I researched this route in January, and now when I am ready to book I can no longer find the route. I am using sbb.ch on July 1st 2011 to go from Interlaken Switzerland(Lauterbruunen) to Cinque Terre(La Spezia Centrale) and the site no longer shows any connections. Am I doing something wrong? Do no connections actually exist? Does this have something to do with the timetable change that happens the 2nd Sunday in June? I am staying in Manarola Cinque Terre and Lauterbrunnen Switzerland.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
I can't see the run on any of three national train websites but rest assured that it's there. Just as the Italian train website cannot see Lauterbrunnen, pehaps it's the same in reverse. You can easily get to Milan and then from Milan to Manarola. I realize that you would like to purchase a ticket straight through but you may not be able to do this. I can see the trains on www.rail.ch to Milan and on www.trenitalia.com from Milan to Manarola. Just don't put in a date beyond the end of May.
Posted by
OP
Minneapolis, MN, US
12 posts
I guess I'm not sure what you are saying. The route was there a few months ago, and I have heard the same route discussed on this forum before. Does anybody have any ideas how I can book this trip? I'm ready to book it now for July 1st, 2011.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Backing up a bit, I was really looking for Lauterbrunnen to Manarola on the Swiss train site (www.rail.ch). Putting in Interlaken Ost and La Spezia Centrale, its there. I can see it for July 1 as well. Journey times vary between 6:35hrs and 8:35hrs. There will be 3-5 train changes depending on the run. You can try to purchase this ticket on the Swiss website. If you can't get it there, you can easily get the ticket when you get into Switzerland. I have purchased tickets in the Interlaken Ost train station and its quite easy.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32325 posts
David, Planning a route with Interlaken Ost and La Spezia Centrale is perhaps not the most accurate, considering your destination is Manarola. As you're coming from Switzerland, you may enter the Cinque Terre via Genova rather than La Spezia. Using the departure and destination points you mentioned, the shortest trip I found was a departure at 07:29, arriving at 14:34 (time 7H:05M, 4 changes, reservations compulsory). That particular train does travel via Milano and Genova. In the same circumstances, I'd probably just buy the tickets when you arrive at Interlaken Ost (before you go to Lauterbrunnen). Where will you be travelling prior to Lauterbrunnen?