I just did a transfer in MIlan to Switzerland last month. I was a first time European traveller and very knew at train travel. I didn't find Milan to be that large and overwhelming. All you have to do is get off the train, look up at the huge boards telling you which track to go to and go there. In our experience, after getting there, an official told us it was moving to a different track (it had not arrived late) but they didn't know where. We just stayed right there with that official until he got word on the radio which was the correct track. The board never changed until the very last minute. I over heard seasoned travelers saying this was very common in Italy.

Someone earlier said the Swiss trains leave from shorter tracks but mine did not--it left from one in the center of the station.

suze,

I apologize if that's the way my writing is coming across. I don't think your stupid. Not long ago I took some visitors to my local train station in Liguria to wait for their train with them, and one of them luckily pointed out to me I had led them to the wrong track. There are only four tracks in the station, and two aren't used for passenger trains.

Apart from anything you have written, I wouldn't advise most people to add time to their journey by arriving much sooner than 20 minutes to catch a train or switch a train in Milano. For other stations in Italy where you have to run up and down stairs and through tunnels to reach the tracks -- or leave the area of the tracks to find the board where train information is posted -- I can understand that.

I can imagine people feeling confused getting off a train in Milano and having to read the Italian board and then orient themselves, and feeling rushed. But the layout of the station is more modern and rational than any other Italian train station I can think of -- and I'd pick it over Grand Central in New York in a flash.

Yes that is a common problem IME on Italian trains - the handy dandy large overhead board may not show the track the train really will come in at and then you hope there is some Italian railway dude on the supposed track to tell you to walk to the other end of the station, etc.

When one train gets in late i think it sets off a lot of other trains, causing platform changes in what must be one of Europe's most hectic, talking of trains coming and going, train stations and it's certainly one of the busiest passenger wise that i've seen.

<<All you have to do is get off the train, look up at the huge boards telling you which track to go to and go there>>

Our train was not posted on the boards.

Really, the situation seems quite simple.

If the inbound train is on time, 20 minutes is plenty of time.

If the inbound train is up to 10 minutes late, and the outbound train is correctly listed on the departure board, they should still have enough time to make the connection.

If the inbound train is more than 10 minutes late they are likely to miss the connection.

Therefore, the issue should be whether the inbound train is likely to be late. In my (not especially extensive, but more than one time!) experience of Italian trains, the inbound train is more likely than not to be more than 10 minutes late.

I would only schedule a 20 minute connection in Milan if I didn't much care whether I caught a specific outbound train.

But most outbound trains require reservations and if you have online discounted tickets as many would have i think on Milan-Paris trains then you'd lose the ticket and have to buy a full-fare ticket IF available on these popular trains

Pal - in that case I WOULD care whether I caught the outbound train and I wouldn't schedule a 20 minute connection. This really isn't rocket science.

Again, thankyou for all the responses. We have certainly picked up some very helpful information in all these replies. Thankyou to 'Schuler' for the web address's on Italian trains. Some reading material there for my daughter and her partner. Have certainly got the idea that given that the trains may not be on time, to allow more time to change in Milan. I have had another look at the timetables that we have been sourcing and have found that there are certainly a few more options regarding leaving Venice a bit earlier or if that fails to happen there are a couple more trains to Brig on that day. That is of course if the timetable is unchanged and that we won't know until the end of October. Now we also have to look into the Eurail passes. Maybe they will be better of to spend the extra money and buy the adult ones that give them 1st class, but we will do a bit more research on that. They will be starting their train travel from Munich to Venice, with a side trip to Mittenwald in Germany. Then the Venice to Brig part and then Brig to Paris. Thanks everyone again

For looking into info on Eurailpasses (including Eurail Select Passes which you would probably only consider with travel like this) i always suggest two sources that give tons of objective info and not just the typical pass prices and an add to cart option: www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - the latter lets you download their free European Planning & Rail Guide that is a great primer for planning a European train trip for novices. For Switzerland www.swisstravelsystem.ch gives lots of links to scenic trains, lake boats, the Swiss Railways site, etc. Eurailpasses are not generally sold at European stations as European residents cannot use them.

Please have them do some research before you purchase a train pass of any sort! It really does take quite a bit of train travel to make them pay off.

Many, maybe even most, typical Europe itineraries can be accomplished cheaper by purchasing 2nd class point-to-point tickets as needed.

I had to switch trains in Milan this past May and found it to be a very easy staion to get around. There was a lot of new construction going on when I was there, and the place is full of smoke!

Other than that, I found the tracks to have their numbers in plain sight and I was able to get around. There's also huge board that shows the incoming and outgoing trains and what track they will be on. If your daughter looks for that, she'll be fine!

I heartily disagree about a railpass often not being better than point to point tickets - especially younger folk on a wide ranging itinerary it seems. And if they are under 26 then the bargain Eurail Select or Eurail Youthpasses can be real bargains.

A 5-day out of two months flexi Eurail Select Youthpass costs $328 or about 200 euros - you get five days of unlimited travel in any 3 countries you select - like Italy, Switzerland and France (there are also 4- and 5- country options at a slightly higher per day price)

so that'a about $65 a day or about 40 euros a day

i guarantee you that Venice via Milan to anywhere in Switzerland will cost a whole lot more than 40 euros - especially if they want flexibility to hop any train and not do some months in advance non-changeable fare which even then may be more than 40 euros

So strongly have them look at the Eurail Select Youthpass - a no-brainer IMO. But i do not know the extent of their itinerary but going Venice thru Switzerland to Paris may be more on point to points, esp for felxible tickets than the pass costs.

Raileurope has a restricted 2nd class ticket for their longest leg, Venice-Brig, for $69, and that's usually the most expensive way to buy tickets. I would definitely price all the legs as single tickets before buying a railpass of any kind.

I'm just saying you need to do the math. In order to do that, you need to know the basic routes you intend to travel to compare the price of tickets to the price of a pass.

landor's only mentioned Venice, Milan, Brig, Paris... which would be 3 train trips only.

I did actually mention that the train travel would begin in Munich. The week before Christmas there is a return trip from Munich to Mittenwald in Bavaria and then after Christmas its Munich to Venice and then to Milan, Brig and Paris. Also from Paris to London. But yes still intend to do the maths on individual trips and yes they are both under 26. We are from Australia so I am figuring that dollars so far mentioned are US ones?

landor - yes, Raileurope lists in US dollars. You might want to try this site: railsaver.com.