Train ticket involving 2 countries

Lola I appreciate the lengths you go to and the research you put into answering my questions. Thanks again. I will look in Trenitalia for schedules and tickets.

No, Just buy a ticket from point A to B. Sometimes it will require using at ticket agent at an International window. The Italy pass would just get you to the border and then you would have to have an ticket from that point.

You would buy those tickets from the Italian rail website, Trenitalia, or at the station in Italy. Buying ahead on the website may get you a discounted price. There are different fare structures for the domestic and international ( cross-border) tickets. From Venice to Milano Centrale, you could look for a Super Economyy fare as low as 9 euros on the ES trains, but they go fat. An Economy price of 19 euros is still good. From Milano Centrale to Montreux, the regular fare is 62 euro. On the page where you select your fare, look for a Smart Fare of 22 euros. If that is not available, look for Smart 2 which will be 32 euros. The discounted tickets include seat reservations. They are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged for a different ticket, but we find the discount is worth giving up some flexibility. Go on the Trenitalia website and practice using it. it is available in English. They have recently improved it, so it is easier than it was a year ago.

Frank and Lola, thank you. Lola, you are quite knowledgable with train travel. So would it be more advantageous to buy a through ticket to Montreux?

I am afraid I do not understand your question. If you buy a ticket for the 12:25 train from Milan to Montreux, the EuroCity train with nomchanges, it is a " through" ticket. They main change crews at the border,mand Swiss officials may board the train and give a quick walk-through, but you do not get off and " go through immigration"'or show your passport to anyone. Mat least that is how it works on the cross-border trips we have made. We have only beennonnthe Gotthard route between Milan and Zurich, not the Simplon route to Brig you will be using, but I assume it is the same. ( last summer there was a bus sectionnonnthat trip because they were working on the Simplonntunnel, but it doesn't show up that way on the schedules). To get the Smart Fares on the ticket you should buy about 90 days in advance.

Thanks Lola, we had the same treatment leaving Zurich for Sindelfingen when the German officers came on board. All was good. By "through" I meant a ticket from Venice to Montreux, knowing it stops in Milan, as opposed to buying a ticket for Milan only and then one from Milan to Montreux. Or are the results the same?

You can book it together on Trenitalia, putting in Venezia S.L as your start, and Montreux as your destination. It will show you lots of combinations,and among them will be the direct train Venice-Milan and the direct train Milan-Montreux; departing Venice at 8:50, arriving Milan 11:25, departing Milan 12:25 and getting to Montreux sometime after 15:00. So you can book them at the same time on the same ticket. The disadvantage of doing this is that it may not offer you all possible discounts. When I run through it for a date in May, it offers the Smart Fare from Milan to Montreux, but no reduction on the Venice to Milan train. Total price comes out 59 euros. If you book the two legs separately for the same day, you can get an Economy fare of 19 euros for the first train, and Smart Fare of 22 euros for the second, for a total of 41 euros instead of 59.

I am happy to help. I find it keeps my own fare-finding skills sharp to look things up for others. We will be in Italy ( specifically Venice) our selfs in the fall. Can't wait!

We are flying into Rome on April 6th. Then to Florence, Siena and up to Venice. As you know from here we head over to Montreux taking the Golden Pass to Lucerne. We love Lucerne having included it in our vacation last year when we travelled in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Hungary. We loved Europe so much we thought we would take the boys this time. Have a great vacation in the fall!

How old are the boys? If they are under 16 they can travel free in Switzerland on a Family Card that comes for free with any types Swiss Card or Swiss Pass.

No. We missed the boat 4 years ago.