Milan to Zurich

I have to travel by train from Milan to Zurich and arrive by 3.30pm on a sunday. I would like to take advantage of the beautiful views offered by the train trip but because of time cannot use the scenic Wilheim Tell.

What alternatives would people suggest? Is it possible to catch the same train as used for the Wilheim Tell (and leave out the boat trip because of time)?

Hello andyhaggis! You can take pretty much the same route as the Wilhelm Tell Express, but without the boat trip indeed. You'd travel via Airolo, Göschenen, Flüelen and Arth-Goldau. This route would take about four and a half to five hours. If you enter Flüelen as via-station in the timetable, you'll find all train connections.

Is the key to take an IR train not a EC train? Do they travel the same route or is it slightly different? I have heard that there are more tunnels on the fast train.

Thanks

No, not necessarily. You may be confused with another route through Brig, Spiez and Interlaken. Here you can take either quick tunnel connection between Brig and Spiez or a regional train through the mountains, crossing Goppenstein and Kandersteg (which could be a nice scenic alternative for the Wilhelm Tell route). The best thing you can do is choose the route you prefer and fill out the appropriate towns along the line as via-stations in the timetable. This will get you to all connections, regardless of which types of trains run these routes.