MySwissAlps.com includes Best scenic train route from Grindelwald to Milan
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Hello, first time family from Canada here.
We are coming through Switzerland this Aug and making a stop in Grindlewald. From there we are headed south to Milan. I’m trying to find the most scenic train route I can take from Grindlewald to Milan. I believe I should go through Kandersteg to Brig from Interlaken?
Are all trains the same or is there a company that has superior viewing cars or better route? We do have the global train pass but are willing to pay additional for something not covered if it’s a better experience.
thank you very much in advance.
Peter
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Hi Taz,
Welcome to MySwissAlps.
There are several options for this. If you are flexible, I recommend taking the local train to Interlaken Ost and board the hourly scenic Lucerne-Interlaken Express (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/goldenpass/) to Lucerne. In Lucerne, take a regional train to Lugano. Then continue from Lugano to Milan on a suburban or regional train.
Another option is like what you mentioned. Take a local train to Spiez. In Spiez board the Lotschberg mountain railway train (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/lotschberg-mountain-railway/) that goes via Kandersteg to Brig. Then in Brig, switch to the fast train to Milan via Domodossola. However there is currently a major construction work taking place on the rail route between Domodossola and Milan, so I would not recommend this route in the summer to avoid delays,
Regards,
Anna
Hello Taz
Firstly, the Simplon line from Brig via Domodossola to Milan should be avoided because of the heavy engineering work, which is scheduled to last until 2028!
Here is a slightly different (and more detailed) version of the route Anna is suggesting. Get out a good map of Switzerland
Catch the 09 04 Luzern-Interlaken Express from Interlaken Ost to Lucerne (Luzern is the German name of the city called Lucerne in French and English.) Arrives Lucerne at 1055
Catch the 11 18 Treno Gottardo bound for LOCARNO. This train takes the OLD scenic Gotthard line via Airolo. Arrives Locarno at 14 27.
Catch the 15 22 ‘Tilo’ train to Milano Centrale, arrive there at 17 27.
This basic schedule repeats itself hourly. BUT NOTE that if you leave Lucerne at 10 18, 12 18, 14 18 etc, you take an Intercity train to Arth-Goldau, and change there onto the Treno Gottardo train via the Airolo scenic route . (The Inter City train will continue southwards through the Gotthard base tunnel – 57 kms of darkness!)
Eurail Global passes (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/eurail-global-pass/) are valid without the need to pay any supplements on all the trains mentioned by Anna and myself.
Best wishes for your detailed planning.
Roger
Thank you Both Roger and Anna!
great information and suggestions. We will try this.
Just confirming that we COULD take the 10:18 out of Lucerne but would need to transfer in Arth-Goldau correct?
If possible we may try to leave an hour earlier from Interlaken to reach Milan earlier. So I think that would line us up with the 10:18 departure out of Lucerne..
unless the transfer time in Arth-Goldau could lose us what we gain ?
thanks again!
Taz
Hi again Taz,
According to the SBB timetable, there is a 10.18 AM direct service from Lucerne to Lugano. In Lugano, you can take a regular train to Milan. I’d recommend taking the 08.04 AM train from Interlaken Ost to Lucerne in order to make this connection. See attached screenshots.
Hello again Taz
Get out a good map of the Swiss Railway System.
Your thread is entitled the ‘Best scenic train route from Grindelwald to Milan’. The word ‘scenic’ is why I recommended taking the old line via Airolo. The Intercity Trains leaving Lucerne at 10 18, 12 18, 14 18 etc do not take the old ‘panorama’ line via Airolo. As I said in my reply two, the Intercities go through the 57 kms. (36 miles) Gotthard BASE tunnel. (opened in 2016).The Treno Gottardo trains I am recommending go through the old (1882) Gotthard tunnel from Goschenen to Airolo which is only 15 kms (nine miles) long. The scenery from Altdorf up to Goschenen is spectacular, with the line doubling back on itself as you go past the village of Wassen.
The section from Airolo down to Biasca is even better, with the train negotiating four spirals, albeit mostly in (short) tunnels. If (as a Canadian) you are reminded of the lines through the Rockies, then you are right!
The transfer at Arth-Goldau is easy and on the level. (No subway to go through.)
The Choice
As is usually the case, the drawback of taking the scenic route is that it is SLOW. If you want to get to Milan as quickly as possible you should take Anna’s advice, not mine.But if you want lots of scenery then you catch a Treno Gottardo, even though those trains are very slow! Indeed in August I now see that the Treno Gottardo will be running (every hour), but it will be even slower than usual! The plan I would now recommend is to take the Treno Gottardo only as far as Bellinzona, and change there for LUGANO, and then at Lugano for Milan. (Try and avoid ‘Eurocity’ trains as these are very crowded and require seat reservations. )
Best wishes
Roger
With the excellent help from Roger and Anna and others from this forum, I planned in a nice way ( I feel). You can see Day Day 5 : Sep 10, 2025
Might be helpful to you.
Thanks you all VERY MUCH again! Lots of great info and suggestions.
Just for clarification we DO want the most scenic route so will take the Treno Gottardo to Bellinzona and continue to Milan from there. My question of time was not to shorten the route but to maybe just get an earlier jump on the day.
Some information I’m thinking I should include is that there will be 6 of us in total with a suitcase each. If you see any new challenges with that then please let me know. Thank you!
Also I do have a good Switzerland train map that I have been referencing all of the suggestions to.
– I am thinking it may be best to reserve seats between Lucerne and Bellinzona with having 6 people and luggage?
– You did mention in your initial reply that all of this is covered with my Global Pass but when I go into the app (Rail Planner) it is only showing me the Eurocity trains. How would I go about booking on the Treno Gottardo line?
Thank you so much again!
This forum has been a lifesaver 😊
Taz
Hello again Taz
Thank you for your very kind words
Validity of Eurail Global Pass on Local Trains
The Eurail Pass is valid on ALL the various train services which Anna, Sanjeev and myself have referred to.
A weakness of using electronic timetables/journey planners
Speaking in general terms, if on a journey from A town to B town there are both fast and slow traIns, the electronic timetables usually only show the fast trains.
When researching train times for journeys within Switzerland, or from Switzerland to places like Milan which are not far away, members of this forum are very likely to use http://www.sbb.ch/en, the Swiss electronic timetable.
Here is what I have just done for a journey from Luzern to Bellinzona departing Luzern 10 00 or later on (for the sake of argument) August 26th.
I went to http://www.sbb.ch/en
I entered Lucerne against ‘from’ and Bellinzona against ‘to’.
My eye then moved down just over an inch, and I clicked on the strange three line symbol to the far right of ‘Select Connection’
A screen came up headed ‘Settings’. I clicked on ‘Via’ and then on ‘apply’ at the bottom of the page.
Clicking ‘apply’ sent me back to the main screen, and I entered ‘Airolo’ in the ‘Via’ space which has appeared on the main screen. Doing this ensures that only trains which stop at Airolo will show up when I press search.
I then entered 26 August as the date of travel, and 10 00 as the departure time. I then searched.
Hey presto! The only trains appearing are those leaving Lucerne at 18 minutes past each hour. That at 10 18 is an IC21. You change to an IR46 Treno Gottardo at Arth-Goldau. That at 11 18 is an IR26 Treno Gottardo which goes through to Bellinzona without any need to change.
From Bellinzona to Lugano there are (generally) four trains an hour. Catch the S10 train at 19 minutes past each hour. It takes sixteen minutes for the short journey.
Lugano to Milano Centrale.
I entered 13 40 as the departure time.
The electronic timetable is showing me EC trains and RE80 trains. You want the RE80 train, as these trains do not require seat reservations. They leave at 55 minutes past each hour and take 82 minutes to get to Milan
Seat Reservations and your group of six
As I have already indicated the EC trains from Switzerland to Milan have compulsory seat reservations, and at busy times often ‘sell out’.
On all the other trains I have mentioned, seat reservations are not compulsory. Indeed, on the S10 and RE80 trains seat reservations are not even possible.
Now on the Treno Gottardo (and on the Luzern-Interlaken Express) seat reservation is possible but not compulsory.
These trains can get (very) busy, and the six of you will want to sit close together. So I would recommend seat reservations.
Best wishes
Roger
Once again, thank you so much Roger!
I followed all of the instructions and found the train route we want. That said I have 2 additional questions 🫠
– The first is I got all the way to purchase tickets but could not find a way to link it to my Global pass (Eurorail Global pass). I found the Swiss pass link but it didn’t recognize my log in. So I’m not sure how to do that. There was a phone number so maybe I should call? Actually I can contact where I bought my passes maybe first.. If you are not sure also.– 2nd item is a message popped up that said “ Limited service between Erstfeld and Locarno (train) Due to construction work”
so I clicked on this and it gave this message“limited train service between Erstfeld and Locarno. This is due to construction work. The restriction lasts from 27.07.26, 03:00 until 30.08.2026, 23:59.
Lines IR 26 and IR 46 are affected.
you have to expect cancellations, changed timetables, and different connections.
please consult the online timetable for your service. “So I’m not sure how much risk that is to what we want to do..
have you any information/knowledge on this?
thank you so much again
Taz
Hello again Taz
Lines IR 26 and IR 46 are affected.you have to expect cancellations, changed timetables, and different connections.please consult the online timetable for your service. “
Do not read too much into this and the following sentences. They are s ‘standard’ ‘boiler plate’ group of sentences used by Swiss transport undertakings whenever there is engineering work taking place on a particular route.
There is engineering work taking place on the old ‘panorama’ Gotthard railway throughout August. BUT THE TRENO GOTTARDO TRAINS ARE STILL RUNNING. They are still appearing in the electronic timetable. There is still an hourly service between Arth-Goldau and Bellinzona via Airolo. The differences caused by the engineering work are:
The trains are taking nine minutes longer to get from Arth-Goldau to Bellinzona. They get to Belinzona at 09 minutes past the hour, whereas usually they get there exactly ‘on the hour’.
Because of this delay, the Treni Gottardo are terminating at Bellinzona, and not going through to Locarno, a lovely town on Lake Maggiore. (That is why I have advised you to cut out the detour to Locarno.)
I contrast this arrangement with the journey I made on January 3rd this year. The ‘normal’ timetable was in operation. I caught the IR46 train leaving Arth-Goldau at 08 54. I did notice some work taking place just south of Erstfeld, but it did not delay the train. It went through to Locarno as usual, and I enjoyed a winter boat trip on Lake Maggiore.
(My next Swiss holiday is at the end of June. Out of caution I have just checked the times of the Treni Gottardo. The usual timetable is in operation in June and the trains are going through to Locarno. However, with a precision you expect of the Swiss. I am advised that the trains are leaving Erstfeld at 24 minutes past each hour. Usually they leave at 25 past!)
In short, stick to the plan of travelling via the old ‘panorama’ Gotthard route.
The On Line Seat Reservations Point.
I hope other members of this forum can help on this point
I am a lone traveller. On the very rare occasions I want a train seat reservation, I will do it at a staffed booking office. There are still staffed booking offices at all major Swiss stations.
Just note that your Eurail Global Passes are your TRAVEL ‘tickets’. But on trains like French TGVs and Italian Frecciarossa which have compulsory seat reservation, you will need separate seat reservations in addition to your Eurails.
Kind regards
Roger
Thank you yet again !
That is good news. I also reached out to Eurorail and they have sent me instructions on how to find this train through the app which I have just done. They also informed me that it does not offer optional seat reservations so hopefully it won’t be too stressful when boarding trying to sit as a group. 🤞 I’m assuming this train has luggage storage like others?
I’ll also take Sanjeev’s advice to try and sit on the right side if possible.Thank You ALL for you help and guidance. It has been a blessing.
Safe travels everyone !
Take care
Taz
Hi Taz,
If you have a Eurail Global Pass, you should download the Rail Planner App so you can add your pass, book seats and plan your journey. For train trips in Switzerland, I would recommend using the SBB timetable (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/timetable/) to check train schedules. In general, seat reservations on Swiss trains are not compulsory. If you are travelling in a group, I recommend showing up at the platform early so you can secure your seats. You can also use the SBB mobile app to check train occupancy and board a less crowded wagon. Do spend some time exploring the functions of the app if you have time before your trip starts.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Anna
Thank you Anna!
yes that is the app that I have been booking my trains with. I was having difficulty finding the Treno Gottardo line in it but reached out to the support team there and they explained how to find it. (Which I now have).Thank you for the link as well. Looks like some good info in there 😊
Taz
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