laurarob

I need help building an itinerary. We are doing 2 nights in Milan in September and then 1 week in Lake Como. We would like to them go to Switzerland perhaps take the Bernina Express. Then either fly home from Zurich or back to Milan. Any thoughts on where we should go in Switzerland and the routing? Thanks so much!

PalenQ

How long do you have in Switzerland - check these informative sites for help with trains and where to go - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.sbb.ch; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.pricksteves.com.

when booking BEX try to sit on west side for most of the awesome scenery or take local trains over same route with no mandatory seat reservations and you just show up and hop on.

kja

If you haven't already done so, I would strongly encourage you to consult a good guidebook or two -- perhaps the Rough Guide or Michelin Green. The cost will be nominal in comparison to the cost of your trip, and you will have a wealth of information at your fingertips.

Good luck!

Sue81

Seems like your itinerary depends on how much time you have. Seems like Zurich would make sense as a departure spot, if you have time left for Switzerland, which I liked much more than Lake Como if you are in to gorgeous scenery/hiking/good food/but not sure of weather in Sept/ need to check that out. July was lovely in Jungfrau area. Sue

neckervd

The Western shore of Lake Como is close to the Swiss border (between 2 and 7 miles).
There are many public transport links between Lake Com and the Swiss railway/bus network, the most important being:

Como - Chiasso - Lugano - Lucerne/Zurich
Menaggio - Lugano - Lucerne/Zurich
Menaggio/Varenna - Colico - Chiavenna - Monte Spluga - Chur - Zurich
Menaggio/Varenna - Colico - Chiavenna - Silvaplana - Chur - Zurich
Menaggio/Varenna - Colico - Tirano - Bernina - Albula - Chur - Zurich
Como - Chiasso - Varese - Gallarate - Brig - Zermatt/Montreux/Interlaken

Just choose the places you want to visit in Switzerland and decide
https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/...SAAEgJePPD_BwE

PalenQ

Do the BEX as a day trip from Como perhaps - and if more time head to Jungfrau/Interlaken area. day trip Lake Como - Varenna - train to Tirano -take Bernina Pass trains - locals are fine to Ospizio Bernina and summit and awesome scenes and then turn around and head back to Lake Como.

Or do whole BEX and keep going via Chur to Zurich.

gailscout

You might consider St Moritz area between there and Chiavenna. I am currently in the area, and taking the local bus between towns in the area. The scenery around St Moritz is beautiful! Then take the Bernina Express to Zürich-just lovely!

PalenQ

Then take the Bernina Express to Zürich-just lovely>

BEX don't go to Zurich and the St-Moritz-Chur portion of some BEX trains is not nearly as awesome as St-Moritz to the south via summit stations around Ospizio Bernina.

But St Moritz-Albula whatever they call it - Pass to Chur is lovely yet not nearly as awesome as the part of it when it goes up and over the Alps not tunneling under them.

From Lake Como OP can take train Varenna-Esino-Tirano-St Moritz and yes if looking for nice Alpine area to stay in the route of the Maloja Pass bus route is nice.

PalenQ

looking for nice Alpine area to stay in the route of the Maloja Pass bus route is nice.>

Meant to add this is area gailscout is currently staying in.

neckervd

BEX-GEX rides may be nice, but you don't see a lot of the spectacular mountain scenery of the area if you don't leave the train.
BEX: leave the train at Pontresina, put your luggage in the railway station lockers or (better) in a hotel where you will spend the night and go then to a viewpoint like Diavolezza, Piz Languard, Muottas Muragl or Corvatsch.
The next day, take the 9.15 GEX up to Fiesch ar 15.10, board a gondola to Fiescheralp, put your luggage in a prebooked hotel (just a few steps from the gondola station) and go on by gondola to Eggishorn, with views to all peaks of Valais (Matterhorn - Mont Blanc), the whole Aletsch Glacier and Jungfrau etc.
On day 3, you have the choice between a train ride to Oberwald and a Post bus ride over Grimsel Pass and Grosse Scheidegg Pass to Grindelwald or a train ride via Brig and the scenic old Loetschberg railway to Spiez - I'laken, etc.
Don't forget to visit the castle of Brig (luggage lockers at the railway station).