We are leaving Tuesday for 2 weeks in Italy. We have travel and accommodations all set within Italy (thanks to RS books and reading the Helpline). Our final stop in Italy is in Stresa on 7/28 and then on to a brief visit to Lucerne on 7/29 before flying home from Zurich at noon on 7/30. We delayed booking transportation for this part because of possible effects of the landslide. I went to book seats to Zurich on rail.ch but it reserves a date but not specific time or train (13.50 CH). Do we need to be concerned about not getting a seat - especially with our luggage? Thanks
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Where are you spending the night of 7/29? Lucerne or somehwere near the Zurich airport? Are you looking at the 6:27 train or the 7:39 train? Or, later? On these two runs, no seat reservations are required. Note that the 7:39 train has quite a few bookings already in 1st and 2nd class. The 6:27 train looks a lot better in that regard but there is a lot of transportation changes including a bus to go around a construction area from Domodossola.
Posted by
OP
Rockville, USA
3 posts
We were hoping to take a ferry from Stresa to Locarno on the morning of 7/29 and then a train from Locarno to Lucerne. That seemed more scenic and cheaper, but I'm having trouble reading the ferry info on http://www.visitstresa.com/Travel_and_transport.htm.
We are staying in Lucerne overnight and would like to take the 8:10 train getting to the airport at 9:13, but not sure that leaves us enough time for our 11:55 flight on United. Thanks.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
I'm not sure what you need to do with the ferry but if you can get to Locarno by about 11:00, there is a nice train run from Locarno to Lucerne departing at 11:45 with no train changes. Here's a LINK to what that train scedule looks like on www.rail.ch. Note that you need to enter Bellinzona in the "via" field. The ferry is nice but if you need to depart by train, there is a 7:39 train out of Stressa that will get you into Locarno at 10:22 with one train change. You can also see this run on www.rail.ch.
Posted by
OP
Rockville, USA
3 posts
I found out that the hydrofoil leaves Stresa at 10:00 and gets to Locarno at 11:30. According to the map it is a 4 min walk to the train station. We might make it by 11:45, if not we'll have lunch and take the train at 13:03. Still a little worried about how much time to allow at the Zurich airport. Should 2 hrs 40 min be enough? Thanks for your help.