We are a family of 7 leaving from Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. Does anyone have suggestions on which train to take..either the Golden Pass, the Bernina, or the Glacier Express? Depending on which train we decide upon, we need suggestions on what town to stay in until we depart to MXP. We are 2 adults, 2 seniors, and 3 children ages 6,8,10. Our flight leaves at 10am from Milan, so we are debating if we should stay near the airport the night before or stay for our 3 days in a town close to train stations for our early departure. We have never been to this part of Italy. We are all energetic and like scenic small town with lots to do. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by
35 posts
With that departure time from Milan, I would stay near the airport the night before. leaving you two nights en route.
If you were to prioritize one nice stop in Italy before you fly home, I would take the train to Milan and then to Varenna on the east shore of Lake Como. It's a great small town home base to explore the lake, with hikes and ferries to any of the nearby towns.
The scenic train trips can add significant travel time. But if that's your priority, I would vote for the Bernina Pass as a spectacular route into Italy. You could, for example, train from Lauterbrunnen to Pontresina one day (7 hours) , and then continue to Tirano and Varenna (4 hours) the next. Since Varenna is only an hour from Milan, you could spend most of the following day there, just heading for Milan and the airport later in the day. A drawback here is needing to pack up each of these nights before your flight out.
Posted by
Green Bay
20238 posts
You might consider Stresa on Lake Maggiore. It is right on the rail line you would be taking between Lauterbrunnen and Milan. It is close enough to MXP that you might consider an earl morning taxi to the airport rather than pulling up stakes and moving closer to the airport.
It is not a big town, very scenic, right on the lake, and plenty to do and see.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thank you so much for your suggestions. We are still in the planning mode, but we will definitely check out the suggestions….Thank you so much!