I have been watching the Trenitalia website like a hawk for months waiting for them to release the schedules for our upcoming trip (need a Milan to Genoa trip on June 26 and then a Milan to Stuttgart on July 4) It keeps coming up with no schedule given. In frustration, I went to DB site to try to piecemeal it together there, only to find out that for the July 4 trip the train that I wanted from Milan to Zurich is sold out already! I have a feeling that it might be showing sold out because of Trenitalia's delay, but otherwise I'm really worried now! Any thoughts/suggestions? We get off our ship in Genoa at 8am, and I am thinking for piece of mind I wasn't going to book any train out of Milan earlier than 12.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17433 posts
Carrie, I just checked Trenitalia and it shows a full schedule of trains from Milano Centrale to Zurich on July 4, on both routes ( direct and through Spiez), all with tickets available for purchase. Make sure you spell things in Iralian, I.e. Zurich is Zurigo.
Posted by
OP
Simpsonville, SC, US
70 posts
Okay that is so weird. I read your post and thought I must be losing my mind. But I just went and tried it again and it takes me to a screen that has a large red bar across that says No Travel Solution Found!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17433 posts
Carrie, the Trenitalia website is a bit quirky. Try choosing " Milano Centrale" from the down menu that appears after you get most of the letters typed in. I have found that even if I type and spell it correctly, the search will not work, unless I choose one of the stations offered. Same for " Zurigo". Then be sure to set the time, or it may default to a time in the middle of the night, and it will indeed say there are no trains found. Mi use 10 am or 11 am.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
Not only are the direct Milano-Zuerich EC trains not sold out, if you book ASAP you can get a €22 Smart fare.
Posted by
OP
Simpsonville, SC, US
70 posts
It was because I was clicking on that find best price box that was making it show up unavailable. Okay, so when I am on the DBahn site it shows I can get all 4 tickets for 134 euros from Milan all the way to Stuttgart, but when I go to purchase them it says they are sold out. (after I enter my cc number, etc) On the Trentalia site it says the Milan to Zurich segment is 77 euros. Tom, where can I find those 22 euro smart fares? I'm sorry to be so ignorant on this one, but I'm not seeing those anywhere. I will purchase as soon as I see them!
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17433 posts
To see the Smart Fare on the Milan to Zurich train, pick the train you want using the arrow on the far right. It will highlight that train in a red box, and below the train details you will see something like "show other fare" and a little blue button to th eright. Click on that and then hit "continue" at the bottom of the page. Now look in the second column under "offers" or "fares" (I can't remember which it says) and click that for a droop=down menu of alternate fares, including fares with a pass, child fares, and the Smart Fare. but Zurich to Stuttgart on bahn.de soon, and you may get a good price on the direct train. Edit: the 15:05 train from Zurich has a Sparangebot of 19 euro, but I don't know if you can get there in time for that. The 17:05 is 39 euro.
Posted by
OP
Simpsonville, SC, US
70 posts
Many thanks for all your help! I was able to get the 22 euro smart fare for the Milan to Zurich leg and then a Schweiz Special for the Zurich Stuttgart leg for 39 euros! I'm very happy :)
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17433 posts
Excellent! Glad to hear it worked out so well.