Need rail advice Milan-Geneva-Zermatt-Laguno/Lake Com
Jul 30, 2016, 5:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DCA, IAD, BWI
Posts: 196
Need rail advice Milan-Geneva-Zermatt-Laguno/Lake Com
Hello,
We'll be flying in-out at Milan, staying at the friend's in Haute Savoie and having an auto only here, 2 nights in Zermatt, and having an apartment in Tremezzo. There are 2 adults and 1 child. Appreciate for your advice for the following.
Milan-Geneva: We understand a direct rail is ~4 hrs. Which website is best to book? When is best to purchase the tickets - a week, a day in advance, or same day at rail station? Our flight arrival will be 8:40A. I thought of allowing 3 hours for custom and get to the rail (~12 or 12:23); is this just enough, long, or short for the waiting period? Should we purchase a family transportation pass (child free) and multi-day (5-day) over a period (7 to 10 day), and which website?
to Zermatt: After our stay in Haute Savoie, where is best to take rail to Zermatt - Geneva or Lausanne and how long of each? Which rail site to purchase? Will there be a stop in Montreux as we would like a visit there? If we visit Chamonix, should we still visit Zermatt for different experience or they both are closely the same?
From Zermatt to Menaggio/Trezzemo: We would love to experience the Glacier Express (scenic rail) from Zermatt. There are two routes .. to St Moritz, which is far out, or Laguno, which is more direct but much tunnel and limited view. Which route should we take and approx. duration? Which website would you recommend for this rail purchase and approx. cost?
Many thanks in advance!
We'll be flying in-out at Milan, staying at the friend's in Haute Savoie and having an auto only here, 2 nights in Zermatt, and having an apartment in Tremezzo. There are 2 adults and 1 child. Appreciate for your advice for the following.
Milan-Geneva: We understand a direct rail is ~4 hrs. Which website is best to book? When is best to purchase the tickets - a week, a day in advance, or same day at rail station? Our flight arrival will be 8:40A. I thought of allowing 3 hours for custom and get to the rail (~12 or 12:23); is this just enough, long, or short for the waiting period? Should we purchase a family transportation pass (child free) and multi-day (5-day) over a period (7 to 10 day), and which website?
to Zermatt: After our stay in Haute Savoie, where is best to take rail to Zermatt - Geneva or Lausanne and how long of each? Which rail site to purchase? Will there be a stop in Montreux as we would like a visit there? If we visit Chamonix, should we still visit Zermatt for different experience or they both are closely the same?
From Zermatt to Menaggio/Trezzemo: We would love to experience the Glacier Express (scenic rail) from Zermatt. There are two routes .. to St Moritz, which is far out, or Laguno, which is more direct but much tunnel and limited view. Which route should we take and approx. duration? Which website would you recommend for this rail purchase and approx. cost?
Many thanks in advance!
Jul 31, 2016, 9:12 pm
#2
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Hello,
We'll be flying in-out at Milan, staying at the friend's in Haute Savoie and having an auto only here, 2 nights in Zermatt, and having an apartment in Tremezzo. There are 2 adults and 1 child. Appreciate for your advice for the following.
Milan-Geneva: We understand a direct rail is ~4 hrs. Which website is best to book? When is best to purchase the tickets - a week, a day in advance, or same day at rail station? Our flight arrival will be 8:40A. I thought of allowing 3 hours for custom and get to the rail (~12 or 12:23); is this just enough, long, or short for the waiting period? Should we purchase a family transportation pass (child free) and multi-day (5-day) over a period (7 to 10 day), and which website?
to Zermatt: After our stay in Haute Savoie, where is best to take rail to Zermatt - Geneva or Lausanne and how long of each? Which rail site to purchase? Will there be a stop in Montreux as we would like a visit there? If we visit Chamonix, should we still visit Zermatt for different experience or they both are closely the same?
From Zermatt to Menaggio/Trezzemo: We would love to experience the Glacier Express (scenic rail) from Zermatt. There are two routes .. to St Moritz, which is far out, or Laguno, which is more direct but much tunnel and limited view. Which route should we take and approx. duration? Which website would you recommend for this rail purchase and approx. cost?
Many thanks in advance!
We'll be flying in-out at Milan, staying at the friend's in Haute Savoie and having an auto only here, 2 nights in Zermatt, and having an apartment in Tremezzo. There are 2 adults and 1 child. Appreciate for your advice for the following.
Milan-Geneva: We understand a direct rail is ~4 hrs. Which website is best to book? When is best to purchase the tickets - a week, a day in advance, or same day at rail station? Our flight arrival will be 8:40A. I thought of allowing 3 hours for custom and get to the rail (~12 or 12:23); is this just enough, long, or short for the waiting period? Should we purchase a family transportation pass (child free) and multi-day (5-day) over a period (7 to 10 day), and which website?
to Zermatt: After our stay in Haute Savoie, where is best to take rail to Zermatt - Geneva or Lausanne and how long of each? Which rail site to purchase? Will there be a stop in Montreux as we would like a visit there? If we visit Chamonix, should we still visit Zermatt for different experience or they both are closely the same?
From Zermatt to Menaggio/Trezzemo: We would love to experience the Glacier Express (scenic rail) from Zermatt. There are two routes .. to St Moritz, which is far out, or Laguno, which is more direct but much tunnel and limited view. Which route should we take and approx. duration? Which website would you recommend for this rail purchase and approx. cost?
Many thanks in advance!
The Glacier Express runs from Zermat to Chur (via Andermatt), and then branches off to St. Moritz (nowhere near Lugano).
(2)Nearly ALL trains from Geneva to Brig and Milan DO stop in Montreux, many of the "express" trains do NOT stop in Martigny. Chamonix (in France) is nice to visit also, but (due to slow mountain railways) will require a big chunk of one day.
(3)Discounted rail tickets, sometimes require riding on a particular day AND time--any variation could invalidate the ticket.
(4)You might consider buying a Swiss Railpass, or a Swiss-Italy RP.
At www.sbb.ch/en you can price various routes (buying single tickets) and compare with RP pricing.