My husband and I are first time travelers to Europe and are taking the 14-day Rick Steve's tour of Italy. We are going to extend our stay and travel to Switzerland. Our plan is to go to Grindelwald first than onto Lucerne and then to Zurich.
My first question is there a train from Lake Orta, Italy to Grindelwald? and then would you recommend renting a car in Grindelwald for the rest of our trip or use the train system?
Also, if we use the train system are there any hotel recommendations within walking distance from the train?
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2545 posts
Getting from any of the towns on Lake Orta to Grindelwald will take a combination of several trains/busses. If you google “Orta San Giulio to Grindelwald” then click on the train symbol, you will see all the options for public transportation. Change the departure time to the time of day you might be traveling. You might not be able to see the exact schedule for your dates, depending on when the trip is.
I would use the trains, instead of renting a car, in Switzerland. You will want a train pass to use the lifts up into the mountains anyway. Some of the villages are not accessible by car. Cars are no fun in cities.
Posted by
Wengen
2494 posts
Where on lake Orta will you finish? The towns on the Eastern bank of the lake are on a railway line to Domodossola, where you can connect to Switzerland. And tickets you can buy on the SBB (Swiss Federal Raiwlays) website. So for example you can travel from Orta-Miasino to Grindelwald by train, and SBB can sell you the ticket. Works for the other towns on the lake that have railway stations as well.
The website is here: www.sbb.ch
(Note that, while SBB can sell you electronic tickets for that route, you do need to print them, just showing them on your phone is not sufficient)
For your Swiss trip I would suggest you get the Swiss Half Fare Card: https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/inspiration/international-guests/swiss-halffare-card.html
This will give you 50% off on all trips, including expensive mountain trips like the Jungfraujoch. You can also indicate you have this card when buying the ticket from Orta to Grindelwald.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14726 posts
@WengenK, the RS Village Italy tour ends in Orta San Giulio.
I would download the relevant apps through which you can buy your tickets. There is no ticket office at the train halt in Orta San Giulio which as I think about it I believe is actually in the town of Miasino.
Posted by
Wengen
2494 posts
The station is indeed in Orta-Miasino. You can buy the ticket you need on line on www.sbb.ch, but you will have to print it.
Alternatively just buy a ticket to Domodossola from a local ticket machine, and the ticket from Domodossola to Grindelwald at the ticket office there.. None of the trains on that route require advance reservation.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14726 posts
I think when I was there there was not even a ticket machine at the Orta-Miasino station!
The RS guide helped people on my tour buy onward train tickets from the train station in Levanto which was the tour stop before the ending in Orta San Giulio. Your tour guide will start early in the tour asking about people's onward plans and will help you get things organized before you get there. If they don't ask ahead of time, make sure you let them know what your intention is and that you will want to buy train tickets.
WengenK, thanks for the additional information and for confirming my station guess was correct!