How to go to Zermatt from Milan by train
A traveler named Polarbear is planning their first trip to Switzerland, specifically from Milan to Zermatt on September 1st. They are seeking advice on the best train route and whether to buy tickets in advance due to potential train disruptions. They have decided to follow the train route via Domodossola, despite the inconvenience of bus replacements.
- Book your bus ticket from Milan to Domodossola in advance due to engineering works until September 8th.
- Consider getting a Swiss Travel Pass as it covers various routes including the journey to Domodossola and from Locarno, making your travels in Switzerland easier.
- It’s possible to break your journey by spending a night in Locarno to enjoy the scenic views along the way.
AI-generated summary-
Dear MySwissAlps community,
It’s our first time to visit Switzerland. We are planning to go to Zermatt from Milan early September. From the internet I realized there is no direct train going this route, so probably have to take connecting train along the way. This would involve trains from both countries Italy and Switzerland. Appreciate very much for advice on:
- What is the best route to Zermatt from Milan by train, and where to take the connecting train?
- Do we have to buy train tickets in advance or at the train station?
Thanks in advance for all your help and advice !!
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Hello ‘Polarbear’
It is crucial to let us know the exact day you will be travelling from Milan to Zermatt. The recommended route will depend on the day you are travelling. The Milan to Domodossola railway line is blocked by engineering work until September 8th.
Kind regards
Roger
PS Are you flying into ‘Milan’? Will you be flying home from there?
Thanks Roger for your reply,
Yes, we are flying in and out from Milan. Our itinerary is to go to Zermatt from Milan on 1st September which is Sunday, stay couple days, then go to Interlaken for few days, then train to Chur to take the Bernina Express to Tirano, then train to Milano and fly home.
As you mentioned The Milan to Domodossola railway line is blocked by engineering work until September 8th. Would that be the reason why in the Trenitalia website, the route from Milan to Domodossola is by bus ?
Should this still be the best route from Milan to Zermatt?
Really appreciate your information and advice !
Hello Again.
The most direct route (and presumably cheapest) is via Domodossola. If you want to use the rail replacement bus Milan to Domodossola I gather that you will have to book up in advance.
The Swiss Railways electronic timetable (which I have just consulted) (www.sbb.ch) gives various alternative routes to get around the problem (eg via Novara or via Locarno) but they will all be very time consuming and I suspect expensive!
To make matters even worse, there is a problem on the railway line between Visp and Zermatt. On June 20th the line was damaged by flooding. Repairs are in progress, but the EARLIEST they could be finished is August 25th. So it may well be that on September 1st you will be on a rail replacement bus between Visp and Tasch, changing at Tasch to a shuttle train for the last few kilometres to Zermatt. And that might still be the case for your journey from Zermatt to Interlaken.
I think I have to suggest that on this occasion you should perhaps give Zermatt a miss. (Where are you flying FROM? I live in England, and if my destination were Zermatt I would never dream of flying to Milan. I would fly to Geneva, There are two trains an hour from Geneva Airport to Visp. There are also through trains to Visp from Zurich Airport.) (On other hand if I were going to Lugano or Locarno or anywhere else in Ticino canton I would probably fly to Milan Malpensa or just possibly to Bergamo.)
Thinking more broadly, it is clear that you are intending to do quite a lot of travelling in Switzerland. Are you considering getting a Swiss Travel Pass? The STP is valid to Domodossola on the Simplon route. It is valid to Tirano on the Bernina line. On the Gotthard line it is valid only to the frontier at Chiasso, but Chiasso is only 51 kilometres from Milan! Importantly, the STP is also valid on the railway from Locarno to Domodossola, even though more than half that line is in Italy.)
Sorry, but I have not really been able to fully answer your questions. But I have given you a lot to think about.
Best wishes
Roger,
Hi Roger,
We are from Canada. Simply seeing on the map Milan seems closer to Zermatt that’s why we picked Milan intuitively, and also It’s a place I like to visit as well. Flights all booked, we probably just have to live with this inconvenience and get through it.
By the way, for my journey from Interlaken to Chur to catch the Bernina Express, should I just follow the train route as published in the SSB website.
Appreciate very much of your valuable information and advice, sure it gives me a lot to think about !
Thanks again !!
Hello ‘Polar Bear’.
Urgent – Which Milan Airport are you arriving at? I am almost praying that it is MALPENSA. If yes, salvation may well be at hand. Malpensa Aeroport has a railway station, with an hourly train service to LUGANO in Switzerland. From LUGANO there is a train every 30 minutes to Locarno. From Locarno there is the (very scenic) railway to Domodossola mentioned at the end of my reply 3. Also, what time time does your flight arrive from Canada? I am hoping before about 13 00.
Regards
Roger
Urgent
See also the thread just started by Annette557. She has a similar problem to yours!
Hi Polarbear,
You can find similar feedback here on Annettes’ thread: http://www.myswissalps.com/community/thread/milan-airport-to-domodossola-bus-due-to-train-construction/
If you want to avoid travelling on the bus to Domodossola, I suggest taking the train from Milan to Locarno (via Lugano), then continue on the Centovalli train to Domodossola. In Domodossola, you’ll find connection to Zermatt via Brig. It will be a long trip so I recommend maybe breaking your journey and spending a night in Locarno. Or you can take a direct train to Zurich, then Zurich to Zermatt.
You can find information about travel and tickets from Italy to Switzerland here: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-guide/italy-switzerland/
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Anna
Hi Anna,
We finally decided to stick with our original plan of going from Milan to Zermatt taking the train route via Domodossola , Brig, Visp… We do anticipate inconvenience or delay, and bus replacing train partially. Think this is still manageable and we could stick to our original itinerary. To play safe, we have also purchased the bus ticket from Milan to Domodossola.
Thanks Roger and Anna for all your sharing !!
Hi—The replacement bus between Visp and Täsch causes little to no inconvenience or delay (if the train tracks are not repaired by the time you arrive). I traveled to/from Zermatt last week. Everyone arriving by train at Visp got a seat on one of the several buses waiting to go to Täsch (same for the return trip from Täsch to Visp). There are signs at the Visp train station directing you to the buses which are waiting right outside the station. The helpful bus drivers are standing outside the buses, directing passengers to empty seats. The buses are modern, air-conditioned and have lots of space for luggage.
Janice
Thank you Janice for this wonderful news! But, to anybody who like me regularly visits Switzerland, your news is TOTALLY UNSURPRISING. Super efficient Switzerland is the world champion when it comes to organising public transport.
Very best wishes from someone who has been visiting Switzerland for over fifty years.
Roger
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