Milan to Lauterbrunnen

What is your travel date? I do not see the train you mention on either SBB or Trenitalia.

To answer the question about using the Swiss Pass coming from Italy: You do need a ticket for the portion Milan to Domodossola. You can buy the whole ticket to Lauterbrunnen on SBB and there will be an option to enter your pass so you will only be charged for the segment from Milan to Domodossola.

On Rome to Rio I see a 11:20 train shown. Our date is July 14th.

Please do not rely on Rome2Rio, a secondary resource, that is often wrong and out of date. Use the people who operate the trains.
https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html
https://www.sbb.ch/en/buying/pages/fahrplan/fahrplan.xhtml

On July 14 there won’t be any trains between Milan and Domodossola. A section of the track is closed for construction from June 9 to Sept. 8. There will be a replacement bus service for that section, but overall the train service between Milan and Brig will be reduced.

https://www.sbb.ch/en/travel-information/rail-traffic-information/timetable-change/europe.html

So much for Rome2Rio.

With 7 people I suggest you take the route to Luzern instead. At Luzern you pick up the Golden Pass scenic train to Interlaken Ost, changing there to the train to Lauterbrunnen.

Thank you Sam for that helpful tip.
Thank you Lola for assisting me with this. What a mess I would have had if you had not mentioned that the tracks are going to be under construction.
I am looking at SBB now to try to understand better how to do what you suggest.
I imagine I might have more questions. It's a lot to learn as a first time European train traveler.

Hi Lola,
In looking at the route from Milan to Lucerne, if I am reading things correctly, when we arrive in Lugano we will have just 4 minutes to transfer from Platform 4 to Platform 3. That's not much time ! There are 7 of us with luggage. We are pretty agile but not super speed people. Is that even doable?

You are reading it correctly. But the trains are times so you can make it, even with luggage. Here is a map of the Lugano station:

https://www.sbb.ch/content/dam/infrastruktur/trafimage/bahnhofplaene/plan-lugano-a4.pdf.sbbdownload.pdf

From your arrival at Gleis 4, you take the ramp shown on the map down to the corridor crossing under the tracks, turn toward the station, and take the next corridor up to Gleis 3. Your next train will be waiting there, and as long as people are actively boarding they are not going to leave.

Be ready to exit the train before it arrives at Lugano—-gather your luggage and all belongings, and move everyone in your group toward the door. Other people on the train will be doing the same thing. You can stand in the vestibule until the train stops and the door opens.

As an alternative, you could take an EC train heading to Zurich, and transfer at Arth-Goldau instead of Lugano. That train route has a 7-minute transfer time.

Or you could stick with your original plan and take the Domodossola route. The replacement buses from Milano Centrale to Domodossola are on the schedule now, and your ticket will include seat reservations on the bus. But I personally prefer the Luzern route as it is nice and scenic, and no bus is involved.

If I can piggyback on this thread: Will the entire route from Domodossola to Milan be closed? Or just the bit between Stresa and Arona? I ask because we are staying in Baveno during that time period and were planning to take the train from Domodossola to Baveno. I guess it makes sense that the whole route would be closed, otherwise the train would have to back up... but checking just to be sure. I've been surprised before!

OK, just looked at the SBB link Lola posted and yes, the answer seems to be that the entire route from Domodossola to Milan will be closed. So for our group of six it'll be bus or private transfer to Baveno. Now I know! Thanks, all! :-)

Lola and others knowledgeable: Part of our group will be heading to Milan from Baveno on September 11th and had planned to take the train. How likely is it that the track work will actually be done by September 8th? I know that's prognosticating but if history is any guide? Thanks! (Sorry to highjack your thread, andiseth!)

Jean, Trenitalia is showing regular service that day (Sep;t. 11) by regional train from Baveno to Milano Porta Garibaldi (mostly); a few to Milano Centrale or with a change somewhere on the way. But these are slow trains. They could also take the ferry from Baveno to Stresa (35 minutes) and train to Milano Centrale from there.

https://www.navigazionelaghi.it/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Locarno_Arona_24.pdf

Jean, are you still coming to Baveno from the Berner Oberland? Your other option for travel would be Treno Gottardo from Luzern to Locarno, and lake ferry from there to Baveno. Might be fun.

I posted the current ferry schedule above.

Maybe you could reverse the order of your Swiss time and visit BO first, and Luzern last? If that is too much trouble, maybe just one night in Luzern before taking the train south to Locarno?

Lola, such a wealth of great information, thank you! :-)

Yes, we'll be going from Wengen to Domodossola to Baveno, after first visiting Zurich and Lucerne. We're looking forward to the Lotschberg Mountain route! Since the drive from Domodossola to Baveno looks to be only a half-hour or so, I'm checking with our AirBnB host in Baveno for suggestions for a private transfer. With a group of six we don't mind splitting the cost. Then again, the bus would also be fine as long as we have reserved seats so we can sit together.

We've already made all our reservations for places to stay so I think we'll stick with this itinerary. But I do appreciate your creative thinking! :-)

Domodossola - Baveno will probably by train, but you will have to check the timetables closer to your date of travel. If it is by bus do not expect assigned places, so sitting close together will depend on you being able to find seats close together.