Stresa to Chamonix by train

Without your dates of travel it's impossible to confirm for sure, but you might try booking
a ticket from Stresa to Martigny and then another ticket on the Mont Blanc Express from
Martigny to Chamonix.

If you can easily get to Milan, the bus from Milan to Chamonix is a pretty decent option -
goes through Aosta, then thru the tunnel, into Chamonix Sud.

What is the travel date?

Part of the problem would seem to be current repair work on the Simplon Tunnel, which is limiting rail service as only one tube is open.

PS, The problem arises after June 12. That is when the semi-annual schedule adjustment takes place in Italy. SBB may not be able to get prices from Trenitalia for regional trains. I do not see any fast changes on the route after that date, only at Valorcine and that is always the case as it is 2 trains meeting one another at a border station.

PPS, Here is a work around. Buy a ticket from Trenitalia for 5 EUR to Domodossola. then buy a ticket from SBB for Domodossola to Chamonix. all these are for sale now.

Those wonderfully efficient connections are not something to worry about. Rai Europe just throws up this warning because it, well, is programmed to do so.

Don't worry.

But tell us when this is. The issue may be for the French part of the trip actually.

if you let us know your dates we can help and understand.

Be aware that when RailEurope says they have options when the operator doesn't it is like booking a viator tour before the tickets are released.

In both cases they try to meet your need by selling you something that doesn't exist but they hope it will so they can get your money. You would expect when the actual tickets are made available that you would have changes or cancellations that they may tell you about right away, or they may wait until the last moment to tell you.

In computer speak we used to call it vaporware.

Thank you to all three of you for the great information. I didn’t know about the tunnel closure, but that makes sense because Deutsche Bahn indicates that part of the route is by bus. My travel date is July 17. I will try booking two train tickets, and I’ll look at the bus alternative. I think it is Flix Bus. Is there another bus line that you know of? Thank you all again!

When I look at July 17, I still cannot buy a ticket from Domodossola to Chamonix, but I can buy a ticket from Domodossola to Valorcine, so the issue is on the French side. You should be able to buy a ticket for Valorcine to Chamonix at a later date. I think that is no more than 10 EUR. If I recall, there may be a short replacement bus on that route as well.

July 17 shows a replacement bus from Domodossola to Iselle di Tasquera, right before the Simplon Tunnel. It is only 20 minutes.

Since the cost of Domodossola to Valorcine is entirely on the SBB network, even though the start station is in Italy, and the destination is in France, you can use a Saver Day Pass for this. Then you can take any combination of trains and buses between these stations (or anywhere in Switzerland for that matter) for the day. The point-to-point price is 64.40 CHF, You can buy a Saver Day Pass for July 17 now for 52 CHF. Saves you 12 CHF and gives complete flexibility. The price of the Saver Day Pass increases over time, so you should buy soon if your plans are set in stone.

You have all been so helpful so I hope you can help again. I am finally trying to book my train ticket from Stresa to Chamonix. (My hike from Chamonix just got confirmed today.)
I can't book a ticket from Stresa to Chamonix; I have to book the segments separately; sbb shows the entire journey but won't let me buy a ticket because of the construction. I can book Stresa to Iselle di Trasquera, then Iselle to Brig, then Brig to Chamonix. Is there any risk in doing this? Does that mean they will provide alternate transportation because of construction? I cannot find a customer service email for sbb. Thank you for any help you can provide.

Here is the thing about train travel in Switzerland, a full fare ticket is good on that route all day, so if you miss a connection, you just wait for the next train. That could be one hour, but there will always be a train in each direction at least once per hour.

For July 17, you can buy a ticket for Stresa to Brig for 23.30 EUR. from Trenitalia, That is a replacement bus from Stresa to Domodossola, then a replacement bus to Iselle de Tasquerra, then an RE train to Brig. Then you can buy a ticket for 52.50 CHF for Brig to Chamonix Mont Blanc from SBB. That is a train to Martigny, then a train to Vallorcine, then a train to Chamonix Mont Blanc. The SBB tickets are fully flexible for that day. So once you are in Brig, you are free to take any trains on that route for the day.

I checked tonight and the Bahn.de website shows connections from Stresa to Chamonix using bus for two legs and rail for the rest. For example, there's a departure at 10:03, arriving at 15:45 (time 5H:42M, 5 transfers). However no price information is shown which might mean it's not available yet. You might have to wait a couple of weeks before the solutions you want are available.

However no price information is shown which might mean it's not
available yet.

Or just that DB can't be bothered. The Italians have chosen a system for electronic tickets on regional trains that is vastly different from what everyone else in Europe is doing that integrating it in the sales channels of other railways is rather challenging.

Thank you, Sam, for suggesting Trenitalia and SBB combined. I got the tickets. Finally!

Yes, I'd go with the point-to-point ticket to avoid any possible snafus in the cross border replacement bus delays.

Even with discounted supersaver tickets you would be fine in case of a delay. If the railways mess up your ticket automatically becomes valid for the next available connection.

Thank you for walking me through this! Last year I year I bought all my Germany train tickets with no problem. This tunnel closure made it difficult.

The Simplon Tunnel is not actually closed, just reduced capacity. It is the tracks from Domodossola to Iselle that are closed. The replacement bus goes to Iselle, then a regional train through the tunnel to Brig.