Crossing the Alps by Train: Three rail routes from Switzerland to Italy
“I want to see the Alps by train, so I’ve the booked a ride south from Berne into Italy,” said Margot. We didn’t have the heart to tell her that a big chunk of the 90-minute run from the Swiss capital south to Domodossola in Italy is through tunnels. Of course, there is a lot of decent scenery too, but traversing the Alps by this Simplon rail route is hardly a great mountain experience.
Here’s our quick guide to your choice of north-south rail routes if you are traveling from central Europe through Switzerland to Italy.
There are just three routes to choose from: the Simplon, the Gotthard and the Bernina.
The Simplon route
Our rating: **
Used by four daily EuroCity services from Geneva to Milan and by the thrice daily EuroCity trains from Basel to Milan. Not our favorite option as the best of the scenery is missed in tunnels. The Geneva and Basel routes converge at Brig, and then run through the Simplon tunnel into Italy. The trains from Geneva do offer some super views as they skirt the northern edge of Lake Geneva. But the Basel route south through Berne is pretty but unspectacular, and then plunges through the 34km-long Lötschberg tunnel to reach Brig, where you get a breath of fresh air before diving into the Simplon tunnel.
On the plus side, there are some super views of Lake Maggiore as the train cruises through northern Italy towards Milan. Sit on the left for the views. And it is those lake views which are the redeeming factor for the Simplon route. So we give it two stars.
The Gotthard route
Our rating: **
Used each day by seven EuroCity trains from Zürich to Milan (and also one from Basel to Milan). This route is also taken by domestic Swiss services from Basel and Zürich to Locarno and Lugano. Indeed, this is the main north to south rail axis through Switzerland. The approach to the north side of the Gotthard Tunnel is classic Switzerland. Sit on the right side of the train for super lake views with range upon range of mountains edging ever closer.
With the opening of the new 57-km Gotthard Base Tunnel in 2016, the journey is now even less scenic.
The Bernina Express running right along Lake Bianco. Photo: Terry
The Bernina route
Our rating: *****
Far and away the finest of the three north-south routes from Switzerland into Italy. No ifs, no buts. The Bernina knocks spots off the competition. If you are in a rush to get into Italy, take the Simplon or Gotthard routes. But if you want to see the Alps, the Bernina is the obvious choice. This is the only route that goes over the Alps rather than tunneling through them.
The Bernina is served by Rhaetian Railway services from St Moritz (in the Swiss Engadin) to Tirano (in Italy). Local trains run hourly on this route throughout most of the day, although evening services are very limited. There are also some through trains from Chur and Davos to Tirano (branded “Bernina Express” and with a supplementary charge).
The beauty of the Bernina, particularly if you ride the local trains which stop at every tiny station, is that you have a real sense of engaging with the landscape. There are glaciers and Alpine meadows, with moments of high drama as the train drops down from high mountain terrain into serenely beautiful valleys. Beyond Tirano, the route runs south-west to Milan, skirting the east side of Lake Como for more than an hour.
The time question
So why does everyone not take the Bernina route? It seems to be really a matter of time. Sadly, most travelers are in a rush. And the lure of a direct train tempts folk to the faster Simplon and Gotthard routes. Journeys from the principal Swiss cities to Milan via the Bernina route require several changes of train. Here are some comparison journey times for Zürich to Milan:
via the Simplon route: 4 hrs 15 min
via the Gotthard route: 3 hrs 45 min
via the Bernina route: 10 hrs 05 min
The travel times speak for themselves. Yes, the Bernina journey takes more than twice as long, but it’s so very, very much better that canny travelers give the Alps the time they deserve. Indeed, there are a heap of places along the Bernina route which warrant an overnight stop, so why not spread the journey over two days?
Editor’s Note: Looking for more insider information on train travel across Europe? Pick up a copy of Europe by Rail, now in its 15th edition, it is the definitive guide for exploring the continent by train. You can also follow them on twitter at @EuropebyRail.
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Hi Anthony
Sounds like one really good trip. Contact the nice people at Europe by Rail (www.europebyrail.eu) or Byway Travel (www.byway.travel) and they can fix an amazing trip.
With a month or two to spare it would be possible to include the Alps, Tuscany, Amalfi, etc.
Didn’t quite understand your query in Air Miles. Is that like Ethereum, Bitcoin or US Dollars? I am not not certain you can pay in Air Miles in Europe. The train companies and hotels there will want to be paid in euros, Swiss Francs or whatever.
Trust those thoughts assist.
Reggie
We are looking for a train vacation thru the alps to venice down to amalfi coast.
Thinking 2 days alps
2 days venice maybe a day between?
Tuscany 2 days
4-5 days amalfi
If you would but a tour together that would be great. we have air miles that we will be using.
how to get to milan. from uk. to get on first class train traveling through mountain/ glacia views. to switzerland best rourts.meals on train. best viewing platform availiable/prices etc.. return…???
Gotthard route is amazing! I’ve been hiking around there while observing trains passing. It’s a beautiful place and if you’re into hiking, there are many beautiful trails around.
Really, Antonio. That’s interesting. The main Gotthard route is one long tunnel. It’s 35 miles long, and way underground. Don’t quite understand how you can see the trains when they are deep under mountains, sometimes as much as half a mile under the earth.
I will be in Pieve, Italy in May with a small group. I am looking into taking a day or two trip by train to maybe Florence or Switzerland. The most scenic route is preferred.
Any suggestions out there>
My husband and I are planning to take the train on the Bernina route from Zurich to Lugano. Our question is if we decide to stay a night in one of the towns along the route, can we get onto the train the next day to finish the trip without paying extra money to access the train?
Also, does anyone have a suggestion of one of the best places to stay along that route?
It would be best just to buy a ticket to yr preferred stopover point, and then a new ticket for the onward journey the next day. This may add about €3 to the overall fare. Nothing needs booking in advance. Just pay on the train. Fares are reasonable. The entire Bernina route costs about €25. As to where to stop, Alp Grüm is most definitely my top choice. Bear in mind that it’s a seasonal hotel, only about 7 months per year and closed midwinter. Rooms should be booked in advance. It’s a homely and pleasant place to stay. Good meals.
Three RAIL ROUTES, no rail route MAP for any of them. Plenty of hotel links and other peripherally relevant stuff here, but where is the overview that’s so obviously needed? Hello, ROUTES imply MAPS!
Maybe you’re just making sure the experience of “hidden Europe” starts early?
Thank you. Nice work.
Hello my friend and I are planning our tour for 2017. After being in England we will be catching a train from London to Italy. We want to take the most scenic train trip especially through Switzerland. Could you let me know the most scenic train trip and less tunnels. We are from Australia and its our first trip to Europe.
By far the best of the north-south Alpine routes through Switzerland to Italy is the Bernina Railway. You’ll find this and lots of other marvellous journeys described in EUROPE BY RAIL: THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS.
The 14th edition of the book was published in June 2016. Find out more at http://www.europebyrail.eu or at http://webhe.eu/pt
Do hope you enjoy your journey. The train is a great way to explore Europe.
Nicky & Susanne
We are trying to organise a train trip from milan though switzerland to mumich than on to Hanover but we would like some stops over nights to appreciate the country side Bern lucern and interlaken have been recommended to us does the Bernina train stop at any of these destinations. Many thanks Ruth
Trying to figure out best way to get from Zurich to Rome using Bernina express. Does this make sense? Day 1 – Zurich to Chur, Chur to Tirano on Bernina express, spend night in Tirano. Day two Tirano to Milan, then high speed train Milan to Rome. Part I need help with is where to book tickets especially for the Tirano to Milan section. And also does this itinerary work? My wife and I would leave February 6 am and need to be in Rome on the 7th pm. Does it make sense to buy rail select pass?
Jordan
Hello! I am looking into the possibility of a family holiday, and thinking that it would be a good idea to go to Bern and go over the alps by train, ending up in Italy, maybe for a weeks stay nese lake Como. OUR kids are still young (5 and 7) and I am thinking that we could make 2-3 stops of a night or more for some adventure in the mountain regions. Could you recommend a route and maybe some nice hotels or places to see on our way? I am thinking that we could spend 7-10 days on the trip.
For Marion
This doesn’t ring quite true. Swiss train staff are invariably utterly scrupulous. We find it very hard to believe that you were in some way ‘cheated’. You mention being ‘forced’ to buy a Swiss Pass on the train. The Swiss Pass is not sold on trains. Did you perhaps purchase a mistakenly discounted Halbtax ticket without the prerequisite card? Were that the case, you’d have had to purchased a brand new ticket on the train.
What kind of ticket did you have? If there really has been some sort of injustice, we can let you know how to pursue with the railway authority in Switzerland. You can contact us via our office. Send details on our website.
Nicky and Susanne
editors
hidden europe magazine & Europe by Rail
http://www.hiddeneurope.co.uk and http://www.europebyrail.eu
For Fay
This is all very do-able. Milan is definitely the city to fly to. Whether you land at MXP or LIN, make for Milano Centrale, then your route is as follows:
Milano-Tirano-BERNINA ROUTE INTO SWITZERLAND-St Moritz-Chur-Zurich-Geneva
The travel time from Milan to Geneva by this route is about 13 hours. So best spread over two days. Allow four to five hours from either Milan airport to Tirano. That’s the start of the Bernina journey. No need to book in advance. There are several good places to stop on the Bernina route. The station at Alp Grüm has rooms, so does Ospizio Bernina (which has its own station). But check they are open. Late November is low season and many places in the mountains take a month off before the real snow comes.
We hope you enjoy the journey.
Nicky and Susanne
editors
hidden europe magazine
http://www.hiddeneurope.co.uk
Good morning
We are two people from South Africa who are planning a short holiday in Switzerland preceding a conference in Geneva from 30 November – 4 December.
We are thinking of trying to take the Bernina Express at least one way before our conference, so would probably need to stay overnight in Chur or St Moritz before leaving for Geneva on the morning of the 30th November).
So we are looking at taking a flight from South Africa to Milan (or anywhere else that would be most convenient to access the Bernina Express to take us into Switzerland). We are really keen to experience the beautiful scenery and would love to stop somewhere where we can spend one day (29thNovember) in an Alpine village or somewhere where there is a facility to hire skis (and where there is likely to be snow!!). We do not want a skiing holiday – a couple of hours would be sufficient for us, mostly to be able to plan for a return trip sometime next year.
Are you able to give us any advice regarding where we should commence our journey (from Turin, or Milan, or anywhere else – the main reason we want the train is for the scenery on the journey), also how to book the train, as well as places to stay that should have snow? We don’t mind where we get off the train as long as wherever we spend the night on the 29th is accessible by coach or bus or train to get us to Geneva on the 30th. Is there more than one rail company that travels to the high peaks?
We hope you can answer these questions for us. We will really appreciate it.
With kind regards
Fay Tagg
Cape Town, South Africa
We traveled from Basel to Milan and then connecting to Venice. While on the Basel to Milan trip the conductor checked our tickets and told us we had to pay Euro 158 per person for a Swiss pass even though we had paid for our train tickets we had to pay extra for the Swiss Pass. We were only travelling through switzerland for a few hours cost us NZ$600. Has anyone else had this happen to them. Wish we had flown to Venice it would have been much cheaper.
Struggling to understand how one could use a Swiss Pass for a journey to Venice. Can you say a bit more? What kind of pass? How many days? First class or second class? Was it properly validated and the date of travel inscribed on the pass? How many passengers in all?
Even if you had a valid Swiss Pass, you would still have needed to buy a ticket from Brig (that is the last station to which the Swiss Pass is valid) to Venice. That could easily come to €100 per person, perhaps much more.
The secret is to buy cheap tickets well in advance and never to buy tickets on the train. You can get Basel to Venice tickets for as little as €29 one way if you pre-purchase. With that cheapo ticket you get no extra advantage by having a Swiss Pass.
Nicky and susanne thank you for all the helpful information , but can you please show the towns that The Bernina route run in it , cos in my search the journey from St moritz to tirano takes only 2 h and you mentioned that it takes 10 h and do you recommend to buy a swiss travel pass for covering the expanse …. Thank you
In our article we indicated that Zürich to Milan takes 10 hrs via the Bernina Route. The celebrated Bernina railway stretch from St Moritz to Tirano takes just two hours. If all you are doing is riding the main Bernina Railway from St Moritz to Tirano, a Swiss Pass is hardly worthwhile.
thanks you very much for all your advice an information you , i m now planing to go for Milan to Tirano the next day take the local train to chur to cover bernina route ….staying tow days and from there to Zurich back home ….any advice ?
thank you
From Milan to Interlaken takes between 3 and 4 hours – and involves one easy change of train at Spiez. You might break your journey by stopping off for a night or two at Stresa on the shores of Lake Maggiore. It’s just an hour north of Milan, and all the fast trains stop there. Lovely lake and mountain setting. Definitely take the boat ride out to Isola Bella for an afternoon.
From Interlaken make the day excursion statutory up to the Jungfraujoch, but make time too for the smaller villages along the way (like Grindelwald, Wengen, etc). A half-day or evening trip to the Swiss capital in Berne is also worthwhile. It’s less than an hour by train from Interlaken.
From Interlaken to Nice is a long haul, at least 9 or 10 hours, and fastest route is back via Milan. But here’s an alternative suggestion. Why not stop off for a night in Geneva and then Avignon on the way? It’s a longer route but then breaks up the journey.
Nice is great, but have to say we prefer Menton. Much quieter. and you can always make a day trip to Nice which is just 30 mins away by train.
Here’s what a two-week itinerary might look like:
Day 1 Train Milan to Stresa (1 hr)
Day 2 Stresa
Day 3 Stresa to Interlaken (3 to 4 hrs)
Day 4 Interlaken
Day 5 Interlaken
Day 7 Train Interlaken – Zweisimmern – Montreux – Geneva (Wonderful rail route though mountains, takes best part of a day) (7 hrs)
Day 8 Train from Geneva to Avignon (5 hrs)
Day 9 Avignon
Day 10 Train Avignon to Nice (or Menton) (3 hrs)
Day 11 Nice (or Mention)
Day 12 Nice (or Menton)
Day 13 Train from Nice (or Menton) to Milan (4 hrs)
Book all tickets well in advance, ideally 2 to 3 months, for the best fares.
Hope this helps.
Nicky and Susanne
Hi
Me and my Husband, we`re planning to travel and explore Europe and we`re complete virgins as we`ve never travelled to Europe before. i`d like to know which is the most shortest affordable way to travel between Milan, Interlaken, Nice and Milan. And also should we pick other destinations? We’ve got 16 days and we want to make the most of it.
Thanks 🙂
We’re planning a 30th anniversary trip in June 2014 to switzerland and Italy. We aren’t big on the bigger more popular cities, but like the less traveled areas, with more opportunities to mix with locals. We also aren’t travelers that like to rush through areas to see the most we can see in a certain amount of days. We prefer to pick a few nice locations to spend about 4 or so days and get to really see a specific area. We should have a total of 16 days for the trip coming from Los Angeles. Would love your input. We originally wanted to spend time in the alps and in Tuscany and coastal italy and are still planning on that unless there is something that we are missing by doing so. My husband is a big history fan and wants to go to Rome for a few days, but we don’t want to spend tons of time in museums. Which towns in e alps would you recommend spending a few days in. Or, can we rent a car once up in the area and drive around? I’m excited to hear all the recommendations.
If you go to Tirano, don’t miss the wonderful sanctuary of this town, one of the best religious building in the Alps, full of art treasures, in particular the wooden organ
My wife and I will be arriving in Zurich by air Sept 15. We’ll spend one night in or near Zurich. We plan to travel by train to Milan with 2 nights in the Alps along the way. We have to be in Milan Sept 18 for a flight the next morning to Rome. Sounds like we should take the Bernina route. What train ticket do we want and where should we stay? Thanks. (then we’ll be biking in Sicily for a week)
Ron
.
Basel-Chur takes 2hrs 20mins on the fastest trains, or just under 3hrs on the slower trains.
Chur-St Moritz takes 2 hrs
St Moritz-Tirano takes about 2hrs 20 mins.
For an overnight stop, we would recommend Zernez, a pleasant small Engadine town, well served by train and about mid-way along the route from Basel to Tirano via the Bernina route.
So on Day One, travel Basel to Zernez (changing once at Landquart), then on Day Two travel from Zernez to Tirano (changing once at Pontresina).
Trains are generally at least hourly throughout the entire journey. These are easy journeys. No need to book or reserve in advance.
We think it is worth making shorter stops, just for an hour or so, along the Bernina route. Ospizio Bernina and Alp Grüm are both worth just such a brief stop. Both have cafés at the station.
1. Basel-Chur
2. Chur-St Moritz
3. St Moritz-Tirano
How long does each of theses take, if you go by train all the way? I am trying to pick one overnight stop. Thanks for the great info. No one else has explained this trip so well.
My son lives in Zurich and 3 of us (he, my sister and I) want to travel to both Lake Como and Lake Garda and back to Zurich over 5 or 6 days late in August. Your advice to Joyce Harris is interesting and also on the best rail route namely via the Bernina route. Are we being over ambitious? Thanks
.
For Dianne Douglass (above)
Not over-ambitious at all. Very do-able in 5 or 6 days.
Should be a wonderful trip.
Thank you Hidden Europe (Nicky or Susanne) for your response and encouragement. Your website has been very helpful.
Have decided to concentrate on Lake Como only and forgo Lake Garda:
– train from Zurich to Tirano via Poschiavo (overnight) (Bernina Express)
– train Poschiavo to Colico, ferry to Menaggio (Lake Como Hostel) 2 nights
– Menaggio to Bellagio, apartment 3 nights where my son will join us with car
– drive back to Zürich
I feel we will find plenty to do and look forward to sampling the local food and culture.
Dianne (and Lynne)
Australia
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Hello Joyce
This is very easy. By far the best route from Basel to Como, for lovers of Alpine scenery, is that via the Bernina railway. Allow two days for the journey, even three if you can spare the time. The sections of the journey from Basel to Tirano (all by train) are
1. Basel-Chur
2. Chur-St Moritz
3. St Moritz-Tirano
From Tirano you have three choices. A is the best option, but B comes a close second.
A. Onward by train and boat. That’s what we would do. Train Tirano to Colico, then boat to Como. Brilliant boat journey along the length of the lake, and undeniably the most romantic way to arrive in Como.
B. Onward by bus and train. This is just a once daily connection. Bus from Tirano station at 14.20, arrives Lugano station at 17.30. Connects nicely into train at 17.48 from Lugano to Como, arriving Como at 18.15.
C. Onward entirely by train, changing at Lecco and Molteno.
Hope this helps.
Enjoy your travels.
Nicky and Susanne
We’re taking a Viking Riverboat Cruise, which ends in Basel, Switzerland.
We want to travel the most scenic route across Switzerland by train from Basel to Lake Como, Italy.
Can you suggests the Railway Routes we can take?
A couple of websites state: The Bernia starts in St. Moritz….
The train routes seem to end in Triano, Italy….and I’m not sure how to make the connection from Triano to the City of Como?
So, I’m a “confused” American traveler.
We will be traveling in late-April. Thanks.
Heavens, Bookworm (above)
A bit harsh on St Moritz. We think it’s worth going to the Segantini Gallery, the Engadin Museum, the French Calvinist Church and many other distractions and diversions in the resort town. True, it does not have the backwoods charm of other Engadin spots, but we don’t think we would purposefully avoid St Moritz. Indeed we are going there, albeit just briefly, early next month. What makes you feel so averse to St Moritz?
Susanne and Nicky
One of the best things about the Bernina is that you are not forced to endure St Moritz. The railway company had the good sense to create a direct route south from Pontresina, so obviating the need to go into the middle of St Moritz which is, I fear, something of a contrast to the rest of the beautiful Engadine region.
Some of these travel pieces on your site are very helpful. I must say I have several times travelled through the Simplon Tunnel and the Gotthard too, and both are really a disappointment. This flag for the Bernina will make me give it a try. More descriptions like this, please. There are 100s of website I can turn to for info on destinations, but very very few really highlight routes like this.