Logistics: Zurich-to-Como Train Ticket Purchase (for Sept.)
 

I'd be grateful for any advice - DH and I tentatively arrive in ZRH at 8:30 am on a Wednesday morning mid-September (USAir). Trains to Como leave at 8:47, 9:47, 10:47 etc. My question: can I wait until we arrive to purchase tickets, or should I do it in advance? If it's like Eurostar, I don't want to pay too much extra to get a changeable ticket if possible.

We are staying that night in Bellagio, so I also saw a suggestion that one could take the bus from Lugano to Menaggio and then take the ferry across, rather than taking the hydrofoil up from Como. Would that be adding complications (transporting luggage or anything I haven't considered)?

Again, thanks for any suggestions...

You can wait until the day to buy the tickets.

I see no real reason to go from the train to a bus to a ferry just to get to Como, but that is just me. Way too much added complexity for pretty much no benefit that I can think of.

Thanks - it feels less complicated already!
-JB

We did this June 25th (ZRH to Lake Como). I see very little chance of your clearing customs and baggage in time for the 8:47.

We took the train from Zurich to Como and took a boat back up to Menaggio. This basically takes tha same amount of time as the bus alternative.

go to sbb.ch - Swiss Railways site and look at fares and see if there is some special fare online - then you may save money but as tgourmet says i believe it will likely be the same as at the station - so just leisurely clear customs and hop on the next train - reservations are not mandatory on any Swiss trains - at least inside Switereland and Como is just over the border (if going onto Milan then you may need a reservation - but any case if you want reserved seats you can pay a bit extra for them when you buy the tickets. But IME you will rarely not find empty seats on Swiss trains, even in 2nd class. also check www.cisalpino.com for fares and possible deals.

Thank you for the added comments Red and Palenque.

Sbb.ch quoted me fares last week (maybe 187 CHF for 2?), but it looks like the Swiss train changes at Lugano to an Italian train for the Lugano-to-Como poriton of the trip, and I couldn't tell whether reservations were necessary or not.

Red, any comment on that?

Then I read something about "tilting trains" and how the Swiss have leased cars because the original Italian-made trains had all kinds of problems and they are awaiting new ones that haven't yet arrived.

What's up with that?

Again, thanks for the update!
J.

If you were to wait to take the 10:47 timing you would change to a Cisalpino service (the tilting trains).

No worries..take the first convenient timing...you'll have to go into Zurich itself from the airport (by rail) to change for the trip south.

IF you DO change to the Cisalpino service it usually requires a seat reservation. If you wait to but the tickets at the Zurich airport station they'll take care of all of that for you.

Thanks, Dukey.

We'll take whatever train comes first after we gather our bags. Is there any advantage to the Cisalpino service that might persuade us to wait an hour, assuming we arrive on time and could catch the 9:47?

J.

not enough to wait an hour IMO

the problem with the italian Pendolinos was a maintenance problem i think - the trains were or are very comfy as trains go - but so are domestic Swiss trains - if you do take a train to Lugano where you change then no seat reservation is required - only continuing on to Italian on Cisalpino services is a seat then required. Cisalpino is owned by both the Italian and Swiss railways and operates most services between Switzerland and Italy. www.cisalpino.com

The Cisalpino has smaller windows and it does have a leaning motion. Some people feel it, others don't.

Cisalpinos are notorious for being late but I've read they've been more punctual lately. Within Switzerland, no reservations are required. You need them as soon as you cross the border.

Check the sbb.ch website before arriving to see what your options are.

There's a trick to getting cheaper rates with the Cisalpino when traveling from Switzerland to Italy.

- Book from Zürich to Lugano and then from Lugano to Italian destination. Fares can be surprising cheaper. Booking it as one package can lead to higher rates. The SBB personnel don't like doing splitting up tickets but you might find someone who'll do it for you.

There is a change of trains at Lugano. When you add the change of trains at the main Zurich Station, you end up changing trains twice on a relatively short trip. (But that is no big deal).

The way that I remember it, we paid Swiss Franc 50ish per person for the trip.

Thanks again, Big_Red.

The two train changes will definitely influence the amount of luggage we take in September!

IF you happen to see this again, what time of day did you make this trip in June? I'm still a bit nervous about the "no reservations until we actually get there" factor. mostly since it is at the beginning of a 3-week vacation (all in northern Italy).

I do appreciate your comments!
J.

The Lugano station just has a few tracks so the change there would not be as daunting perhaps as in Zurich Hbf with dozens and dozens of tracks. sbb.ch will i think tell you which platforms for each train - or at least www.bahn.de will for Swiss trains i think.

We landed in Zurich a little bit after breakfast.

Mid-September is not high season so you shouldn't have a problem getting a train down to Como.

Changing trains in Lugano is a cinch. Changing trains in Zürich can be a bit tricky depending on where your train comes in. Make sure when booking your ticket which Gleis (platform) you'll be arriving on in Züirch Hauptbahnhof and which Gleis you'll be leaving on. It usually helps to be prepared.

Once again I'm amazed at the kind, detailed responses to my questions on this board. Thank you so much!

We will definitely make sure we understand which platform we'll arrive on at Zurich HBH before we leave the airport station (I vaguely remember how huge it is from a few years back).

J.

Station/Stop Date Time Platform Products
Zürich Flughafen Fr, 21.08.09 dep 09:47 4 IR 2325 Interregio

Zürich HB Fr, 21.08.09 arr 09:59 5
Zürich HB Fr, 21.08.09 dep 10:09 4 IR 2267 Interregio
Observation coach
Bellinzona Fr, 21.08.09 arr 12:53 2
Bellinzona Fr, 21.08.09 dep 12:57 3 S S10 S-Bahn Direction: Albate-Camerlata
Partially 2nd class only
Como S. Giovanni Fr, 21.08.09 arr 14:03

As you can see for the 9:47 airport departure - the first train i would think you normally could catch - you only change from platform 4 to platform 5 in the behemoth Zurich main station (Hbf) - simple change

Excellent! You can't beat simple! Let's hope the flight's on time - or early enough to allow us time to pick up some picnic food!

Thanks, Palenque!

Note there is an observation coach on the Zurich to Bellinzona portion - this is a glass-domed observation car - you may ask when buying tickets about a reservation in these cars - but they may only be in first class perhaps - in which case the large windows of the regular train cars will be just fine in 2nd class and a whole lot cheaper. But some of these are also in 2nd class so ask if interested.

and you will find the schedule i gave will probably repeat exactly every hour from then on during the day

Jespere: By now you're in the middle of your trip and I hope you will report as soon as you get back.

DH and I are now ticketed to Zurich next June, and will return from Milan three weeks later.

Looking for ways to get to Italy: either Train from Zurich or rent a car.

Your experience will be very valuable, so I hope you see this and report.

Hope you're having a super time.