lorijv

I will be in Lauterbrunnen next July for 3 nights before heading to Italy. I see that there is a direct train from Lucerne to Venice once daily. Unless I'm mistaken, the routes to Florence go via Geneva or Zurich.

Does anyone know if there are direct trains from Interlaken or Lucerne to Florence? Since I really only want to see Venice, a day trip from Florence would be fine, making Florence my favored destination from Switzerland.

Any info is extremely helpful and greatly appreciated.

PalenQ

No direct trains I think from Switzerland to Florence anymore after demise of Cisalpino service that did have one a day or so I think - so take a train from Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken change for train to Spiez, on mainline to Milan - change in Milan - I'm afraid that is what entails to Florence - going via Lucerne or Zurich would be a major detour.

for lots of great info on Italian and Swiss train check these IMO superb sources - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Since you will be in Switzerland perhaps 4 days strongly consider buying a 4-day Swiss Pass - either consecutive day or flexipass if you are traveling with someone else as there is now a 2 for the price of 1 sale on 4-day Swiss Passes - use it to go to the Italian border station - Domodossola so before boarding the train to Milan you'd buy a Domodossola to Milan and Florence ticket - try www.trenitalia.com for these Italian tickets and note there are some online discounts if you act far enough in advance. Leave plenty of time to change trains in a huge, hectic IME Milano Centrale train station - plus arriving trains can always be late - put at least IMO one hour into the change time in Milano Centrale.

mcglob

Nothing is direct from Interlaken except Bern or Zurich it seems.
From Lucerne, there is an itinerary with one stop in Milan (30 mins between trains). Leaves Lucerne at 8:18am.

kybourbon

>>>I see that there is a direct train from Lucerne to Venice once daily. <<<

Not sure where you saw that, but there aren't any direct trains to Venice. You will have to train to Milan and then change to a train to Venice. Florence would be similar - train to Milan and change to a train to Florence.

A day trip to Venice from Florence wouldn't be ideal as it's two hours each way.

WildWanderings

No direct trains.
You have a train from Lauterbrunnen departing at 7:33 am, changing tains in Interlaken, Spiez, and Brig and you arrive in Venezia S. Lucia at 2.40 pm

Or take the same train from Lauterbrunnen at 7:33 am, changing trains in Interlaken, Spiez, Brig and Milano and arrive in Florenz at 2:05 pm

Lauterbrunnen departing 7:03 am, changing trains in Interlaken, Spiez, Milano and arrive in Firenze at 1:05pm. Should you be in Bern, you would have change train only in Milano (departing 7:34 from Bern).

http://www.sbb.ch

PalenQ

thru trains between Switzerland and Italy have been drastically reduced by some snafu between Trenitalia - Italian railways which has cut many cross-border trains for some weird reason - there used to be so so many more direct trains to at least Milan.

PalenQ

There still are some direct trains I believe from Spiez (20 mins by train from Interlaken-ost where you change from the train from Lauterbrunnen - and IMO it is desirable to hop one of these if the time is OK - one less change is always desired IME - If you have a Swiss Pass just buy a supplement ticket from Domodossola (border station for Swiss Passes) to Milan before boarding the train, using the Swiss Pass until Domodossola.