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How to take the rail journey from Cologne/Köln to Milan
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Köln / Cologne / Koeln to Milano / Milan / Mailand by train
Travelling by train from north-west Germany to Italy has been transformed for the better by the launch of a new direct overnight service.
Though it is only available on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.
On the other nights of the week the overnight trip involves making a transfer in Zurich.
Taking the train from Cologne/Köln to Milano by day is typically a fabulous experience, with only one easy transfer required between two of Europe's smartest trains.
When looking up this journey by you will see other options which require additional conditions, but there is no need to make more than one transfer.
Routes you can take to go from Köln / Cologne / Koeln to Milano / Milan / Mailand
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
Choose one of the following options:
Route Information
Option 1: Overnight on a direct train
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
13hr 30min (approx)
Frequency
Three nights per week
Travel Info
The train departs on Monday, Thursday and Saturday
Purchase Tickets
Travel Information
European Sleeper is a relatively new train operating company with a mission to provide links between cities which previously had no direct train connection.
It's trains aren't brand new, though they have been refreshed, but if you want to travel direct by train between Belgium and Italy, this train is now an option
Final Destination: Milano / Milan
The train will typically be scheduled to arrive at the city's secondary station, Milano Porta Garibaldi at around 11:40.
It doesn't use the city's main station Milano Centrale - and when worls are impacting on the usual route, it can be diverted to arrive at Milano Certosa.
Line M2 of the Milano Metro connects Porta Garibalidi to the western end of the city centre at Cadorna and the Porta Genoa station on the same line is convenient for the popular canal side neighborhood of Navigli.
Comparatively frequent local commuter trains link both Porta Garibaldi and Certosa stations to the interchange at Republicca station with Metro line M3 which goes to the heart of the city at Duomo.
Onward connections:
When the usual timetable is available, the onward connections by high-speed Frecce trains will be:
- at 12:45 and 13:45 Verona, Vicenza, Padova and Venezia / Venice frm Millano Centrale
- at 12:56 and 13:15 to Torino / Turin from Milano Porta Garibalidi
- at 13:00 to Bologna and and Roma and Napoli from Milano Centrale
- at 13:00 to Genoa, La Spezia, Pisa and Livormo from Milano Centrale
- at 13:20 to Bologna, Firenze, Roma and Napoli from Milano Centrale
- at 13:35 to Rimini, Ancona, Pescara, Bari and Lecce from Milano Centrale
Milano Porta Garibaldi station is usually linked to Milano Centrale every 30 mins by trains on the Aeroporto Express service from Malapensa Airport.
Plus there is a direct connection available by taking Metro line M2.
Though be wary of booking tickets which can't be refunded / exchanged in the event of the European Sleeper train being delayed leading to a missed connections.
Train journeys of this length are inevitably more likely to be delayed than the norm.
The train also calls at:
- Aarau - connect for Basel, Zurich, Chur and Olten
- Arth-Goldau - connect for Luzern and St Gallen
- Goschenen - connect for Andermatt
- Bellinzona - connect for Locarno
- Lugano - connect for Chiasso
- Como - San Giovanni, connect for Monza
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Journey description:
South of the station call in Aarau, the train will use the wonderfully scenic Gotthard Railway to travel on to the Swiss / Italian border - the part of this route south of Arth-Goldau is so fabulous that it's ranked at No.5 on the list of Swizterland's most scenic journeys that I have taken.
Though between Aarau and Arth-Goldau the train will take a route on the opposite side of Lake Zug - pictured above.
The train will typically be scheduled to depart Aarau at 05:40, so between May and August, early risers will be able to take in the views all the way to Lugano and beyond.
The next beautiful vista to look out for comes after departure from Arth-Goldau station, when on the right, the train will pass by the Lauerzersee.
The train then travels through a dramatic landscape to the north of Schwyz.
Just to the south of here, also look out on the right for glimpses of the Luzernsee.
Between Erstfeld and Goschenen the best of the views are on the left; this video was filmed from a train heading north
but it doesn't matter which side of the train you are seated on, in order to enjoy the incredible views over the village of Wassen with its white church on a hilltop.
That's because the railway loops in order to climb the mountain, and as it does so, the village can be seen from both sides of the train.
On the usual timetable the train will depart from Goschenen at 07:58. so the scenic highlights to the south of here can be enjoyed close to all year round.
After leaving Goschenen station the train will immediately enter the older Gotthard Tunnel, so the trade off with the avoidance of the route through the epic Gotthard Base Tunnel is scenery over speed.
The railway will loop around in order to descend the mountains to the south of Airolo station, but this is a prelude to the final highlight of the trip, which occurs as the train descends the mountain on another set of looping curves between Faido and Biasca.
The views looking down the valley with the railway tracks below are breathtaking!
Though as the video below shows, filmed from a train travelling in the opposite direction, the train travels through a spectacular valley north of Bellinzona.
The final wow moments come after departure from Lugano station, the train will travel along the shore of the Lago di Lugano
and then the train will cross the lake.
The Italian section of the journey south of Chiasso is more mundane, despite the trains passing through Como, its namesake lake can't be seen from these trains.
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online Bookings Usually Open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date
The ticketing options depend on the type of accommodation you wish to travel by on the train.
The seats are straightforward, the ticket(s) will include a reservation.
In the couchettes you can either book a place; or solo travellers can pay more and book the entire compartment in order to have sole occupancy.
If you will be travelling in groups of 4 or 6 people, you will be the only occupants of the compartment.
But if you will be travelling in a group of 5, the only method to ensure you won't be sharing the compartment with somebody else, is to book six tickets.
Similarly if you will be travelling in a group of 3 and don't want to share a four person compartment with anybody else, you will need to book four tickets.
Female only couchette compartments are available.
The sleeping cabins are priced according to how many people will be occupying them during the journey.
Solo travellers can either:
- Book a bed in a triple cabin and accept that you may share it with up to two other people (cheapest).
- Book a bed in a double cabin, accepting that you may be sharing it with another person.
- Book a single cabin, to ensure privacy (most expensive).
Pairs of travellers, who are happy to share a cabin, can either:
- Book two beds in a triple cabin, accepting that you may be sharing it with another person.
- Book a double cabin.
Groups of 3 travellers will have sole occupancy of a triple cabin, but groups of four or more will need to split the accommodation to whichever suits them; 2 x double cabins, or 1 x triple + 1 x single etc
Route Information
Via stations: Basel Bad Bf and Basel SBB / Bâle CFF
Option 2: travelling by day
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
8hr 46min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x connection per day
Change trains in: Basel
Purchase Tickets
DB Guide
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
On journeys within Germany and on most international journeys from and to Germany on trains operated by DB:
- For journeys by the express trains, EC. IC and ICE trains an adult (on German railways an adult is a person aged 15 and over) can take up to four children aged 6 - 14 with them at no additional charge.
- Tickets need to be booked for children aged 0 - 5, but there is no charge for them.
- Those aged 65 and over can take journeys at a discounted rate.
- Dogs, which are too large to be placed in pet carriers, require tickets which cost 50% of the adult rate.
When booking both types of the discounted 'Sparpreis' tickets seat reservations are an optional extra, so need to be added when booking if you want an assigned seat(s).
Travel Information
There are no direct trains between Koln/Cologne and Milano and the only viable* end-to-end journey option sold by the ticket agents with just 1 x change of train, typically involves departing daily at 12:55 and transferring between trains at Basel SBB station (and NOT Basel Bad Bf station).
This routing includes a 41 min connection in Basel, but if the ICE train does arrive late, if need be you can depart Basel at 18:04 and make a connection in Arth-Goldau on to a train on to Milano.
*You could gamble on departing from Koln/Cologne before 07:00 and making a connection of around 10 mins in either Frankfurt or Mannheim into the daily direct EC train from Germany to Italy.
But we don't recommend doing so as those tightly timed connections cannot be guaranteed.
On multiple dates in 2024
During multiple months in 2024 the route taken by the ICE train to Basel between Frankfurt Flughafen and Basel is being improved, and while the work is being carries the ICE train will be diverted to depart from Köln Messe / Deutz, typically at 12:29.
The alternative options
If you will be travelling from Koln/Cologne to Milano with a valid Interrail or Eurail pass, OR won't mind booking separate ticket for the Germany to Switzerland and Switzerland to Italy journeys, there are many other options available.
For example when SMTJ made this journey with an Interrail pass the route followed was:
- 08:55 ICE train to Basel
- train to Zurich from Basel
- (lunch near Zurich station)
- 15:33 EC train from Zurich to Milano; this route was chosen as it is a tad more scenic than the route from Basel to Milano.
This journey is made up of 1 change.
Train 1
Between Köln/Cologne Hbf and Basel Bad BfYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Basel SBB
These ICE trains travel at up to 285 km/h on Germany's fastest high speed line between Siegburg/Bonn and Frankfurt Flughafen.
They also take another higher speed route later in the journey between Karlsruhe and Offenburg.
But aside from the thrills of travelling at high speed, this isn't a particularly scenic journey.
Please support ShowMeTheJourney
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please go here to say thank you.
Train 2
Between Basel SBB / Bâle CFF and Milano CentraleYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Milano Cle.
All trains also call at: Domodossola (connect for Centovali trains) and Stresa (for Lake Maggiore)
The train will reverse direction on departure from Bern
Journey description:
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 these videos were taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction, but they showcase how fine the views can be on a sunny day...
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.
Then for much of the journey between there and Arona the railway line is beside Lake Maggiore; and again the views of the lake are on the left.
As can be seen the view over the lake can be worth seeing even on a grey day; the beautiful islands in the video are just to the north of Stresa station.
The railway is also by the lake shore to the south of Stresa.
The train will reverse direction on departure from Bern so when boarding Basel hope that your assigned seats are on the right hand side.
Tickets
Online bookings usually open: 6 months ahead of the travel date
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but this period of time is shorter when looking up journeys in August to October.
A choice of tickets
Three types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa
One type of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis Europa.
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
- Super Sparpreis tickets are cheapest, but they can't be refunded at all.
- Sparpreis tickets can be refunded for a fee, but the refund will be in the form of travel vouchers to be used for alternative / future journeys.
- Flexpreis Europa tickets can be refunded at no additional charge.
The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but both types of Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.
Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis Europa tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis Europa ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis Europa tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
The Sparpreis, Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets also include 'City tickets', which can be used on public transport between locations in Köln city centre and Köln Hbf.
Seat reservations
Reservations are mandatory on the EC trains from Switzerland to Italy, so seats are assigned for this section of the journey when booking tickets.
In contrast seat reservations are optional on ICE trains.
They cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class - they are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets.
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans, you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.
Booking on the DB website
When looking for tickets from Köln Hbf on the DB website type ‘K‘ or 'COLOGNE' into the ‘from‘ box and not ‘Ko‘.
To see all the combinations of trains and journey options, some of which may be cheaper, take off the 'fastest connections' default.
.
Route Information
Via stations: Zürich HB / Zurich main station
Option 3 overnight, daily with a connection
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
from around 12 hrs
Frequency
Nightly
Travel Info
1 connection per night
Changing trains in Zurich
Purchase Tickets
Travel Information
The overnight train from Koln/ Cologne, which usually departs from Köln Hbf a little before midnight, is typically due into Zurich HB station at 08:05; and the next train on to Milano Centrale station will usually be departing from there at 09:33 - which arrives into Milano shortly before 13:00.
This journey is made up of 1 change.
Train 1
Between Köln/Cologne Hbf and Zürich HB / Zurich main stationYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Zurich HB
Train 2
Between Zürich HB / Zurich main station and Milano CentraleYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Milano Centrale
This train also calls at : Como. S Giovanni and Monza
Journey description:
These trains may be faster than ever, but now that they use The Gotthard Base Tunnel and the brand new Ceneri Base Tunnel, this journey is also less scenic than it used to be.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel is now the world's longest railway tunnel, so long that it takes trains more than 15 mins to travel through it.
An announcement is made on the train just before it enters the tunnel.
However, this is still one of Europe's most epic express train journeys and thanks to those tunnels the journey time is now more than an hour faster than it was previously.
From the LEFT of the train (when facing the direction of travel) the first highlight to look out for is the view over Lake Zurich, as the train ascends up from the shore.
Then, if the weather is behaving itself, after departure from Zug station comes what is now the highlight of the journey, the view over the Zuger See.
This lake with its mountain peaks on the far shore can be seen on the right for more than 15 mins between Zug and Arth-Goldau station.
The next beautiful vista to look out for comes after departure from Arth-Goldau station, when on the right, the train will pass by the Lauerzersee.
The train then travels through a dramatic landscape to the north of Schwyz, which used to be a preview of what was to come when the trains still used the older Gotthard route.
Just to the south of here, also look out on the right for glimpses of the Luzernsee.
Now that the trains on this route use the Ceneri Base Tunnel the next scenic highlights on the journey
come shortly after departure from Lugano, where there are views over the lake, initially over on the LEFT.
The final wow moments come after departure from Lugano station, the train will travel along the shore of the Lago di Lugano
and then the train will cross the lake.
After the trains have crossed the lake, the best of the views switch to the right.The Italian section of the journey south of Chiasso is more mundane, despite the trains passing through Como, its namesake lake can't be seen from these trains.
Tickets
As this journey involves connections from a night train, separate bookings will be required for the Koln/Cologne to Zurich journey and the Zurich to Milano journey.
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please consider saying thank you.
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