How to take the fabulous rail journey from Basel to Milano

Final Destination: Milano Cle.

All trains also call at: Domodossola (connect for Centovali trains) and Stresa (for Lake Maggiore)

Some trains also call at: Gallarate, where connections are available into local trains which make multiple stops in a cross-city tunnel including at Repubblica and Porta Venezia.

These trains typically be depart at 06:28; 10:28; 12:28 and 17:28.
However, on the new timetable, the usual departure at 10:28 has had to be removed on the new timetable, due to a long-term construction project on the Italian section on the route, which has temporarily limited the capacity.

Astoro trains are used for most of the international EC services, which are continuing on to Milano, but the first departure of the day is usually a combination of an Astoro train and an ETR 600 train.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: Up to 180 days / 6 months ahead of the travel date - though booking periods will be shorter when travelling after the second Sunday in December.

Three types of ticket will typically be made available, Standard, Saver Flex and Saver - all types of ticket are only valid on the specific departure selected when booking.

The very cheapest type of ticket, Saver tickets, are taken off sale 7 days prior to departure.

The mid-price type of ticket, Saver Flex, are taken off sale 3 days prior to departure.

Exchanges

• Up until departure, the most expensive type of ticket, Standard tickets, can be for exchanged for another day of travel or travel time on the exact same route without paying any additional fees.
• Up until departure, the mid priced type of ticket, Saver Flex tickets, can be for exchanged for another day of travel or travel time on the exact same route, but the price difference with Standard tickets, at the time of exchange, will need to be paid.
• The cheapest type of tickets, Saver tickets, cannot be exchanged.

Additional information is available on the SBB website.

Refunds

• Up until departure, the most expensive type of ticket, Standard tickets, tickets can be returned and purchasers will receive 80% of the price paid.
• The mid priced type of ticket, Saver Flex tickets, cannot be refunded.
• The cheapest type of tickets, Saver tickets, cannot be refunded.

Seat reservations

Reservations are mandatory on the Italian section of the journey, so seats are assigned when booking all types of tickets.

Rail pass users

If you will be travelling with valid Eurail or InterRail passes, you will need to pay a rail pass reservation fee when boarding these direct trains for a journey to Italy.
Though avoid paying for these reservation fees at a station in Switzerland, because if you do so you, will also have to pay a 11CHF booking fee.

Child tickets

Children aged 6 -15 receive a 20% discount, those aged 5 and under aren't charged for a ticket.
Note that these terms are different to the national child ticket policies in Italy and Switzerland.
And the terms are also different for Swiss children travelling with a Junior Travelcard.

Bike tickets

When travelling with a non-folding bike, spaces must be reserved, but you need to make a simultaneous purchase of your travel ticket + the bike reservation on the Trenitalia website.

Dog tickets

Dog tickets seemingly aren't available for this end-to-end international journey, a dog pass will need to be purchased for the Swiss part of the trip and a dog ticket is required for the Italian section of the journey, see the dogs on trains guide.

Final Destination: Milano

This train also calls at: Chiasso and Como and Monza

This train, which is usually scheduled to depart from Basel shortly after 15:00 takes a different, slightly slower route, than the trains which travel via Bern - as it heads to Italy via Luzern and then takes the Gotthard route.
Though it's also more scenic too, so it is most definitely the journey to take if a mid-afternoon departure would suit.

This train which is usually scheduled to depart from Basel at around 15:00 can be cheaper.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: Up to 180 days / 6 months ahead of the travel date - though booking periods will be shorter when travelling after the second Sunday in December.

Three types of ticket will typically be made available, Standard, Saver Flex and Saver - all types of ticket are only valid on the specific departure selected when booking.

The very cheapest type of ticket, Saver tickets, are taken off sale 7 days prior to departure.

The mid-price type of ticket, Saver Flex, are taken off sale 3 days prior to departure.

Exchanges

• Up until departure, the most expensive type of ticket, Standard tickets, can be for exchanged for another day of travel or travel time on the exact same route without paying any additional fees.
• Up until departure, the mid priced type of ticket, Saver Flex tickets, can be for exchanged for another day of travel or travel time on the exact same route, but the price difference with Standard tickets, at the time of exchange, will need to be paid.
• The cheapest type of tickets, Saver tickets, cannot be exchanged.

Additional information is available on the SBB website.

Refunds

• Up until departure, the most expensive type of ticket, Standard tickets, tickets can be returned and purchasers will receive 80% of the price paid.
• The mid priced type of ticket, Saver Flex tickets, cannot be refunded.
• The cheapest type of tickets, Saver tickets, cannot be refunded.

Seat reservations

Reservations are mandatory on the Italian section of the journey, so seats are assigned when booking all types of tickets.

Rail pass users

If you will be travelling with valid Eurail or InterRail passes, you will need to pay a rail pass reservation fee when boarding these direct trains for a journey to Italy.
Though avoid paying for these reservation fees at a station in Switzerland, because if you do so you, will also have to pay a 11CHF booking fee.

Child tickets

Children aged 6 -15 receive a 20% discount, those aged 5 and under aren't charged for a ticket.
Note that these terms are different to the national child ticket policies in Italy and Switzerland.
And the terms are also different for Swiss children travelling with a Junior Travelcard.

Bike tickets

When travelling with a non-folding bike, spaces must be reserved, but you need to make a simultaneous purchase of your travel ticket + the bike reservation onon the Trenitalia website.

Dog tickets

Dog tickets seemingly aren't available for this end-to-end international journey, a dog pass will need to be purchased for the Swiss part of the trip and a dog ticket is required for the Italian section of the journey, see the dogs on trains guide.

Final Destination: Milano

This train also calls at: Chiasso and Como and Monza

This train, which is usually scheduled to depart from Basel at around 11:05, is the train which travels to Milano from Frankfurt in Germany. Hence it also usually departs from Basel Bad bf, the city's other rail station, at around 10:45.

Note that this train is typically scheduled to arrive into Milano at around15:50, but there is usually a train on the route via Bern and Brig that departs Basel SBB at around 10:30, that gets into Milano close to an hour sooner.
So this train is only worth taking if it's cheaper, or if you particularly want to experience the scenery of the Gotthard Route.

Book early and save: Yes

Online bookings open: Up to 180 days / 6 months ahead of the travel date - though booking periods will be shorter when travelling after the second Sunday in December.

Three types of ticket will typically be made available, Standard, Saver Flex and Saver - all types of ticket are only valid on the specific departure selected when booking.

The very cheapest type of ticket, Saver tickets, are taken off sale 7 days prior to departure.

The mid-price type of ticket, Saver Flex, are taken off sale 3 days prior to departure.

Exchanges

• Up until departure, the most expensive type of ticket, Standard tickets, can be for exchanged for another day of travel or travel time on the exact same route without paying any additional fees.
• Up until departure, the mid priced type of ticket, Saver Flex tickets, can be for exchanged for another day of travel or travel time on the exact same route, but the price difference with Standard tickets, at the time of exchange, will need to be paid.
• The cheapest type of tickets, Saver tickets, cannot be exchanged.

Additional information is available on the SBB website.

Refunds

• Up until departure, the most expensive type of ticket, Standard tickets, tickets can be returned and purchasers will receive 80% of the price paid.
• The mid priced type of ticket, Saver Flex tickets, cannot be refunded.
• The cheapest type of tickets, Saver tickets, cannot be refunded.

Seat reservations

Reservations are mandatory on the Italian section of the journey, so seats are assigned when booking all types of tickets.

Rail pass users

If you will be travelling with valid Eurail or InterRail passes, you will need to pay a rail pass reservation fee when boarding these direct trains for a journey to Italy.
Though avoid paying for these reservation fees at a station in Switzerland, because if you do so you, will also have to pay a 11CHF booking fee.

Child tickets

Children aged 6 -15 receive a 20% discount, those aged 5 and under aren't charged for a ticket.
Note that these terms are different to the national child ticket policies in Italy and Switzerland.
And the terms are also different for Swiss children travelling with a Junior Travelcard.

Bike tickets

When travelling with a non-folding bike, spaces must be reserved, but you need to make a simultaneous purchase of your travel ticket + the bike reservation onon the Trenitalia website.

Dog tickets

Dog tickets seemingly aren't available for this end-to-end international journey, a dog pass will need to be purchased for the Swiss part of the trip and a dog ticket is required for the Italian section of the journey, see the dogs on trains guide.