Best scenic route Interlaken-Zermatt-Milan?
A traveler named Pooneh is trying to decide between the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express for their trip from Interlaken to Milan, looking for the best scenic views. They need advice on which train to take and how to navigate ticket purchases effectively while considering the scenic routes available.
- If you choose the Glacier Express, remember to book your seat reservations as soon as possible.
- Consider breaking your journey by staying overnight in St. Moritz after taking the Glacier Express, before continuing to Milan.
- The section from Zermatt to Brig is part of the Glacier Express route, but you can also take regular trains for that segment.
- Use the Swiss Travel Pass for seamless travel, especially since many trains are covered under this pass.
AI-generated summary-
Would you plz help me figure out which train would be better for best view in the above route ?
glacier express or Bernie express ?
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Hello Pooneh
Yolanda has already comprehensively answered your question as to how to get from Interlaken to Zermatt. See her reply to your previous thread: https://www.myswissalps.com/community/thread/train-3/. If you are unsure as to which tickets to buy for this journey, get the booking office at either Interlaken Ost or Interlaken West to help you.
Zermatt to Milan.
Please have a map of Switzerland in front of you while studying my reply.
Get the booking office at Zermatt station to help you to get the right tickets for your journey. On this journey you will NOT travel on either the Glacier Express or the Bernina Express
Take an ordinary train from Zermatt to Brig.
Take an ordinary train from Brig to Domodossola. Swiss tickets are valid on this train, even though Domodossola is in Italy.
Take the little ‘Centovalli’ train (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/centovalli-railway/) from Domodossola to LOCARNO. Swiss tickets are valid on this train, even though about half the journey is in Italy. (You will see from your map that Locarno is in Switzerland.)
Finally take the excellent RE80 train which runs every hour from Locarno to Milan Centrale via Lugano and CHIASSO.
You will see from your map that Chiasso is on the frontier between Switzerland and Italy. Swiss tickets are valid on the RE80 only as far as Chiasso. You will need an Italian ticket for the Chiasso to Milan section of your journey (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-guide/italy-switzerland/).
The booking offices at Zermatt or Locarno will be able to sell you the ticket for this last Italian section of your journey.
Best wishes
Roger
Hi Pooneh,
In addition to Roger’s constructive and helpful reply.
Our previous replies, the routes described are the more straightforward, albeit still scenic options for your schedule, Interlaken-Zermatt-Milan.
Note, the section Zermatt to Brig is part of the Glacier Express route, scroll to “Section 1: Zermatt to Brig” in our Glacier Express guide below for further details. Traveling on the Glacier Express, requires seat reservations so do book those as soon as possible if you do decide to travel on the Glacier Express train. Of course you can also travel this section by the regular trains (per Roger’s reply above)
If you are determined to travel on more or the entire Glacier or Bernina Express routes, this would require adjustments to your itinerary and also be aware that your journey to Milan will take a lot longer. It may even make sense to break up the journey and stay over night in St.Moritz, where the Glacier Express route ends and then continue your journey the next day to Milan. The direct Glacier Express train from Zermatt-St.Moritz takes just under 8 hours.
So, you could take the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St.Moritz. Stay overnight, then the next day, take the Bernina Express to Tirano. From Tirano, you could take a train to Milan (3-4 hours) or you could take the Bernina Express bus (3 hours), which takes you to Lugano and from Lugano, travel to Milan by train. (Lugano to Milan can vary from 1h 20 to over 2 hours).
Here’s the link to our Bernina Express guide, which explains all in regard to a ride on the Bernina Express.
Do take the time to read the links and also use the Swiss timetable (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/timetable/) to research and gauge journey times.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
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