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Switzerland and Italy 02-14/09

Hello,

I'm plan visiting Switzerland and Italy from 02/09 to 14/09.

Flying in and out at the Geneva airport.

I would like to cover the following area:

Switzerland
Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, Zurich (4days)
BO area (Murren, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Zermatt) (5 days)

Italy:
Milan - Day trip
Venice - 2 days

Should i start from Geneva --> Zermatt --> BO --> Lucerne --> Zurich --> Lucerne --> Lausanne?

Should i choose Lucerne and Grindelwald as a based? Any alternative?

What is the most convenient way travel from Switzerland to Milan? I mean which station?

Any input are appreciated.

Thanks

Ken

Posted by
8889 posts

You have 12 nights, that means 11 full days and parts of two more depending on when your flights are.
I would skip Zürich. It is a nice city, but you don't go to Switzerland for cities, you go there for mountains.
I would then try and make a circuit out of the rest: Geneva --> Lausanne --> Zermatt --> Berner Oberland --> Luzern and back to Geneva. By picking a good route, the journey is also sightseeing, and Lausanne --> Zermatt --> Berner Oberland --> Luzern are all scenic routes. You can split your time between the Berner Oberland (Grindelwald, Mürren, Wengen etc.) and Luzern.

I assume you are doing this all by rail. I always need a map for planning, to see where all the places are in relation to each other. A Swiss railways map is here: https://www.swisspasses.com/railpass/overviewmap_en.pdf
This is useful because it shows where the rail lines are and are not. In Switzerland you often cannot travel in straight lines (by road or rail) because the mountains get in the way.

As for travelling to Milan. This will be a long day trip. If you really want to go there, maybe you can spare a night. You can get from any station in Switzerland to Milan. The quickest journeys are from places that connect to the two north-south routes through the Alps. You could go Zermat --> Milan --> Berner Oberland (with a night in Milan). or Luzern - Milan and back.

Plan B: Geneva --> Lausanne --> Zermatt --> Milan --> Luzern --> Berner Oberland --> Geneva. That is a circuit, and you get to cross both routes through the Alps (Simplon and Gotthard).

For looking up train times and prices, use the Swiss Federal Railways website: www.sbb.ch Click on the small 'en' top centre to get English.

Posted by
8889 posts

I just realised I forgot about Venice. I don't think you have enough time, and Venice is a long way from the other places.

Plan C, fly into Geneva, and out of Venice.
Then you can go Geneva (1N) --> Lausanne --> Zermatt(3N) --> Berner Oberland(3N) --> Luzern(3N) --> Milan(1N) --> Venice(3N).
You have to go via Milan to get from Switzerland to Venice. That makes 14 nights, something may have to be sacrificed.

Posted by
2 posts

Thank you Chris.

I am stuck with my plan going to Milan and Venice.

I will getting 8 days Swiss Pass during my stay in Switzerland. Understand i have to use it continuously for 8 days. For the Plan B, I assume i have to get a ticket from Zermatt to Milan, then a return ticket from Milan to Luzern?

If so i will waste a day for my Swiss Pass?

I must flying off from Geneva so Plan C won't work for me.

Posted by
8889 posts

esota, if you do want to go Zermatt to Milan and Milan to Luzern while you have a Swiss pass, you only need to buy additional tickets from and to the Swiss border. That is Domodossola to Milan and Milan to Chiasso. Zermatt to Domodossola and Chiasso to Luzern are covered by the pass. You can see this on the map of Swiss railways which I posted previously, this shows exactly what lines are covered: https://www.swisspasses.com/railpass/overviewmap_en.pdf