Leaving Salzburg by train 5/11 and would like to experiance the scenery, lakes, and the Matterhorn before heading south to Cinque Terre 5/14. My thought was Lucerne to Zermatt and then how to heading the right direction? Would Milan be next? thru Genoa? Can't make much out of the train schedules.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17435 posts
I like the Swiss rail site, SBB.ch or rail.ch, to figure out routings in Switzerland and Italy. You would go Salzburg-Zurich-Luzern; then Luzern-Bern-Zermatt (Or Luzern-Interlaken-Zermatt). Then to get to Cinque Terre, you go first to Milan. At that point you have a choice of going via Genoa and down th ecoast, or inland via Florence, Pisa and/or La Spezia. We like the coastal route. There are some trains that go from Milan to Monterosso with no changes.
Posted by
Green Bay
21157 posts
Learn to use the Deutsche Bahn site. http://www.bahn.de/i/view/USA/en/index.shtml
This has virtually every train in europe. All the different routing options, change train locations, intermediate stops, and even a route map you can click on. It gives prices if they are German trains.
Posted by
OP
ALLISON PARK, PA, USA
6 posts
Was planning on the select saver rail pass for my wife & I. We'll, be in Austria, Switz, and Italy for 3 weeks. Does this pass cover the little routes as well as main ones? (zermatt)?
Posted by
Green Bay
21157 posts
Read the gory details at the railpass section of this site. Brig-Zermatt is a 25% discount only. Switzerland seems likely to get several hundred dollars per person out of you regardles of pass or point to point. Italy is often cheaper point to point if you use advance nonrefundable yickets or regional trains. How much time in Austria? If most of your time is in Switzerland, maybe a 2nd class saver flexipass would be better, 50% discount to Zermatt, at half the cost of a flexi 1st class pass. Lots of permutations and combinations here. Most people just throw up their hands and surrender.
Posted by
OP
ALLISON PARK, PA, USA
6 posts
I've been wondering about the whole Matterhorn/Zermatt thing. Is it worth the travel & cost, if I'm already spending 2-3 days in the alps? It was on my wish list, but???? 6 days in vienna and salzburg before this switz experience. Maybe just Lucerne & south thru the mt.s to Milan. Guess I'm fishing now. The remaining 10 days are already planned for Italy. I'm looking for the best of Switz in 3 days 2 nites if traveling by train.
Posted by
Dallas, Texas, USA
501 posts
Robert, lets negotiate...how about 4days 3 nights in Switzerland? Luzern for 1 night and 2 nights Berner Oberland, my choice would be Murren.
Posted by
Tilburg, Netherlands
2829 posts
Zermatt and (especially) the Jungraujoch are expensive places to get at. However, contrary to other cases, they are worth every single Swiss franc on a good weather day
Posted by
Seattle (occasionally)
78 posts
I think it may be smart to skip zermatt. I've only skied there, but visited the Jungfrau region 3 times in the summer. The Jungfrau has a lot of stuff to do, and I'm guessing the train connections heading to Italy are easier. Our last visit we left our two sons and friend at the Lauterbrunen station as they headed to Venice.