Milan to Zurich by train

At the end of a week in Italy we fly out of Zurich so have one day to make the trip from Milan.

The question is which route by train?

It seems the direct train is 3.5 hrs but ive read mixed reviews about tunnels and how scenic it is. There would, however, be a chance to jump off at Bellinzona and Arth.

The second option goes via Brig and takes about an hour longer. Not heard much on how scenic this is.

The third option is the Bernina Express which sounds very scenic but is a longer trip via lugano, Tirano and Chur.

We have all day, indeed could stop over in Chur en route and just head into Zurich the next day.

Question is: which option is best for the best scenery of Switzerland in a day.

First choice would definitely be Bernina Express. Don't overnight in Chur (nothing much to be seen there), but in St. Moritz instead, then head on to Zurich.

Second or ex aequo is Milano - Bellinzona - Locarno - Centovalli - Domodossola - Brig - Lötschberg - Berne - Zurich.

The Gotthard route (most direct one) is the least scenic. But I agree, Bellinzona with its castles is scenic. So is Arth-Goldau - but only if you made your way up to Rigi by cog railway which then would require a night en route.

I second a_p. The direct Gothard route is the less scenic one, but it can be upgraded with some detours, like:
Milan Porta Garibaldi dp by train 9.00 - Stresa ar 10.26, dp by boat (not daily) 11.15 - Locarno ar 14.30, dp by train 15.45 - Lucerne ar 18.41
or
Milan Centrale dp by train 7.35 - Capolago ar 8.45, dp by cog train 9.20 - Monte Generoso (view point, 1600m above sea level) ar 9.55, dp 11.45 - Capolago ar 12.27, dp by train 12.45 - Bellinzona ar 13.30, dp 14.06 - Flüelen ar 15.41, dp by boat 16.00 - Lucerne ar 18.41
Trains Lucerne - Zurich airport about every 30 min from 5.28 until 22.35; 1 1/4 hrs ride.

Milano - Zurich via Bernina - Albula (9 1/2 hrs trip, highly recommended):
Milano Centrale dp 6.20, 8.20, 10.20, 12.20, 14.20. Change at Tirano, Pontresina, Samedan and Chur, except for the Milan dp 10.20 train: direct panoramic Bernina Express train from Tirano up to Chur.
Optimal solution:
Milano Nord dp by train 8.59 - Como Lago ar 9.55, dp by boat 10.30 - Bellano ar 13.00, dp by train 13.33 - Tirano 14.50/15.40 - Bernina - St. Moritz ar 18.08. Next day: St. Moritz dp 5.57 - Zurich airport ar 9.46 (trains every hour).

The route via Brig is scenic too (along Lake Maggiore and Lake Thun). It would be a very good solution with a side trip from Brig to either Aletsch Glacier or Zermatt:
Milan Centrale dp 7.28 or 8.28 - Brig ar 9.16 or 10.16 - Riederalp (Aletsch) ar 9.50 or 10.50, resp Zermatt ar 10.52 or 11.52
Brig - Zurich airport: direct trains (2 1/2 hrs trip) at least every hour from 5.47 until 19.49

How about something that neither neckervd nor I thought about before - something unusual but for sure very scenic:

Milano - Lugano by train. From here, take the Palm Express (postal coach) along Lake Lugano and Lake Como and over Maloya pass to St. Moritz. Simply spectacular! Overnight. Then head on via either Julier pass (again by postal coach) to Chur and by train to Zurich. Or as above, by train from St. Moritz via Albula pass to Chur and Zurich.

The ultimate over-the-Alps tour (takes some planning): Milano - Bellinzona - Airolo by train. Now by postal coach via Lukmanier pass to Ulrichen in the canton of Valais. Overnight. Now by train (via Furka tunnel) to Andermatt. From there via cog railway down the narrow gorge to Göschenen. Now by train on to Zurich. Or something at least as spectacular: Ulrichen - Gletsch by train, now on via Grimsel pass (postal coach) to Meringen, then by train via Brünig pass to Lucerne and on to Zurich.

The choice is all yours...

And you probably thought you asked a relatively simple question Nakrob. LOL

As you can see the possibilities are numerous. Any of those suggested will be scenic, so you might want to look at them and consider which best fits your budget.

Asking how to get from MIlan to Zurich is like asking which chocolate you want out of a box of chocolates.

neckervd: I agree with you. That is why posters should say when they are intending to travel.

BTW: We forgot the route Milano - Bellinzona - Biasca - Lukmanier pass - Disentis/Mustér - Chur - Zurich. Or Milano - Bellinzona - San Bernardino pass - Thusis - Davos - Landquart - Zurich. Or from Thusis via Lenzerheide to Chur and on to Zurich. Or Milano via Paris to Zurich... ;-)

Why not bus Milano - Courmayeur - Chamonix - Geneva airport - ZRH, with the alternative Courmayeur La Palud - Chamonix via Punta Hellbronner?

neckervd: :-) Before we go any further (you forgot to mention Milano - Aosta - Grand Saint Bernard - Martigny - Bex - Les Diablerets - Zweisimmen - Spiez - Bern - Zurich) I suggest to wait for Nakrob's reaction. She/he might call us insane otherwise ;-)

Wow! I posted this from home last night and have just checked the responses from my office this morning. So much additional information!

I should have mentioned that this is a late June trip. We can leave Milan early on a Wednesday morning and then depart from Zurich airport at 18:00 on the Thursday. I also realise that my question was very open ended so appreciate the varied responses. I will have to wait until tonight to digest all the above posts! Any further posts in the next 12 hours appreciated.

We defiantely want to go by train rather than coach, I think I saw a reference to a ferry which would be good.

How would you work in a ferry on Lago Maggiore connecting with train or bus in Ascona, one of my favourite small towns in Switzerland, neckervd and a_p? The walk from the dock to the bus station is not far even with luggage and from there you can go to Locarno train station.

Coming in to Ascona on a ferry is about as picture postcard as it gets and totally changes a traveller's image of Switzerland. The palm trees just boggle the mind somehow.

a_p: soyons précis:
Milano Autostazione di Lampugnano M1 dp 7.15 - Aoste ar 9.45, dp 9.50 - Col du Gd St-Bernard Italie ar 11.02, Col du Gd St-Bernard Suisse dp 12.55 - Orsières ar 13.45, dp 14.09 - Sembrancher 14.17/14.18 - Martigny 14.35/15.20 - Aigle 15.42/16.03 - Les Diablerets 16.51/17.05 - Gstaad 17.51/18.27 - 2Simmen 18.54/19.03 - Spiez 19.46/19.54 - Bern 20.23/20.32 - Zurich ar 21.28.

Travel: may be it would be nicer to stay 1 hour at Ascona and to go on with the 15.05 boat up Locarno ar 15.35 and then by train dp 16.03 to Lucerne ar 18.41 (with 2 changes).

Thank you for all the information. I think we are leaning towards the bernina route and staying overnight in st moritz.

The proposed itinerary with the lake como trip means that the Tirano to sr Moritz leg is not on the Bernina Express, is this a problem for appreciating the view and scenery on the normal train? If so then we can skip the lake leg and make sure we get a BE coach from Tirano.

hello, need a piece of advice. i ve planned a trip between 1-4 december in italy -swiss and wanted to know if bernina express runs between those days. i would like to go milan,st moritz, zurich -brussels or skip zurich and go to strassbour instead. any opinions?

I have been reading with interest because we are planning a trip in which I would like to go from Milan to Zurich by a scenic route. This thread has been very helpful, but I still have a few questions:

1) I know the Bernina Express can go from Milan to Lugano with a bus to Tirano and then a train to Chur etc. BUT I would like to skip the 3-hour bus trip from Lugano to Tirano. I have read several comments that I can take a train from Milan directly to Tirano, but I haven't been able to find any on raileurope.com. Is ther such a route, and where can I find it?

2) I have also read about the panoramic cars of the Bernina Express, with suggestions to take the regular train instead. Is a regular train still considered the Bernina Express? Can you specify that when you make the reservations?

3) Does the Bernina Express have a charge over and above the Eruail Pass?

Thanks for your help.

BrendaMarg

Edited by: BrendaMarg

1. Yes there is. You can find it in the Thomas Cook Timetable or on bahn.com, sbb.ch, fsitaliane.it.

2. A regular train/s is not the Bernina express, but they use exactly the same route, so the experience is the same.

Arguments for taking regular trains:

• You don`t need a reservation.
• You can open the windows on same trains.(I`m not 100% sure about this because I was there 6 years ago and they might changed for newer trains.)
• A local train might be less full, than the Bernina Express, unless you travel in peak time.

Arguments for the Bernina Express:
- You don`t have to change trains en-route.

1. Yes, you must pay a small supplement [http://www.seat61.com/Railpass-and-Eurail-pass-guide.htm#supplements%20cost]

Bernina-Express: fully airconditioned train with wide panoramic windows (cannot be opened) running between Tirano and Chur. The journey goes from Tirano (420 metres above Sea level) to the Bernina Pass (2260m), down to Bever in the Engadin Valley (1700m), then up to the Albula Tunnel (1800m) and down to the Schyn Gorge and Chur (580m).
http://www.rhb.ch/The-World-Heritage.1070.0.html?&L=4
http://www.rhb.ch/Video-Bernina-eng.782.0.html?&L=4
http://www.rhb.ch/UNESCO-Clip-eng.1061.0.html?&L=4

Beside these touristic trains, there are normal trains along the same itineray between Tirano and St. Moritz and between St. Moritz and Chur.

Timetables:

Milano - Tirano:
Milan dp every 2 hrs from 6.20 until 18.20, plus 19.20
Tirano ar every 2 hrs from 8.50 until 20.50, plus 21.50, Fare: 11 EUR

Tirano - St. Moritz:
Tirano dp about every hour from 6.40 until 17.40
St. Moritz ar about every hour from 9.12 until 20.12
exact timetable: http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadmin/fap_pdf_fields/2012/950.pdf

St. Moritz - Chur - Zurich:
St. Moritz dp every hour from 7.02 until 20.02
Zurich ar every hour from 10.23 until 20.23, then 21.48, 22.48, 23.48

Shortcut Pontresina – Samedan:
If you are in a hurry, you may gain 1 hr if you change at Pontresina AND Samedan instead of St. Moritz.
Example: Tirano dp 9.40 – Zurich ar 15.23
However, it is highly recommended to travel via St. Moritz and to stop over there for a few hours or - better - a few days.

Thanks so much for the info. It seems I should have been looking on bahn.com or using the Cook book instead of looking at raileurope.com.

I was told that there are extra fees for making reservations. We're going at the beginning of June, though, ao I am wondering if I should

1) make reservations in the high-traffic areas, but skip them in less touristy places, or

2) forego the reservations, or

3) just to be safe, make reservations everywhere that I have a defined itinerary.

Make reservation only for trains where it`s compulsory!

How do you know that it`s compulsory? There is an R symbol in the Thomas Cook beside the train.

I believe bahn.com also indicates this.

For trains in Switzerland and Germany you don`t need reservations.

bristolnewbie said: Make reservation only for trains where it`s compulsory!

Is the same true for the trains in Italy? Before I adopted this "Do it yourself" technique, (which, thanks to all of you, is no longer "Do it yourself") a travel agent told me to make reservations whereever possible.

As you like!

FYI: On the Milano - Tirano trains reservation is not possible.

Thank you again. It is going to be a relief not to make reservations and then to fight to be on time for them.

So--

I've figured out the part of the trip from Milan to Chur (I think), but now I'm wondering if should go from Chur straight to Fuessn without going through Zurich. Is the part from Chur to Zurich as scenic as the part from Tirano to Chur? I know it's all scenic, but we are traveling only 14 days through Italy, Switzerland, and Germany, and I'm pretty sure we will never be able to get back to Europe, so I have to prioritize.

I tried to find this question on other threads. Sorry if I missed it somewhere else.

Is the part from Chur to Zurich as scenic as the part from Tirano to Chur?

No, it doesn`t compare, you can give it a miss.

However Milano to Füssen will be a very long day sitting on trains! I strongly recommend you to break your trip for at least 1 night in Switzerland, even if it means spending 1 night less in Italy.

You could stop in/near St. Moritz as neckervd suggested or somewhere on the shore of Lake Constance.

Another scenic route goes from Tirano by train via Bernina - Pontresina to Scuol and from there by bus via Nauders - Landeck - Nassereith - Ehrwald Zugspitzbahn - Reutte to Fuessen.

The problem is:

We're originally coming from Venice.

We can go from Venice-Milan-Tirano-St. Moritz, and stay at St. Moritz, but if we get started late, we might not make it to St. Moritz in daylight.

So--I'm thinking Venice-Milan-Tirano. Overnight in Tirano. Then, Tirano-St. Moritz-Chur-Fuessen. Two nights in Fuessen. That's a lot of train travel in two days, and especially on the second day, though it will surely not bother my daughter and granddaughter as much as it will bother me.

Originally, Switzerland was not in the trip, but I decided we at the very least needed a train trip through the Swiss Alps, and it didn't seem too much out of the way since we were heading from Venice to Fuessen anyway.

Am I completely off-base here?

I've read that the train from Venice to Munich is scenic as well, so maybe we should just do that and make a side trip back to Fuessen. Then we'd have to skip Swizerland (Grrr!).

Edited by: BrendaMarg

Why do you want to overnight in Tirano? It`s nothing special?

There are very fast trains between Venice and Milano if you start in the morning you can comfortably make it to St. Moritz by the evening.

Otherwise I`d rather spend the night in a small town on the shore of Lake Como, for example in Varenna or Bellano, these are only 1 and half hour from Tirano.

I forgot when do you travel, but in summer if I remember well, right?

The problem with the Venice Munich line is that the Brenner Pass rail line will be closed this summer because of engineering works.

There is a good alternative however:

Venice - Bozen(Bolzano) - Meran - Malles - bus to Landeck - Innsbruck - Garmisch Partenkirchen - bus to Füssen

But even this trip should take at least 2 days if you don`t want to rush.

I`d stick to your original plan, with 1 overnight in Switzerland and only 1 night in Füssen.

Landeck - Nassereith - Reutte in Tirol - Fuessen is usually faster.

I had planned to stay in Tirano only because that was as far as I thought we could go. I'll gladly take one of your suggestions.

I'm a little hesitant to take a bus--not exactly sure why, though.

The two nights in Fuessen were simply to rest a little after the castles and before boarding a train again.

Thanks so much.

If you leave Venice in the morning, you can go up to St. Moritz or even farther, if you leave at noon, you may sleep at Poschiavo (close to Bernina Pass) and if you leave in the afternoon, you will sleep at Tirano.
In detail:
Venice dp 6.58 - Edolo 11.15 - Pontresina 14.58 - Chur 17.09 - Lindau 19.01
Venice dp 8.50 - Milano 12.20 - Pontresina 17.50 - Chur 20.16 - Lindau 22.32
Venice dp 10.50 - Edolo 15.15 - Pontresina 18.57 - Chur 21.16 - Lindau 23.27
Venice dp 12.50 - Milano 16.20 - Poschiavo 19.34
Venice dp 15.20 - Milano 18.20 - Tirano 20.50
Venice dp 16.20 - Milano 19.20 - Tirano 21.50
But once again, it's highly ecommended to stay a full day in the Engiadina Alta (Pontresina - St. Moritz area).

Thanks for the timetable, neckervd.

I must be doing something completely screwy, though, because when I go to bahn and input Milano to Tirano, I get trips that range from 5 hours to 16 hours. I know that's not possible. I thought I mighth have the wrong Tirano, but there was only one Tirano option.

Even without the book, shouldn't I be able to access most train information, especially on a route that is not particularly out-of-the-way.