fmpden

If you need the town name and station name, I find it easier to goggle the town name in English and selection the Wikipedia entry or go directly to Wikipedia. General you will find a lot of info on local transportation.

bvlenci

I should have said that Italiarail is a partner of Trenitalia. However, the point is not their corporate structure, but the fact that they sell Trenitalia tickets at more or less the same price as those on the Trenitalia web site, taking into account the exchange rates. They offer the same advance purchase discounts, which other foreign rail agents do no.

Also, as I said before, they allow you to search by the more familiar English names for Italian cities, instead of using the Italian names. Of course, you should take the time to learn the Italian names before you leave home, but if you're buying rail tickets four months in advance to get a discount, you may not be up to speed yet.

bvlenci

Even the Saver Pass is very unlikely to save you money in Italy, because of the need to buy mandatory seat reservations, which cost €10 on the fastest trains. If you buy tickets in advance, even long trips like Rome to Venice can cost as little as €29, which *includes* the seat reservation.

A2B

neckervd where do you recommend to stay on Lake Maggiore. Is it equally beautiful in the winter? We are getting so much push back from everyone on why are we going there in the winter? It would be a stop we just relax and take in the scenery and local food.

PalenQ

I based in Stresa on Lake Magiore and found it a very nice place - well situated - the famous three Borromean Islands are just off-shore - Stresa is really nice and also on the main train line from Switzerland to Italy.

PalenQ

Even the Saver Pass is very unlikely to save you money in Italy, because of the need to buy mandatory seat reservations, which cost €10 on the fastest trains>

yes but there are other factors - the Eurailpass is first class and the 29 euro fares are 2nd class so kind of like comparing apples to oranges as IME there are significant advantages to first class - many IME and that is not saying 2nd class is terrible either.

And flexibility - if one wants to book trains as they go along - so compare full-fare first class tickets to the pass and you may find the pass is a good deal.

All I am saying is one cannot say a pass will not be a good deal unless you qualify things like first class, flexibility, etc.

Obviously the 9 euro or 29 euro fares are the cheapest for folks willing to put up with restrictions, having to book weeks in advance to secure then be locked in stone, etc.

neckervd

Stresa is the only place with direct trains from Brig (Zermatt) and with tons of dierct trains to Milan.
It's the only place with notable boat traffic even in winter (to the Islands and Pallanza).

All well known North Italian Lakes (Lake Orta, Lake Maggiore, Lake Lugano, Lake Como, Lake Iseo, Lake Garda) are much nicer between March and September, when everything is in flowers, when life takes place in the open air (restaurants, concerts, boat trips, street sellers, etc.) than in winter whith no open air activities, when trees have no leaves and when even the many botanical gardens are not worth to visit.

Weather is unpredictable until March (rain, fog wind or bright sun), but gets usually better in the second half of February when days get longer and plants begin to bloom.

PalenQ

I do not think the Italian lakes are a great idea for winter travel for reasons neckervd says - I'd go farther south!

A2B

I think I'm getting the train situation. This is what I'm getting so far:

Day 1 Arrive at Munich airport at 7:50 AM, We will need to catch the train to München Hbf (tief). Looking on the DB site seems like we can buy our ticket at the airport to catch the train to the city.

Day 2 & 3 we have tours so we won't need to buy our own transportation ticket. Tour is bus or train ticket is included in cost of tour.

Day 4 need to catch train from München Hbf (tief) to Zurich. I would like to catch an AM train to get to Zurich by 11am. When looking on the DB site no reservations are needed and advance fare is approx. 158 euros. for 2 ppl. (Do I buy my ticket at the München Hbf (tief) station?)or just buy from the DB site?

Day 5 Zurich to Berne: I went to the swiss site and it states Zurich to Berne via OLTEN, via LANGENTHAL, via HERZOGENBUCHSEE, via BURGDORF. Are these the stops between Zurich and Berne? I see I can buy online ticket and it needs to be printed on paper. So I'm assuming I should set my schedule and buy my ticket before leaving home for the best price?

Day 6 Zermatt to Milan Since this trip crosses countries, where do I buy this ticket? online or at the station? I'm staying near the center of Milan but on google maps I can't seem to get the nearest train station to get to my hotel?

Day 7 Milan to MENDRISIO (Switzerland): where do I get this ticket? online or at the station?

Day 8, 9, 10: tours in the city so no need any transporation

Day 11 Milan to Florence: I see I can go to the Italian site to purchase tickets in advance. I also probably need to print a physical ticket while at home?

Florence to Rome: These are the same as the Milan to Florence. can buy the ticket online and need to print?

Rome to airport: These are the same as the Milan to Florence. can buy the ticket online and need to print?

So my schedule to catch the train can be locked in now for travel and we will stick to the schedule.

Thanks for all your input! Hopefully my detail is a bit more to give me the exact details I need.

spaarne

<i>A2B on Dec 8, 13 at 8:40pm
I think I'm getting the train situation. This is what I'm getting so far:</i>

For a general illustrated introduction to European trains see http://tinyurl.com/eym5b. That will answer most of your questions, and many that you don't know you have.

PalenQ

Day 5 Zurich to Berne: I went to the swiss site and it states Zurich to Berne via OLTEN, via LANGENTHAL, via HERZOGENBUCHSEE, via BURGDORF. Are these the stops between Zurich and Berne?>

No that is just the routing - there are many direct trains between Zurich and Bern.

PalenQ

Day 6 Zermatt to Milan Since this trip crosses countries, where do I buy this ticket? online or at the station? I'm staying near the center of Milan but on google maps I can't seem to get the nearest train station to get to my hotel?>

Well you can buy the Zermatt to Brig ticket online or at the station - probably for the same price. But Brig to Milan may be able to be bought online cheaper if discounted tickets remain - you could always buy it in Switzerland at any station I believe - Brig to Milan that is and even at full price this ticket is not that expensive.

PalenQ

Have you looked into a Swiss Pass for Switzerland - you do not indicate exactly where you are going after Bern - Interlaken or Zermatt - if Interlaken and then Zermatt look at either a Swiss Pass or Half-Fare Card - if you had a Swiss Pass you'd only want to buy an Italian ticket from Domodossola to Milan and Centrale is probably as close to your hotel as other stations, at least considering how long it would take to change off the main line to Centrale and most other stations seem to be on the outskirts - Centrale is called central station because it is the most central.

Milan does have a station close to the town center but it only serves trains from Como and Malpensa airport - the Nord de Milano train system which is not art of Trenitalia.

www.swisstravelsystem.com is a great site to plan the Swiss train portion.

A2B

PalenQ

I'm going from Zurich to Bern to Zermmatt in the same day. Staying a night in Zermatt then on to Milan.

Thanks I'll take a look at the swiss site you posted.

A2B

so the swiss pass is $260 pp for 4 consecutive days of travel in Switzerland. I think I will get that for my Switzerland travel. thanks for the advice.

PalenQ

compare prices at www.sbb.ch if you are only basically doing two train trips - Zurich to Zermatt and then to Domodossola, border station for Swiss Pass validity to end. But if doing things in Zermatt area then the Swiss Pass will get you 50%$ off aerial gondolas and the Gornergrat Railway, etc. - then it may be worth it.

A2B

Another question: I'm getting the swiss saver pass. I will be going from Munich to Zurich. When I arrive at the train station at munich how do I know what tickets I need to buy? Since I have the swiss pass I only need tickets to cover Germany.

spaarne

<i>A2B on Dec 10, 13 at 2:52pm
Another question: I'm getting the swiss saver pass. I will be going from Munich to Zurich. When I arrive at the train station at munich how do I know what tickets I need to buy? Since I have the swiss pass I only need tickets to cover Germany.</i>

I think you only need to buy tickets to the Swiss border. I suggest that you get a price for that and also for the entire ride to Zurich. Maybe you don't want to spend a day of your pass for the marginal cost of a complete M>Z ticket.

neckervd

Munich - Swiss border:
direct bus Munich dp 7.00 - Zurich ar 10.45, fares start at 15 EUR, standard fare 38 EUR
If you have a validated Swiss pass, you can also take
the bus Munich dp 7.15 - Konstanz ar 10.50, fares start at 11 EUR, standard fare 29 EUR and go on by Swiss trains Konstanz dp 11.21 - Zurich ar 12.51
the Zurich bound train Munich dp 7.17 - Zurich ar 11.44, fares to the Swiss border (St. Margrethen) start at 19 EUR, standard fare 49 EUR.

PalenQ

Another question: I'm getting the swiss saver pass. I will be going from Munich to Zurich. When I arrive at the train station at munich how do I know what tickets I need to buy? Since I have the swiss pass I only need tickets to cover Germany.>

And Austria unless you go the longer and more cumbersome route via Konstanz - take the direct Munich to Zurich trains and buy a ticket to Busch SG, the Swiss border station - after passing thru a small shard of Austria and Bregenz.

But as spaarne says if you can get a discounted Munich to Zurich ticket from www.bahn.de/en then it may be cheaper overall than doing segments and save a day on your Swiss Pass.

Still can't quite see why you are buying a Swiss Pass for what you indicate are your Swiss train trips - and I am a HUGE booster of the Swiss Pass ordinarily.