Hi Guys,
I am travelling through Europe with my mom early next year and need a little help with routes and transport.
We are starting in Paris and then wanting to go to lake como.
We want to get the train and stop off in switzerland (zurich) or the south of france on the way. Which route would you recommend and which is the better train ride??
Any suggestions on which way to go and which service to take would be very much appreciated.
Thanks
Ben
Train - Paris to lake como with stopover
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I've done both routes (in terms of the "south of France" you might want to elaborate as to what YOU think is the "south of France" since the "usual" train route through Modane, Turin, and into Milan really doesn't pass through the more common "south of France")...
you can easily get a TGV service to Zurich and Paris and stop over. From there you have a couple routes into northern Italy and ONE way would be to go to Milan and change THERE for a more local service up to Varenna which is mid lake and take a short ferry ride from there over to Menaggio or Bellagio or both. You can do that by taking a train via Brig and the Simplon Tunnel or via the Andermatt tunnel.
Personally, I prefer the route through Brig and the Simplon Tunnel and down through Stresa and into Milan but you'll undoubtedly get lots of differing opinions on that.
OR you could make your way to the city of Como itself and take a ferry from there.
Paris to Zurich is an easy trip of a little over 3.5 hours. Or you could go to Luzern, a smaller city on a lovely lake, in the same time with one train change, usually at Basel.
From either Zurich or Luzern you can take the Gotthard Pass route toward Milan. Thus is a pretty route over the alps with a number of short tunnels but no really long ones. The train stops at Como (the town) and you can take a lake boat to your destination from there---a good way to get to Bellagio. Or you can stay on the train to Milan and take a train from there to Varenna.
The cheapest option will probably be to book one of the direct Paris-Milan TGVs, a scenic ride via Modane.
Fares start at 35 euros one-way 2nd class, around 60 euros 1st class, if booked at www.tgv-europe.com (select 'Canada' or 'Antarctic' if from the USA to avoid being bumped to Rail Europe). Local trains link Milan with Como for just a few euros every hour or so, check times at www.trenitalia.com (pick a date within the next 7 days to see the fixed-price fare.
The Paris-Milan TGVs are not open for booking yet after 11 December, but I hope they sort this soon.
Otherwise, use www.sbb.ch to book Paris-Zurich from 25 euros, then use it again to book Zurich-Como San Giovanni from 19 euros.
Thanks all for your help. I think that we will take the TGV to Zurich as it is only 3.5 hours. Then catch a direct Sbb service to Como (3 hours) followed by the ferry to Bellagio.
Thanks again.