An expanded service of trains between Milan and Zurich is in place on new timetable, which exploits both the new trains which have been introduced to the route and the recently opened Ceneri Base Tunnel, which has enabled the fastest ever journey time between the two cities.
Though this remains a journey which showcases the best of European rail travel.
The smart new trains have restaurant cars, the engineering achievements to enable the journey time are phenomenal and despite the epic, recently opened rail tunnels, most of the journey is still fantastically beautiful!
Final Destination: Zurich
Connect in Zurich for destinations without direct trains from Milan including Chur, Munich, St Gallen and Stuttgart
These trains also call at: Arth -Goldau (change for Luzern) and Zug
The Giruno trains comprise the majority of departures, but on a few departures, particularly the train which is typically scheduled to leave at 17:10, a combination of Astoro and ETR 600 trains can be used.
8 x trains per day from Milano Centrale
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings 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.
When looking up journeys on Trenitalia enter Zuerich (city) as the Arrival station.
Promotional fares are occasionally offered for this journey; when they are available the price can drop to €19.
Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
---|---|---|
Italia rail | from €29 | |
Trenitalia | from €29 | |
Trainline | from €29 | |
Save A Train | from €29 | |
Omio | from €29 | |
Rail Europe | from €29 |
An additional two daily trains including the final departure of the day from Milano to Zurich, now leave from Milano Rogoredo station.
The first hour of this journey is unexceptional, but things become a tad more fabulous once the train has passed through Chiasso and crossed the border into Switzerland.
Once you're in Switzerland, look out for these highlights:
The views from the left over Lake Lugano, as the train nears Lugano.
The crossing over Lake Lugano - with great views from both sides of the train.
South of Lugano station, the views over the lake switch to the right.
After departure from Lugano, the train will now travel through the new Ceneri Base Tunnel.
After departure from Bellinzona the train will enter the world's longest railway tunnel, The Gotthard Base Tunnel - so long that it takes the train around 14mins to pass through it.
Despite the fact that this train now travels through The Gotthard Base Tunnel this is still a scenic journey through the Alps.
After the train has exited the tunnel and travelled through Schwyz, there are views on the left over Lake Luzern, which aren’t available when heading south on these trains.
Then shortly afterwards, before Arth-Goldau, also on the left there are views over the Lauerzersee.
After departure from Arth-Goldau there are some beautiful views over Lake Zug - also on the left.
(All of the videos were taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction)
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This is one of more than 100 train travel guides available on ShowMeTheJourney, which will make it easier to take the train journeys you want or need to make. As always, all images were captured on trips taken by ShowMeTheJourney.