I'm looking to go from Milan to London in summer and the idea of taking a train seems good.
Ideally, we don't want to hang around in London when we arrive so I've been considering an overnight somewhere along the way so that we arrive early enough to pick up a hire car and head north.
The Bernina Express would be a nice scenic option, then overnight in Zurich and do the quick train the next day.
Anyone know of other options that might be nice?
Overnight in Mulhouse? I seem to recall that's a good spot.
Rail around Europe? The man in Seat 61 has most of the tips.
Funnily enough ... or not perhaps, that's where I got the idea for the Bernina Express. But I thought there might be some extra knowledge here, too.
We went on the Bernina Express both ways in September - thoroughly recommended. Just beautiful mountains for several hours, and the windows that extend into the carriage roof are great for seeing the maximum amount of scenery. Going south we stopped off in St Moritz for a couple of hours to get lunch and walk around, and likewise in Chur on the way north. Both are nice towns worth a stop.
Looked into this as a way to get to Turin now the Paris Turin line is closed following a landslide, so following with interest.
Watched this over Christmas. Looked very picturesque
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/alpine-train-at-christmas
I'm just here to say that I had to read the title twice as I saw "The Banana Express". I'm kind of disappointed.
'The Bernina Express' is a train service over the Bernina and Albula routes of the RatischeBahn (Rhaetian Railway).
By all means you can take this once or twice a day tourist aimed service (and I have done it, it is very good) but just as good are the local services over the same route, just changing in St Mortiz to link the two up. Mark Smith sets it out well on his Seat61 website but basically the 'normal' services will cost less and have opening windows so you can lean out and take photos, whereas the 'Bernina Express' has panoramic carriages for tourists (albeit with some local carriages on the back).
Ticket wise - see Mark Smith's tips about a Sparpreis (basically what we would call an advance ticket) from Tirano to the first stop in Germany bought from DeutscheBahn which is often cheaper.
Another option is to buy in advance a 1 day Swiss Travel Card which gives unlimited travel within Switzerland on all public transport (including the short stub of the RhB to Tirano in Italy) - these vary in price but can be had for as little as 52CHF which is frankly, a bargain.
Alternatively, see if an interrail pass is cheaper for the whole journey but note that you will need to pay supplements on the TGV Lyria from Zurich - Paris (tip - if you go Zurich - Strasbourg on local trains or even DB ICEs then pick up a TGV there the reservation fees are much cheaper than a TGV Lyria and it doesn't take that much longer) and on Eurostar.
Just to add to the above, the Milan - Paris Frecciarossa commences again from 1st April which offers another option. Faster, scenic but not as scenic as the RhB
As Whyterider says, the regular trains are very comfortable and offer a great experience with the same views. Some of the stretches are breathtaking for the scenery, some for the engineering to get the railway through.
One alternative option is a trip we did a couple of years ago at the end of our Italian Interrail month: Day 1 is Milan to Locarno on Lake Maggiore via Domodossola, from which you take the scenic Centovalli narrow gauge route to Locarno. Day 2 is Locarno to London via Basle and Paris, which you can do in 10-11 hours, a bit longer if you allow time for late lunch in Paris.
The day 1 route allows you to stop for a last Italian lunch in Domodossola before getting to Locarno in the afternoon, giving time to drop your bags at a hotel and take the funicular and cable car to the top of Cardada, for a panoromic view of Lake Maggiore and a sunset beer.
And in true STW style, a link to a Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2024/jan/16/rail-route-of-the-month-a-dramatic-back-door-into-switzerland-through-the-italian-alps
+1 for J-R's route too. Extremely scenic and amusingly named FART.
If you are short on time the Gotthard Route is also spectacular - but be sure to take the regional stopping trains that climb the pass, go through the Gotthard Tunnel and many spiral loops, then descend again. If you get a fast train this will take the Gotthard Base Tunnel which no doubt is a feat of engineering in itself but is well, just a tunnel, so extremely boring.
If you have room to smuggle me in your suitcase, I will make sure I'm available!!
Bookmarked
Wow amazing details - also bookmarked. I'm presuming the smaller regional trains are also easier if taking a bike?
Was going to say the Maurienne Valley direct line reopens 1st April
there’s a new overnight train from Verona to Brussels, so you could try that too?
