How to get from Italy to Switzerland: the train routes and other other travel options explained 

Milan – Switzerland, route 1: Lugano & Gotthard

This route is ideal to reach Zurich, Lucerne and Basel in just a few hours and without changing trains.

Route details

• Train types: IC (InterCity) and EC (EuroCity)
• Changes: mostly none, sometimes 1 in Arth-Goldau
• Route: the trains travel to Chiasso in Italy, then to Lugano in the Ticino. They then use the long Gotthard Base Tunnel to reach northern Switzerland. The trains head on to either Zurich, or Lucerne and Basel.

Examples of minimum travel times

• Milan-Lugano: 1h15 to 1h45
• Milan-Bellinzona: 1h35
• Milan-Zurich: 3h15
• Milan-Lucerne: 3h10
• Milan-Basel: 4h15

Regional trains to Locarno

There’s a regional train from Milan to Locarno. It runs via Chiasso, Lugano, and Tenero. If you want to travel further north in Switzerland, for example to Bellinzona, Lucerne or Zurich, you can switch in Lugano.

Milan – Switzerland, route 2: Domodossola & Brig

This route is perfect if you’re heading for Zermatt, Brig, or other destinations in the Valais, Montreux, Lausanne, or Geneva. It’s also the best route to reach Bern, Interlaken, the Jungfrau Region, and Andermatt.

Route details:

• Train type: mostly EC (EuroCity)
• Changes: depends on your destination. Let’s take Geneva as an examples: there are a few direct trains Milan-Geneva each day. Mostly, you’ll need 1 change (in Brig).
• Route details: the trains head for the Italian town of Domodossola via Stresa on Lake Maggiore. They pass the tunnel under the Simplon Pass and reach Brig. There, you can either
  • head west for Montreux, Lausanne, and Geneva (in some cases, you can stay seated and you don’t have to change in Brig)
  • change trains to travel north to Bern and Interlaken, or
  • change trains to travel east to Andermatt and ultimately St. Moritz, or
  • change trains and travel south to Zermatt.

Examples of minimum travel times

• Milan-Brig: 2h05
• Milan-Bern: 3h15
• Milan-Montreux: 3h20
• Milan-Lausanne: 3h40
• Milan-Geneva: 4h20

Regional trains to Domodossola

Regional trains are available on the first part of this route as well. They connect Milan to Domodossola in Italy. There, you can switch to a regional train heading for Brig in the Valais. Or you can board the Centovalli train to Locarno.

Milan-Malpensa Airport – Switzerland

Milan-Malpensa Airport is closer to the Swiss border than the city of Milan is. So in most cases, you don’t have to travel via Milan to reach Switzerland. Instead, you can board regional trains:

1. to Gallarate near Lake Maggiore, from where you can travel
   • to Locarno and Lugano in the Ticino. Here, you can continue further north via the Gotthard Pass or Gotthard Base Tunnel (like route 1 described above).
   • to Arona, Domodossola and Brig, from where you can continue further north or west via Brig (like route 2 described above).
2. to Saronno and Como S. Giovanni south of Lake Como, from where you can travel further north via Lugano and the Gotthard Pass or Gotthard Base Tunnel (like route 1 described above).

The Swiss timetable shows the quickest route to your destination, either by regional trains via Gallarate or Como S. Giovanni, or via the city of Milan.

Rail maintenance on the main routes Italy-Switzerland in 2026

Limitations on the stretch Milan-Domodossola until the summer of 2026

Until the summer of 2026, maintenance on the Italian stretch Milan-Domodossola (route 2) slightly limits the number of trains per day. If this affects your journey, you could take the trains via Chiasso, Lugano, and the Gotthard route (route 1) instead.

Closure on the stretch Iselle-Domodossola-Milan in May-July 2026

From 29 May to 26 July 2026, the tracks on the Italian line Iselle-Domodossola (route 2) are closed. You can use replacement buses or travel via Chiasso, Lugano, and the Gotthard route (route 1) instead.

The route Domodossola-Milan will be closed too from 26 May to 29 July 2026. Replacement transport will probably be offered, but details aren’t available yet. You can travel via Chiasso and Lugano (route 1) instead.

Re-routing of quick trains using the Gotthard Base Tunnel in January 2026

The Gotthard Base Tunnel (route 1) requires maintenance from 12 to 23 January 2023. During these revision works, nearly all EC and IC trains are re-routed over the mountain route, which is about 1 hour longer. This scenic stretch is also used by Gotthard Panorama Express trains.

The timetable shows up-to-date options for your travel date.

Quick trains from other Italian cities

Other Italian cities further south offer quick train connections to Switzerland as well. These trains all pass Milan. From there, you can use route 1 or 2 as explained above.

Examples of approximate minimum travel times to Zurich:

• Genova-Zurich: 5h25
• Bologna-Zurich: 4h55 (with a change) to 6h20 (direct train)
• Verona-Zurich: 4h55
• Venice-Zurich: 6h15
• Rome-Zurich: 7h00

Panoramic trains Italy-Switzerland

There are lots of scenic train rides between Italy and Switzerland. Many of those get you to popular Swiss resorts and cross the Swiss Alps. I warmly recommend these trips if you value scenery more than quick travels!

1. The Bernina Express route in Graubünden

Travel to Tirano, and then switch to a train over the Bernina Pass. You can head for St. Moritz in the Engadine, or to Chur in northern Graubünden.

2. The Gotthard Panorama Express in the Ticino and Lake Lucerne area

Travel to Lugano in the Ticino. Board the scenic train over the Gotthard mountain route to Flüelen on Lake Lucerne. Continue by boat or train to Lucerne. From Lucerne, you can continue to Zurich, Bern, or Basel.

3. The Lötschberg Mountain Railway in the Valais and the Bernese Oberland

This regional Lötschberg train from Brig crosses the Alps between the Valais and the Bernese Oberland. You’ll head for Kandersteg and Spiez. There, you can either travel north-west to Thun and Bern, or east to Interlaken and the Jungfrau Region.

You can even use this route if you’re heading for Lucerne. In that case, get off the Lötschberg train in Spiez and travel to Interlaken Ost. Then board the scenic Luzern-Interlaken Express train that’s part of the GoldenPass route.

4. The Centovalli Route between the Valais and the Ticino

If your schedule allows, travel between Brig (in the Valais), Domodossola (in Italy), and Locarno (in the Ticino) by one of the Centovalli trains. The scenery is worth it!

5. Part of the Glacier Express route between Italy and Zermatt

Get a train to Brig and Visp. Then, switch to the regional train into the Matter Valley. These are regular trains, but they ride the exact same route as the Glacier Express does in the Matter Valley, and the scenery is just as brilliant!

If it happens to fit your schedule, you could take the ride Brig-Zermatt on the official Glacier Express train. It’s just a short section of the entire Glacier Express journey, though, and you’ll need reservations.

Bus rides between Italy and Switzerland

1. International journeys by private bus companies

The train is the main way to get from Italy to Switzerland. There are far fewer options by bus. Some commercial bus companies offer direct bus rides from Milan to Swiss towns. Count on about 4h00 to Zurich, and 5h30 to Geneva or Basel.

The buses leave outside of the Milan center and away from the rail station. So you’ll have to add extra time to reach the bus station.

Find options here.

2. Regional border-crossing buses

In addition, there are regional and local buses that are part of the regular public transport. Examples:

• buses from southern Graubünden into Italy
• the bus from Brig in the Valais to Domodossola in Italy
• the bus from Ponte Tresa south-west of Lugano in the Ticino to Luino on Lake Maggiore

You’ll find such connections in the Swiss timetable.

How to drive between Italy and Switzerland

What to consider before you decide on driving

If you plan to travel between Italy and Switzerland by car, be aware of the following:

1. You’ll need a motorway vignette for Switzerland, and you have to pay tolls for the Italian highways and for some tunnels between Italy and Switzerland.
2. You may need to cross alpine pass roads. Not all are open in summer. You may need a road tunnel or a car train as an alternative.
3. Traffic in large cities such as Milan can be very busy, and navigation can be challenging.

That’s why I only recommend a car journey if you’re an experienced driver who loves car trips. If not, the trains are a better alternative.

Motorway tolls for Italy and Switzerland

A motorway vignette (“Autobahnvignette”) is obligatory to use the Swiss highways and motorways. For Italy, tolls for highways are required too. You don’t pay with a vignette. Instead, you can pay at toll gates or by debit card. Find details through the links here.

These two tunnels between Italy and Switzerland are subject to tolls as well:

1. the Grand-Saint-Bernard tunnel (between Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses in Italy and Bourg-Saint-Pierre in the Swiss canton Valais)
2. the Munt La Schera tunnel (between Livigno in Italy and the Engadine in the Swiss canton of Graubünden)

Rental cars mostly include the vignettes or stickers required for the country you rent them in. But they don’t necessarily contain them for surrounding countries. So if you rent a car in Italy, you’ll normally need an additional Swiss motorway vignette.

How long does it take to drive from Italy to Switzerland?

A car trip from Milan to Zurich via Chiavenna takes about 4h50, excluding breaks and possible delays. It’s about 4h40 to Bern, 5h10 to Lucerne, and 5h45 to Basel.

Find exact driving directions through these helpful links.

What you should know about the Gotthard road tunnel

Several main routes between Italy and Switzerland run through the Gotthard tunnel that connects the Ticino and the Lake Lucerne area. This tunnel is one of the main connections between northern and southern Switzerland.

For safety reasons, a limited amount of vehicles is allowed in the tunnel. So there can be long waiting times of up to 4 hours before you can enter the tunnel. It can be especially busy on Swiss national holidays, during weekends, and in summer peak periods.

A 2nd parallel tunnel is being built. It’s expected to be opened in 2030.

Car routes Milan-Switzerland via Chiavenna

Via the Italian town of Chiavenna, which is north of Milan, you can reach several destinations in northern and eastern Switzerland:

1. Cross the alpine Splügen Pass to Splügen in Switzerland. There, you can drive further north to Thusis and Chur, and then to Zurich, Lucerne, Bern and other northern Swiss towns.
2. Cross the Splügen Pass to Splügen in Switzerland. You can then bend south-west and drive the San Bernardino Pass to Mesocco and Bellinzona in the Ticino. There, you can head up north toward Lucerne. Use the Gotthard road tunnel or the Gotthard pass road.
3. Bend east to the Bergell Valley and the Engadine in Graubünden.

Car routes Milan-Switzerland via Chiasso, Mendrisio and Lugano

Drive north to Chiasso, Mendrisio and Lugano in the Ticino in southern Switzerland. You can continue north along Bellinzona, and use either the Gotthard road tunnel or the Gotthard alpine pass road. This is suitable if you want to visit the Ticino, Lake Lucerne, or Zurich.

Car routes Milan-Switzerland via Domodossola

From Milan, drive north-west to Verbania, Domodossola, and Iselle. From Iselle, you can either cross the Simplon Pass or take the car train to Brig. Here, you can travel:

• north to the Bernese Oberland with the Lötschberg car train
• east into the Upper Rhone Valley
• west toward Lake Geneva.

Car routes Milan-Switzerland via Martigny

Drive north-west from Milan to the Grand-Saint-Bernard-Pass and Martigny in the western part of the Rhone Valley in the Valais. From Martigny, you can drive north to Lake Geneva, Fribourg, Bern, or Basel. Or head east into the Upper Rhone Valley.

Flights between Italy and Switzerland

Traveling by plane between Italy and Zurich, Basel, or Geneva

There are direct flights from Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) to Zurich Airport (ZRH). The flight takes about 1h00.

Other Swiss airports, such as Geneva Airport and Basel Airport, can be reached by plane from airports further south in Italy.

Find your options here.

Why I don’t recommend flying between Italy and Switzerland

Arno and I wouldn’t want to travel by plane between Italy and Switzerland ourselves. Here’s why:

1. It mostly concerns short-distance flights. Those have a relatively large CO2 footprint. They’re harmful to the global climate and the vulnerable Swiss Alps.
2. You’ll have to add the time required for check-in and check-out procedures, and for traveling between the town centers and the airports. This means you’ll save no time, or less time than you might think, compared to train journeys.
3. Between many Swiss and Italian towns, the quick EC trains are a perfect alternative.
4. With a flight, you’ll miss out on all the beautiful scenery that you’ll cross by train.

Italy-Switzerland travel: FAQ