Trains or Auto?
Jun 6th, 2011, 03:00 PM
#1
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Trains or Auto?
Hi everyone,
We are flying into Zurich on an overnight flight in early August and have 3 nights in Switzerland before we need to be in the Italian Alps. We haven't fully ironed out our itinerary and am open for suggestions but it looks like we will spend 3 nights in Oberland area (perhaps after Italy) and 3 nights in Lugano/Como (perhaps before Italy).
We can easily reverse the order of where we go as well since some of this depends on transportation. I'm looking to do what is most convenient and less time consuming since we will be traveling with my daughter (3 and a half) . Under normal circumstances, I would train it the whole trip but where we are going to in the Italian alps does not have a train station nearby so it looks like we need a car (which also means a car seat!). So I'm contemplating renting an auto for just that portion of the trip and using the train for the other 6 days.
Does anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks,
Sandra
We are flying into Zurich on an overnight flight in early August and have 3 nights in Switzerland before we need to be in the Italian Alps. We haven't fully ironed out our itinerary and am open for suggestions but it looks like we will spend 3 nights in Oberland area (perhaps after Italy) and 3 nights in Lugano/Como (perhaps before Italy).
We can easily reverse the order of where we go as well since some of this depends on transportation. I'm looking to do what is most convenient and less time consuming since we will be traveling with my daughter (3 and a half) . Under normal circumstances, I would train it the whole trip but where we are going to in the Italian alps does not have a train station nearby so it looks like we need a car (which also means a car seat!). So I'm contemplating renting an auto for just that portion of the trip and using the train for the other 6 days.
Does anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks,
Sandra
Jun 6th, 2011, 05:28 PM
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I am big fan of using the rails in CH---they are so efficient. I am also a fan of getting rental cars in Lugano---lower prices than Italy. That is what I would do, using Autoeurope for your car. Have fun--where in Piemonte? You mention Italian Alps---where?
Jun 6th, 2011, 11:26 PM
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Avoid cross-border rentals as they can incur a steep extra fee.
Since Lugano is (also) in Switzerland this does not matter for you when you stick to that plan.
Just try to avoid to rent in Italy and drop-off in Switzerland. In addition to the aforementioned drop-off fee, you would have to buy a toll sticker for Swiss motorways.
Some villages in CH are auto-free, though. You might want to check that so the rental car does not sit idle in some big parking garage all the time.
All things equal, you will find as many people preaching that only a car or only the train is the only right way to explore the Alps, respectively.
Your system of mixing both means of transportation sounds very reasonable, though.
Since Lugano is (also) in Switzerland this does not matter for you when you stick to that plan.
Just try to avoid to rent in Italy and drop-off in Switzerland. In addition to the aforementioned drop-off fee, you would have to buy a toll sticker for Swiss motorways.
Some villages in CH are auto-free, though. You might want to check that so the rental car does not sit idle in some big parking garage all the time.
All things equal, you will find as many people preaching that only a car or only the train is the only right way to explore the Alps, respectively.
Your system of mixing both means of transportation sounds very reasonable, though.
Jun 7th, 2011, 09:59 AM
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Cowboy and Bob the navigator,
Would it be smarter to just rent in Italy for a few days to avoid the toll ticker fees for the swiss motorways? I think we would would rent in Lugano (or Como) and drop off somewhere near Oberland (assuming that is where we go after Italy).
Would it be smarter to just rent in Italy for a few days to avoid the toll ticker fees for the swiss motorways? I think we would would rent in Lugano (or Como) and drop off somewhere near Oberland (assuming that is where we go after Italy).
