Train travel...
 

Hi, I am making my plans for a France-Switzerland-Italy trip in late
Aug this year.

I was asked to look at a day trip from Zurich to Venice as the route is
very scenic. Now my plans have me departing from Geneva to Venice. Is it mainly
the same route? Else, is it also scenic or can I look at flying or a
night train?

thanx, Kram

kram,

You're joking, right? A day trip? The train trip from Geneva to Venice is 8-9 hours long. Rail schedules are at www.rail.ch.

s

Sorry, my bad. Its not a day trip but a day journey. I will be travelling onward from Venice after 2 days in Venice.

Should I plan for the train journey during the day?

Hi Again,

Yes, your meaning became clear as soon as I hit the "post" button; sorry to be so dense!

In my opinion, if scenery is good enough to merit an 8-hour day time train trip, then it's good enough to merit its own stop! Just my opinion. Eight hours on a train is a long time!

Sooooo I'd either go at night and make it an adventure or fly. Have you found www.whichbudget.com yet?

s

Depending on what time you leave Geneva, the shortest journy time would be about 7 hours and that only applies if you take one of the Cisalpino services; others will take even longer.

Is it scenic? I think the most scenic parts are the segments between Geneva and Sion which, for the most part, entails travel along the shores of Lac Leman (you need to sit on the right side [facing forward] of the train for the lake views.

Another scenic section would be from Brig through the "unscenic" but long (one of THE longest railway tunnels) Simplon Tunnel and then the route from there down to Milan.

I agree that 8 hours on a train is a long time BUT if you are enjoying that eight hours that is what counts. Eight hours can be a long time to do a lot of things but will seem well worth it if it is enjoyable and memorable.

I have done both day train and night train between Geneva and Venice. It was a LONG train ride and I did not find it particularly scenic. While certainly beautiful countries the train track mostly runs thru the backside of things or simple countryside. I don't remember any spectacular vistas.

Let's just say after the 1st time on a day train, I've taken the night train booking a private sleeping cabin the next couple times I've done it!

Actually I left from Vevey but I agree that first hour of the train ride from Geneva before Vevey/Montreux along the lake IS a pretty one.

Hi... and welcome to the forum...

I see that you are new here - - how did I know that? click on your own name (this is one of the numerous useful tips that Fodors fails to tell you when they send you that first e-mail confirming your registration) - - we'll assume that you have also not taken the time to read the "HELP" (little tiny red letters in the upper lefthand corner) - - another oversight that Fodors fails to recommend to you to do.

Anyhow, you owe it to yourself to take a look there: http://www.fodors.com/forums/faqs.cfm - - especially http://www.fodors.com/forums/faqs.cfm#Q6 - - which I have listed below, in excerpt form, for you (my own emphasis added):

=========================

Finally, create a title - make sure it is concise and clearly describes your message (<b>and destination, if applicable</b>) -- and write your message in the space provided

==========================

Thus, when you re-post - - and you really should do that - - be sure and mention &quot;Train travel from <b>Switzerland to Italy</b>&quot; in your message header.

Best wishes,

Rex

Bringing your original first posting back up &quot;to the top&quot;, since you may have never seen it (beyond your first reply, one hour after you initially posted it).

kram,

If you could break it up into two days, this could be quite a scenic trip indeed.

Train around the lake to Montreux, take the Golden Pass route up towards Brig, down to Domodossola and then the Centovalli train to Locarno. Overnight there, then continue on to Venice.

For Metlc,

The Golden Pass doesn't go to Brig; it only goes to Zweisimmen - Interlaken, etc. http://www.goldenpass.ch/GPL/main.asp

Could you be thinking of another train . . . ?

s

swan,

Yes, and no.

Yes, the &quot;Golden Pass&quot; train route ends in Zweisimmen. I consider it more of a &quot;stop&quot; on the way to Spiez (and Lucerne), as the connecting train is usually on the next track and leaves five minutes after the Golden Pass train arrives (those Swiss think of everything).

And yes, you would have to change trains again in Spiez to head down through Brig. Again, I don't think much of these train changes when traveling in Switzerland, as they are so painless. BTW, I took this very route on one of my visits.

For metlc again (apologies to kram),

Well, going from Montreux to Brig by direct route (Aigle, Martigny, Sion) takes 1h21 or 1h39. Going from Montreux to Brig via Zweisimmen &amp; Spiez takes 4h02.

I guess you're suggesting an alternate scenic route? Still seems like a big detour to me . . .

s