-europe

If you have further questions, you can click on her name to send her a private message.