By Train From Geneva to Turin
Jan 6th, 2005, 12:38 PM
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By Train From Geneva to Turin
We'll be flying in to Geneva and need to get to Turin hopefully by train. Will I be able to purchase a ticket at the Geneva Airport Train Station directly to Turin? Where will I have to clear Italian customs, or will I have to clear both French and Italian customs? Is this a practical way to travel or am I being too stubborn about wanting to take a train through the Alps and should rent a car instead?
Jan 6th, 2005, 12:55 PM
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Hi nfthree,
Yes you can get your ticket to Turin at the Geneva airport train station. However, did you know that the train ride is 6h30 to 7h long? If you're coming from the US, that may be too long to travel after an 8-hour flight.
I think you should definitely travel by train as that's going to be an absolutely gorgeous ride! I do think that you may want to consider spending your first night on Lake Geneva before going on your long train ride, however.
Let me know if I can help further.
s
Yes you can get your ticket to Turin at the Geneva airport train station. However, did you know that the train ride is 6h30 to 7h long? If you're coming from the US, that may be too long to travel after an 8-hour flight.
I think you should definitely travel by train as that's going to be an absolutely gorgeous ride! I do think that you may want to consider spending your first night on Lake Geneva before going on your long train ride, however.
Let me know if I can help further.
s
Jan 6th, 2005, 01:31 PM
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Two routes, one via Chambery and France to Torino and the other via Swtizerland and Milano - actual train time on French route is 3.5 hours but you have to layover in Chambery a few hours and there are limited trains - hourly links via Switzerland to Milano and hourly at least Milano-Torino. Reservations required Chambery-Torino and on some Geneva-Milano (4.2 hours) trains that are called CIS "chis-alpino" a tilting train that traverses alpine curves faster than other trains. InterCity trains don't require reservations. You go thru Swiss customs in Geneva aeroport and then Italian customs on the train. Swiss route is far more scenic than france one, which in itself is quite scenic. Swiss route trains go right from Geneva Airport to Milan. Like above, this will be much nicer experience with a day of rest in Geneva.
Jan 6th, 2005, 01:59 PM
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I don't think you will be in for much of a check by customs officials.
We have flown into Switzerland twice, and customs was fairly routine.
I have crossed the Swiss borders on trains several times from various countries.
No big deal. I have yet to open a suitcase in about 7 or 8 recent crossings. In fact, I don't recall being asked any questions by anybody.
We flew into Zürich from Amsterdam once and "customs" consisted of a man standing there waving everybody in with both hands.
Right now I am trying to recall if the guy even looked at my passport. If he did, he did little more than see that I had one.
Last year crossing from Munich, I seem to recall that some pistol toting gendarme came through the car, but he barely stopped walking.
I guess I am the odd man out in the scenic discussion, but I don't recall the ride from Geneve to Milano via Brig to be much more than a ho-hum trip.
The lake looked ok, but the trip down the Rhone to Brig was pretty boring.
You sure cannot tell from the rail line that highly spectacular views are hidden away among the barren hillsides.
From the Visp area, I don't think one would readily infer that the beauties of Zermatt were up there somewhere or that Saas Fee and the incredible view of the Dom was tucked in behind the ridge, or that the incredible view of the Grosse Aletschgletscher was up the slope via a cable lift.
Don't get me wrong; I visit the Berner Oberland frequently and love it. (Headed there in late June as a matter of fact.)We have hiked, driven, bussed and trained over the Berner Oberland and the Pennine Alps. I just don't get all worked up over the valley bottom train trips because I know something better is hidden up the valleys.
Now, the WAB trips from Grindelwald over to Lauterbrunnen via Kleine Scheidegg are eye popping, as is the Gornergrat train ride from Zermatt up to the views of Monte Rosa, which is an awesome giant, and the incredible Matterhorn.
And several highway routes will swivel your eyeballs -- the Grimsel, Furka, and Susten passes for 3 that come to mind.
We have flown into Switzerland twice, and customs was fairly routine.
I have crossed the Swiss borders on trains several times from various countries.
No big deal. I have yet to open a suitcase in about 7 or 8 recent crossings. In fact, I don't recall being asked any questions by anybody.
We flew into Zürich from Amsterdam once and "customs" consisted of a man standing there waving everybody in with both hands.
Right now I am trying to recall if the guy even looked at my passport. If he did, he did little more than see that I had one.
Last year crossing from Munich, I seem to recall that some pistol toting gendarme came through the car, but he barely stopped walking.
I guess I am the odd man out in the scenic discussion, but I don't recall the ride from Geneve to Milano via Brig to be much more than a ho-hum trip.
The lake looked ok, but the trip down the Rhone to Brig was pretty boring.
You sure cannot tell from the rail line that highly spectacular views are hidden away among the barren hillsides.
From the Visp area, I don't think one would readily infer that the beauties of Zermatt were up there somewhere or that Saas Fee and the incredible view of the Dom was tucked in behind the ridge, or that the incredible view of the Grosse Aletschgletscher was up the slope via a cable lift.
Don't get me wrong; I visit the Berner Oberland frequently and love it. (Headed there in late June as a matter of fact.)We have hiked, driven, bussed and trained over the Berner Oberland and the Pennine Alps. I just don't get all worked up over the valley bottom train trips because I know something better is hidden up the valleys.
Now, the WAB trips from Grindelwald over to Lauterbrunnen via Kleine Scheidegg are eye popping, as is the Gornergrat train ride from Zermatt up to the views of Monte Rosa, which is an awesome giant, and the incredible Matterhorn.
And several highway routes will swivel your eyeballs -- the Grimsel, Furka, and Susten passes for 3 that come to mind.
Jan 6th, 2005, 03:01 PM
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Last time i was on a Brig-Milan train at the Italian border customs dogs' came on and they sniffed many peoples bags - narely seen this anywhere in Europe. maybe for bombs? Drugs perhaps since until Sep Switzerland had shops that legally sold cannabis; these shops have now been put out of the pot business by government crackdown.
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