Genève to Milano

[reb0118]

A colleague at work is planning a trip from Genève/Genf/Geneva to Napoli/Neapel/Naples. The first section will be from Genève to Milano/Mailand/Milan via the shores of Lake Geneva (Lac Leman/Genfersee) & Brig then through the Simplon Tunnel and past the shores of Lago Maggiore (Lacus Verbanus) & Stresa.

I am looking for any information about this route that may be helpful and informative. There seem to be a few direct services between Genève & Milano are these worth booking or is it fine just to travel on the local trains and change as required?

My colleague will hold FIP coupons for Italy (FS); Switzerland (SBB/FSS); & Switzerland (SP) as well as the FIP IRRC giving 50% discount in Switzerland & Italy. His family will have FS passes & their FIP cards only.

Would there be any benefit for him in obtaining a free pass for the Bern, Lötschberg, & Simplon Railway (BLS) for himself & his family as I believe this offers free travel from Brig to Domodossola regardless of who operates the service. I could be wrong on that score.

So any info on prices, catering provision, & thing to see from the train would be most appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I typed a long reply to this but lost it due to poor signal. Will retype Sunday on the PC - but in summary it is a visually stunning route however you do it.

 

[reb0118]

I typed a long reply to this but lost it......

Done that a few times myself (for various reasons) and it is not nice. Not to worry - looking forward to your response.

 

[Abpj17]

I've covered part of the journey and it's quite beautiful.

I believe the main route would be Geneva -> Montreux -> Martigny->Brig then down through the tunnel. The route I've travelled on and is know as the Golden Pass/scenic views would be Montreux-Interlaken (but they'd change as Spiez for Brig). If they have time to spare, they could get a swiss rail pass and criss cross a bit more of switzerland - perhaps taking in Bern, Interlaken, Lucern, Basle, etc.

 

[30907]

By Swiss standards the Rhône Valley route from the end of Lac Leman to Brig is only average scenery as it runs along the valley floor, but there's castles (Chillon, Sion...) and vineyards.

Montreux-Zweisimmen-Spiez-Kandersteg-Brig is a more spectacular if slower alternative, but complicates the ticketing, as you'd need MOB and BLS coupons for free travel.

The EC services are Pendolinos (certainly the ones from Bern) and might be crowded, but if they use the IRs to Domo they will need to see what the onward connections are like to Milan.
I'd go for an EC and reserve seats as they're a group.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Montreux-Zweisimmen-Spiez-Kandersteg-Brig is a more spectacular if slower alternative, but complicates the ticketing, as you'd need MOB and BLS coupons for free travel.

The EC services are Pendolinos (certainly the ones from Bern) and might be crowded, but if they use the IRs to Domo they will need to see what the onward connections are like to Milan.
I'd go for an EC and reserve seats as they're a group.

OK, here goes again, hopefully it'll post this time

The route is one of my favourites (I'm much more of a fan of scenic proper mainlines than stuff like the Goldenpass - as an example I vastly prefer a ride on the Conwy Valley to the Ffestiniog) - so you should probably take that in context, but...

I would say that the line from Lausanne towards Brig, particularly Lausanne-Villeneuve, is absolutely stunning - one of my favourites anywhere. You should try to sit on the right to appreciate it best (the lake is on that side) but either side is impressive. I even find the bit away from the river pleasant - you are hemmed in by impressive cliffs and mountains all the way along.

With regard to which trains to take, you can do it connectionally in which case it will mostly be 3 trains - Geneve-Brig, Brig-Domodossola and Domodossola to Milan. The former will be a Swiss EW IV set with some of the old fresh air coaches most likely tagged on the end if a busy train - big windows and good views whichever you prefer to choose. The middle one may be EW I/II LHCS or may be one of these EMUs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBB-CFF-FFS_RBDe_560 - check reisezuege.ch for the specific one you want to use to find out the formation. The latter will be whatever rubbish Trenord manage to roll out, and could well have windows full of condensation and be covered in graffiti, so the view out won't be good.

If I were you, having done it both ways, I would book onto the Pendolino through service. If you've got long legs or broad shoulders I would recommend first class as while the spacing isn't terrible, the seat back design is bad and I find things get in the way. Worth noting that the Pendolino is compulsory-reservation once in Italy so you should book regardless of how busy it might or might not be (and they usually are quite busy).

Hope that helps - and hope they enjoy it - I always have when I've done it!

Neil