spres242

My husband and I are planning our honeymoon for May. We are flying into Milan May 9 and we return from Milan on May 19. We are thinking Switzerland first for 3 days and then return via Bernina Express to Lake Como/Bellagio for a night or two. Train to Siena area for the remainder of our trip in and around Tuscany. He would like to travel at least part on the Glacier Express, as we both love train travel.
I'm lost when it comes to Switzerland. I was thinking Lucerne and Interlaken. We would like to hike and take a boat ride on the lake. Maybe chocolate and cheese tours or classes. We are not big shoppers but we like to eat and drink. Any suggestions or routes you would take? or cities or towns that are can't miss? we have nothing scheduled as yet. Thank you

kja

With only 3 days in Switzerland, I wouldn't try to visit both Lucerne and Interlaken. And if in May, I probably wouldn't go to Interlaken, as for me, the main reason to go there would be to get into the Bernese Oberland, and as I understand it, May is not a particularly good time for that region of Switzerland. I might consider EITHER Lucerne OR Montreux / Vevey. JMO.

If you haven't already seen it, you might find some useful information in my trip report:
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...thanks-983126/

Jean

This is a lot of moving around over long distances. You should investigate the length of the several train rides and note the number of connections. You may not have as much time everywhere as you think.

If you stay in Interlaken, your travel day on the Bernina Express to Varenna-Esino on Lake Como will be about an hour longer and involve multiple connections. At the end of the train ride, you still need to take a ferry to Bellagio. It could be 10 hours of travel in total. Starting from Luzern would involve slightly fewer connections but still take 9+ hours.

Getting from Bellagio to Siena involves a ferry to Varenna and trains to Siena, probably close to 6 hours total. You'll need to spend the last night in Milan or near Malpensa, and the train from Siena to Malpensa takes about 5.5 hours.

Swiss railway:
https://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html

Italian railway [use Italian spellings]:
https://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en

Lake Como ferries [currently showing winter timetable]:
Navigazione Laghi | Lago Maggiore | Lago di Garda | Lago di Como

whitehall

If we had asked for opinions on two nights last September in the Jungfrau region, the typical response would have been negative, not enough time etc., and we were trying to do too much. Our result was a perfect trip. May and September weather can be comparable in rain and temperatures. We did realize that weather might have changed things (as it might have even in a nearby city). We took the risk, were lucky to have perfect weather and had one of the best days of our lives. We based in Wengen, and took a cable car and train to Murren (and wow). We planned to do that irrespective of weather, but the great weather allowed the additional cable cars to Schilthorn for a once-in-a-lifetime expereicne. If interested, this is our trip report:

3 Countries, 8 Places, 8 Nights, Awesome!

I have also included a portion of a trip report that included three nights on Lake Como. We opted to base in Varenna.

Trip Report: Part 1 Northern Italian Lakes & Cities (12 days October)

You sound like experienced travelers who know your limits. Wishing you the best. I wish we had started our European travel when we were first married. Happy Honeymoon!

neckervd

You can never do all the things you mentioned in Switzerland in 3 days only, even if you arrive at MXP around 5am, slept better in your aircraft seat than in your own bed and are never jetlagged.
Nevertheless, here is the proposal you asked for:
Day 1:
Milan Malpensa dp by train 7.19 - Broc chocolate works ar 12.28, change at Gallarate, Bern and Bulle. Luggage lockers at Bulle, but you will have only 5 min for the deposit. Visit chocolate works and Gruyeres castle and cheese diary nearby. Bulle dp by train 18.50 - Lucerne ar 21.01, change at Bern
Day 2:
morning visit of Lucerne, put your luggag into railway station lockers, afternoon Lucerne dp by boat 14.12 (lunch on board) to Vitznau and by cog railway to Rigi Kulm ar 15.47. Walk from Rigi Kulm to rigi Kloesterli. Dp 18.32 by cog railway to Arth-Goldau and by train to Lucerne ar 19.41, dp 20.06 by train via Brunig to Interlaken ar 22.55.
Day 3:
Go by rope railway dp 9.10 to Harder Kulm, enjoy the panorama over the lakes and alps and turn back to Interlaken Ost dp 9.30 to Spiez and by scenic train LOETSCHBERGER via Kandersteg - Goppenstein to Brig ar 12.22. Have lunch in the medieval city center of Brig. Brig dp 14.10 by GLACIER EXPRESS to St. Moritz ar 21.58
Day 4:
St. Moritz dp 9.39 by Bernina Express to Tirano, by standard train to Varenna ar 13.36 and by ferry to Bellagio.

PalenQ

You could go Stresa to Brig to catch the Glacier Express train to St Moritz area - stay the night

next 2 days explore the Engadine by train and lifts - wonderful scenery all around - maybe taking local trains to Bernina Pass summit to walk to glaciers, etc.

final day take Bernina Epress to Tirano and local train to Varenna-Esino for boats to Bellagio.

A 4 day Swiss Travel Pass could be a good deal - for lots on Swiss trains and where to go- www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.seat61.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Book seats on the scenic express trains at official sites -Google and see - can reserve seats without anything if you will have a pass. Sit on west side of Bernina train for best views.

kja

If you go into the Engadine -- and it is, IMO, a glorious area! -- I would encourage you to avoid St. Moritz, which I found to be an aging and unpleasant tourism trap. IMO, there are MUCH more beautiful and more interesting places in that area!

spres242

Thank you so much for your replies, advice and trip reports. I can't wait to try Alimentari. I think it would be best to travel from Milan to Lucerne for a 2 night stay. From Milan is it possible to ride the Glacier Express part way and then divert to Lucerne?
From Lucerne we could travel to Chur and then on the Bernina Express to Tirano. Where would you all suggest the 3rd night stay?

neckervd

Do you mean Milan city center or Milan Malpensa airport?
From both places, you can go to Brig and change there to the Glacier Express line up to Andermatt-Goeschenen from where you can reach Lucerne by ordinary trains.
Lucerne - Andermatt - Glacier Express line - Bernina Express line - Tirano - Milan is possible too.

You could also go from Milan directly to Lucerne and then continue accordiing to my proposal in post 5

spres242

I'm pretty sure this is the final. Milan to Lucerne (is there a train from the airport or do I go the Milan Centrale? and can I use the Swiss Fare Pass?) Stay is Lucerne 3 nights. Visit to Mt. Pilatus, Rigi and spend time enjoying Lucerne. Gotthard Pass Train from Lucerne to Lugano.

PalenQ

No direct train Malpensa airport to Lucerne - take train yes to Milan Centrale and change for trains to Zurich - some may go direct to Lucerne but you may have to change at Arth-Goldau on most for Lucerne. You may consider taking the William Tell Express boat/train to Lugano - starts with boat ride to Fluelen then panoramic cars to Lugano. Swiss Half-Fare Card not valid in Italy and you may find a Milan-Lucerne discounted ticket at www.trenitalia.com cheaper than using Half-Off Pass from Swiss border.

neckervd

TRAIN CONNECTIONS MXP (MILANO MALPENSA AIRPORT TERMINAL 1) - LUCERNE

Different itineraries, according to arrival time at MXP:
MXP dp by bus 7.12 - Gallarate ar 7.43, dp by train 7.57 - Bern 10.24/11.00 - Lucerne ar 12.00
MXP dp 7.19 - Mendrisio 8.27/8.35 - Lugano 8.54/9.43 - Lucerne ar 11.41
or Lugano dp 9.22 by GOTTHARD PANORAMIC EXPRESS to Fluelen ar 11.49, dp 12.00 by Lake Lucerne paddle steamboat with board restaurant to Lucerne ar 14.47;
MXP dp 9.19 - Chiasso 10.40/11.15 - Lucerne ar 13.41;
MXP dp 11.19 - Mendrisio 12.27/12.35 - Lugano 12.54/13.43 - Lucerne ar 15.41
MXP dp 13.19 - Mendrisio 14.27/14.35 - Lugano 14.54/15.43 - Lucerne ar 17.41
MXP dp 15.19 - Mendrisio 16.27/16.35 - Lugano 16.54/17.43 - Lucerne ar 19.41
MXP dp 17.19 - Mendrisio 18.27/18.35 - Lugano 18.54/19.43 - Lucerne ar 21.41
MXP dp 19.19 - Mendrisio 20.27/20.35 - Lugano 20.54/21.43 - Lucerne ar 23.41
MXP dp by bus 19.00 - Gallarate ar 19.18, dp by train 19.57 - Bern 22.24/23.00 - Lucerne ar 24.00

spres242

Where do I purchase this ticket?
MXP dp 15.19 - Mendrisio 16.27/16.35 - Lugano 16.54/17.43 - Lucerne ar 19.41

PalenQ

Try www.trenitalia.com

neckervd

...but if you have a validated Swiss Travel Pass, you need a ticket up to Stabio only.

bvlenci

Trenitalia will sell tickets only for trips that are at least partly in Italy. On the itinerary you mention, you would change at Medrisio and Lugano, both in Switzerland, so you would have to buy the ticket from Medrisio to Lucerne from Swiss Railways.

Likewise, Swiss Railways will sell tickets only for trips that are at least partly in Switzerland. Since none of the proposed itineraries involves a change of train within Italy, if you want to buy the ticket in advance, you should buy tickets for the entire trip from Swiss Railways, instead of buying part from Trenitalia and part from Swiss Railways.

https://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html

I would not reserve seats for the train from Lugano to Lucerne, just in case your flight is late. It's very unlikely that the train will be full.

The train station at Malpensa sells tickets only for TrenNord, but I think there are ticket machines for other trips, although they probably don't sell tickets for trips entirely within Switzerland. There is definitely a travel agent at the airport who will sell train tickets to all destinations.