I’d like suggestions for about a 10 day trip in June or July including the Geneva area and then ending up in the Italian Alps area, maybe returning from Milan. I’d like to take both the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express, since I’ve already done the Zurich-Lucerne-Interlaken area. Any suggestions would be helpful, I won’t have a car and will use public transit but I LOVE trains! I do enjoy staying in one area for 2 or 3 nights if possible. Another wish is a ride on a summer toboggan. Many thanks in advance!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16263 posts
What location do you think of in the Italian Alps? Those mountains, such as Gran Paradiso National Park, are not very accessible by train. You can get plenty of alps in Switzerland with your two train rides. With only ten days, and wanting to spend 2-3 nights each place, you do not have time to visit a lot of places.
If you fly into Geneva, I suggest you head straight to Zermatt for the first two nights. Then take the Glacier Express heading east, breaking the journey at Brig to take a train north to Kandersteg, one hour away. Walk through town to the gondola and ride up to the lake (Oeschinensee). There is a summer luge (Rodelbahn) at the top of the gondola and a mountain inn on the lakeshore where you can stay 1-2 nights.
https://www.oeschinensee.ch/en/summer/alpine-slide/
Then return to Brig and continue on the Glacier Express to St. Moritz, and pick a village nearby to spend 3 nights. There is a Rodelbahn near Chur, but I don’t know how accessible it is by train.
https://www.pradaschier.ch/en/toboggan-run/
From your Engadine village (St. Moritz, Pontresina, Samedan, etc.) you take the Bernina Express to Tirano on the Italian border. There, you can either conteinue on a train to Varenna on Lake Como, or continue by Bernina Express bus to Lugano on the Swiss lake of that name. spend two nights. Either one provides a short easy ride into Milan for your flight home.
I haven’t figured out how to work Italian Alps into this trip.
Posted by
OP
New York
9 posts
Many thanks, I so appreciate your help and knowledge!