In Mid October we will be traveling from Milan to Zurich by train. We would like to spend one night in the Alps along our train route. Please recommend a train route and a charming stop. A hotel would be great too!
Thanks so much!
Posted by
Green Bay
21218 posts
If you take the direct EC train from Milan to Zurich, you will go completely under the Alps in the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Instead, take that train only as far as Bellinzona, then change to the "Treno Gottardo" that goes mostly over the Alps using the old Gotthard Tunnel. After the tunnel, the town of Wassen looks like it might fit the bill.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g1079215-Wassen_Canton_of_Uri_Swiss_Alps-Vacations.html
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
1722 posts
Basically, there is now a new long railway tunnel that takes out Alps from Milan-Zurich travel. So the easy way to make the trip is not to think about the Alps as they will be about half a mile over your head while you will zip through.
You have to be quite determined to do your proposed trip; the Gotthard itinerary does not cross tourist zones. My dream trip would be: train Milan to Bellinzona, then switch to a train doing the old Gotthard railway that actually climbed the Alps to a much shorter summit tunnel. On the other side of the summit tunnel you get down at Goschenen. Goschenen is in a deep gorge; a small local train leaving from the front of the railway station runs along a short rack railway to Andermatt, in a natural arena surrounded by high mountains. Spend the night there; the following day you get down again to Goschenen again, then train to Zurich.
This trip would not be not easy as you need to have little luggage as you will be changing a lot of trains and probably walk from the Andermatt station to the hotel and vv.. Also, you will be in the Alps in a middle season when hotels may be closed; as it is too early for the sky season and probably there will be little to do in Andermatt. Also, doing the trip in bad weather does not look much attractive.
Posted by
NC, US
219 posts
We are taking the reverse trip in early September. Here is our route, which goes over the mountains rather than under them:
- Zurich to Punt Muragl via Chur on regional SBB trains
- Stay one night at Romantik Hotel Muottas Muragl
- Punt Muragl to Tirano via Pontresina on regional SBB trains
- Tirano to Milano Centrale on Trenord train (partially by bus due to track work on route)