Zurich to Venice/Rome
 

Any ideas on how to get from Zurich to either Venice and then Rome, or straight to Rome, as cheaply and quickly as possible? Flying and trains both seem incredibly expensive!

Then, what are your choices -- bicycling? If you don't want to go via train or plane -- start walking.

i was asking for any known airlines or train/bus companies that may operate on such a route thank you.

Check whichbudget.com for inexpensive airline choices.

When are going?
The Swiss rail site sbb.ch has discounted tickets from Zurich to Milan for some dates. these are 30CHF instead of 92 CHF, a significant savings. And if you have a way to purchase tickets on the Trenitalia website, there are discounts for advance purchase (up to 30percent off) there too.

Fly Basel-Venice with easyJet + TUIfly or easyJet + Air Berlin for USD 63.61 on a randomly chosen date (you didn't give yours) of Oct 28

Fly Geneva-Venice on the same day with easyJet for $104.18

Fly Zürich-Rome on the same day with Air Berlin for $86.33

Fly Basel-Rome on the same day with easyJet + TUIfly for $63.59

Fly Basel-Rome on the same day with easyJet + Vueling for $76.43

Fly Basel-Rome on the same day with easyJet + Ryanair for $76.44

Fly Geneva-Rome on the same day with easyJet + Ryanair for $74.64

These are all two-hoppers, some with inconvenient times or layovers. But the deals are out there.

auseliza - forgot to mention - look at www.skyscanner.com and be creative with routings etc.
Observe the luggage limits and such rules scrupulously, budget airlines are unforgiving, but if you play by their rules, you can get great savings.

fmp...I bahahaa'ed at your response....which of course begs the "quick" part of the posters question eh? LOL

I think some of the budget flights would be the cheapest/fastest option. For ground transportation, the cheapest would be to book the discount tickets on sbb.ch from Zurich to Milan (30chf) and then the Sena bus from Milan Cadorna station (train from Zurich arrives Milan Centrale so you would need to take the subway a few stops for 1€) to Siena (10 day advance purchase 10€) and the Sena bus on to Rome (5-10€).

The train from Milan to Venice is only 30 euros (non-discounted fare, 2d class) for the fast ES train; 15 euro for the regional train which takes an hour longer.

So 30 CHF + either 15 or 30 euros for the train to Venice; that does not sound bad to me.

I wonder if Auseliza was looking at prices on RailEurope instead?