Turn in Rental Car, Then Get Train from Milan to Switzerland

The Milan Malpensa airport is way too far. Since you are taking the train to CH I would return it to the office closest to the Milan Centrale station. Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, Maggiore all have an office at or near the Centrale station.

sharon,

If you're driving to Milan, that would seem like the logical place to return the rental car. Travel from there to Switzerland is very easy.

I haven't checked the schedules, but the trip will likely involve an Intercity or other premium train from Milano Centrale to Spiez and then Swiss Rail from there to Interlaken Ost. When you arrive at Interlaken, you'll have to transfer to the smaller regional Berner Oberland train for the short ride (20 minutes) to Lauterbrunnen. When you arrive in Lauterbrunnen, you'll walk across the street from the station and board the Cable Car to Grütschalp, and then transfer to the small mountain railway to Mürren.

Italian rail may only be able to sell you a ticket as far as Spiez. It's very easy to buy the ongoing ticket to Mürren at the station in Spiez, which will include all modes of transport.

Happy travels!

HI Sharon. Ken has given you accurate advice. We just did this trip in January. I thought it seemed awfully complicated, but it was easy. You can only buy the Milan-to-Spiez segment from Trenitalia, then in Spiez they will sell you a ticket all the way to Lauterbrunnen (2 trains as Ken mentions), but you might want to buy only to Interlaken and once there go to the TI and buy a pass that will give you multiple day access to all buses, lifts and trains int the Lauterbrunnen Valley. That way your train to Lauterbrunnen as well as your lift to Grutschalp and the train to Murren are covered by the pass. We bought 3 day passes and achieved far more than the face value as the lifts are so expensive.

On the subject of passes, the options are myriad and perhaps mind boggling if you are determined to find the optimal one. Start with a 4 day Swiss Saver Pass, 245 chf 2nd class pp (assume there are 2 of you). That will cover everything from the Swiss border to Muerren and to Zurich airport. It will also cover most of the trains or buses while you in Muerren EXCEPT the Schilthornbahn and the Jungfraujochbahn from Kleine Scheidegg to the Junfraujoch, but you will get a 50% discount on those. also available in an 8 day version for 354 chf.

Next, the Swiss Card, 199 chf 2nd class pp, which covers all your travel from the Swiss border to your holiday destination (Muerren), your travel to your exit point (Zurich Airport), then 50% discount on all trains, buses, boats while in Switzerland. Good for one month.

A tourist Swiss Half Fare Card, 120 chf pp, 50% discount on all trains in Switzerland. Good for one month.

These last 2 only give a 25% discount on the Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch.

I won't even start on the Berner Obeland pass.

So you would only need to purchase tickets from Milano Centrale to Brig. There are 7 EC trains direct to Brig everyday at 7:25, 8:25, 11:25, 12:25, 17:25, 18:25, 19:25.

Thank you all! That is very helpful advice about the pass and where/what is covered. I was worried that turning car in downtown Milan might be messy, so good to know it is doable. It will be on a Sunday, so perhaps traffic less than a weekday? Does it make sense to use trains versus keeping the rental car and turning it in somewhere in CH?

It is very expensive to return the car in a different country ( like Switzerland,and) because of drop fees. So you should return it in Italy, but it doesn't have to be Milan. I suggest you look for a return site on the rail path from Milan into Switzerland---maybe Domodossola if there is an office there. Or Stresa. Or even Malpensa airport if there is easy transport from there to Stresa without going into Milan. If returning in a small town you have to watch the hours of operation for the rental,office, they are limited particularly on weekends. Airport return is usually very easy (well-signed) and the hours are longer.

One correction to Sam's description of the Swiss Pass: on the Jungfraujoch route it only covers 25% of the cost after Wengen or Grindelwald, not 50% above Kleine Scheidegg. Look at the Swiss Synoptic Map ( google it) to see all the covered lines.

Be sure to check that you can return the car on Sunday, other than at the airport.

sharon,

" Does it make sense to use trains versus keeping the rental car and turning it in somewhere in CH?"

YES, it does make sense! As Sasha mentioned, there are often HUGE fees for renting a car in one country and dropping in another. Rental agencies will have to retrieve that car which costs money, and guess who's going to be paying for that. The train system is excellent and that will be a faster and more efficient travel method. The high speed trains travel at up to 300 kmH so cars can't compete with that.

As Roberto mentioned there are numerous rental agencies in the vicinity of Milano Centrale. Be sure to check their hours of operation if you're going to be there on a Sunday. Where will you be prior to Milan? It may be possible to drop the car on another day of the week at a smaller location, which would might be easier.

Prior to heading north, we'll be in Cinque Terre a couple of days, checking out June 1. Prior to that, in Tuscany 5 days. Prior to that, Venice, where we pick up the car as we leave. So I was looking for a place to turn in the rental car where we could then hop on train to go into Switzerland. Return flight is from Zurich. Flights are booked. Milan seemed the right direction, but I will check out the ideas for smaller towns that may have a car return. Have decided we really don't have time to really see Milan itself, so some other stop-over for the car might be better. Thanks for the suggestions!

sharon,

You might consider dropping the rental car in La Spezia, prior to your visit to the Cinque Terre. A car is virtually useless in the C.T. so there's no reason to have it sitting in a parking garage like a useless boat anchor, gathering dust and paying for parking charges. Which of the five towns are you staying in?

The trip from the C.T. to the Berner Oberland is a bit of a long day by train, but not too bad. I've done that trip several times, and would have no hesitation in doing it again.

Ken is 100% correct.
No reason to keep the car while at the Cinque Terre.
Return your car in La Spezia after your Tuscany tour. From the La Spezia rental office, take a taxi to the train station (unless you rent from AVIS which is walking distance from the station) and then a short train ride to the Cinque Terre from La Spezia.
When you are done at the Cinque Terre, take a train to Switzerland (via Genoa-Milan)