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You don’t give a date – summer or winter?
Note that the Gotthard motorway has regulated traffic through the tunnel (introduced after a fire in the tunnel a few years ago), so you can sit in stationary traffic for a while at busy times
Faido is a bit down at heal
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Have you thought about a taxi from Menaggio to Lugano. Once at Lugano station you would only need to take two main line trains with good connections, then the local train Interlaken – Lauterbrunnen
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Sorrrt first week in june.
I did not think of a taxi but that may actually make sense. I would have to figure out if i can get a taxi with a car seat
I know there is also a bus from menaggio to lugano but ive heard it may be hard with luggage, and we will have a decent amount plus stroller
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Maybe try and stretch yourself to Flüelen so you can have a break on Lake Lucerne?
The Gotthard Pass is due to open at end of May…you may luck out with a scenic drive instead of the 60km tunnel….:)
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>> I know there is also a bus from menaggio to lugano but ive heard it may be hard with luggage, and we will have a decent amount plus stroller
I don’t know about luggage arrangements for the Italian bus from Menaggio, but I would be surprised if they didn’t load it all into a compartment under the bus, as I would think that a substantial number of their passengers would be travelling with luggage.
The Swiss Palm Express PostBus, which drops off and picks up in Menaggio on the trip between St Moritz and Lugano, definitely has room for luggage in the compartment under the bus. However, its schedule is more limited than the Italian bus. It is currently running St Moritz-Lugano on Fri, Sat and Sun until 10 Jun 2018, then daily from 11 Jun. When it is running, there is just one service per day in each direction. Reservations are compulsory.
Alpenrose
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so is the gotthard pass faster than the tunnel? Or is it slower but more scenic? I’m all into scenic, but also the main reason to drive is to save time as I have a ticking time bomb infant strapped in a car seat. Any way I figure it out, the train trip is 6+ hours and driving appears to be 4
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The Gotthard pass is a mountain pass road so very much not faster than the tunnel. The hairpins up from Airolo are famous.
Looking at Lugano – Lauterbrunnen by train.
Fastest train journey on this section is 4 hours 43. It may seem bizarre – but is normal for Switzerland – that the quickest train itinerary is via the north of Switzerland .
If you travel on the right trains, there will be a children’s coach available…
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The Alpine pass is very much slower than the tunnel. But way, way more interesting. Be careful with Google maps in Switzerland, especially on alpine passes the timing can be way off, especially if you aren’t used to driving mountain roads.