Train from Milano Centrale to Lauterbrunnen - please help!

Donna, have you checked in the last few days? The landslide damage has been cleared and traffic is operating normally through there. The train change at Chiasso is due to other reasons ( change in rolling stock) which has been going on for some time. The SBB website shows no 30 minute delay on that train on 20 July; it is scheduled to arrive at Arth-Goldau at 18:09. The Spiez route has issues of its own as work on the Simplon tunnel restricts traffic through there. Check the SBB website for more information on that.

I see conflicting messages on the same page on the Swiss train website. I call up the route for the EuroCity 20 train departing Milan Centrale at 15:10 on 7/20 for Zurich HB and it says that this train is partially cancelled from Chiasso to Zurich HB. Then, on the same page, you look to the picture on the right and it tells you that the Gotthard tunnel has been re-opened as of July 3 and traffic is now back to normal. Here's a LINK to that page. You can see what I see. I would trust that things are somewhat back to normal and that you will get to Arth-Goldau on time. As for Trenitalia, what are you trying to find. We can help. The Trenitalia train website will display a good deal of its pages in English. This includes all pages necessary to buy a ticket online. However, one exception. All train stations have to be entered using their Italian name. They used to accept the English names but not anymore.

Larry-there is a third piece if information on SBB is you click on the little "I" next to that train. It says that EC 20 has been cancelled from Chiasso, but it has been replaced with a different type of train for that route. This is due to ongoing changes in rolling stock, nothing to do with the landslide. It appears that you get off one train ( Italian) at Chiaaso and board the Swiss train that is waiting there. Maybe the Swiss have "issues" with the Italian trains, similar to the ones that caused them to cancel the Cisalpino consortium that used to run this route. Who knows the reason. But in any case, the schedule shows it moving on schedule and arriving at Arth-Goldau 3 hours after departure from Milano on July 20. I would trust that schedule. The Swiss are very good at updating the schedules to reflect current conditions. I have seen train strikes in Italy reflected on SBB for the affected day (i.e., No trains available). But if Donna wants to change to the Spiez route, I am sure she will be glad for the help.

Thanks Lola. Somehow I don't seem to press enough buttons. I need to press more of them.

Donna, on our travels from Italy into Switzerland, we learned early on that th Italians cannot see beyond Interlaken Ost into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The issue, as I was told by the Swiss train people, is that the Jungfraubahn and the Schilthornbahn, which are private railways with the Swiss train network, want to be paid in Swiss Francs and not Euros. As soon as we can get to a larger Italian train station, we buy our tickets from Italy to Interlaken Ost. We've done this from Venice and from Rome. Never a problem. We easily get trains and seat reservations. Second, when you transfer at Spiez, you usually have 9-12 minutes between trains. I run around the back of the small train station there and withdraw Swiss Francs from the ATM that is located there. When we get to Interlaken Ost, we go into the small train station there and buy our tickets for the remainder of the journey into Lauterbrunnen. We usually buy our 1/2 fare card there as well. You can use your credit card there or your newly obtained Swiss Francs. It's not all that bad. This all runs a lot smoother than you might imagine.

They can buy Milan to Spiez on Trenitalia ( or FSitaliane which is also Trenitalia but a better website). Unfortunately there are no SMART fares left for July 20. They can buy Spiez to Lauterbrunnen on SBB and it is an e-ticket. Given that they will have to board a bus to get to Interlaken, it might be good to have that ticket in hand rather than buying it at the station when they get there. Looks like travelers' between Italy and Switzerland this summer are facing obstacles Jo matter which way they go!

Thanks guys - but I actually got my info from the sbb office - they confirmed that my train changes in Chiasso and there is a 30 minute delay - this is a direct quote from a person who answered my email - since I was so confused with the schedule on the website. I know that is not going to work. So, back to Trenitalia - I have used it for several purchases and not had an issue - but now it keeps flipping back to Italian and when I press the English button it just takes me back to the original English page and I have to start all over again.... I will continue to check - I know their page has "issues" - if anyone has any other ideas - please tell me :) Thanks!!!

Well it is good you checked and I apologize for the misleading opinion. I have to say I am surprised that the SBB schedule does not reflect that delay. But looking back mat the travel disruption advisory I see that a later train that does the same thing ( change at Chiasso) says it is running on schedule, but the EC 20 does not say that. So back to Trenitalia. Maybe try on a different computer? Or go ahead with the Italian, since you have purchased there before? You probably can figure out what choices to make even if you can't read all the Italian.

OK, try this: look on the Trenitalia opening page (in English) for the "Home FS" in the upper left corner. Click on that and you will be on the FS Italiane webpage. It works better than Trenitalia and I can get it to stay in English ( Trenitalia switched for me just like you said).

Donna, even if you can get an English page on Trenitalia, the the Italian system cannot see beyond Interlaken Ost into Lauterbrunnen and remainder of the Lauterbrunnen Valley. We've even traveled to Lauterbrunnen from Venice and we experienced this issue. It's not that bad. The Italian system can see Interlaken Ost. I can see two runs from Milano Centrale to Interlaken Ost on July 20. 7:15 via Arth-Goldau and 12:25 via Domodossola and Spiez. Problem is, I don't think that you will be able to buy this ticket online from Trenitalia. It's an international ticket and the Italians are not good online with these purchases. I've looked on Trenitalia for 7/20 for this run and I see it but I can't buy the ticket. Here's a LINK to what I see on the Swiss site for early on July 20. On this lookup, I did press more buttons. Here's a LINK to the construction information for the leg between Spiez and Interlaken. You might be OK. And, you might be able to buy your ticket from the Swiss. I'm not sure about printing tickets at home from the Swiss website. We've travelled there but we didn't buy in advance online. Perhaps Lola has some of her very useful thoughts here. See my next message for a suggested backup plan.

Oh misery....now I know why I am not a travel agent. Thank you for your help - Lola: Yes! I can get it in English! That makes it better :) Larry: I wish I could be as confident as you - I really wanted to have everything settled/planned/purchased before we left - so afraid of getting stuck in the Milan train station. Anyway....now that I can see things in English, can someone explain why the sbb and bahn sites show a train from Milano centrale to Spiez on July 20th at 17:25, but it does not show on the trenitalia website? I have to purchase it on trenitalia since sbb does not allow e-tickets for that train. SCREAM!!!!
Thank you all so much for tolerating my never ending questions - I am forever grateful :)

Hi Donna-the 17:25 train has a change at Brig, so that is as far as Trenitalia will take you. Try Milano Centrale to Brig and you will see it on Trenitalia. From Brig onwards you can buy the ticket on SBB, or when you get to Brig.

Lola - you are an angel - that works - that is what I will do! Thank you soooo much - many blessings to you!