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Bern to Domodossola by train
How to take the rail journey from Bern to Domodossola, where connections are available into the 'Centovali' railway to Locarno
There are three options available when taking a journey by train from Bern to Domodossola:
- Travelling by EC express train, which will be heading on to Milano
- Taking the Swiss express IC trains which terminate in Domodossola.
- Taking the slower 'Lotschberger' services on the more spectacular older route.
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Routes
Option 1: taking an EC train
Journey Summary
1hr 38min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Milano Cle.
These trains typically depart from Bern daily at 07:34; 11:34, 13:24 and 18:34
4 x trains per day, usually
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings typically open: 4 months ahead of the travel date
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
Check that you're booking for the direct trains; using the journey time to guide you.
Reservations will automatically be assigned when booking tickets for travel by these EC trains
Rail pass users should avoid taking these trains, because despite the fairly short distance travelled in Italy, the fairly expensive mandatory reservations for international journeys by these EC trains will apply.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| SBB | * | |
| Trenitalia | * | |
| Trainline | * | |
| Omio | * | |
| Happy rail | * | |
| Rail Europe | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
If your reserved seat is on the left of the train (when facing the direction of travel) there are some fabulous views over the beautiful Thunersee
On departure from Thun station:
And then on departure from Speiz station:
Though not only was that video captured on a different, more sunny, day - it was taken when travelling in the opposite direction.
It's been included here to showcase, what you will see from the right on this part of the journey - when heading south!
After departing from Brig these trains travel through The Simplon Tunnel which was the world's longest regularly used railway tunnel for much of the 20th century.
When the trains exit the tunnel, they travel through an impressive gorge in the mountains before descending to Domodossola.
Option 2: taking a Swiss IC train
Journey Summary
1hr 38min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Domodossola
These trains typically depart from Bern daily at 09:34 and on Monday to Friday only at 15:34.
Connect in Domodossola for the trains on the Centovali Railway to Locarno, which are operated by Ferrovie Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi.
Mon to Fri: 2 x trains per day
Sat/Sun: 1 x train per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes - If you book Supersaver tickets (more info is available on the SBB ticket guide below)
You may need to search through the departures to find them using the ‘earlier’ and ‘later’ buttons; the Supersaver tickets tend to sell out particularly quickly on this route.
Online bookings open: up to two months ahead of the travel date
SBB is the Swiss national rail operator and on this route it applies the same ticketing terms as it does to destinations in Switzerland, despite Domodossola being in Italy.
Seat reservations:
Seat reservations are optional on Swiss IC trains, so seats won't be automatically assigned when booking online.
You can book reservations online, AFTER you have booked a ticket, by using the SBB (Swiss national railways) seat reservation service OR request and pay for a reservation when booking at a station ticket office.
Travelling with a rail pass:
Rail pass users should take these trains or the slower Lotschberger services.
Because by doing so it will be possible to avoid the mandatory reservation fees payable on the EC trains
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| SBB | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Swiss Travel Passes and Saver Day Passes can be used to travel on a fabulously scenic looping route which involves
- Taking the morning IC train to Domodossola
- A train on to Locarno from Domodossola
- An IR train from Locarno to Luzern on the spectacular route via Goschenen
- Any train from Luzern to Bern.
If your reserved seat is on the left of the train (when facing the direction of travel) there are some fabulous views over the beautiful Thunersee
On departure from Thun station:
And then on departure from Speiz station:
Though not only was that video captured on a different, more sunny, day - it was taken when travelling in the opposite direction.
It's been included here to showcase, what you will see from the right on this part of the journey - when heading south!
After departing from Brig these trains travel through The Simplon Tunnel which was the world's longest regularly used railway tunnel for much of the 20th century.
When the trains exit the tunnel, they travel through an impressive gorge in the mountains before descending to Domodossola.
Option 3: taking a Lotschberger train
Journey Summary
2hr 16min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Domodossola
Connect in Domodossola for the trains on the Centovali Railway to Locarno, which are operated by Ferrovie Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi.
Mon/Tues = 6 x trains per day
Weds to Fri = 7 x trains per day
Sat/Sun = 6 x trains per day
Tickets
If you will be booking last minute tickets at the station, taking these trains will be cheaper than the faster EC or IC services.
Book early and save: No*
Online bookings open: 2 months ahead of the travel date
*SBB does not offer discounted 'Supersaver Tickets' for this journey, so you won't save if you book online.
Though seat reservations are available for this journey and they cost 5 CHF per person.
Using Rail Passes
If you have a Swiss Travel Pass, a Saver Day Pass or an InterRail or Eurail Pass valid in both Switzerland and Italy, you can return trip to Locarno by using:
- a combination of these trains, rail pass users can hop on any Lotschberger service between Bern and Domodossola
- the Ferrovie Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi (F.A.R.T.) trains to Locarno.
Swiss Travel Passes and Saver Day Passes can be used to travel on a fabulously scenic looping route which involves:
- Taking the morning IC train to Domodossola
- A train on to Locarno from Domodossola
- An IR train from Locarno to Luzern on the spectacular route via Goschenen
- Any train from Luzern to Bern.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| SBB | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains are around an hour slower because they take a different slower, but more scenic route, which avoids the Lotschberg Base Tunnel, plus they also make more station calls than the EC and IC trains.
On departure from Bern the trains to heading to Domodossola are usually joined to other trains which will be heading to Zweissimen.
The two trains are then separated on arrival in Spiez.
You can use the destination info displayed on the exterior and interior of the trains to ensure that you will be seated in the correct part of the train
At Frutigen this older route splits off from the route which takes the express trains towards the Lotschberg Base Tunnel. This route twists and turns through the mountain passes, through Kandersteg and on the older Lotschberg Tunnel, which is the highest point of the conventional Swiss rail network.
So what goes up must come back down, hence the sensational birds eye view across the valley, which can be seen on the right between the tunnel and the arrival in Brig railway station.
Though the video was taken when travelling in the opposite direction, so shows an ascent from Brig, but it showcases the sensational views.
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