Need help with logistics of travel
 

Hi,
Myself and two daughters are traveling to Europe next month. The part that I need help with is the last leg of the trip.
We will be leaving Milan to travel to Switzerland, particularly the Swiss Alps where my grandparents were born.
I was thinking of possibly using trains for travel out of Milan and in Switzerland. Is that what you would do? Looks like the closest destination to researching their villages would be Locarno. Is there a train that goes from Milan to Locarno?
Also, after we are done exploring our roots, what would you all recommend NOT to miss???
We will have 5 days before we fly out of Zurich.
Any and all info that you would like to provide is invaluable to me.
Thanks,

Yes go by train - from Milan take a train to Domodossola then take one of Switzerland's scenic train line - the Centovalli Line (1,000 valleys) to Locarno from there (quickest way too by train).

Then head to Zurich via Lucerne for a few days perhaps - one of the most beautiful cities in Europe - on a lovely Alpine lake and then head to Interlaken and the fantastic Jungfrau Region - to me and many here the absolute highlight of Swiss Alps (Locarno is in an area of fairly low mountains):

https://www.google.com/search?q=jung...HZJKDiQQsAQIGw

ensonce yourselves in a neat mountain village like Wengen or Grindelwald and be eyeball to eyeball with glacier-girdled peaks soaring thousands of feet above lush cow-dotted meadows -toylike mountain trains and thrilling aerial gondolas going off in all directions - hiking paths for all degrees of energy - no special foot gear needed.

A Swiss Pass, valid on trains, lake boats (lovely rides on Lake Lucerne), city transports and trains into the hills. For lots of great info on Swiss trains and passes and places to go via public transports check www.swisstravelsytem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com (check out the Switzerland chapter in their free online European Planning & Rail Guide for ideas on where to go) and www.ricksteves.com.

August is high season in those Alpine venues so book early.

Wow!!! Thank you so much for your speedy response and great advice also. I'm going to start my research right now!

Thanks - from Locarno maybe a better route would be to take the Centovalli back to Domodossola (Swiss Pass fully valid even on Italian sections) and then catch trains under the Gotthard Tunnel to Spiez -change there for Interlaken.

Then when going to Lucerne take the scenic Brunig Pass railway from Interlaken there and then onto Zurich-Lucerne being closer to Zurich than Interlaken by a little - more logical routing perhaps.

A second rail option from Milan is the line that goes through Lugano, then next stop being the city of Bellanzona, and from there transfer to rail or bus to Locarno. Depending on when you are traveling that may be a better option , time wise. However, the route through Domodosolla is considered to be the more scenic.

Also check the website www.seat61.com for lots of good information on train travel in Europe.

I'd also opt for the trains, and would add that the Swiss Rail website has an extraordinary wealth of information, not only about trains, but also buses and boats and just about all other mode of public transportation in Switzerland.
http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html

It also has information about luggage storage and forwarding options, maps of train stations, etc. I strongly recommend that you spend some time with it!

I would also recommend that you consult the <i>Michelin Green Guide</i> to Switzerland, which I found invaluable when planning my month there.

Enjoy!

Here is the most awesomely scenic way to go between Locarno and the Interlaken area - take a train via Bellinzona to Andermatt and then take Swiss postal buses that go over two awesome Alpine passes to Meiringen, on Lake Brienz from where trains or lake boats go to Interlaken-Ost station for trains into the hills.

Always happy to see Locarno listed as someone's destination! We always enjoy this little town on Lago Maggiore. Easily walkable! Our favorite hotel is lakeside and very close to the train station. The name is La Palma Au Lac. A room with the lake view and balcony is lovely!

Lugano gets all the attention in that part of Switzerland it seems but yes smaller Locarno too I've found to be so so neat. Can take boats from Stresa here too as well I think as well as the Centovalli railway.

PalenQ's suggestion for the travel including Swiss Postal buses should be considered strongly. A remarkably good service, and very traveler friendly. With a Swiss postal bus ticket, any Swiss post office immediately becomes your travel agent!

Most of the Swiss postal bus schedules are integrated on the Swiss Rail's website, so kja's suggestion is quite sound.

I'd rent a car for exploring Ticino. We're regulars in Switzerland (family+skiing+hiking so every two months) and we always rent a car because we find trains very restricting. Some of the alpine roads are very nice and we love driving in the mountains, but you need to like driving to enjoy this I think.

I'd try to rent a Swiss car in Italy to avoid the "drop in another country" fee. We sometimes use one way car rentals between Italy and Switzerland. We call a couple of days before, or the day before.

About what to visit, it depends on what you like. I find Luzern too touristy, but if it's your first time in Switzerland it's worth a visit. I prefer both Genève and Lugano.

Another option: take the train from Milan to Tirano; change there for the Bernina Express and make certain you get one of the actual "express" timings with the larger-than-usual panorama car windows. Take the train as far as Chur and transfer there.

www.rhb.ch for info, timings, and prices/tickets

make certain you get one of the actual "express" timings with the larger-than-usual panorama car windows>

If window size is your criteria to judge then the open-air cars on some regular trains in warm weather are the ultimate ones to chose - these are just flat bed cars with railings - the ultimate panoramic cars!

I've taken both the official BEX and local trains and I prefer the local trains (which with a ticket you can just hop on and off) because:

the time I took the BEX and the several times I have observed them they are always it seems chock full of tour groups - you are stuck in your seat pretty much.

On the locals there are no seat reservations and you can hop from side to side as the scenery dictates (most of the sweet scenes however are on the west side of the train).

And though you do not have panoramic windows you have the usual large windows of Swiss trains and you can easily get a window seat - on official BEX if you are stuck in an aisle seat well you probably cannot see as well as on a local train with a window seat.

Plus no advance arrangements needed on locals - just show up.

And in summer some have those ultimate panoramic wagons - an open-air car that is like levitating thru this awesome awesome totally awesome scenery.

There are some advantages of the BEX - it is faster because it does not stop as much but marginally so and I believe still has commentary in English en route.

But if you do not want to fit your schedule into the few BEX trains the hourly or so locals pass the same scenery.

Another recommendation for the Swiss postal buses. They delve deep into the mountains and are very clean and comfortable, with big windows.

Buses also IME stop at some of the more awesome places en route - like at the summits for R & R- so you can indeed get out and savor the atmosphere and stretch your legs.

Thank you, all you lovely people, for your great advice. I like the idea of taking the Centovalli Line to Locarno and then actually renting a car. Which leads me to two questions:
1. We will be traveling with our bags. How would this work on the Centrovalli Line? Also, should I make reservations?
2. I like the idea of renting a car in Locarno, which I think would allow us more freedom while traveling. Would Locarno be a logistical base location to travel to and from? Places were are considering: Morcote..The Bernina Express,
Lucerne, Interlaken particularly the Jungrau Railways to Jungfraujoch.
Is this too ambitious? We would stay in Locarno 4 days.

Once again, thank you for your invaluable advice.

I had another thought. Since we were coming from Paris, I thought about flying to Milan and then taking the train to Locarno.

However, I am open to alternatives. What about taking the train from Paris to Locarno? In your opinions, would that be a better way to go.... I was thinking of doing the original plan because of the beautiful train ride through the Alps. But is it's better logistically to take a direct train from Paris to Locarno, I would consider it.

Thanks again.