Interlaken to Venice via Domodossola with Swiss Travel Pass
A traveler named Mikaela wants to travel from Interlaken Ost to Venice Mestre using her Swiss Travel Pass. She's seeking advice on whether she needs to book a seat for the Swiss leg of her journey and how to use her pass for part of the trip to Italy, especially considering construction disruptions on the trains.
- You don't need a seat reservation for trains from Spiez or Zurich to Milan, as long as you avoid EUROCITY trains.
- Train services from Domodossola to Milan are disrupted; consider the scenic Centovalli route via Locarno, which uses the Swiss Travel Pass up to Chiasso.
- Reservations are mandatory for high-speed trains from Milan to Venice, so plan accordingly.
- Always check the Swiss timetable for current schedules, especially due to ongoing construction.
AI-generated summary-
Hey!
I am wanting to travel from Interlaken Ost to Venice Mestre using my Swiss travel pass for part of the journey and have a few questions surrounding this.-Do I need to book a seat for the Switzerland leg of the journey if I have a Swiss travel pass, and if so how do I do this? Or do we just get on a train and hope for a seat?
-Can part of my journey be from Spienz to Milano or from Brig to Venezia or do I need to change trains at the border (e.g. Domodossola) to be able to use my Swiss pass for some of the journey.Thanks so much for your help!
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Hello Mikaela
Welcome to MySwissAlps
Unfortunately you omit one crucial piece of information from your request for advice. The date of your intended journey.
The shortest route from the Interlaken area to northern Italy is the Lotshcberg-Simplon route via Brig and Domodossola. Your Swiss Travel Pass is valid as far as Domodossola. From Domodossola you will need an Italian ticket. (IF there is a through train, you can stay on that train at Domodossola. It is 125 kilometres from Domodossola to Milano.)
https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/#discounts-routes
However for the next few YEARS (until at least 2027) services on the main line railway from Domodossola to Milano are heavily disrupted by engineering work – rebuilding tunnels to take larger freight trains. On most days there is a reduced service, but on some days the line is closed completely.
The Centovalli Route to Italy
As a result of the engineering work, you may need to travel via CHIASSO. You would go Interlaken to Spiez, Spiez to Domodossola, Domodossola to LOCARNO, Locarno to Milano Centrale via Chiasso, Milano to Venezia.The bad news is that this routing is slow and involves more changes of train.
The good news is that the ‘Centovalli’ line from Domodossola to Locarno is extremely scenic; your STP is valid all the way to Chiasso; the service (numbered RE80) from Locarno to Milano is hourly and I know from very recent personal experience that it operates very efficiently – and reservations are not needed; it is only 51 kilometres from Chiasso to Milano, so the cost of your Italian ticket will be cheaper!
To Italy via Zurich
This is another possibility which you should consider, especially if you have got a lot of luggage. Catch an IC81 from Interlaken to Zurich. Catch an IC2 from Zurich to LUGANO. At Lugano you change to the RE80 train bound for Milano via Chiasso. Your STP is valid to Chiasso – from Chiasso you need an Italian ticket.Kind regards
Roger
Thankyou so much for your response Roger.
Our travel date will be the 24th of May this year and on the SBB app it does say there is construction during this time for the shorter route as you have explained.
We are starting in Zurich and making our way down to Interlaken so would prefer not to travel back up to Zurich if we don’t have to. The other options you have suggested we will definely have to consider.
Thankyou!!
Hello again Mikaela
Thanks for your response. You clearly have understood the points I was making in my reply one!
Seat Reservations I did not deal with that point in my reply one. If you go from either Spiez or Zurich to Milan using a EUROCITY (‘EC’) train you will need reservations. By contrast, all the trains I expressly mention in my reply one do not require reservations.
From Milano Centrale to Venezia Mestre you will need to use an Italian high-speed train. For those trains reservation is compulsory.
Very best wishes
Roger
Hi Mikaela,
In addition to Roger’s useful advice, you can get further details on travel and ticket options from Switzerland to Italy here: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-guide/italy-switzerland/
As Roger had mentioned, currently the train line between Domodossola and Milan is undergoing upgrading works so services are limited with rail replacement buses running. Please check the Swiss timetable (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/timetable/) for current and updated schedules.
Regards,
Anna
Hi Roger,
Thankyou! Am I correct in saying that you need to pay for seat reservations even with a Swiss pass? When I go to book a ticket on the SBB app, it seems like I have to pay. In this case, am I better off finding a route that does not require reservations (e.g. like the Chiasso route you explained).Appreciate your help!
Mikaela 🙂
Thanks for this Anna!
Mikaela 🙂
Hello again Mikaela
Am I correct in saying that you need to pay for seat reservations even with a Swiss pass? Yes you are correct. Therefore you are better off finding a route that does not require reservations (e.g. like the Chiasso route I explained).
Kind regards
Roger
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