S Margherita to Milan, Milan to Zurich, Zurich to Lausanne. Departing at 6am and arriving about 3:30.

Perhaps there are some budget flights out of Genoa.
www.skyscanner.com
www.whichbudget.com

Hi Christine_Chung,

Actually he doesn't have to go all the way up to Lausanne. It's a fairly simple trip --

S Margherita to Milan
Milan to Brig
Brig to Lausanne

7h36

Departing at 07.39 and arriving at 15.15

Or he could depart at 08.22 and arrive at 15.40 with changes in Rapello, Genova, and Milan.

Other connections require four changes. There is one connection with only one change, but it doesn't arrive until 20.40.

You can see all the possible options using the Swiss rail site at

www.rail.ch

Hope you work out a good plan for your dad!

s

oops, I meant he doesn't have to go all the way up to Zürich.

s

Thank you for the quick responses..

kybourbon - I didn't even think about flying. I'll look into that.

swandav2000 - I went into the Swiss rail website and entered in the cities, and I didn't see Brig showing up. Do you suggest I buy now (trip is on May 11, 2012) through the website? Or would it be ok to buy at the train station?

I had been looking on Trenitalia for the trip from SML to Milan and then buy from the Swiss rail website to Lausanne.

Thanks for the tips!

Brig didn't show up on Trenitalia either so you must enter the cities separately.

It used to be on Trenitalia that international tickets (even if purchased online) had to be picked up at a station with self service kiosks (only the main train stations in larger cities).

I see an IC train #652 from S. Margherita to Milan (no changes) at 6:07 (ar Milan 8:20) and one at 7:39 (ar Milan 9:55 train #658). The IC trains don't require changes to Milan and would have reserved seats. There are R trains also, but require changes. You can advance purchase IC trains on Trenitalia and get a discount (9€ vs 19€) if you are sure of your times.

For Milan/Lausanne, there is no need to change in Brig. The EC trains departing Milan to Geneve at 8:25 (train #32) or 12:25 (train #34) stop in Lausanne. Smart Fare (advance purchase required and can sell out) to get a 19€ price.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=46f699e8e609a110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

There is also an EC train (#52) departing Milan (11:25) to Basel that stops in Lausanne. Trenitalia does not pull up all of these options when you enter Milan/Lausanne. Also Smart Fare 19€.

So on Trenitalia enter Milan/Lausanne and Milan/Basel to see these trains. If you want to see where they stop, select a train, scroll down and select details by selection, click the info box and scroll down for a list of stops.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=c79686605528a110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

FYI - The Smart Fare must be selected in the drop down fare box and requires at least 14 day advance purchase. He may have to go to one of the kiosks in Milan to retrieve his actual ticket (there is an option on the screen and he would use his e-mail confirmation #). I'm not sure if the card used to purchase online is required in the ticket retrieval process. I've heard people mention this for France, but not Italy.

If you scroll down a few pictures on this link, you will see kiosk pictures with the selections of buy your ticket, collect your ticket (he would need to select collect), etc.
http://www.roninrome.com/transportation/buying-train-tickets-updated

Hi again,

The connection in Brig is only one of the connections offered by SBB; I don't know why it's not showing up when you input the cities! Maybe you haven't changed the time when you access the timetable (it defaults to current time, which might be midnight if you accessed from the USA).

Other journeys had connections in Italy and bypassed Brig. I wouldn't be concerned about changing in Brig; I would just choose the journey with the fewest number of changes and with the departure and arrival time that suits.

Anyway, I don't see any reason to split the journey into Trenitalia and SBB. Just buy the ticket from SBB and print it at your computer. Too easy.

I wouldn't buy the ticket on the spot, or you'll pay full fare.

s

>>>Anyway, I don't see any reason to split the journey into Trenitalia and SBB. Just buy the ticket from SBB and print it at your computer. Too easy.<<<

Not so easy. Did you try it? There is no option to print this ticket. The only options are pick up in a Swiss station or delivery (expensive outside of Europe and not sure they deliver everywhere). The other reason is the Swiss website does not offer discounts booking all of it in one transaction. It gives a price of 103€ vs the 28€ on Trenitalia. Booking on Trenitalia lets you select the discounts.

**Issue option

Please select the desired issue option for your ticket.
Issue option How does it work?
Pick-up at the ticket counter You can pick up your ticket at the ticket counter of any staffed station in Switzerland. Just go to the counter and quote the order number given on the confirmation page which appears once you have completed your booking. You must also show official identification.
List of staffed stations and ticket counter opening hours***

***Delivery by post
Free delivery within Switzerland (1st class mail), delivery within 3 working days; delivery abroad subject to a fee (1st class mail or DHL).
Fees and delivery times for deliveries outside Switzerland.***

Once again, no need to stop in Brig. The three EC trains I listed all go from Milan to Lausanne without a change in Brig.

kybourbon - You are a lifesaver! I was feeling so lost but this is definitely helpful. And thank you for the links!

After looking at where the train stops, I see that I can choose the arrival destination of Montreux instead of Lausanne. My dad will be staying in Cully (ideally he would love to stay in St. Saphorin, but I couldn't find available lodging). If he arrives in Montreux, he should easily find a train or bus to Cully? There's no reason to go to Lausanne (bigger city) and then back track to Cully right?

So here's the plan:

S. Margherita Ligure-Portofino (#658) to Milano Centrale, (7:39-9:55), then depart Milano Centrale (#34) to Montreux (12:25-15:23).

He would have about 2.5 hours at the Milan train station.

I would have to buy the tickets today to get the SMART fare..I did not even know about this option. What a huge discount. I will let my dad know that he would have to pick up the tickets from the kiosk (both at the S. Margherita and Milan station).

Thank you.. This works out very nicely.

kybourbon,

Yes, I have used the print-at-home option with SBB, lots of times, in fact. But, no, I didn't try it with this particular ticket. It's been a few years since I've done it, though -- I used to do it all the time when I lived in the US. Now that I live in Germany, I use the German rail site.

>>Once again, no need to stop in Brig.<<
Well, that's what I said . . .

s

Christine_Chung,

Just use the rail site that I posted above to get the journey from Montreux to Cully. Right, there's no reason to go to Lausanne and then backtrack.

Looks like there are two trains every hour, and the trip takes 17 or 20 minutes.

Have fun!

s

Thanks swandav2000 - I will use the rail site.

Funny I booked the trip from SML to Milan, and then tried booking the trip from Milan to Montreux but the transaction didn't go through even though I used the same credit card.

I'm going to call my credit card company tomorrow.

Thanks for all the useful tips!

FYI - If the Smart Fare (19€)is gone and you see a selection for Smart 2 (29€), select that.

I was trying for the Smart 2, but no seats are available for that fare. I guess it's sold out! Thanks though!