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Side trip from Switzerland to Italy ~ input, please.

Good grief, I've spent so much time trying to arrange our trip next month, I'm losing enthusiasm before we've set out! Ah, well. Such is life with a farm and big family. : ) We'll be in central Switzerland for a few weeks visiting family and plan to take a side-trip in early/mid-September down to Italy with our older boys. Since they are Roman history enthusiasts, that's my destination of choice, but when I dreamed up this scheme, I'd forgotten how far Rome is from Luzern. I'd initially thought we'd head down there in one day, but am wondering now if I shouldn't instead consider an overnight along the way ~ Lucca, perhaps? This will likely be via auto, as we'll have a car at our disposal. Although rail is always tempting, too...

We have about five days total for this side-trip. I'm trying to think...leave in the morning, drive 4-5 hours to Lucca, spend the afternoon and night there. Next day, drive to Roma (3 hours or so?). And in order to have a good couple of days in Rome, we might have to haul back to CH in one fell swoop, no overnight stop along the way.

Just looking for ideas as to how we might go about this such that we enjoy the jaunt. Thoughts?

Posted by
6898 posts

CLICK HERE to see how www.michelin.com sees your car journey. It's usually a bit more time than they show on the site. It's about the same as you driving from Lynden to Ashland, OR.

By train, it's a 9.5hr. journey with a train change in Milan. The fare for adults over 26 one-way is 106Euro and ages 16-26 is 94.10Euro.

Posted by
23626 posts

I would recommend the train. We made the reverse run last summer. It is great train ride. The big issue with the car is what to do with it while in Rome. You could plan for a quick stop in Florence.

Posted by
13 posts

As much as I love a car trip, I think I'd suggest the train for this one. The scenery that you'll see along the way in Switzerland is so beautiful, and train travel can be so relaxing. It would also allow more time for you in Rome, and you wouldn't have to deal with the car once you get to Rome.

Sounds fabulous. Have a great time!
Amy

Posted by
3313 posts

And such a side trip, as Frank mentions, is much easier by train.

Posted by
97 posts

Thanks for the replies thus far. To be honest, I'm royally confused about the train option. Hate to admit it, but there ya go. I don't know what it is, but figuring out the trains is a real brain teaser ~ even for my husband, who is native Swiss.

Someone PM'd me and recommended a night train from Luzern to Rome that would first go to Bern and ultimately take somewhere in the neighborhood of fourteen hours. That doesn't sound appealing. I'm not sure where Larry's getting the 9.5 hours time frame...?

On the other hand, someone else in a PM suggested driving to Orvieto, leaving the car there for a few days, and taking a one hour train into Rome. Any thoughts on that option? One aspect I'd really prefer about the car is the ability to stop and go as we please, which is always nice when traveling with children.

Posted by
192 posts

I agree with the idea of leaving the car at some town outside of Rome. And Orvieto is an excellant choice. That way you can stop wherever you like on the drive to Rome but won't be burdened with the car while in Rome.

Posted by
32352 posts

Colleen,

Two options come to mind to solve your "transportation problem". The first option would be to use budget airline from Luzern to Roma, however I haven't checked to see which flights are available on that route. Also, since you'll be travelling next month, the "cheap seats" have probably already been sold.

Making the trip by rail is likely the option I would choose. I found one trip departing Luzern at 07:21, arriving Roma Termini at 15:30 (Time 8H 09M, two changes in Arth-Goldau and Milano Centrale, compulsory reservations, runs not every day).

This would provide your "history buffs" with perhaps three days to explore Rome, and allows another day for travel back to Switzerland. Be sure they plan the touring carefully so as not to waste ANY time! There is so much history to explore in Rome! Be sure to check Rick's "Italy" book for smart touring ideas, such as buying the combo ticket on Palatine Hill as opposed to standing in a long queue to enter the Colosseum. If you do visit the Colosseum, I'd highly recommend the "official" tour inside. The Guides provide a very interesting tour.

For the trip back, there's a train departing Roma Termina at 08:30, arriving Luzern at 17:37 (Time 9H 07M, one change at Milano Centrale, compulsory reservation, runs daily). I used arbitrary dates to check the rail trips, as I didn't know exactly which dates you would be travelling.

Hope this helps?

Ciao e Buon Viaggio!