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From Zurich To Genova / Genoa by train
How to take the rail journey from northern Switzerland to Italy's Mediterranean Coast
This recently introduced direct train connects Zurich and lake Lugano with Genova where connections are available by train to the Cinque Terra and the Italian Riviera; and to ferries on to Corsica and Sardinia
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Routes
From Zurich to Genova by direct train
Journey Summary
5hr 19min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Genova P. Principe
The train also calls at: Lugano (departs at 12:30) and Pavia and Tortona
The direct train to Genova/Genoa is now departing Zurich HB station at 10:33 with an arrival into Piazza Principe station at 15:52.
Note that this train does not serve, the other main station in the city, Genova Brignole.
1 x train per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 months ahead of the travel date
On the Trenitalia website, you will need to enter Zuerich Hb as the departure station.
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 this train for a journey to Switzerland (seats will automatically be assigned when booking tickets).
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 per passenger.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Trenitalia | from €41 | |
| Save A Train | from €41 | |
| Rail Europe | from €41 | |
| Trainline | from €41 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Typical onward connections from Genova:
- On most Monday to Fridays a Regionale train will be scheduled to depart from Genova Piazza Principe at 16:10 and it will call at all five of the Cinque Terre villages on route to La Spezia.
- At weekends you can take this 16:10 train and connect for the Cinque Terre villages in Sestri Levante.
- A Frecciabianca train on to Pisa, Livorno and Grosseto will depart Genova at 17:05.
- At 16:58 a Frecciabianca train will depart for the Italian Riviera calling at Finale Ligure, Albenga and Sanremo.
Journey description:
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.
TThen, if the weather is behaving itself, after departure from Zug station comes what is now the highlight of the journey, the view over the Zugersee.
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.
Then 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.
and then the train will cross the lake, which is quite the wow moment!
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 and there isn't anything particularly special about the final part of the journey from Milano on to Genova.
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