Zurich to Milan trip

Old Oct 18th, 2017, 09:04 AM
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Zurich to Milan trip

Hi everybody!

I am planning for a trip with my dad and mum. They are both in their late 50s so I would like for it to be a relaxing trip. Min 2 nights per location, preferably 3 nights if possible. I have not booked anything yet but tentatively:

Planning to fly in to Zurich and fly out from Milan. approx 14-16 days.

Zurich
Appenzell (2 nights)
Luzern (3 nights)
Murren (4 nights? - is this a good base?)
Zermatt (2 nights)
Milan (3 nights)

I wanna sit Glacier Express but seems impossible from what I have researched.

Would appreciate advice on my plan! I am open to any new lovely towns aside from those I have mentioned. My goal is to minimise the time on train rides as my dad dislikes it lol. Sorry if this sound like an impossible task... heh. Thanks
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Old Oct 18th, 2017, 09:18 AM
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The Glacier Express runs West-East from Zermatt to St. Moritz and vice versa. If you really want to take a train from Zermatt to Milan you can do that via Brig (faster) or go further east and then take the Bernina Express into Italy and then a train down the east side of Lake Como into Milan.

It would help if you looked at a map.
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Old Oct 18th, 2017, 09:24 AM
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I just realised that it will take about 4 hours to travel from Zermatt to Milan.

Would it be better for me to forsake Zermatt and head to Lugano instead? Milan is nearer to Lugano.


Hi Dukey1, thanks for your reply! I wanted a ride with Glacier Express without making a u-turn >_< trying to minimise traveling time on train. I guess I have to forsake the Glacier Express then.
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Old Oct 18th, 2017, 09:57 AM
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IMO the Bernina Express affords more spectacular scenery. How important is it for you to visit Zermatt? Are you going there mainly to view the Matterhorn summit? If you are be aware that there are times when the summit is completely shrouded in clouds. Zermatt itself I do not find to be particularly memorable and not nearly as much as you will find the Berner Oberland (Murren) to be.
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Old Oct 18th, 2017, 10:40 AM
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Yes the Bernina Express is IMO far more scenic than the Glacier Express and if you drop Zermatt - Murren and Jungfrau should fulfill any Alpine dreams and Matterhorn can be clouded or fogged in for days at times - and end in Appenzell then-

you could go via Chur and the Bernina Express route to Tirano, Italy and onto Milan. I'd stay in St Moritz or area to split up the trip.

But anyway Zermatt would be no more awesome than the Jungfrau Region. Lugano is a nice larger city on a nice lake and yes quicker to Milan.

Bernina Express:

https://www.google.com/search?q=bern...hrome&ie=UTF-8

The official Bernina Express is a plush as the Glacier Express and again IMO more awesomely scenic.

For lots on Swiss trains check www.sbb.ch; www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Murren may be too isolated for someone who does not like riding trains and cables as to get to most main sights in the Jungfrau Region you have to go down to Lauterbrunnen by train and cable.

Wengen is equally dreamy or even more and is much better situated for say Jungfrau and other sights.
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Old Oct 18th, 2017, 12:36 PM
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If they want to go to Lugano the Bernina Express bus takes them there from where the BEX train ends - a very pretty bus ride.

The Bernina Route is awesome but quite a lot of train riding to do it and the Glacier Express is an all-day marathon of about 8 hours - they will experience awesomely scenic trains in the Jungfrau area.

Has your dad been on European and especially Swiss trains? Have them go first class for ultimate luxury

Given their train plans in OP a Swiss Pass is a no-brainer IMO - also covers lake boats, city transits and 50% discounts on many cable cars and trains to mountain tops (covers travel to Murren in full).
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Old Oct 18th, 2017, 01:29 PM
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Would it be better for me to forsake Zermatt and head to Lugano instead? Milan is nearer to Lugano.>

Reaching Lugano would take several hours from Murren area or Zermatt but is a short few-hour train ride from Lucerne so if doing Lugano put Lucerne next to last and take direct or trains with one simple change to Lugano (or onto Milan).
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Old Oct 18th, 2017, 03:27 PM
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I prefer Wengen or Lauterbrunnen to Murren – but no bad choices among them!

And I found much to enjoy in Zurich, even though many people skip it.

If you don’t already have them, I strongly recommend the Michelin Green Guide and Rough Guide, and you might find some useful information in my long (but searchable) trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...any-thanks.cfm
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Old Oct 18th, 2017, 11:42 PM
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Be aware that trains in Swiss mountains are slow. If you don't like long train rides, you may have to change your plans.

Some journey times:
Zurich airport - Appenzell: 1 hr 40 min
Appenzell - Voralpen Express - Lucerne: 2 hrs 50 min
Lucerne - Muerren: 3 hrs
Muerren - Zermatt (5 train changes): 3 hrs 15 min
Lucerne - Andermatt - Glacier Express - Zermatt: 5 hrs 55 min
Muerren - Milan (4-6 train changes): 4 1/4 - 5 1/2 hrs
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Old Oct 22nd, 2017, 05:26 PM
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Hi, OK I don't see when you are traveling, what month? Wengen is much more scenic than Murren, which is somewhat closed in. Wengen has the lift right in town up to the Mannlichen with wide open plateau under the Jungfrau/Monch....Really gorgeous area. July was lovely, but Winter might be mucn too cold, snow even now there at night. Wengen is about an hour from Zurich, and on to Zermatt about 3 and 1/2 hrs if I recall correctly. Sue
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Old Oct 22nd, 2017, 05:28 PM
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Zermatt is very touristy, unlike Wengen. Sue
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Old Oct 22nd, 2017, 05:35 PM
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You don't mention your parents interest, are they in good health, can they change trains easily? I am older, late 70's and managed the trains in Switzerland fairly well, but with an adult son. Wengen is situated where you can either walk the village, ride the lift up to the Mannlichen or hike the gorgeous path up above the lift. Tell your father that the trains in Switzerland are very nice, on time. However the Zurich train station is difficult, allow extra time if you have difficulty reading the signs/etc there. We did the 4 train changes from Wengen to Zermatt, and it was not bad, be sure hotel meets you at train at both places. Sue
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Old Oct 23rd, 2017, 12:26 PM
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Wengen is situated where you can either walk the village, ride the lift up to the Mannlichen or hike the gorgeous path up above the lift.>

Ah yeh the ole Ridge Walk - perhaps the most popular walk in the whole area and very easy - gently ascending to Kleine Schiedegg, where you can catch the Jungfraujoch trains too.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2017, 01:21 PM
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We did the 4 train changes from Wengen to Zermatt>

Yes and some due to track gauge width differences

Wengen to Lauterbrunnen - very narrow-gauge everyone gets off one train and onto a waiting one for Interlaken-Ost

Again change dictated there by track width differences

Train to Spiez and change to mainline to Brig/Visp

then change to narow-gauge train to Zermat.

But changes are in smaller stations so usually one platform to an adjoining or nearby one but in Zurich with zillions of tracks it can be perpexing at first encounter. Ask the conductor on train in what platform you outgoing train will be on for starters.
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Old Oct 24th, 2017, 11:40 PM
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We did a Zurich to Milan trip last month, report and photos here:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm

It is easy to have a relaxing or very active holiday, there are hikes graded easy to difficult, and if you want a rest day, lake cruises or bus rides are fabulous. Switzerland is really well coordinated with public transport?
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Old Oct 24th, 2017, 11:42 PM
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Obviously that last sentence was meant to be a statement, not a question...
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