Q on train transfer in Lucerne

That's a very strange connection, Doug.

Most trains from Colmar (is it Regional (TER) or express (TGV)?) would change at either Basel or Zurich.

And if you are going through Zurich towards Milano you would usually stay on at Arth-Goldau and miss Luzern entirely.

Can you be more specific about your exact train trip from Colmar to Milano please?

For your specific question of a 17 minute transfer, that's a pretty long time. We can give you plenty of hints, and I as well as several others here know the Luzern station like the back of my hand.

Where does the train into Luzern originate, and where does the one you will be boarding go? I ask because Luzern is a dead end station, all trains into it have to turn around to leave, and as I mentioned above most to Milano have a change at Arth-Goldau.

Where did you find the schedule you are looking at? It isn't RailEurope by any chance is it?

By the way, Doug, you posted this question about Swiss trains in the Italy Forum. Some like me will see it but for all the Swiss eyes to see it the question might have been posted in the Switzerland Forum.

I too find it strange that you are changing at Luzern.
Most of the trains from Colmar terminate in Basel, or, if they continue, they go to Zürich or Bern and Interlaken, not Luzern.

17 minutes is plenty of time changing at Luzern or at most other stations in Switzerland. It should take max 5 minutes. The railway companies do not put these connections in the online timetables unless they are doable. If the ticket inspector speaks English, ask him, when he checks your ticket, which platform your train will leave from.

A train from Colmar to Milan will usually require a change in Basel, and possibly Arth-Goldau or Zürich (but not both).
If changing at Basel, you need to allow longer (15-20 minutes), as the terminating trains from France arrive in a different part of the station to the trains leaving for Swiss destinations.

Doug,

I see that a few of the trains on that route (those with 2-3 changes), do have a change in Lucerne. To answer your question, 17 minutes should be more than adequate to change trains (but don't stop for coffee). Some of the changes on that route only allow 10 minutes.

The Swiss are VERY well organized and their schedules usually show the platform numbers. With that information, all you'll have to do is disembark from one train and walk to the platform listed for the next one. Having said that, it's always a good idea to double-check the electronic board. If in doubt, ask a train official, as there should be a few of them nearby.

If you'll also be changing in Basel, one point to mention. As I recall, trains from Colmar arrive in the older regional station, which is a slight walk through a hallway to the SBB station. When you reach the main "hall" of the station, you'll need to walk up the stairs and then down to whichever platform you'll be going to. Also, if you need to use the WC there, they're operated by McClean and are "pay-per-use" and ONLY accept Swiss currency.

The "easiest" trip from Colmar to Milan will be a departure at 11:23, arriving 16:37 (time 5H:14M, one change at Basel SBB).

Thanks Nigel and Chris,

The tickets are from ricksteves rail pass web site.
Lv Colmar 5:30 AM A/R Basel 6:40
38 min transfer
LV Basel 7:17 A/R Lucerne 8:30
17 minute transfer
LV Lucerne 8:47 to Milan 12:50

Sound Right?

So you believe 4 old foggies can make the transfer of 17 minutes? That's sounds very encouraging.

Are all the trains thru the Alps equally scenic and comfortable?

Thanks so much for your help
Doug

17 minutes at Luzern is no problem. It is a dead-end station, so you just have to walk to the front of the train, look up your train on the big departure board (if you don't know the platform already, it should say on your tickets) and go to the correct platform.
I found a plan of the station here: www.sbb.ch/content/sbb/de/desktop/bahnhof-services/am-bahnhof/standort/bahnhof-luzern/ueber-uns/_jcr_content/relatedPar/contextmenu_1/downloadList/bahnhofplan_.spooler.download.pdf

That's a strange combination of trains. SBB found me a connection (for mid-May) leaving Colmar 20 minutes later and arriving over an hour earlier. Price CHF 140:

• Colmar 05:50, Basel SBB 06:39
• Basel SBB 06:59, Bern 07:56
• Bern 08:07, Brig 09:11
• Brig 09:44, Milano Centrale 11:37

Yes, all the trains through the Alps are equally scenic and comfortable.

Hi Chris,
The train schedule you show looks real good. It's the same train from Colmar to Basel leaving Colmar at 5:50 just fdifferent connections from there. Did not know ther can be so many trains coming and going from the same place. Wish we had that service in USA.

Is ther much of a difference in views and comfort with the different routes over the ALPS?

Thanks for all your help
Doug

Doug,
There are two main rail routes over the Alps, the Gotthardt Route and the BLS (Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon) route. You can see them both on the Swiss railway map here: www.sbb.ch/content/sbb/de/desktop/abos-billette/abonnemente/ga/preise/_jcr_content/relatedPar/relateddownloadlist_0/downloadList/_bersichtskarte.spooler.download.pdf

Your train via Luzern goes via the Gotthard Route, with a long climb (look at the spirals and zig-zags on the map), then the tunnel at the top and a long descent to Milan.
The train I found uses the Lötschberg-Simplon route. There is no difference in comfort (not quite sure where that question is coming from) and they are both scenic.

All train routes in Switzerland have at least one train per hour. Main routes, like Basel - Luzern or Basel - Bern have 2 or more.

If you want to be really amazed. Here is a list of all departures from Basel SBB station. Your 07:17 for Luzern leaves from platform 11: http://www.sbb.ch/content/dam/sbb/de/pdf/fahrplan/gedruckte-fahrplaene/fahrplaene_2015/ab-an-taschenfahrplaene/BS_141214_ab_10.pdf.spooler.download.pdf
And here is the one for Luzern (a town of 80,000, not that big). You can see your 08:47 from platform 10 for Milano Centrale: http://www.sbb.ch/content/dam/sbb/de/pdf/fahrplan/gedruckte-fahrplaene/fahrplaene_2015/ab-an-taschenfahrplaene/LZ_141214_ab_5000.pdf.spooler.download.pdf

Hi Chris,

Almost more information than a old dog can eat. Amazing!! We took an earlier train (utilizing g RickSteves rail purchase service) to arrive in Milan before Dark. We plan on driving to Pavone and did not want to drive at night.
The comment on comfort was our lack of knowledge regarding the different trains their services and seating. So far they all look very comfortable and alike.

Chris thanks so much for your help
Merci,Danke ,Grazie, Thanks
Doug

So Doug, reading between the lines are you using a Eurail pass for the journey?

I'd have thought so if you used the Rick Steves rail information which dumps you into RailEurope. Two things - if you follow the link on the top page to the German DBahn website, that is the German Federal Railways and they have the best schedules for all the trains in Europe. When you learn how to use it there is a wealth of information including all the stops, what sort of equipment makes up the train, all of the special facilities and all sorts. The SBB Swiss rail website also shows much of that for Swiss trains including platform numbers and maps of stations, sometimes 3-D.

RailEurope doesn't have all that nor all possible cheap fares.

The other thing is that with a Pass you MUST have mandatory reservations, paid separately, for many high speed trains. All TGVs in France (how are you getting to Colmar?) (is the train from Colmar to Basel a TGV or a TER?) are capacity controlled for pass holders so if you don't have your reservations well in advance you may find that even though there are empty seats on the train no seats will be available to pass holders and if you want that train you need a new full priced ticket. Moral of the story - get those TGV seats early. An unfortunate consequence of using a pass.

For all trains higher in rank than a Regionale or Regionale Veloce in Italy, passholders need a mandatory reservation fee for each passenger of €10 for a Freccia and €3 for IC and EC trains. So you must have that taken care of before you get on the train to Milano.

If you can share your itinerary we can give you plenty of hints.

Hi Nigel,

1. We arrive in Frankfurt FRA on May 26 at 5:50 AM
2. Want to visit small villages in France where my family comes from .. Vahl Ebersing..Fremstroff...
3. Thought I would take train to France near St. Avold rent a car and drive though villages on way to Strasbroug, France. I am rethinking that strategy to just taking train to Strasbourg and renting the car there then driving to those villages Finding it difficult to locate train to Strasbourg in early morning.
4. Drive to Colmar on 27 th stay two nights
5. May 29th Take train to Turin via Milan 6 June 2 drive to Tuscany
6. June 4 go to Florence drop off car
7. June 7 take train to Varenna, Italy
8. June 10 take train to Milan 10 June 11 go Home

Thanks Nigel and all those who help us traveling old codgers.
Doug

Doug, Re your arrival at Frankfurt airport 05:50 26/5/15. You said "Finding it difficult to locate train to Strasbourg in early morning". Allow 1 hour to get off plane, through passports and customs. Then train to Strasbourg, www.bahn.de shows:

Frankfurt(M) Flughafen 26.05.15 06:53, Mannheim Hbf 07:23
Mannheim Hbf 07:36, Offenburg 08:27
Offenburg 08:34, Strasbourg 09:06

Next train 1 hour later at 07:53

Doug,

If I'm reading your last post correctly, you're planning to rent a car in France and drop it off in Florence???

That practice is usually not recommended as there's often a HUGE charge to rent in one country and drop off in another. Also note that for driving in Italy, EACH driver must have the compulsory International Driver's Permit which is used in conjunction with their home D.L. For dropping cars in Florence, you'll have to be VERY careful to avoid the ZTL (limited traffic) areas, as expensive tickets will result, which you may not know about until several months after you return home.

Using the trains is usually a faster and more efficient method to get around.

Ken,

Ken I am planning on renting a car in Strasbourg France dropping it off in Colmar, France.
Then renting a car in Turin driving to Volterra then returning the car at Florence airport. The rest of the time we are using trains. Sorry for the confusion.

Hi Chris,
Thanks for the information. My problem stems from RickStevs train booking service. His service is only showing me one train in the afternoon. But like you show there are several trains leaving so not sure why they are only showing one.

Thanks Chris for your help
Doug
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