FrancescaS

Hello

We will be flying into Zurich in late June and want to take the most scenic train route possible to Lake Maggiore (I will be staying in Cannero). I had initially planned to take a train to Chur and then the Bernina Express to Tirano but it is now looking like it will be very difficult to get from Tirano to Cannero on Lake Maggiore. Does anyone know of another nice train route I can use to get here?

Thank you!

kybourbon

Zurich to Lake Maggiore requires multiple changes (most routes I see take you through Milan first). The EC trains from Zurich to Milan are scenic. Not as much as taking the Bernina Express, but you are still going through the alps.

RonZ

You can take a train from Tirano to Stresa and a cab.

http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en

Dukey1

To go from Tirano to Stresa probably means going all the way to Milan and changing.

Zurich to Lake Maggiore requires a train from Zurich to Bern with one change there and then on to Stresa.

neckervd

Zurich airport - Cannero, direct routes:

via Locarno:
Zurich airport dp 7.47 and then every hr until 15.47
Brissago Posta ar 11.25 and then every hr until 19.25
change at Zurich main station, Arth-Goldau or Bellinzona, Locarno
Brissago Posta dp 12.10, 15.05, 16.00, 17.00, 18.00, 19.50
Cannero ar 30 minutes later; less buses on weekends.

via Luino:
Zurich airport dp by train 8.47, 10.47, 12.47, 14,47
Luino ar by train.........12.41, 14.41, 16.41, 18.41
Luino dp by boat..........13.30, 16.00, 18.00, 19.30
Cannero ar by boat........13.45, 16.15, 18.15, 19.45
change at Zurich main station, Bellinzona and Cadenazzo

via Brig:
Zurich airport dp by train every 2 hrs from 08.18 until 16.18 - Verbania Pallanza ar every 2 hrs from 12.23 until 20.23
Verbania dp by bus every 30 min from 12.30 until 18.00, then 18.45, 19.00, 19.45, 20.00, 20.48, 21.53 - Intra ar 25 min later
Intra dp by bus 12.55, 13.25, 14.05, 15.10, 15.55, 17.15, 19.05, 20.45
Cannero ar 20 min later

BERNINA-EXPRESS
Zurich airport dp 6.47 - Chur 8.22/8.32 - Tirano ar 12.45
or Zurich airport dp 7.18 - Chur 8.52/8.58 - Filisur 10.00/10.16 - Tirano ar 13.32
Tirano dp 14.20 - Lugano ar 17.30
Lugano dp 18.10 - Luino ar 19.10, weekdays only, change at Ponte Tresa
Luino dp by boat 19.30 - Cannero ar 19.45
Alternative: Tirano - train - Varenna - hydrofoil - Como - train - Saronno - Laveno Lago - ferry - Intra - bus - Cannero

kleeblatt

Cannero is a tiny village located along the lake. It has some lovely restaurants with terraces hugging the lake as well as the large Hapimag complex, which looks very nice. I have considered staying in Cannero but I would find it difficult without a car if you are planning a longer stay.

FrancescaS

Thank you all, very useful.

PalenQ

From Zurich take the train to Spiez and onto Stresa, on the Zurich-Bern-Brig-Domodossola-Stresa main line - a new tunnel takes much of the dramatic old scenery away but any other route will take a lot lot longer - especially the Bernina route.

And at least until Frutigen, where the new Lotschberg Base Tunnel starts (and ends near Brig/Visp) and then after the Simplon Tunnel the route is somewhat scenic - with views of majestic Alps in the distance.

For other routes and lots on Swiss-Italian trains check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

and to me Lake Maggiore is as nice as any Italian lake. Stresa is a railhead with boats to any place around the Swiss part of the lake.

PalenQ

If you want to incorporate a really scenic train ride into the Zurich-Brig-Stresa route at Spiez take a regional train up the old Lotschberg Pass rail route which rejoins the new tunnel line at Brig - this would take about an hour longer but is so so awesomely scenic - especially when the train rolls along an all-too narrow ledge high above the Rhone Valley when descending to Brig - it seems you are in an airplane - so this would go Zurich-Spiez - change to regional train to Brig - rejoin mainline to Domodossola and Stresa.

neckervd

You would have to change trains at Berne, NOT at Spiez:
Board any Geneva bound Intercity at Zurich airport (dp every hr from 7.18 until 17.18) and change at BERNE and Brig, sometimes at Domodossola too. Or cross the Simplon Pass by bus (much more scenic): ZRH dp 8.18

PalenQ

yes on mainline travel from Zurich you would change at Bern (I was thinking they were coming from Interlaken) and maybe Brig and maybe Domodossola or yes both at times. Fewer trains go thru the border than several years ago when the Cisalpino Trains did - they were scrubbed and now you often must change at the border stations.

PalenQ

I said change at Spiez if you want to take the old route via the old Lotschberg Tunnel - taking an hour or so longer to Brig but such awesome scenery you miss in the long new tunnel between Fruitigen and Brig. Otherwise in the new tunnel you miss nearly all of such scenery.

neckervd

Palen, I'm sorry, but you are wrong:
the trains of "the old route via the old Lotschberg Tunnel - taking an hour or so longer to Brig" start at Berne.
The connecting train from Zurich airport goes to Berne - Lausanne - Geneva, not to Spiez.
Therefore you will have to change at Berne anyway. If you absolutely want to change at Spiez, you have to leave Zurich 30 min earlier than necessary, to leave the train at Spiez and to wait 40 min until the panoramic train arrives (from Berne).

PalenQ

Thanks neckervd - there is now a panoramic train over the old route? Great news if so.

PalenQ

Scenic train Bern-Spiez-Kandersteg-Brig (old route):

http://www.switzerlandbyrail.com/tra...er_express.htm

yes takes about an hour longer but Lake Maggiore is not too far so if you want to dramatically increase the scenery between Spiez and Brig rather than doing it mainly in the new tunnel - take this 100-year-old line that lets you see the lovely Kandersteg Valley and some rugged high Alps.

neckervd

Sorry Palen, my mistake: the ROUTE is panoramic, not the train wagons.