Viamichelin says one can make this drive in less than 5 hours. Is that true in June? The goal is to get to Cinque Terre as quickly as possible after landing in Zurich. Any suggestions?

What day of the week? What hour? Why not fly to Milan?

I have the same issue in reverse. Had to fly into Zurich because of frequent flyer miles. Tried looking for a flight from Zurich to Milan and it was around $400. I'm taking the train from SML and it'll be around 7 hours.

Flying would seem like an option but that still only gets you to Milan Malpensa and still 3 hours from Cinque Terre. Considering airline and train connections it is going to take 7/8 hous with train or plane/train. I am arriving on a Monday morning (08:45) in June and wondering if it is truly a 5 hour trip by car. If it is, that's great. But if that 5 hour trip is really 7, 8 or 9, I'd rather be on a train.

I do the Milano-Cinque Terre route several times a year (fly into Milano's Malpensa airport, take the 50 min shuttle into town, catch a train via Genoa to the Cinque Terre) and arrive within 5 hours of my flight. Not sure where you got the 7-8-9 hour time frame. I would take a train any day over driving a car there.....