BettinaOmara

My daughter and her friend are going from Venice, Italy to Amsterdam the end of December and have 2 days in between stops. Should they just fly or take a scenic route? I thought maybe the train would be a way to see a couple more fun places.
Has anyone done that route?
They don't want to ski but I still thought the swiss alps could be fun.

The_lonely_traveler

Venice - Amsterdam is 20 hours by train, most of it through not very interesting parts of Germany. They would not be able to "see a couple more fun places"... one place, maybe.

I would take a plane.

Man_in_seat_61

This is easy, scenic and remarkably quick by train, flight-free...

Venice to Milan, 2h25 by train from €19, train every hour throughout the day, www.trenitalia.com

Milan to Zurich by regular EuroCity train in just 3h47 through he wonderfully scenic Gotthard pass across the Swiss Alps, lovely. This costs just €22 booked at www.italiarail.com

Now take the excellent Zurich to Amsterdam overnight City Night Line sleeper. Departs Zurich HB at 20:42, arrives Amsterdam centraal, a stroll from most hotels, at 08:56 next morning.

Book this at www.bahn.de/en (enter Zurich HB to Amsterdam Centraal and look for the direct CNL train with 0 changes).

Fares from €59 with a couchette (basic flat bunk with rug and pillow) or from €104 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper, light breakfast included, shower at the end of the corridor, or from €134 with a bed in a 2-berth deluxe sleeper with en suite shower and toilet, light breakfast included.

Booking for all these trains opens around 90 days ahead.

More interesting and more fun than a flight.

PalenQ

For a point to spend the night consider Interlaken to many the absolute highlight both figuratively and literally of Switzerland - the glacier-girdled peaks picture in your mind perhaps when thinking of Switzerland - Actualy I'd take the train another 20 minutes from Interlaken to Grindelwald, right at the foot of soaring snow-capped peaks you need not budge from your hotel's balcony to savor.

Next day do a little hiking, spend the day here - out your bags in a station locker and then in late afternoon go on to Zurich and board the Overnight train Man in Seat 61 talks about.

There you'd see the most gorgeous art of Switzerland for a few days.

Take train to Milan, then to Brig and Spiez, change there for Interlaken and Grindelwald.

For lots of great info on European trains check out not only Man in Seat 61's commercial site - www.seat61.com but also www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com - all will give them a good fix on European trains.

nytraveler

Not sure how much hiking you can do in Switz in Dec, Trails likely to be snow covered - and weather cold to extremely cold.

Agree that the BO is gorgeous - but not sure most people want to hike in midwinter.

neckervd

Almost every Swiss resort place has longer or shorter prepared winter hiking trails. But you need hiking boots and mini crampons for that.
The most scenic of these trails (along the Venice - Basel itinerary) are:
Riederalp - Bettmeralp - Fiescheralp
Crans-Montana Plans Mayens - Plumachit - Aminona
Wengen - Wengernalp - Kleine Scheidegg
Grindelwald First - Grosse Scheidegg
Gruetschalp - Muerren
Panoramaweg Hasliberg

On Saturdays, the night train to Amsterdam starts at Brig and stops at Goppenstein (Loetschental), Kandersteg, Frutigen (Adelboden), Spiez (Interlaken), Thun and Basel. Sunday to Friday, you have to board it at Basel (unless you come from Zuerich).

You could also stop over at Munich:
direct train from Venice through the mountains of Tyrol to Munich, overnight train (sleeping cars) Munch - Amsterdam

PalenQ

Agree that the BO is gorgeous - but not sure most people want to hike in midwinter.>

Oops I did not notice late December - OK no hiking probably but even walking around the town's environs can be awe-inspiring.

michelhuebeli

When you take a train to Milan, make sure you give it a few hours there, leave the bags with the gents at the Deposito Bagagli service and walk to the Duomo, take the spiral steps (from the outside) up to the top of the roof - bring your camera! If you're lazy, pay to take the lift up.

Walk through the Galleria (keep your credit cards from jumping out of your pockets...) and past the La Scala opera house, humming an aria or two, have a nice lunch somewhere along the walk back to the station.

Take a train for Basel, the northernmost city in Switzerland, situated on the Rhein, with a nice Altstadt (old preserved city center), or take the train for Zürich - either city is a great overnight stop, with Xmas lighting and such seasonal delights.

Then spend the day and take the City Nightline train recommended earlier by Mark of seat61 - it saves you spending a night in a hotel and whisks you to Amsterdam along a l-o-n-g stretch that's awfully boring during the day, especially in winter when there's no color in the landscape.

Man_in_seat_61

Can't argue with the suggestion to get to Grindelwald, at the foot of the infamous North face of the Eiger. Lovely place!

WeisserTee

Please look at the dates of the threads you post on and focus on more current threads, not ones that are several years old.

menachem

Deleted because of shortsightedness