Train from Strasbourg to Cinque Terre?
 

I am planning our journey from Strasbourg to La Spezia via Milan. Originally we were going to be travelling by train from Paris to La Spezia which has a very good price(80 euro 1st class) with TGV. But our trip itinery is changing and it looks like we will now be leaving for La Spezia (Cinque Terre) from Strasbourg.

I have searched and searched various rail sites and this seems to be my only option. Train from Strasbourg - The best price seem to be roughly 125 euro, second class. Legs are as follows:
Strasbourg to Basel 1h 19m (change) TER train
Basel to Milan 4h 47m - with either corail or cisalpino train (change)
Milan to La Spezia 3h 13m

Can anyone suggest any better options? Or has experience with these trains. We will be lugging suitcases as well. Storage on trains?

I'd use www.bahn.de to look up schedules.
If you're travelling to the Cinque Terre, you should enter your actual destination, not La Spezia: there are some direct trains from Milano to Monterosso.
The only sensible route is via Basel (or Zürich) and Milano, with a possible change at Genova or Rapallo, depending on which of the five villages of the Cinque Terre you want.
Trains have luggage racks for suitcases. The less luggage you take, the easier it will be.

Thank you for your reply. Yes I have been looking at the bahn site which is very good, although I cant see where I can purchase from them as it comes up with a message "cross boarder trip".

Thanks for the hint of entering the actual destination. I thought all trains from Milan to Cinque Terre would go via La Spezia.

We will have 1 suitcase and carry bag each. I wasnt sure whether 2nd class would have the same luggage storage as 1st class

www.seat61.com best site for train info.

Have done this journey a lot

Cisalpino pendolino trains are still running the best

but now a part of the national rail network.

Cheapest for me to always buy tickets at the station

go via Basel/Zurich Milan Genoa to the

Santa Magherita Ligure/Portofino station very cute.

Usually hop off there nicest areas best hotels

Stayed at the Metropole there 1 block from Train Station

at their Red Villa beautiful 60 euro per person double

sea views... ferry into Cinque Terre 1 block from hotel

or you can train in for 2 euros by regional train...

La Spezia far uglier on the other side of the CT avoid

more of a big city.

Happy Journey,

Trains from Milano to La Spezia actually pass through the Cinque Terre, so if you change at La Spezia, you're doubling back.
The Man in Seat 61 has a lot of information on making bookings.
The DB website will only book trains within Germany or for journeys from Germany to other countries.
The SNCF website (www.voyages-sncf.com) will probably allow bookings from Strasbourg to Milano, but if it's a TER train, you can just buy a ticket at the station. You could try SBB (www.sbb.ch) for the journey from Basel to Italy.