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Switzerland - Italy Trip

Posted by (West Michigan) on

My husband, mother-in-law and I are planning a trip that we hope to begin in either Geneva or Zurich, and include, if possible a glacier express scenic train ride, prior to heading to northern Italy to spend a few days each in Como and Venice. We also would like to take the train to Rome, stopping for a few days in Florence.

We are wondering if this is even possible (scenic 1 day train ride, with a direct train to Milan or Venice). We are literally just starting to plan our trip, which will be in the first two weeks of September.

Are there suggestions from those who have made a similar trip?

Posted by
20085 posts

Another option is to take the Bernina Express from Chur to Tirano, Italy, then change to an Italian regional train to Varenna on Lake Como. Then you are just 1 hour from Milano Centrale station on the hourly regional train. From Milano Centrale, you can get to just about anywhere in Italy.

But I don't think it is practical to do it on your arrival day. Fly into Zurich airport and go directly to Chur. Get over your jet lag, and take the morning Bernina Express. The Bernina Express and the Glacier Express overlap each other between Chur and the St Moritz area.

Posted by
1944 posts

Four years ago, we flew to Paris, spent three nights there, then took the train to Lucerne, Switzerland, an absolutely gorgeous but expensive place. Two nights, then a train over the Alps to Milan, then Florence. Although that route over the Alps is not considered scenic & is more direct (i.e. saving time), we felt it was incredibly scenic in that we rode up into a snow squall (it was early March) then down out of it into a sunny valley in southern Switzerland, then into Italy. Totally breathtaking, and we were on a cozy train watching the world go by. Great fun.

Posted by
20085 posts

Since that time, the new Gothard Base Tunnel has opened with a 30 mile tunnel completely under the Alps. That old route is still open, and is included in the "Gothard Panorama Express" mentioned by scythian. Also hourly trains still use it, but you must specify a town along it, like Goeschenen to be routed that way. If you just buy a ticket from Milan to Zurich, you will get routed through the new tunnel, as that is the fastest way and direct.

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