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Milan to Switzerland in March?

2 people, getting to Milan on 14th. Would like to spend 1-2 nights exploring Switzerland ( first time). Was thinking about doing Como - Bernina express on 15th and then either coming back on 16th or 17th. Next stop is Florence on 17th or 18th.

  1. Where to stay overnight? Chur and St Moritz don't seem like a good choice to spend time and see much this time of the year. We ski but that's not the goal of this trip. The commute back to Milan is also extra long. We could continue on to Lucerne/ Zurich and explore those, making the commute back much easier. Unless there's an easier route to Florence. Goal is to see some nicer villages/towns.

2.Any other loop that we can do for 2/3 day instead? I love trains so Bernina seems like the best choice but wanted to see what else is possible from Milan. We want to keep it relaxed but still get a chance to see 2-3 new places

Posted by
21150 posts

St Moritz will be lively as it is a ski town in March. A lot of folks here lean toward Pontresina as a little lower key. The Bernina Express stops there. Oh, there is a great ski area at the top of the Bernina Pass, Diavolezza. If you had gear with, it would be worth a stop. For that I would ride a regular train and not the named Bernina Express, which requires a seat reservation.

I can think of several loops to get you back to Milan. The shortest would be to take a bus from St Moritz over the Maloja Pass to Chiavenna, Italy, and pick up a train there that connects back to Milan along Lake Como.

Second, take the Albula railway to Thusis and get the Postbus to Bellinzona. From Bellinzona it is a straight shot on a train to Milan, passing through Lugano on the way. The Albula railway has a number of spiral tunnels and loops and the famous Landwasser Viaduct that you see on all the Swiss travel posters. The Postbus from Thusis to Bellinzona requires a reservation.

Third, take the Glacier Express to Brig, then change to an EC train to Milan through the Simplon Tunnel. You could stop in Andermatt along the way. As the "coldest town in Switzerland" it should keep pretty good snow in March for skiing.

Posted by
2 posts

Hey Sam,

We decided to reverse our trip and wanted to get your opinion on the new plan. Take the train in the morning to Lucern on 15th and Spend 15-16 there. On 16th evening we can take the train to Chur and stay there overnight. Catch the morning Bernina express to Tirano and then spend the evening in Como. Stay overnight in Milan on Sunday and take the train to Florence on Monday? This way we reduce the amount of time on trains and get to see a lot of Lucern. Appreciate the help!