Rail Pass Itinerary: Scenic Journeys
WHY CHOOSE THIS TRIP OF A LIFETIME:
We've constructed this itinerary so that every day of travel includes some fabulous views which can be seen from the train.
In order to make the most of the scenery, you'll also find yourself taking multiple trains per day.
However, don't let that put you off, we've personally checked out all of these suggested connections between trains, confirming that they should be relatively stress free!
The required rail pass:
If you use a 10 days of travel within one month InterRail Global Pass OR a 10 days within 2 months Eurail SELECT PASS Pass you can take breaks between your days of train travel.
You can then spend some time in fabulous destinations including Marseille, Nimes, Lyon, Innsbruck, Venice and Rome.
From and to Milano:
This rail pass itinerary starts and finishes in Milano, which has three ticks in the box:
(1) Milano is an international rail hub.
So an easy option is to use a purchase a pass valid for 15 days of travel, so that you can use these additional five days of travel to travel to and from Milano by train.
(2) It’s also a budget airline destination - after all you don't have to take a train from/to Milan.
(3) Milan has direct flights from destinations outside Europe - so ideal if you'll be flying into the continent, to use a Eurail Pass.
Malpensa Airport is connected to the city by the Malpensa Express rail service.
Managing Luggage:
The itinerary also loops back to the city at the close of day 6, so you can also split your luggage.
Leave some of your luggage at your hotel, or deposit it in the left luggage at Milano Centrale station, when you set off on Day 2
Then on day 6 pick up the new bags, so that you can travel lighter for the final four days, because you'll have deposited the luggage you'll have used on Days 2 - 6.
DAY ONE
Depart: Milano Centrale at 09:29
Arrive: Domodossola at 11:07
Depart: Domodossola at 11:25
Arrive: Locarno at 13:19
Depart: Locarno at 13:35 - train heading to Biasca or Erstfeld
Arrive: Guibiasco at 13:55
MON-FRIDAY ONLY
Depart: Guibiasco at 14:05 - train heading to Albate-Camerlata
Arrive: Capalago-Riva S.Vitale at 14:47
Depart: Capalago-Riva S.Vitale at 15.24
Arrive: Generosso Vetta at 16:-05
Depart: Generosso Vetta at 16:-45
Arrive: Capalago-Riva S.Vitale at 17:25
Depart: Capalago-Riva S.Vitale at 17:28*
Arrive: Chiasso at 17:50
*You should make this 3 min connection if you hurry, but if you do miss it, there will a later train on to Chiasso.
The train you'll then be taking on to Milano Centrale is due to arrive there at 19:50.
Depart: Chiasso at 18:07
Arrive: Milano Centrale at 18:50
DAILY
Depart: Guibiasco at 14:05 - train heading to Albate-Camerlata
Arrive: Lugano at 14:33
Depart: Lugano at 16:42 or 17:42 or 18:42
Arrive: Milano Centrale 17:50 or 18:50 or 19:50
Don’t be alarmed by the amount of trains we suggest on day one, particularly as this is a day trip from Milano - so you won’t have to ferry your luggage.
On Monday - Friday it includes the two most scenic railways on the Swiss/Italian border.
(1) The F.A.RT Centovali Line between Domodossola and Locarno (pictured above) is a must, not least because it’s free for Eurail and InterRail pass users.
(2) The MG Railway to/from Capalago doesn’t offer any discount on its tickets to Eurail and InterRail pass users.
If you want to skip the MG Line, leave the train from Guibiasco to Como when it arrives in Lugano
You can then spend some time in this beautiful city on the shore of the lake - to which it gives its name.
There is a daily direct Regionale train, on which rail pass users don’t have to pay reservation fees, from Lugano to Milano Centrale at 18:42.
DAY TWO
Before setting off on Day Two, it's a good idea to visit the ticket office in Milano Centrale station and book the reservations you'll need when taking all of the Italian Intercity trains on this itinerary;
(i) this train to Ventimiglia,
(ii) the train from Ancona to Roma on Day Nine,
(iii) the trains from Roma to Genova and Genova to Milano on Day Ten.
Depart: Milano Centrale at 09:10
Arrive: Ventimiglia at 13:10
By Intercity train; reservation fee = €3 for 1st and 2nd class pass users
To make the most of the sea views you need to be sat on the left on departure from Genova – where the train will have reversed direction.
So when you board at Milano, hope that you’re reserved seat is on the right.
Depart: Ventimiglia at 13:29 - direction Grasse
Arrive: Nice Ville at 14:24
The subsequent train from Ventimiglia arrives in Nice in time to make the connection on to Marseille.
Depart: Nice Ville at 15:12
Arrive: Marseille St Charles at 18:03
DAY THREE
Depart: Marseille St Charles at 12:31
Arrive: Mirimas at 13:53
This train takes the spectacular Cote Blue route west of Marseille, sit on the left when boarding to make the most of the views.
Depart: Mirimas at 15:08
Arrive: Avignon Centre at 16:11 - direction Avignon TGV
Mirimas isn’t the most comfortable of stations in which to spend more than an hour waiting for a train, so an option is to leave the station to find a café on the town’s main street.
Turn left when you exit the station and then cross the tracks.
MONDAY-FRIDAY
Depart: Avignon Centre at 16:38 - direction Cerbere
Arrive: Nimes at 17:09
SATURDAY/SUNDAY
Depart: Avignon Centre at 17:38 - direction Perpignan
Arrive: Nimes at 18:09
DAY FOUR
Depart: Nimes at 08:10 FROM JULY 1ST*
Arrive: Clemont Ferrand at 13:10
Depart: Clermont Ferrand at 13:54
Arrive: Lyon Part-Dieu at 16:17
*Until July 1st remain in Avignon on Day Three and then on Day Four take a train from Avignon Centre station to Lyon.
DAY FIVE
MONDAY - FRIDAY
Depart: Lyon Part-Dieu at 09:08
Arrive: Annecy at 11:08
SATURDAY/SUNDAY
Depart: Lyon Part-Dieu at 10:08
Arrive: Annecy at 12:08 (Note the tight connection time into the train below)
Depart: Annecy at 12:15
Arrive: St Gervais-Les-Bains at 13:49
Depart: St Gervais-Les-Bains at 14:05
Arrive: Vallorcine at 15:31
InterRail pass users need to pay 50% of the price of train tickets between St Gervais and Martigny.
Depart: Vallorcine at 15:44
Arrive: Martigny at 16:36
Depart: Martigny at 16:49
Arrive: Montreux at 17:19
Between St Gervais and Martigny, you will be following the ‘Mont Blanc Express' route.
DAY SIX
Montreux can be an expensive location to spend the night, so the towns between Martigny and Montreux could be worth considering.
At face value, the connections between the trains on this day seem tightly timed, but you’ll be changing trains in Switzerland, so making the onward trains in time should be virtually guaranteed.
All of the connections at each station should be on the same level, so getting your bags from one train to another shouldn’t be too arduous either.
Also stock up on food/drink before you set off from Montreux, you won’t have time to pick up provisions on route.
Your efforts will be rewarded, this day should be a highlight of the trip.
Depart: Montreux at 09:44 (Golden Pass Panoramic)
Arrive: Zweisimmen at 11:32
Depart: Depart: Zweisimmen at 11:38
Arrive: Interlaken Ost at 12:49
Depart: Depart: Interlaken Ost at 13:04
Arrive: Luzern at 14:55
Depart: Luzern at 15:18
Arrive: Erstfeld at 16:24
Depart: Erstfeld at 16:37
Arrive: Milano Centrale at 19:50
If you’d rather split this Day Six routing into two days of travel, then an option to overnight in Luzern and skip the suggested Day One.
Or end Day Three in Avignon and then buy separate tickets on Day 4 for a TER train from Avignon Centre to Lyon.
You can then use the day saved of your rail pass allocation to spend a day travelling from Luzern to Milano via Erstfeld.
DAY SEVEN
An option is to push the itinerary back by two hours and depart from Milano Centrale at 10:20, or spend a couple of hours in Chur between trains
If you take either of those options, you can follow the same routing two hours later - depart from Chur at 17:12 and you’ll arrive in Innsbruck at 20:14.
If you do want to follow the routing suggested below, buy some food/drink before you set off from Milan.
Depart: Milano Centrale at 08:20
Arrive: Tiriano at 10:52
Depart: Tiriano at 11:00 - direction St Moritz
Arrive: Pontresina at 12:52
Depart: Pontresina at 13:02 - direction Scuol-Tarasp
Arrive: Samedan at 13:08
The connections at both Pontresina and Samdedan seem tightly timed, but it won't be a problem.
Making the transfer between trains at these stations usually involves simply crossing a platform/track from one train to another.
Depart: Samedan at 13:16
Arrive: Chur at 15:03
Depart: Chur at 15:12 - direction Wil
Arrive: Buchs SG at 15:44
Depart: Buchs SG at 15:54 - direction Wien
Arrive: Innsbruck Hbf at 18:11
All of the connections on this day are straightforward - and as you can see above it's worth the effort!
DAY EIGHT
Depart: Innsbruck Hbf at 12:21 - direction Graz
Arrive: Schwarzach St Viet at 14:46
Depart: Schwarzach St Viet at 15:11 – direction Klagenfurt
Arrive: Villach at 16:43
Depart: Villach at 16:49
Arrive: Venezia S.Lucia at 20:05
The 6 minute connection at Villach into the train on to Venezia isn’t absolutely guaranteed, but you’d be unlucky not to make it.
However, to be 100% certain, you can follow this routing:
Depart: Innsbruck Hbf at 10:11 - direction Flughagen Wien
Arrive: Worgl at 10:41
Depart: Worgl at 10:50
Arrive: Schwarzach St Viet at 12:47
Depart: Shwarzach St Viet at 13:11
Arrive: Villach at 14:43 - direction Klagenfurt
Depart: Villach at 16:49
Arrive: Venezia S.Lucia at 20:05
DAY NINE
Depart: Venezia S.Lucia at 08:42
Arrive: Bologna Centrale at 10:40
Depart: Bologna Centrale at 11:35
Arrive: Ancona at 14:45
Sit on the left for the sea views, which come after Rimini.
This train may be double-decked and if that is the case, it’s worth making the effort to heave your luggage up to the top deck.
Depart: Ancona at 15:30
Arrive: Roma Termini at 18:45
By Intercity train; reservation fee = €3 for 1st and 2nd class pass users
DAY TEN
Depart: Roma Termini at 09:57 - direction Torino Porta Nuova
Arrive: Genova Piazza Principe at 15:36
By Intercity train; reservation fee = €3 1st and 2nd class.
You’ll have to cross your fingers and hope your reserved seats are on the left hand side.
If they’re not then after departure from La Spezia, seek out somewhere from where you can see the sea views.
Depart: Genova Piazza Principe at 16:18
Arrive: Milano Centrale at 17:50
By Intercity train; reservation fee = €3 for 1st and 2nd class pass users
APPROXIMATE TOTAL TRAIN TRAVEL COST:
Not including tthe optional suggested journey on the MG Railway
InterRail 1st Class Adult = €521
InterRail 2nd Class Adult = €393
Eurail 1st Class Adult = €631
Eurail 2nd Class Adult = €509
THE OTHER SUGGESTED ITINERARIES:
MOST POPULAR CITIES
HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTHERN EUROPE
NO ADDITIONAL FEES
DIRECT TRAINS ONLY
Tips to ensure your trip will be stress-free:
These EXTRA TIPS can help you:
(i) Save money when booking overnight accommodation.
(ii) Avoid being told off by a train conductor.
(iii) Have more comfortable journeys.
(iv) Avoid last minute panics at the station etc etc.