19 August 2024

Google maps had me agonising over whether to try for a 7 minute connection in Zurich, or pad it by travelling there an hour earlier. I also had a very specific bus connection to make at my destination - the only one in a three and a half hour window - which I would miss if I misconnected in Zurich or arrived more than a few minutes late in Tenero.


Fortunately the interrail app isn't called rail planner for nothing, and when I went to enter my selections it offered up a far better itinerary, with 40 minutes of slack in Zurich and 23 in Tenero.

Train IC181
Operator: DB
Class: 1st
Departure: Singen (Hohentwiel) 08:32 (on time)
Arrival: Zurich HB 09:26 (on time)
Journey time: 54m





Obviously, then, my first leg was the only DeutscheBahn service thus far to both arrive and depart perfectly on time… I hadn't realised how close to being through with Germany I had been last night - just five minutes down the line we crossed the border into Switzerland. The free “WiFi on ICE” system immediately shut off - I guess DB can't afford Swiss roaming fees either! This was a cue to swap to a previously purchased Europe-wide eSim; although the only other country I should need it in is Albania.


Zurich HauptBahnhof is familiar territory for me so I dropped into its maze of underground shops to pick up food for the lengthy run ahead. At three and a quarter hours this would be my longest so far, but unlike yesterday's slog from Cologne to Stuttgart I was looking forward to every minute.


Train IR46
Operator: SBB
Class: 1st
Departure: Zurich HB 10:05 (on time)
Arrival: Tenero 13:20 (on time)
Journey time: 3h15m









For train travel, Switzerland might have the best combination of hard product and scenery in the world. Whilst today's trip wasn't along one of the truly iconic routes, it was in a luxurious first class and the views out the window offered a greatest hits collection: lakes backdropped by cloud-wrapped mountains; steep valleys with crystal clear water tumbling over strewn boulders; arrow-straight tunnels; and a final stretch where the station names and architecture took on an Italian accent. Bliss.




The only problem was tearing my attention away from the window to work on my travel plan. For work was seemingly needed if I was going to knit together all the checkpoints and reach the ferry port in Bari before my railpass ran out. Recursing backwards from where I'd need to be each day had repercussions for where I'd need to get to tonight, and hence where I'd head after the checkpoint. It took me until midday, but I think I have a viable plan for the rest of the race!