Hi everyone. I will be traveling with 8 others to Europe end of May into June. Our last leg of the trip is taking a train from Rome to Interlaken. Then the next day we will be going up Jungfrau, then the next day Schilthorn before traveling to Zurich. I am getting differing travel times, what should I expect? We will be purchasing a swiss rail pass for part of our time there. Any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated. I have been to switzerland before, but normally fly into zurich or basel. I haven't taken a train this far yet.
Of course you will get different travel times, depending on which train combination you select. All options will involve multiple changes en route. What website are you using when looking at trains?
And I hope that you are aware that, mountains being mountains, there is no guarantee that there won't be cloud cover on the mountains on the days you hope to visit.
I know NOTHING about getting to Switzerland from Rome, but I did go check out trenitalia's website and they DO have options for you, various combinations of things, from a LONG trip to a VERY LONG TRIP.....depending on your preferences for schedule, pricing, and types of transport they vary GREATLY....
Fastest route is 7 hours, departing Rome at 11:20 am and getting to Interlaken Ost at 6:26 pm, with train changes at Milano Centrale and Spiez. That is provided you travel before June 9, when the rail line between Milan and Spiez will be interrupted by construction.
How many days will be in Interlaken? A Berner Oberland Pass may be your best option in Switzerland.
We took the train from Interlaken to Zurich to Milan to Rome, which involved not only changing trains a number of times but also transferring to a different train station in Milan. It was a very very long day, but we enjoy different rail experiences.
You could look at maninseat61.com for ideas, and also trainline.com as recommended. Book direct with SBB, at least for the Switzerland part of the trip. Taking the train will not be simple, and will involve a lot of planning on your part. The good news is that Swiss trains are always on time, and most of the stations are easy to navigate.