We are planning to travel from Lucerne to Cinque Terre in October. Wondering if we are best going by train, air or renting a car. Seems like a very long train trip.
Or should we go someplace else in Switzerland that would be easier to reach CT from.
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Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
The CT is not an easy reach from Switzerland. All routes south will require a train change in Milan. From Milan to the CT will take 3.0hrs-3.5hrs depending on the train run you select. Lucerne to Milan will take you 3.5hrs. Look for a 7.0hr trip overall by train.
You won't do much better on a plane. First, you have to backtrack to Zurich for a flight. Second, there are no budget airlines that fly from Zurich to either Milan or Pisa, the closest airports to the CT. Full fare airlines only (Swiss Air will do it for $668). You could save about 2.0hrs on a well-planned flight.
I don't know how much extra time you have but if you have some (a day or so), you could take the Golden Pass scenic train from Lucerne to Interlaken and visit Lauterbrunnen Valley and higher alpine villages.
You could rent a car and drive but it's still a 6.0hr drive according to www.viamichelin.co.uk. Downside here is that you can't drive in the CT towns (generally prohibited for tourist cars) and parking is limited. The good news is that you are traveling in October and you most likely could get a parking place in the parking lots above the towns. Another downside to look at are the drop-off charges on a rental car in a different country.