viaggio_sempre

We want to take a train from Milano Centrale through Brig, with intentions of stopping in Kandersteg to summer tobogan on our way to Interlaken/Lauterbrunen, on thursday July 6.

Is anyone familiar with Milan to Brig to Kandersteg to Spiez reservations/connections?

It looks like the earliest trains from Milan are 6:25 and 8:25. Is the 6:25 doable or reasonable from a Duomo area hotel?

I see that the 8:25 from Milan would get us to Brig at 10:40. Would that leave us enough time in Kandersteg?

In Italy, do you book tickets to Kandersteg or to Brig and then pick up tickets there for Interlaken with a layover in Kandersteg?

How fast is the Brig connection?

I was asking these questions in another thread, but felt like I was hikacking it.

VS

nessundorma

I've taken that train (I picked it up in Stresa) but I can't answer your question because I stayed on it until I got to Interlaken (and then went up to Murren).

It is certainly easy to get to Milano Centrale from the Duomo to catch a 6:25am train. I would take a taxi to do it, and expect to pay about 10 euros, but you could also take the subway.

As for spped of trains, my general experience traveling by train in Italy and Switzerland is that in Italy you never know what to expect and in Switzerland the trains are fantastic: punctual, speedy and clean.

You need to ask someone else what kind of ticket you should buy if you plan to hop off the train for a few hours.

swandav2000

Hi viaggio sempre,

While I've never done this particular route, I've taken a lot of trains in Switzerland, Germany, & Austria. Here's what I can advise:

When you buy your tickets in Milan, you'll buy them all the way to your Swiss destination -- no problem; the systems are integrated. When you buy your ticket, tell the agent that you want to have a break of several hours; it shouldn't be a problem as most tickets are good for 24 hours. But tell the agent, just in case.

Though you have some idea of the time your trains leave Milan, you don't seem to know about the connections. Which rail site are you using? I recommend you use the Swiss Rail site at www.rail.ch so you'll see all your connections.

Here's what I found at the SBB site:

Leave Milan 06.25, arrive Brig 08.40
Leave Brig 09.18, arrive Kandersteg 09.52

or

Leave Milan 08.25, arrive Brig 10.40
Leave Brig 11.18, arrive Kandersteg 11.52

The trip from Kandersteg to Spiez takes about 29 minutes (direct train).

Since you have almost an hour in Brig, I recommend you stroll down to the old town; it's very sweet and pretty.

Have fun!

s

viaggio_sempre

Thanks nessundorma - I appreciate the advice on taking a taxi - 10 euros would be cheap for the lesser hassle at that point. We were planning on studying the subway on our way in, but now won't worry about it on the way out!

I have to study this more, but will our train go through Stresa?

When we arrive in Zurich in June, I can ask at the SBB travel office about coming back into Switzerland. I will wait and see if I can find out more on this site, too.

Thanks, VS

viaggio_sempre

Interesting swandav, I don't know why I was having difficulty with that!

I will go to that rail site you mentioned and see if I can get that info.

I appreciate the advice for getting tickets in Milan.

VS :-"

nessundorma

I think your train will pass through Stresa, but perhaps it won't stop there if it's some kind of express.

My estimate of 10 euros is just a guess. Ask at your hotel.

viaggio_sempre

Thanks nessundorma and

topping in case there is other expertise out there.

VS

PalQ

CIS (Cisalpino' "Chis-alpino&quot trains between Italy and Switzerland require reservations before boarding - most IC trains do not. Most service is on IC trains. CIS trains within Switzerland do not require reservations. This is a scenic route after you emerge from the Simplon Tunnel in Brig you then climb steeply and slowly up along the ledge of a cliff to the Lotschberg Tunnel (sit on left side of train for dramatic views of Rhone Valley far below for several miles as the train climbs). Kandersteg in just after you exit the Lotschberg Tunnel. Some express trains may not stop there - you can backtrack from Spiez on locals. At the north end of the Lotschberg Tunnel not the huge works on a new and much longer tunnel that will burrow under the Alps all the way to Visp and then will renter a the Simplon route tunnel - so in a few years mainline trains will have no such spectacular view a'tall. Also note at each end of the Lotschberg Tunnel loading docks for trains that shuttle vehicles under the Lotschberg Pass via the tunnel - as there is no auto route over the Lotschberg route - only way thru is to put cars on trains at Kandersteg and at southern end of tunnel.

viaggio_sempre

Thanks PalQ, I got my map out to see the places you were describing. I'm getting a better understanding of how trains move at that border area and I'll make note of the reservation for the CIS train and sitting on left-hand side after Brig (sounds spectacular).

We'll look for that new tunnel construction too.

Perhaps some of my difficulty with train searches was that I didn't know if all trains stopped in Kandersteg.

VS

PalQ

Station/Stop Date Time Platform Products Comments
Milano Centrale 15.04.06 dep 06:25 EC 130 EuroCity
Subject to compulsory reservation, Snacks and beverages available, space for wheelchairs
Brig 15.04.06 arr 08:40 8
Brig 15.04.06 dep 09:18 7 IC 821 InterCity
Number of bicycles conveyed limited
Kandersteg 15.04.06 arr 09:52 2
Duration: 3:27; runs daily
Border crossing: Iselle transito
Show intermediate stops top of page

Station/Stop Date Time Platform Products Comments
Milano Centrale 15.04.06 dep 08:25 EC 122 EuroCity
Subject to compulsory reservation, Snacks and beverages available, space for wheelchairs
Brig 15.04.06 arr 10:40 3
Brig 15.04.06 dep 11:18 7 IC 825 InterCity
Number of bicycles conveyed limited, Snacks and beverages available
Kandersteg 15.04.06 arr 11:52 2

Looks like the trains you'll take are EC trains that apparently don't require reservations though they may be advised.

viaggio_sempre

Thanks again PalQ, this should help alot. I'll see if I can locate the same info to make sure I know how to search.

VS

enzian

Hi VS---sorry I didn't reply sooner. It looks like you have the information you need. If you take the 11:18 from Brig you arrive in Kandersteg at 11:52. You could buy sandwiches and fruit for lunch at the grocery/bakery you will walk by on your way to the chairlift. Trains depart Kandersteg for Spiez every hour at 7 minutes before the hour, thus at 3:53, 4:53, and 5:53 pm. The trip to Spiez takes only 29 minutes. So depending on what time you want to get to Spiez, you could have 4 or 5 hours for the Rodelbahn activity.

viaggio_sempre

Excellent PalQ & Swandav, I found the info on the site.

It looks like the EC on both schedules has compulsary reservations, at the SBB.ch site.

VS

viaggio_sempre

Allright Enzian, thanks and we may still want to see about that earlier train so that we can get to Lauterbrunen between 5pm and 6pm.

That site that shows the tobogan run makes me think we ought to park our bags at the Kandersteg train station, pick up picnic supplies and be up at the lake before noon for a picnic (weather permitting).

VS

PalQ

I use the German rail web site: www.bahn.de for schedules as i find it easier to use than sbb which sometimes locks up on me - German site has schedules for all of Europe and is very complete in my experience - an easy way to reach its English schedule page where you put in date and Milan Central to Kandersteg and get all the trains is to go to: www.budgeteuropetravel.com and on the home page click on the link All European Rail Schedules and instantly pops up the english schedule page - and the home page has special instructions on how to get the most out of the marvelous German site. My Eurail Timetable 2006 indicates that reservations are not required as does mu current Thomas Cook Timetable but personally i'd make one anyway - especially if sbb indicates they are required. Kandersteg sits in an absolutely gorgeous valley - i walked from Fruitigen to Kandersteg recently on the "BLS train teaching trail" that follows the course of the BLS railway (Brig-Lotschberg-Simplon i think) but it was a series of ladders up and down - very fatiguing but interesting with observation points over the railway and signs, albeit in German only, describing the engines climbing, etc.

viaggio_sempre

Enzian, thanks too for the idea on hours we can spend in Kandersteg.

I am very grateful for your mentioning Oeschinensee in that other thread.

VS

viaggio_sempre

PalQ, I'll try those sites - I really enjoy the research and finding info.

As for the LADDERS? I don't think so. I have seen those things in movies and didn't like to even watch people climb them there.

It must have been incredible for you to experience that though.

VS

PalQ

Well i should have said stairs - steep series of stairs and maybe a few short non-threatening ladders - not unsafe but even for a habitual exerciser who runs bikes or walks miles a day it was a bit more than i wanted to bite off. Instead of following the train line exactly as i thought, it did but it went up and over several mini-alps when doing so!

viaggio_sempre

I forgot to thank Bob Brown for his extensive help back in October when we first started considering Kandersteg - thanks Robert.

Also, while that part of our trip was such a mystery before, now it is very clear and we have train schedules and a couple of great plans to work with.

The folks that contribute on this site are unbelievable! Thank you all So Much!

VS :-"

LoveItaly

Hi viaggio, if I remember correctly you two were going to try to get tickets for an opera at LaScala. Did that work out?