We are a family of 4 travelling (children 7 & 9) in June. After a week on Lake Como, Italy (Varenna) we have 2 days before we need to be in Gossau, Switzerland (near St. Gallen - in northeast corner of Switz.). We need to have a car once we are in Gossau, but haven't decided when to rent (a few days before leaving Lake Como? use trains to Zurich and rent from there?). Any advice on train vs. car along the eastern part of Switzerland? (remember the kids!) Also, any advice on what to see/where to stay in the eastern part of Switzerland? I see on the map things on the way like St. Moritz and Liechtenstein, but am just at the beginning of investigating and would love any advice you have to give.

Go by train from Lake Como (Varenna is a stop) to Tirano/Italy, where you hop on the Bernina Express train (or take regional trains, same route) to Pontresina/St. Moritz. Stay overnight there (preferrably not St. Moritz).

Next day take the train through Chur (change) to St. Gallen - Gossau.

Should give you some hours for a bit exploring the St. Moritz area the afternoon of arrival/morning before departure.

Thanks for the advice on trains. More importantly, we were hoping for recommendations on how best to use our time between Varenna and St. Gallen.
We mentioned St. Moritz only because it is somewhat on the way, but we would certainly consider going elsewhere...for example, a cousin suggested going to Zermatt, which sounds beautiful, but is out of the way. Any advice?

Hi EJJA,

I think you should keep your initial plan and follow Ingo's route (a very very reliable poster here!). I spent a week in Zermatt but didn't care for it much -- I found it to be overbuilt with chalets built atop one another. I've heard it called the "Manhattan of the mountains." So, especially since it's out of your way, go via the Engadin Valley.

Good luck!

s

By taking the train into Switzerland you will be saving yourself hundreds of dollars in "drop-off" fees that they charge when taking a rental car into a different country.

Ingo is definitely the expert here. But another possibility would be to do what we did and take a train from Varenna to Chiavenna and then a Swiss post bus into the Engandine. Once into Switzerland, the Palazzo Salis in Soglio would make a terrific stopping place. Quite isolated in a tiny village. But gorgeously perched amid the Alps. Lots of great hiking nearby. (We'll be returning there for an extended stay in 2008.) You can continue on from there by bus to St. Moritz and then take the train from there to your destination.

Thanks for the replies. We are now excited to check out the Engadin valley!
We like the idea of going through Chiavenna, and stopping in Soglio. Probably too pricey for us to stay; we just sent a request to Chesa Silva in Silvaplana based on another post from Ingo on TripAdvisor.
So, how can we best get around, so we can see Soglio and end up in Silvaplana (with two children and luggage)?
We'd like to take the local transportation, but it seems like a car makes more sense.
Maybe we should take the bus straight to St. Moritz, get a car, and we can go back to Soglio the next day?
Thoughts?

That would certainly work if relying on the buses doesn't appeal to you.

From what we've read (including Ingo's post), we were thinking we'd like to stay somewhere other than St. Moritz, and price is an issue. I have not heard back from Chesa Silva.
Any recommendations on a place to stay (town and hotel)?

Get your car in Lugano to avoid the drop charge, then drive up the valley and enjoy.

Lugano is a nice town. We quite enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Federale in Lugano. There are great hikes (down Mt. San Salvatore) and quaint villages (Morcote and Gandria) nearby. However, it doesn't get you very far on your way to Gossau, and you may find it too similar to Lake Como.

So to get back to your question about towns in the Engandine, Pontresina comes highly recommended, although I haven't been. You can research some places there.

Also, Sils-Maria is a town that Ingo has recommended in the past.

Switzerland has wonderful public transportation. I don't why people think a car is better than a train for kids, at least kids older than 5 or so. The train is spacious, they're not strapped into a seat but can move around, and the toilet is at the end of the car. And it's fun to eat in a dining car.

Swiss postal buses are very comfortable also.

We were thinking a car made sense for the ease of dealing with luggage, being able to stop when we wanted, etc.
But the drop fee (and required insurance) from Italy is substantial, and the rental offices in St. Moritz (at least via kemwel/autoeurope) are closed on the weekend.
So, lately we've been considering the options posted here to get to Engadin and use local transportation for the weekend.
But we figured we should start with where to stay, then decide on which route to get there (Ingo's or Cimbrone's).
E.g., maybe it doesn't make sense to go all the way to St. Moritz by bus if we stay somewhere between Chiavenna and St. Moritz...