Milan to Grindelwald using Eurail
 

Best route? Special place along way?
Thanks

Hi goodtogo1,

What kind of a route do you want? I mean, what's "good" to you? The Swiss train schedule at www.rail.ch routes you via Brig & Spiez, and I think Spiez would be a nifty stop along the way. Do you want to stop overnight? Or just pop off the train and stretch your legs? With a bit of research, you could get off at Spiez, stroll through the town, then take a ferry to Interlaken and then continue your journey up to Grindelwald by train.

s

All the trains I know about from Milano Centrale to Grindelwald go through Brig, Switzerland. From there the route is through the Loetschberg Tunnel to Kandersteg and then Spiez. In Spiez you change as indicated in the posting above. The quickest way is to take the train to Interlaken Ost and change for the private rail line, the Berner Oberlandbahn, to Grindelwald.

The entire trip takes about 5 hours with either 2 or 3 changes depending on which departure you select.

In Interlaken Ost, the BOB train divides at a village named Zweiluetschinen with one part going to Lauterbrunnen and one part going to Grindelwald. Just make sure you get on the right coach as indicated by a hangtag on the side by the door.

The Grindelwald coaches are usually on Gleis (Track) 2, sector B.
But check the tag.

I am not sure what you mean by using Eurail. The systems involved are the Italian, the Swiss Federal Railway, and the private BOB line.

Eurail covers the entire trip Milano-Interlaken Ost, even though the Brig-Spiez section is via the "private" BOB. Bernese Oberland Bahn line, the only part of the mainline European train system run by a "private" rail line. (It's not real "private" because it's highly subdisized by the canton it runs through.) But Eurailpasses are valid on this "private" rail line, one of many in Switzerland, some of which honor Eurail and some which don't. Once you're in Interlaken-Ost, the narrow-gauge railway to Grindelwald, though also run by the BOB, is not free with Eurail but gives about a 30% discount if you have a Eurailpass, but the fare for the 25-minute trip is only about $10.

The Brig - Spiez part is covered by the BLS, not the BOB.

Agree with the others, the route via Brig and Spiez is scenic.

What is a special place in your eyes?