 To check train times & fares within Switzerland, use the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch. |
This page explains how to travel from Zurich, Geneva, Interlaken, Luzern or anywhere in Switzerland to other cities all over Europe, and how to buy tickets. Information current for 2024.
Station guides: Geneva Lausanne Basel SBB Zurich HB
Before you buy your tickets
Take a moment to read these tips for buying European train tickets. It answers all the usual questions, "Do I need to book in advance or can I buy at the station?", "Can I stop off?", "Are there Senior fares?" and that old favourite, "Should I buy an $800 railpass or a 35 point-to-point ticket?". How far ahead can you buy train tickets?
European train travel FAQ
Train travel within Switzerland
Buy Swiss train tickets
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www.sbb.ch - Swiss Federal Railways' own site, in CHF.
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www.thetrainline.com, easy to use, in CHF, , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee. About Thetrainline.
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For more information, see the train travel in Switzerland page.
Switzerland to London & UK
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See the
London to Switzerland page for train times, fares & how to
buy tickets between Switzerland & the UK in either direction.
You take a TGV-Lyria from Geneva, Lausanne, Basel SBB or Zurich HB to Paris Gare de Lyon, then a Eurostar from Paris Gare du Nord to London.
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Buy tickets from Switzerland to London at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
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Buy onward tickets from London to other British towns & cities at www.thetrainline.com.
You collect tickets from the self-service ticket machines or in many cases can print them out or show it on your phone.
If you're booking a train-specific Advance fare and your onward train leaves from St Pancras, Kings Cross or Euston, I'd allow at least 1 hour between Eurostar arrival and any onward train to allow for delay, even though it only takes 3 minutes to walk across the road to Kings Cross or 10 minutes to walk to Euston. I'd allow 90 minutes if booking a train-specific Advance fare and your onward train goes from Paddington, Waterloo or Liverpool Street as then you'll need to change stations by Underground or taxi.
Switzerland to Dublin & Ireland
Option 1, Switzerland to Dublin via London & Holyhead - daily departures
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Day 1, travel from Switzerland to London by TGV-Lyria & Eurostar, as shown on the London to Switzerland page.
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Stay overnight in London, see suggested hotels near St Pancras.
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Day 2, travel from London Euston to Dublin on the morning train & ferry service, arriving Dublin Ferryport 17:25, see details here.
It's only a 10 minute walk between St Pancras & Euston stations. Rail & Sail is an inexpensive, fun and interesting way to go, see an illustrated account of the journey. By all means stop off in London for longer if you like.
Option 2, Switzerland to Dublin via Paris & Cherbourg - several times a week
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Day 1, travel from Switzerland to Paris on any afternoon or early evening high-speed TGV-Lyria train, as shown below.
You can book from anywhere in Switzerland to Paris at www.thetrainline.com from 29 upwards.
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Stay overnight in Paris, see suggested hotels near the stations.
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Day 2, travel from Paris to Dublin by train & ferry, taking a morning train from Paris St Lazare to Cherbourg & an overnight ferry to Dublin as shown in the Paris to Dublin section, arriving in the morning on Day 3.
Irish Ferries sails Cherbourg-Dublin several times a week. Start by booking the ferry at www.irishferries.com and add a train connection using www.thetrainline.com, see the Paris to Dublin section for details.
Switzerland to Paris from 29
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TGV-Lyria high-speed trains link Switzerland with Paris on three routes:
- Geneva to Paris Gare de Lyon in 3h10.
- Lausanne to Paris Gare de Lyon in 3h38.
- Zurich HB & Basel SBB to Paris Gare de Lyon: Basel-Paris 3h03, Zurich-Paris 4h03.
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TGV-Lyria trains have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more about about TGV-Lyria.
They have 3 classes: Standard (2nd class), Standard Premiere (1st class) and Business Premiere (a separate 1st class car with flexible tickets and a meal with wine included in the fare).
The Geneva-Paris route is particularly scenic: For the first hour the train passes at slow speed through the wonderful mountains of the Haut-Bugey route, crossing the remarkable Cize-Bolozon viaduct over the Ain gorge, before joining the high-speed line for the 2-hour dash to Paris across rural France, see the Paris-Geneva photos here.
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How much does it cost?
Fares start at 29 in Standard, 51 Standard Premiθre, 184 Business Premiθre.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets for TGV-Lyria
Buy tickets at www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee) or www.raileurope.com (in , £ or $, small booking fee, about Raileurope) or www.thetrainline.com (in , £ or $, small booking fee, about Trainline).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
Tip: www.sncf-connect.com & www.thetrainline.com allow you to choose your seat from a seat map when booking 1st class tickets.
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How to buy tickets from anywhere in Switzerland to Paris
You can buy tickets from almost any Swiss town or city to Paris at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in CHF, , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Swiss Railways website www.sbb.ch (in CHF, more fiddly).
How it works: Unlike the German & Austrian railways, TGV-Lyria don't offer through tickets from other Swiss cities to Paris at inclusive prices. So a journey from Interlaken to Paris (for example) involves a Swiss ticket from Interlaken to Basel and a TGV-Lyria ticket from Basel to Paris. www.thetrainline.com & www.raileurope.com connect to both the Swiss & French ticketing systems so can book such a journey as one transaction, seamlessly sourcing both tickets.
Tip: Swiss trains are very punctual, but I'd play safe and take a Swiss connecting train which arrives at the interchange station at least 20 minutes before your TGV-Lyria leaves. If that means a 40 minute connection rather than the 10 minutes suggested online, so be it!
Tip: Normal Swiss domestic tickets have a fixed price and are good for any train that day, so you can buy them any time, even on the day of travel, they can't sell out. But if you book in advance at www.thetrainline.com or www.sbb.ch, you can find advance-purchase Supersaver tickets (specified train only, no refunds) for longer Swiss journeys which save up to 70% off the regular fare. A Swiss Saver Day Pass can also be cheaper than a regular ticket, and www.thetrainline.com will offer that if it's the cheapest option.
The Geneva-Paris route has the nicest scenery of all the TGV-Lyria routes. For the first hour or so out of Geneva, the train snakes through the hills on the wonderfully scenic Haut-Bugey line. Above, a lake, probably the Lac de Nantua.
More scenery as the train snakes through the hills on the wonderfully scenic Haut-Bugey line.
More scenery along the river valley between Bourg en Bresse & Bellegarde. This wonderful view is on the left hand side, although you can't pick sides when booking.
Towards the end of the Haut-Bugey Line the train crosses the spectacular Cize-Bolozon viaduct over the Ain gorge (above), the major structure on the Haut-Bugey line. The best view from the viaduct is on the right hand side of the train when heading towards Paris, pictured above.
Switzerland to Bordeaux, Toulouse, Lourdes, Brittany & northern France
Option 1, Switzerland to anywhere in France via Paris - this usually means changing stations by taxi or metro.
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Step 1, travel from Switzerland to Paris Gare de Lyon by TGV-Lyria as shown above.
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Transfer by taxi or metro from the Gare de Lyon to the relevant Paris station for your onward train.
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Step 2, take an onward train from:
Paris Montparnasse to Le Mans, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Biarritz, Lourdes, Brittany.
Paris Austerlitz to Orleans, Limoges, Brive, Cahors
Paris St Lazare to Rouen, Le Havre, Caen, Cherbourg.
Paris Gare du Nord to Amiens, Lille, Calais.
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How much does it cost?
Switzerland to Paris starts at 29 in 2nd class or 51 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Paris to other French cities typically starts at 25 in 2nd class or 45 in 1st class.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets from Switzerland to any French city at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee). About Raileurope, about Thetrainline. You can also book at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
Tip: If using www.raileurope.com, you can specify a robust connection in Paris by clicking More options and enter Paris (any station) as a via station with a stopover duration of 1 hour or more. By default, the French Railways ticketing system allows cross-Paris connections as tight as 42 minutes.
Option 2, Basel to Bordeaux, avoiding Paris - options for avoiding Paris are limited, but here's a possibility for Bordeaux.
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Step 1, travel from any Swiss station to Basel SBB. I'd allow at least 30 minutes between trains in Basel.
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Step 2, travel from Basel to Strasbourg by TER regional train, leaving Basel SBB at 11:51 and arriving Strasbourg at 13:09.
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Step 3, travel from Strasbourg to Bordeaux by direct TGV, leaving Strasbourg at 14:01 arriving Bordeaux St Jean at 20:02.
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee). About Raileurope. About Thetrainline. You can also book at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: If using www.raileurope.com, you can specify a robust connection in Strasbourg by clicking More options and entering Strasbourg as a via station with a stopover duration of at least 30 minutes.
Option 3, Basel to Le Mans, Angers & Nantes, avoiding Paris - options for avoiding Paris are limited, but here's a possibility for Nantes.
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Step 1, travel from any Swiss station to Basel SBB. I'd allow at least 30 minutes between trains in Basel.
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Step 2, travel from Basel to Strasbourg by TER regional train, leaving Basel SBB at 14:51 and arriving Strasbourg at 16:09.
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Step 3, travel from Strasbourg to Le Mans, Angers or Nantes by direct TGV, leaving Strasbourg at 17:01.
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee). About Raileurope. About Thetrainline. You can also book at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: If using www.raileurope.com you can specify a robust connection in Strasbourg by clicking More options and entering Strasbourg as a via station with a stopover duration of at least 30 minutes.
Option 4, Geneva to Le Mans, Angers & Nantes, avoiding Paris - options for avoiding Paris are limited, here's another possibility.
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Step 1, travel from any Swiss station to Geneva. I'd allow at least 30 minutes between trains in Geneva.
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Step 2, travel from Geneva to Lyon by TER regional train, leaving Geneva at 15:14 and arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 17:22.
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Step 3, travel from Lyon to Le Mans, Angers or Nantes by direct TGV, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 18:27 daily.
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) About Raileurope. About Thetrainline. You can also book at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: If using www.raileurope.com you can specify a robust connection in Lyon by clicking More options and entering Lyon Part Dieu as a via station with a stopover duration of at least 30 minutes.
Option 5, Geneva to Narbonne, Carcassonne & Toulouse, avoiding Paris
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Step 1, travel from any Swiss station to Geneva. I'd allow at least 30 minutes between trains in Geneva.
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Step 2, travel from Geneva to Lyon by TER regional train, leaving Geneva at 15:14 and arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 17:22.
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Step 3, travel from Lyon to Narbonne, Carcassonne & Toulouse by direct TGV, leaving Lyon Part Dieu 18:10 arriving Toulouse Matabiau 22:19.
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) About Raileurope. About Thetrainline. You can also book at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: If using www.raileurope.com you can specify a robust connection in Lyon by clicking More options and entering Lyon Part Dieu as a via station with a stopover duration of at least 30 minutes.
Switzerland to Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Cannes, Nice & South of France
If you're starting in Geneva & western Switzerland, the route via Lyon is probably best even for Nice. From southern or eastern Switzerland, the route via Milan is best if you're going to Nice, but the route via Geneva & Lyon is better if you're going to Lyon or Avignon.
Option 1, Switzerland to Nice via Geneva & Lyon
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Step 1, travel from any Swiss city to Geneva by Swiss domestic train. I'd allow at least 30 minutes between trains in Geneva.
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Step 2, travel from Geneva for Lyon Part-Dieu by TER regional train, these leave every hour or so, journey time around 2h.
The trains are composed of former inter-city carriages so very comfortable. There's no catering, so bring your own food & drink. It's a lovely journey through the Jura and along the river Rhτne.
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Step 3, take a TGV from Lyon Part-Dieu to Avignon, Aix, Marseille, Toulon, Cannes, Nice, Nimes, Montpellier, Perpignan.
All these TGVs have a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Sadly, the direct TGVs from Geneva to Avignon & Marseille were discontinued in December 2019.
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For example:
Leave Geneva 05:14, change at Lyon Part-Dieu, arrive Nice 12:55.
Leave Geneva 15:14, change at Lyon Part-Dieu, arrive Nice 22:28.
Times may vary and other journeys are possible with a second change of train, so check online.
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How much does it cost?
Geneva to Lyon costs 31.90 in 2nd class, 42.40 in 1st class, fixed-price, good for any train that day.
Lyon to other French cities such as Nice or Marseille starts at 25 in 2nd class or 45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares.
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How to buy tickets
The easiest way to find train times & buy tickets from anywhere in Switzerland to anywhere in France is at www.thetrainline.com, in CHF, , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.
Tip: You might get better results if you first book from Geneva to France, add that to your basket, then book a Swiss connecting ticket as a second booking, add that to your basket and check out.
You can also book from Geneva to French cities at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee).
It can help to remember that Geneva in French is Genθve, and the main station in Geneva is sometimes called Geneva Cornavin.
Option 2, Switzerland to Nice Milan & Ventimiglia
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Step 1, travel from Switzerland to Milan Centrale by train, a few scenic hours through the Alps, see the Switzerland to Milan page.
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Step 2, travel from Milan Centrale to Menton, Monte Carlo, Nice, Antibes or Cannes using a Trenitalia InterCity train to Ventimiglia, then a French TER local train from Ventimiglia onwards, see the timetable & information on the Milan to Nice page.
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For example, you can leave Zurich HB at 10:33 by EuroCity train, change at Genoa Piazza Principle onto the 16:58 Intercity to Ventimiglia, a connecting TER local train will get you to Monte-Carlo at 19:47, Nice Ville at 20:11 & Cannes at 20:52.
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How much does it cost?
Zurich to Milan starts at 29 in 2nd class or 49 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Milan to Ventimiglia starts at 19.90 in 2nd class or 26.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Ventimiglia to Nice by TER costs 9.20, fixed-price, good for any train that day. 7.50 or 5 promotional fares sometimes offered.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas cards no problem, small booking fee).
Booking usually opens up to 4 months ahead. If you have any problems, book each train separately, add to basket & check out.
All these tickets can be printed out or shown on your phone.
Option 3, Basel to Lyon, Avignon, Marseille via Mulhouse - a once-a-day service from Basel that might come in useful
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Step 1, travel from Basel to Mulhouse by TER regional train leaving Basel SBB at 16:21 and arriving Mulhouse at 16:44.
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Step 2, travel from Mulhouse to Lyon, Avignon & Marseille by TGV Duplex, leaving Mulhouse at 17:09 and arriving Lyon Part Dieu 19:56, Avignon TGV 21:09, Aix en Provence TGV 21:31 & Marseille St Charles 21:46.
The TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views.
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How much does it cost?
Basel to Mulhouse costs 8.80, fixed-price.
Mulhouse to Avignon or Marseille starts at 25 in 2nd class or 45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee). You can also book at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee).
Booking usually opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Switzerland to Mulhouse, Colmar, Strasbourg
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Step 1, travel from anywhere in Switzerland to Basel SBB by Swiss train.
Normal full-price Swiss tickets are good for any train that day as is a Saver Day Pass, but advance-purchase Supersaver fares are only good for the specific train you book.
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Step 2, travel from Basel SBB to Mulhouse, Colmar & Strasbourg by TER (Train Rιgional Express).
These leave every hour or at times every half hour from platforms 31-35 at Basel SBB, sometimes known as Basel SNCF. Basel to Strasbourg takes just 1h20 at up to 200 km/h.
These TER trains have 1st & 2nd class, but no catering so bring your own food & drink. They are composed of an electric locomotive and spacious, smooth-riding Corail cars bumped down from mainline service, showing their age but pretty comfortable. There are no seat reservations, you sit where you like.
Basel to Strasbourg costs 28 normal tariff, even bought on the day. Unlimited availability, cannot sell out.
However, cheaper train-specific fares from 10 may be available if you book ahead.
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Check times and buy tickets from anywhere in Switzerland to Mulhouse, Colmar or Strasbourg at www.thetrainline.com.
www.thetrainline.com connects to both the SBB (Swiss) and SNCF (French) ticketing systems so can seamlessly ticket a journey from anywhere in Switzerland to Mulhouse Colmar or Strasbourg. You print your own ticket or can show them on your phone.
Booking for the Basel-Strasbourg trains opens up to 4 months ahead.
Switzerland to Brussels & Bruges from 37.90
Option 1, Switzerland to Brussels by ICE high-speed train through Germany - the fast & easy route
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Take a superb German ICE train from Switzerland to Frankfurt and another ICE train to Brussels. For example:
Leave Zurich HB 05:59 & Basel SBB 07:06, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Brussels Midi 13:35.
Leave Zurich HB 07:59 & Basel SBB 09:06, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Brussels Midi 15:35.
Leave Zurich HB 09:59 & Basel SBB 11:06, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Brussels Midi 17:35.
Leave Zurich HB 11:59 & Basel SBB 13:06, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Brussels Midi 19:35.
Leave Zurich HB 13:59 & Basel SBB 15:06, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Brussels Midi 21:35.
Leave Interlaken Ost 05:58, Bern 07:04, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Brussels Midi 15:35.
Leave Interlaken Ost 10:00, Bern 11:04, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Brussels Midi 19:35.
These ICE trains all have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Times may vary at certain times of year.
From anywhere else in Switzerland, simply catch a Swiss domestic train to Basel or Zurich to connect. I'd allow at least 20 minutes between trains in Basel or Zurich.
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Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
German Railways offer Sparpreis tickets from almost any Swiss station to any Belgian station.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from almost anywhere in Switzerland to Brussels, Bruges or anywhere in Belgium for one inclusive price.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Tip: It can help to click Stopovers and enter Frankfurt (Main) Hbf as a stopover.
An ICE3neo at Brussels Midi with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about ICE trains. Photo courtesy of Christian Hunt.
Option 2, Switzerland to Brussels via the Rhine Valley - the scenic route, takes an extra hour
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Take one of two direct EuroCity trains from Switzerland to Cologne, then an ICE train to Brussels.
Leave Zurich HB at 10:59 or Basel SBB at 12:20 on train EC8, change at Cologne Hbf and arrive Brussels Midi at 19:35.
Leave Interlaken Ost 12:00, Bern 13:04 or Basel SBB at 14:27 on train EC6, change at Cologne Hbf and arrive Brussels Midi at 21:35.
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Both EuroCity trains have spacious and comfortable Swiss Federal Railways EuroCity cars and an elegant Swiss restaurant car. Instead of taking the high-speed line between Mainz & Cologne, these trains take the classic line along the scenic Rhine valley, past river boats, vineyards, castles and the legendary Lorelei Rock, see the Rails Down the Rhine page. I think it's worth the extra time! The ICE trains between Cologne & Brussels have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead..
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from almost anywhere in Switzerland to Brussels, Bruges or anywhere in Belgium for one inclusive price.
To get the Rhine Valley scenic route, click Stopovers and enter Koblenz Hbf with length of stay left as 00:00.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone or laptop. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Tip: Panorama car on train EC8. You'll thank me for this! Train EC8 from Zurich & Basel to Cologne conveys a wonderful Swiss 1st class panorama car, the Rails Down the Rhine video. Speeding along the Rhine in this is a real treat, yet all you need to sit in it is a 1st class ticket. To make sure you get a seat in it, add a seat reservation when you book, using the select seat link to pick a seat in car 263, see the advice on the Rails Down the Rhine page.
Option 3, Zurich & Basel to Brussels using the Zurich-Cologne sleeper train - the time-effective option
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Step 1, travel from Switzerland to Cologne by Nightjet sleeper train leaving Zurich HB at 21:59 & Basel SBB 23:13, arriving Cologne Hbf 05:53.
This comfortable Nightjet train has two air-conditioned sleeping-cars, one running Basel-Cologne-Amsterdam, one Zurich-Basel-Cologne-Amsterdam. Each car has 11 compartments, each of which can be used as 1, 2 or 3 berth with washbasin. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. Watch the Amsterdam-Switzerland sleeper video.
Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.oebb.at. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes less.
Tip: This train may be listed in the search results twice, once as an IC with seats, once as an NJ with couchettes/sleepers. Choose the latter!
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Step 2, travel from Cologne to Brussels by Eurostar (formerly Thalys), leaving Cologne Hbf at 06:44 & arriving Brussels Midi 08:36.
Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed trains have 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Fares start at 18.90 in 2nd class or 49.90 in 1st class. Prices vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.raileurope.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee).
Option 4, Geneva to Brussels using the direct Lyon-Brussels TGVs - convenient with no need to cross Paris
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This is a hassle-free way from Geneva to Brussels, faster than option 1 when starting in Geneva. You take a TER regional train from Geneva to Lyon Part Dieu, then take a direct high-speed TGV from Lyon Part Dieu to Brussels Midi which by-passes Paris. For example:
Leave Geneva 07:14, change at Lyon Part Dieu, arrive Brussels Midi 15:25.
Leave Geneva 09:14, change at Lyon Part Dieu, arrive Brussels Midi 17:43.
Leave Geneva 13:14, change at Lyon Part Dieu, arrive Brussels Midi 20:43.
Leave Geneva 15:14, change at Lyon Part Dieu, arrive Brussels Midi 22:43.
The TER regional train is comfortable, but with no catering, so bring your own food & drink. It's a pretty journey through the Jura and along the River Rhτne. The TGV has a cafe-bar.
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How much does it cost?
Geneva to Lyon costs 31.90 in 2nd class, 42.40 in 1st class, fixed-price, good for any train that day.
Lyon to Brussels starts at around 35 in 2nd class or 55 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
You can buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com easy to use, in CHF, , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
Tip: Look for the little via link and enter Lyon Part Dieu as a via station to force it to find journeys via Lyon. Look carefully for options with 1 change, at Lyon and (most importantly) without any change in Paris.
Or book at www.raileurope.com, clicking More options and entering Lyon Part Dieu as a via station. You can also book at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee), again specifying Lyon Part Dieu as a via station.
Option 5, Switzerland to Brussels via Paris - cheap & fast, but involves crossing Paris. Geneva to Brussels in as little as 5h36
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Step 1, take a TGV-Lyria high-speed train from Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich HB or Basel SBB to Paris Gare de Lyon.
TGV-Lyria trains have 3 classes, a cafe-bar, and power sockets at all seats, see the TGV-Lyria guide. Geneva or Basel to Paris takes a little over 3 hours, Zurich to Paris 4h03.
Allow at least 60 minutes to change trains & stations by metro or taxi from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord
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Step 2, take a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed train from Paris Gare du Nord to Brussels Midi, they leave almost every hour taking 1h22.
Eurostar trains have 3 classes, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).
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How much does it cost?
Switzerland to Paris starts at 29 in 2nd class or 51 in 1st class.
Paris to Brussels starts at 29 in 2nd class or 59 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas cards no problem, small booking fee.
If using www.raileurope.com you can specify a more robust connection in Paris: Set up the enquiry from Switzerland to Brussels, click More options and enter Paris (any station) as a via station, with 1 hour stopover duration. That gets you a robust connection, by default the system allows cross-Paris connections as tight as 42 minutes, I recommend at least an hour, ideally more.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
You can also book at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com, in , no booking fee. You can specify via Paris, but there's no stopover duration setting so to get a robust connection in Paris you might need to book Switzerland-Paris & Paris-Brussels separately.
Option 6, Switzerland to Brussels with overnight stop in Frankfurt - might work out more time-effective
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Step 1, travel from Switzerland to Frankfurt on any late afternoon or early evening ICE train you like.
For example, you can leave Zurich HB as late as 18:59 and Basel SBB at 20:13 arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 23:08 (23:52 some dates), but by all means book an earlier one for more of an evening in Frankfurt.
Check times from anywhere in Switzerland to Frankfurt at int.bahn.de.
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Stay overnight in Frankfurt. Hotels next to the station with good or great reviews include the Flemings Express Hotel & Hotel Hamburger Hof, both of which I have used myself and can recommend. There's also The Frankfurt and the inexpensive Hotel Topas.
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Step 2, travel from Frankfurt to Brussels on any morning train you like, they leave every two hours.
For example, you can leave Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 06:28 arriving Brussels Midi 09:35, or at 08:16 arriving Brussels Midi 11:35.
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Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from anywhere in Switzerland to Brussels, Bruges or anywhere in Belgium.
To get the overnight stop, you must click Stopovers and enter Frankfurt (Main) Hbf as a stopover with a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours. Adjust the departure time and increase or decrease the length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Frankfurt.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone or laptop. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Switzerland to Amsterdam from 37.90
Option 1, Switzerland to Amsterdam by Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option
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New from the timetable change in December 2021, a Nightjet sleeper train leaves Zurich HB at 21:59 & Basel SBB at 23:13 every evening, setting down at Arnhem & Utrecht and arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 09:14.
This comfortable Nightjet train has two air-conditioned AB33 sleeping-cars, one running Zurich-Basel-Amsterdam, one Basel-Amsterdam. Each sleeping-car has 11 compartments, each of which can be used as 1, 2 or 3 berth (single, double or triple) with washbasin. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has a Zurich-Amsterdam couchette car with 4 & 6 berth compartments, one or two Basel-Amsterdam couchette car, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. More about Nightjets.
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Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book this train at www.oebb.at. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes less.
Tip: This train may be listed in the search results twice, once as an IC with seats, once as an NJ with couchettes/sleepers. Choose the latter!
Option 2, Switzerland to Amsterdam by daytime trains - the fast daytime option
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Take a superb German ICE train from Switzerland to Frankfurt, then another ICE train to Amsterdam. For example:
Leave Zurich HB 05:59 & Basel SBB 07:06, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Amsterdam Centraal 15:29.
Leave Zurich HB 09:59 & Basel SBB 11:06, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Amsterdam Centraal 20:29.
Leave Zurich HB 14:34 & Basel SBB 15:06, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Amsterdam Centraal 23:29 (not Saturdays, not some dates).
Or leave Basel SBB 15:13 by direct ICE to Amsterdam Centraal, arriving 21:59 (runs most days, not all).
Leave Interlaken Ost 05:58, Bern 07:04, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Amsterdam Centraal 15:29.
Leave Interlaken Ost 10:00, Bern 11:04, change at Frankfurt (Main) Hbf, arrive Amsterdam Centraal 20:29.
These ICE trains all have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Times may vary due to trackwork.
From anywhere else in Switzerland, simply catch a Swiss domestic train to Basel or Zurich to connect. I'd allow at least 20 minutes between trains in Basel or Zurich. You can check times from anywhere in Switzerland to Amsterdam at int.bahn.de.
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Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from almost anywhere in Switzerland to Amsterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands for one inclusive price.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Tip: It can help to click Stopovers and enter Frankfurt (Main) Hbf as a stopover station. It should normally be possible to make this journey with only 1 change.
An ICE3neo at Amsterdam Centraal. Click on the interior images for larger photos.
Option 3, Switzerland to Amsterdam via the Rhine Valley - the leisurely scenic route, takes an hour longer
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Take one of two direct Swiss EuroCity trains from Switzerland to Cologne, then an ICE train to Amsterdam.
Leave Zurich HB at 10:59 or Basel SBB at 12:20 on train EC8, change at Cologne Hbf, and arrive Amsterdam Centraal at 20:29.
Leave Interlaken Ost 12:00, Bern 13:04 or Basel SBB 14:27 on train EC6, change Cologne Hbf or Dόsseldorf & arrive Amsterdam Centraal 23:29.
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Both EuroCity trains have spacious and comfortable Swiss Federal Railways EuroCity cars and an elegant Swiss restaurant car. Instead of taking the high-speed line between Mainz & Cologne, these trains take the classic line along the scenic Rhine valley, past river boats, vineyards, castles and the legendary Lorelei Rock, see the Rails Down the Rhine page. I think it's worth the extra hour! The ICE trains between Cologne & Brussels have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from almost anywhere in Switzerland to Amsterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands for one inclusive price.
To get the Rhine Valley scenic route, click Stopovers and enter Koblenz Hbf with length of stay left as 00:00.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Tip: Panorama car on train EC8. You will thank me for this! Train EC8 from Zurich & Basel to Cologne conveys a wonderful Swiss 1st class panorama car, see the Rails Down the Rhine video. Speeding along the Rhine in this is a real treat, yet all you need to sit in it is a 1st class ticket. To make sure you get a seat in it, add a seat reservation when you book, using the select seat link to pick a seat in car 263, see the advice on the Rails Down the Rhine page.
Option 4, Switzerland to Amsterdam with overnight stop in Frankfurt - might work out more time-effective for you
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Step 1, travel from Switzerland to Frankfurt on any late afternoon or early evening ICE train you like.
For example, you can leave Zurich HB as late as 18:59 and Basel SBB at 20:13 arriving Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 23:08 (23:52 some dates), but by all means book an earlier one for more of an evening in Frankfurt.
Check times from anywhere in Switzerland to Frankfurt at int.bahn.de.
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Stay overnight in Frankfurt. Hotels next to the station with good or great reviews include the Flemings Express Hotel & Hotel Hamburger Hof, both of which I have stayed at and can recommend. There's also The Frankfurt and the inexpensive Hotel Topas.
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Step 2, travel from Frankfurt to Amsterdam on any morning train you like, they leave every two hours.
For example, you can leave Frankfurt (Main) Hbf at 07:26 arriving Amsterdam Centraal at 11:29, or have a leisurely breakfast and catch the later 09:27 arriving 13:29.
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Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de from anywhere in Switzerland to anywhere in the Netherlands.
You can book from almost anywhere in Switzerland to Amsterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands for one inclusive price.
To get the overnight stop, click Stopovers and enter Frankfurt (Main) Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours. Adjust departure time and increase or decrease the length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Frankfurt.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone or laptop. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Switzerland to Luxembourg from 37.90
Option 1, Switzerland to Luxembourg via Basel, Mulhouse, Strasbourg, Metz - in theory the fastest & most direct route
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You can travel from Basel to Luxembourg on a series of TER regional trains (and the occasional TGV) via Mulhouse, Strasbourg & Metz, with Basel-Luxembourg taking as little as 3h36.
However, since the two direct Basel-Luxembourg trains were discontinued in 2016, it's become something of a mish-mash of services with 1, 2 or 3 changes in various different places, beware of tight connections with potentially long waits if you miss them.
Buy tickets at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com.
Just see what times and fares are available and choose what seems best for you. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.
You can also book at www.raileurope.com and www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in , £ or $, small booking fee.
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Depending on your starting point in Switzerland, it might even be cheaper and/or faster to book a TGV-Lyria from Switzerland to Paris Gare de Lyon from 29, cross Paris by taxi or metro, then take a TGV from Paris Gare de l'Est to Luxembourg from 25. This is an option worth considering if you are starting in Geneva or Lausanne.
To find journeys via Paris, run an enquiry at www.raileurope.com, but before you run it, click More options, enter Paris (any station) as a via station with a stopover duration of at least 1 hour. By default, the system allows cross-Paris connections as tight as 42 minutes, I'd never book one less than an hour. You can also book at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no booking fee) but this doesn't allow you to specify a stopover duration.
Option 2, Switzerland to Luxembourg via Basel & Koblenz from 37.90 - slower but cheaper & easier to book, with through tickets.
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This is a longer way round, but it's much easier to book, more frequent & significantly cheaper thanks to German Railways through fares from almost any Swiss station to Luxembourg. As it involves a scenic ride along the Rhine & Moselle valleys I think I'd prefer this route over the theoretically faster route through France!
Run an enquiry from any Swiss station to Luxembourg Gare at int.bahn.de, many possible departures are available from early morning until early afternoon. But I'd suggest this one with only 1 change and a special panorama car in 1st class. Obviously, from anywhere in Switzerland you'd simply take a connecting train to Basel or Zurich to pick it up:
Leave Zurich HB at 10:59 or Basel SBB at 12:13, change at Koblenz Hbf, arriving Luxembourg 19:23.
The 10:59 EuroCity train from Zurich is train EC8, with spacious & comfortable Swiss Federal Railways EuroCity cars and an elegant Swiss restaurant car. It takes the classic line along the scenic Rhine valley between Mainz & Koblenz, past river boats, vineyards, castles and the legendary Lorelei Rock, see the Rails Down the Rhine page.
Train EC8 conveys a wonderful Swiss 1st class panorama car, see the Rails Down the Rhine video. Speeding along the Rhine in this is a real treat, yet all you need to sit in it is a 1st class ticket. To make sure you get a seat in it, add a seat reservation when you book, using the select seat link to choose a seat in car 263, see the advice on the Rails Down the Rhine page.
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Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from almost anywhere in Switzerland to Luxembourg for one inclusive price.
Before running the enquiry, click Stopovers and enter Trier Hbf leaving length of stay zero. This forces the journey planner to find journeys via this route, it also eliminates journeys involving a bus. Look for journeys with just 2 changes, if not using a 1-change option.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Switzerland to Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome & Italy from 29
Choose between fast, comfortable & scenic (option 1, using mainline trains) and slow, comfortable, fabulous world-class highlight-of-your-trip scenic (option 2, via the Bernina Express). The choice is yours! With the daytime trains increasingly fast, there are no longer any sleeper trains between Switzerland and Italy.
Option 1, Switzerland to Milan by EuroCity train, then high-speed train to Venice, Florence, Rome or Naples - the fast & comfortable way
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Step 1, travel from Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne & other Swiss cities to Milan Centrale by EuroCity train.
Zurich - Lugano - Milan: EuroCity trains run every hour or two taking 3h17 on the Gotthard route through lovely Alpine scenery - although 20 minutes is spent in the Gotthard Base Tunnel, the world's longest rail tunnel. Some trains also call at Como San Giovanni, for Lake Como.
Zurich to Venice by direct train: A direct EuroCity train leaves Zurich HB at 08:33 every day for Verona Porta Nuova & Venice Santa Lucia on the Grand Canal in central Venice, arriving 14:42.
Geneva - Lausanne - Montreux - Brig - Milan: EuroCity trains run 4 or 5 times daily, Geneva-Milan in 3h55. This is the Simplon route via the famous Simplon Tunnel opened in 1906, with great views as you run along the shores of Lake Leman and past many Swiss vineyards.
Geneva, Lausanne, Brig to Venice by direct train: The 05:39 from Geneva extends to Verona & Venice Santa Lucia arriving 12:42.
Basel - Spiez - Brig - Milan EuroCity trains run several times a day, Basel-Milan in around 4h12.
Basel - Lucerne - Lugano - Milan a direct EuroCity train runs once a day from Lucerne to Milan at 12:18, but other departures are possible with an easy change of train at Arth Goldau into a Zurich-Milan EuroCity. A few minutes is all you need to change at Arth Goldau, it's only a small station.
From Interlaken, take a local train from Interlaken Ost to Spiez and either change there onto the two or three daily Spiez-Milan EuroCity trains, or you'd change at Spiez onto another Swiss domestic train to Brig to pick up a Brig-Milan EuroCity train.
From Zermatt, take the local train from Zermatt to Brig and join a (Geneva-) Brig-Milan EuroCity train there.
The new Gotthard Base Tunnel came into use in December 2016: Until 2016, the Zurich-Milan trains travelled over the Gotthard pass through dramatic track spirals and the original much shorter (15 km) Gotthard tunnel, reaching a maximum altitude of 1,154m (3,786 feet) above sea level, the most scenic of all mainline routes through the Alps. The new Gotthard Base Tunnel, significantly cuts journey time by replacing the most scenic hour of the Gotthard route with 20 minutes in a 57 km tunnel, only reaching 550m (1,805 feet) above sea level. Those of us who remember the old route find the new route a disappointment. Those who don't know what they're missing will find plenty of scenery on the revised Gotthard route, from delightful Swiss meadows & mountains to the beauty of Lake Lugano, see video of a journey from Milan to Zurich via the new tunnel. But if it's world-class high-altitude Alpine scenery you want, take the much slower narrow-gauge Bernina Route.
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Step 2, travel from Milan Centrale to Verona Porta Nuova, Venice Santa Lucia, Florence SMN, Rome Termini or Naples Centrale by Frecciarossa.
These Italian domestic high-speed trains run at least every hour. Milan Centrale to Florence SMN takes just 1h45, Milan to Venice Santa Lucia 2h35, Milan to Rome Termini 2h40. City centre to city centre with no check-in or airport hassle.
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How much does it cost?
Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern, Lucerne or Lausanne to Milan starts at 29 in 2nd class or 49 in 1st class.
Milan to Florence or Venice starts at 19.90 in 2nd class or 29.90 in 1st class.
Milan to Rome or Naples starts at 29.90 in 2nd class or 39.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets at either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Both are easy to use, in , £ or $ (www.thetrainline.com can also sell in CHF), overseas credit cards are no problem, small booking fee.
www.thetrainline.com connects to both the Swiss & Italian ticketing systems. www.raileurope.com connects to the Italian system and can sell full-flex Swiss tickets through an arrangement with French Railways. That means both sites can sell from anywhere in Switzerland to anywhere in Italy, at least in principle. Each handles the data slightly differently, so I'd check both sites.
Booking for Swiss domestic trains opens up to 6 months ahead. Booking for the international EuroCity trains opens 4 months ahead.
Tickets can be printed out or shown on your phone.
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How to buy tickets, advanced
Now for the science bit. The Swiss ticketing system can sell Swiss domestic tickets & tickets for the international EuroCity trains to Italy which it jointly runs with Trenitalia, but it cannot access Trenitalia's ticketing system so cannot sell Trenitalia's cheap fares for trains within Italy.
On the other hand, Trenitalia's ticketing system can sell cheap tickets for the international EuroCity trains between Switzerland and Italy, and obviously for its own trains within Italy, but cannot access SBB's ticketing system so cannot sell any journey involving a Swiss domestic train.
Step 1, run an enquiry on the all-Europe online timetable provided by German Railways at int.bahn.de. Look for a suitable journey, ideally with as few changes of train as possible. Note down the trains you want, identifying the Swiss domestic train(s), the cross-border EuroCity train and the onward Italian train(s).
For example, say you ran an enquiry from Zermatt to Rome. You'd pick a journey that suits you: A Swiss train from Zermatt to Brig, a EuroCity (EC) train from Brig to Milan, then a high-speed Frecciarossa from Milan to Rome. Then you'd split the booking like this:
Step 2, book the cross-border EuroCity train and onward Italian train using the Italian ticketing system at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, Trainline can also sell in CHF, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.italiarail.com (easy to use, in , $ or £, they'll refund the 3.50 booking fee to seat61 users if you email them after booking at seat61@italiarail.com) or www.trenitalia.com (in , more fiddly, requires Italian-language place names, see advice on using it).
In our example, you'd book from Brig to Rome. Booking opens 90 days ahead. The EuroCity & Italian high-speed trains are ticketless, you simply print out your booking reference or show it on your phone.
Step 3, now add a Swiss domestic ticket separately using either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in CHF, , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Swiss Federal Railways site www.sbb.ch (in , no fee). Regular Swiss tickets are fixed-price, cannot sell out, and are good for any train that day, so this bit isn't as crucial. You could buy at the station on the day if you like!
In our example, you'd book from Zermatt to Brig. You print your own ticket.
Option 2, Switzerland to Italy via the Bernina route - the ultimate scenic route
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If you have time and want spectacular scenery, try the fabulous narrow gauge Bernina route.
It's a day out, Zurich to Milan in 8h30 on 3 separate trains rather than only 3h17 on a direct mainline train, but the Bernina route is truly one of the World's greatest train rides, and arguably the best Alpine train trip of all. It'll be a highlight of your trip! If you're already in the St Moritz area, this is the most direct route to Italy. Video of a Milan to Zurich journey on the Bernina Express.
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Step 1, travel on any morning train from Zurich HB to Chur, this route runs every 30 minutes, no reservation necessary or possible.
If you want to use the actual panoramic Bernina Express itself rather than just regular trains on the same route, you'll need to leave Zurich HB at 07:07, see the Berlin Express timetable.
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Step 2, change at Chur onto the narrow-gauge Bernina Railway, run by the Rhδtische Bahn. If you use the normal local trains no reservation is necessary, just buy a ticket (in fact, you can buy a Zurich to Tirano through ticket in Zurich) and hop on the next train.
If you want to use the once daily Bernina Express with its special panoramic carriages you need a seat reservation, make a reservation and buy tickets as shown on the Bernina Express page.
In Tirano, the RhB station is adjacent to the Italian station on the same town square. It only takes 5-10 minutes to switch trains in Tirano, if you have longer you can enjoy a beer and sandwich at Margy's Bar across the road between trains.
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Step 3, take a regional train from Tirano to Milan Centrale, fare around 12, no reservation needed or possible, just buy a ticket to Milan and hop on the next train. These local trains run every 2 hours, check times at www.trenord.it. If the ticket office is closed, ask in the station cafe, they sell train tickets, but you must pay cash in .
The Tirano to Milan regional trains run along the pretty eastern shore of Lake Como, stopping at Lecco, Bellano & Varenna (for ferry to Bellagio), handy if you're staying in the Lake Como area.
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Book onward Italian trains from Milan to Rome, Florence, Venice at either www.italiarail.com or www.trenitalia.com
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For full details of times, fares & how to buy tickets, see the Bernina Express page.
Switzerland to Sicily
Option 1, Switzerland to Sicily using the Milan-Sicily sleeper
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Day 1, travel from Switzerland to Milan Centrale by EuroCity train.
There are various possible departures, for example leaving Geneva at 13:39 arriving Milan Centrale at 17:40, or leaving Zurich HB at 15:33 arriving Milan Centrale 18:50.
Check times & buy a ticket from anywhere in Switzerland to Milan at www.thetrainline.com, making sure you arrive in Milan before 19:00, to ensure a robust connection.
Ideally, travel earlier and have an early dinner at Milan Centrale, there's an excellent, inexpensive & typically Italian restaurant that gets great reviews just 5 minutes walk from the station, Noblesse Oblige, www.ristorantenoblesseoblige.com, see walking map.
Fares start at 29 in 2nd class or 49 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or www.sbb.ch (in CHF) and print them out or show them on your phone.
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Day 1, travel from Milan to Sicily on Italy's longest train ride, the epic Intercity Notte sleeper train leaving Milan Centrale at 20:10 every night and arriving next day (day 2) at Catania 14:32, Siracuse 15:48 with another portion to Palermo arriving 16:56.
Both the Milan-Palermo and Milan-Siracuse portions of this train have 4-berth Comfort couchettes and a sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments. The Milan-Catania-Siracuse portion has an Excelsior sleeping-car with several deluxe compartments with toilet & shower.
The train is ferried across the Straits of Messina to Sicily on a train ferry, a unique experience and one of the few places in the world where trains go onto ferries. See the Trains to Sicily page for more information, photos & tips.
Fares start at 39.90 in a 4-berth comfort couchette, 49.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 59.90 in a 2-bed sleeper, 89.90 in a single-bed sleeper. Prices are per person per bed. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead..
Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or Trenitalia.com (in ) and print them out or show them on your phone. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.
Option 2, Switzerland to Sicily using a Rome-Sicily sleeper
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Day 1, travel from Switzerland to Rome in a day as shown above and book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
You take a EuroCity train from Basel, Geneva or Zurich to Milan, then a high-speed Frecciarossa to Rome Termini. Allow at least 2 hours between trains in Rome, just in case of delay.
For example, you can leave Zurich HB at 11:30, change at Milan Centrale arriving Rome Termini 18:40.
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Day 1, take one of the two sleeper trains from Rome Termini to Messina, Palermo, Catania, Siracuse, see the timetable here.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Option 3, Switzerland to Sicily by daytime trains with overnight stop in Rome
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Day 1, travel from Switzerland to Milan and onwards to Rome in a day, as shown above.
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Stay overnight in Rome.
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Day 2, take one of two daily Intercity trains from Rome to Sicily, see the timetable here.
Switzerland to Barcelona, Madrid & Spain
Option 1, Switzerland to Spain in a day via Lyon - from the Alps to the Pyrenees in a single day, recommended
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Day 1, take a morning train from anywhere in Switzerland to Geneva, arriving no later than 11:00.
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Day 1, travel from Geneva to Lyon by TER regional train, leaving Geneva at 11:29 and arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 13:26.
These TER trains use former inter-city carriages, old but very comfortable. There's no catering, so bring your own food & drink. It's a lovely journey through the Jura and along the river Rhτne.
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Day 1, travel from Lyon to Barcelona by AVE S100 high-speed train, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 14:35 and arriving Barcelona Sants at 19:33.
This comfortable Spanish high-speed train has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
Look out for Bιziers cathedral on the right, colonies of flamingos on the ιtangs in southern France, the Fort de Salses on the right approaching Perpignan and great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees. More about AVE S100 & the journey.
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Day 1, travel from Barcelona to Madrid by AVE-S103 high-speed train, leaving Barcelona Sants at 21:25, arriving Madrid Atocha at 00:05.
Earlier departures may be available with other operators, but I recommend allowing at least an hour between trains in Barcelona and it's better to stick with the same operator when making connections, in this case Renfe.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona. The Hotel Barcelo Sants is top choice here, it's part of Barcelona Sants station so easy to use when arriving & departing by train, with great reviews & good feedback from Seat61 users. See other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to anywhere else in Spain by high-speed train.
For Madrid: AVE S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants with Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30.
For Granada: Leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 by AVE S112 high-speed train arriving Granada at 13:10.
For Malaga: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE S103 high-speed train arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:51.
For Cordoba & Seville: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE S103 high-speed train arriving Cordoba 13:42 & Seville Santa Justa 14:32.
For Valencia & Alicante: Euromed trains link Barcelona with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 07:15 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:10 & Alicante 12:38 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 13:13 & Alicante 15:32.
For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruρa & Vigo, there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here.
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How much does it cost?
Geneva to Lyon costs 31.90 in 2nd class, 42.40 in 1st class, fixed-price, good for any train that day.
Lyon to Barcelona starts at 39 in 2nd class or 49 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Barcelona to Madrid starts at around 20. Barcelona to Seville, Granada or Malaga starts at around 45. Fares vary like air fares.
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How to buy tickets
The easiest way to buy tickets is to use www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (whichever you prefer) as you can buy all tickets together in one place, in plain English, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee. About Raileurope. About Thetrainline.
Step 1, book the train from Geneva to Lyon and add this to your basket. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.
Step 2, book the train from Lyon to Barcelona and add to your basket. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead.
Step 3, if going beyond Barcelona, book a train from Barcelona to your Spanish destination, add to basket & check out. Trains within Spain typically open 60 days ahead, but this varies greatly. If necessary, leave booking onward trains within Spain until closer to your departure date.
For the TER, you print your ticket or show it on your phone. For the AVE and other Spanish trains you print your ticket.
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How to buy tickets, advanced
You can of course book each train separately with the relevant operator, with no booking fee, but it's more work and the same prices.
Step 1, book the train from Lyon to Barcelona at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (in , fiddly, see advice on using it).
Step 2, buy a ticket from Geneva to Lyon at the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com.
Step 3, book onward trains in Spain as another transaction at www.renfe.com.
Mt Canigou & the Pyrenees. One of the highest peaks in the mighty Pyrenees, the 2,784m (9,137 feet) high Mt Canigou dominates the skyline on the right all the way from Girona to Perpignan, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canigou.
Option 2, Geneva to Barcelona & Spain in a day via Lyon - earlier departure, with an extra change of train
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Step 1, travel from Geneva to Barcelona, leaving Geneva at 07:14, change Lyon Part Dieu & Montpelier St-Roch, arriving Barcelona Sants 16:31.
Geneva to Lyon is by TER regional train along the river Rhτne, Lyon to Montpelier is by TGV with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, Montpelier to Barcelona is by TGV Duplex also with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
The TGV Duplex passes Bιziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes between Montpelier & Narbonne, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks before Perpignan, with great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees. More about the journey.
Geneva-Lyon costs 31.90 in 2nd class, 42.40 in 1st class, fixed-price, good for any train that day.
Lyon-Barcelona starts at 39 in 2nd class or 59 in 1st class, fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
Book from Geneva to Barcelona at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no fee). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own tickets or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
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Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid, Valencia, Alicante and so on by high-speed train.
A high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:25, arriving Madrid Atocha 20:55, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
A fast Euromed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:15 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 21:07 & Alicante 23:40.
For Granada, Seville, Cordoba & Malaga, stay in Barcelona overnight, I recommend the Hotel Barcelo Sants inside the station. Next morning direct high-speed AVE trains leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 for Granada and 08:35 for Cordoba, Seville Santa Justa & Malaga Maria Zambrano.
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Check times & buy tickets using either www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, small booking fee) or Spanish railways own site www.renfe.com (in , much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up). You print your own ticket.
Booking normally opens only 60 days ahead, but this varies greatly. Allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Barcelona.
Option 3, Zurich or Basel to Barcelona & Spain in a day via Paris
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Step 1, travel from Zurich or Basel to Paris, leaving Zurich HB at 09:34 or Basel SBB 10:34, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 13:38.
The double-deck TGV-Lyria trains have 3 classes, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, see more about TGV-Lyria.
Fares start at 29 in 2nd class or 79 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways site www.sncf-connect.com, in , no booking fee. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:42 arriving Barcelona Sants at 21:27.
This 320 km/h (199 mph) double-deck TGV Duplex has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. I recommend an upper deck seat for the best views, any seat number >60 is upper deck.
It's a scenic ride, the train passes Bιziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes between Montpelier & Narbonne, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks before Perpignan, with great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees. More about the journey from Paris to Barcelona.
Fares start at 39 in 2nd class or 59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways site www.sncf-connect.com, in , no booking fee. Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona. The Hotel Barcelo Sants is top choice here, it's part of Barcelona Sants station so easy to use when arriving & departing by train, with great reviews & good feedback from Seat61 users. Other suggested hotels near the station.
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Step 3, travel from Barcelona to other Spanish destinations next morning.
For Madrid: AVE S103 high-speed trains link Barcelona Sants with Madrid Atocha every hour or two in as little as 2h30 from 35.
For Granada: Leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 by AVE S112 high-speed train arriving Granada at 13:10.
For Malaga: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE S103 high-speed train arriving Malaga Maria Zambrano at 14:51.
For Cordoba & Seville: Leave Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by AVE S103 high-speed train arriving Cordoba 13:42 & Seville Santa Justa 14:32.
For Valencia & Alicante: Euromed trains link Barcelona with Valencia & Alicante regularly through the day, for example one leaves Barcelona Sants at 07:15 Mondays-Saturdays arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 10:10 & Alicante 12:38 or at 10:15 every day arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 13:13 & Alicante 15:32.
For Santiago de Compostela, A Coruρa & Vigo, there's a morning Alvia train to Galicia, see details here.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, small booking fee) or Spanish railways own site www.renfe.com (in , much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up). Booking normally opens only 60 days ahead, but this varies greatly. You print your own ticket.
Option 4, anywhere in Switzerland to Barcelona & Spain with overnight stop in Lyon
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Day 1, travel from anywhere in Switzerland to Lyon.
Take a Swiss domestic train to Geneva, then a TER regional train along the river Rhτne to Lyon Part Dieu. The last train normally leaves Geneva at 19:14 arriving Lyon Part Dieu at 21:22, but by all means take an earlier one for more of an evening in Lyon.
Geneva-Lyon by TER costs 31.90 in 2nd class, 42.40 in 1st class, fixed price, good for any train that day.
Buy tickets from anywhere in Switzerland to Lyon at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, small booking fee).
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Stay overnight in Lyon, The Ibis Budget Lyon Centre - Gare Part Dieu is affordable & right next to Lyon Part Dieu station with good reviews, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Lyon also gets great reviews and is just a few minutes walk away.
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Day 2, travel from Lyon to Barcelona, leaving Lyon Part Dieu at 11:06, change at Montpelier Saint-Roch, arriving Barcelona Sants 16:31.
Lyon to Montpelier is by TGV with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, Montpelier to Barcelona is by TGV Duplex also with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
It's an enjoyable & scenic ride, the TGV Duplex passes Bιziers cathedral, flamingos on the lakes between Montpelier & Narbonne, the historic Fort de Salses right by the tracks before Perpignan, with great views of the imposing 2,784m Mt Canigou as the train rounds the southern end of the Pyrenees. More about this journey.
Lyon-Barcelona starts at around 39 in 2nd class or 59 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from Lyon to Barcelona at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no fee). Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Madrid, Malaga, Cordoba, Seville, Valencia or Alicante and so on by high-speed train.
A high-speed AVE leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:25, arriving Madrid Atocha 20:55, with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
A fast Euromed train leaves Barcelona Sants at 18:15 arriving Valencia Joaquin Sorolla 21:07 & Alicante 23:40.
For Granada, Seville, Cordoba & Malaga, stay in Barcelona overnight, I recommend the Hotel Barcelo Sants inside the station. Next morning direct high-speed AVE trains leave Barcelona Sants at 06:45 for Granada and 08:35 for Cordoba, Seville Santa Justa & Malaga Maria Zambrano.
Buy tickets using either www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, small booking fee) or Spanish railways own site www.renfe.com (in , much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it) or www.petrabax.com (in $, small mark-up). You print your own ticket.
Booking normally opens only 60 days ahead, but this varies greatly. Allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Barcelona.
Switzerland to San Sebastian
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Step 1, travel from Geneva, Lausanne, Basel SBB or Zurich HB to Paris Gare de Lyon by high-speed TGV-Lyria taking just a few hours.
The double-deck high-speed TGV-Lyria trains have 3 classes, a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about TGV-Lyria.
Fares start at 29 in 2nd class (standard) or 55 in 1st class (standard premiere). Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead..
Buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no fee). .
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone.
Change stations in Paris by metro or taxi. Always allow at least 70 minutes between trains in Paris, more is better.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to Hendaye on the Spanish border by TGV Duplex Ocιane.
You can leave Paris Gare Montparnasse at 13:11 arriving Hendaye at 17:47.
You can leave Paris Gare Montparnasse at 14:06 on Saturdays arriving Hendaye at 17:47.
You can leave Paris Gare Montparnasse at 16:11 daily except Saturdays arriving Hendaye at 20:47.
The TGV Duplex Ocιane is an impressive 320 km/h double-deck high-speed train with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi
Fares start at 25 in 2nd class or 45 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both sites easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in , no fee).
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 3, travel from Hendaye to San Sebastian Amara by Euskotren, every 30 minutes, journey 37 minutes, fare 2.75.
Simply walk out of Hendaye station and turn right, the little Euskotren station is just 50m away. Buy a ticket at the Euskotren station from the machines or staffed counter with cash or card and hop on the next half-hourly Euskotren to San Sebastian Amara. Check Euskotren times at www.euskotren.eus.
Switzerland to Santiago de Compostela, A Coruρa, Vigo
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Day 1, travel from Geneva to Barcelona as shown above and buy tickets as shown.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona. The Hotel Barcelo Sants is top choice here, it's located above Barcelona Sants station itself and gets great reviews, with nice rooms, a great breakfast buffet and a delightfully kitsch space theme. Alternatively, the Nobu Hotel and AC Sants Hotel by Marriot are both just across the road from the station. Other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 2, an air-conditioned Alvia train links Barcelona Sants with Galicia every day, a chill-out day across Spain, on an excellent air-conditioned train with cafe-bar, sit back and enjoy the ride.
On Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays it leaves Barcelona Sants at 09:05 and goes to Vigo Guixar, arriving 23:35.
On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays it leaves Barcelona Sants at 09:05 and arrives Santiago de Compostela 22:22 & A Coruρa 22:54.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead, but this varies greatly. You print your own ticket.
Switzerland to Ibiza & Mallorca
Option 1, Switzerland to Ibiza or Mallorca by ferry from Barcelona - all year round
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Step 1, travel from Geneva to Barcelona as shown above, arriving Barcelona Sants at 16:31.
In Barcelona, it's a 3.8 km 46-minute walk from Barcelona Sants to the Trasmed and Balearia ferry terminal at the foot of La Rambla, near the Columbus monument, see walking map. Or use a taxi or the metro, nearest metro station Drassanes.
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Step 2, sail overnight from Barcelona to Ibiza or Palma de Mallorca by ferry.
Ibiza: Trasmed offer an overnight ferry from Barcelona to Ibiza most nights of the week sailing at around 22:00, arriving 07:00. Times & dates vary, check times and buy tickets at the Direct Ferries website or at www.trasmed.com.
Check-in for the ferry closes 30 minutes before sailing time. You can pre-print your boarding pass to save time at the terminal.
Mallorca: There are two overnight ferries from Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca, both with restaurants, bars & cosy en suite cabins, both usually sailing from Barcelona around around 22:00 and arriving in Palma at 07:00. One ferry is run by Trasmed (www.trasmed.com, the other run by Balearia (www.balearia.com). Check times & buy tickets at the Direct Ferries website.
Above, a Balearia ferry in Ibiza harbour. Courtesy of Discoverbyrail.com.
Option 2, Geneva to Menorca or Mallorca by ferry from Toulon - several times a week April-October
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Step 1, travel from Geneva to Toulon, leaving Geneva at 07:14, change at Lyon Part Dieu & Marseille St Charles arriving Toulon at 14:01.
Fares start at around 55 in 2nd class or 75 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Buy a ticket at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show a mobile ticket on your phone. Obviously, book the ferry first to confirm dates & times, then book the train.
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Step 2, cruise overnight from Toulon to Menorca or Alcudia (Mallorca) with Corsica Ferries.
Sailings operate several times a week, April to October, typically sailing around 18:00 & arriving around 09:00, some going to Menorca and others to Alcudia. Their comfortable ships have bars, restaurants, and private cabins with en suite toilet & shower.
Fares start at around 25 for a foot passenger + a private cabin from around 32. Fares & cabin charges vary by date.
Check times, fares & buy tickets at the Direct Ferries website or see www.corsica-ferries.co.uk.
Switzerland to Algeciras & Gibraltar
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Day 1, travel from Geneva to Barcelona as shown in the Switzerland-Barcelona section above.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona. The Hotel Barcelo Sants is the top choice here, it's part of Barcelona Sants station so easy to use when arriving & departing by train, with great reviews & good feedback from Seat61 users. See other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Algeciras, leaving Barcelona Sants at 08:35 by high-speed AVE train, change at Antequera-Santa Ana onto a 15:09 Media Distancia train arriving San Roque-La Linea 18:07 & Algeciras 18:23.
The high-speed AVE is air-conditioned with cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. There's great scenery both on the high-speed line between Barcelona and Antequera and on the classic line twisting through the hills from Antequera to Algeciras, the Spanish town across the bay from Gibraltar. The Media Distancia is air-conditioned, but bring your own food & drink.
Fares start at around 70.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee, or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see this advice on using it first). You print your own tickets. Booking should open 60 days ahead but this varies.
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Day 2, take a bus or taxi from Algeciras to la Linea & walk into Gibraltar.
A taxi from Algeciras railway station to La Linea costs 24.75 and takes about 22 minutes. Taxis don't use the meter on this run, and aren't normally allowed to cross the border into Gibraltar.
To go by bus, cross the roundabout outside Algeciras railway station and enter the San Bernado bus station, then take bus M-120 to La Linea for around 2.50. Bus M-120 runs every 30 minutes Mon-Fri at xx.00 and xx.30 past each hour or every 45 minutes at weekends, journey time about 45 minutes to La Linea, for bus information see siu.ctmcg.es.
La Linea is the Spanish town outside the border crossing to Gibraltar, and La Linea's bus stop and taxi rank are right outside the entrance to Gibraltar. Walk through the Spanish then UK passport checkpoints into Gibraltar (5-10 minutes). Then either (a) keep walking straight ahead of you into Gibraltar town, it's takes about 15 minutes to the centre or (b) take a frequent local Gibraltar bus from the border into town or (c) look for the taxi stop on the right just after the passport check and wait for a taxi to your hotel for a few pounds - Gibraltar taxis will accept euros. The walk from the border to Gibraltar's Main Street takes you across Gibraltar airport's runway, though they stop cars and pedestrians when an aircraft is landing or taking off! Map of Algeciras - La Linea - Gibraltar area.
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Or take a bus/taxi from San Roque-La Linea station
The closest station to Gibraltar is actually San Roque-La Linea, and all trains to Algeciras call here around 20 minutes before arriving at Algeciras. So if you prefer, you can get off here and take a taxi to La Linea, or walk the 1.6 km (1 mile) to the Bar La Redonda bus stop on the main road on the M-120 bus route from Algeciras to La Linea. Buses run to La Linea every 30 minutes weekdays, every 45 minutes weekends. Taxis are usually available outside San Roque station, San Roque to the La Linea/Gibraltar border is about 16 km (10 miles) and it takes just over 30 minutes depending on traffic.
Switzerland to Lisbon, Porto & Portugal
Option 1, Switzerland to Lisbon via Barcelona & Madrid
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Day 1, travel from Switzerland to Barcelona as shown in the Switzerland-Barcelona section, leaving Geneva 07:14 & arriving Barcelona 16:31.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee. These websites connect to both SNCF and Renfe ticketing systems so you can buy tickets for France and Spain together in one place.
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Day 1, travel from Barcelona to Madrid by AVE high-speed train, leaving Barcelona Sants at 18:25 and arriving Madrid Atocha at 20:55.
The AVE has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. More about trains from Barcelona to Madrid.
Fares start at 38 in Standard class or 45 in Comfort class. Fares work like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee.
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead, but this varies greatly.
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Stay overnight in Madrid. The classic Hotel Mediodia is across the road from Atocha with good reviews, or try the NH Hotel Madrid Atocha or Only YOU Hotel Atocha, also across the road from the station.
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Day 2, travel from Madrid to Lisbon by daytime trains as shown on the Madrid to Lisbon page.
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Day 2, travel from Madrid to Porto by daytime trains as shown on the Trains from Madrid page.
Option 3, Switzerland to Porto via Barcelona & Vigo
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Day 1, travel from Geneva to Barcelona as shown above.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona. The Hotel Barcelo Sants is top choice here, it's located above Barcelona Sants station itself and gets great reviews, with nice rooms, a great breakfast buffet and a delightfully kitsch space theme. Alternatively, the Nobu Hotel and AC Sants Hotel by Marriot are both just across the road from the station. Other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 2, an air-conditioned Alvia train links Barcelona Sants with Vigo 3 times a week, a chill-out day across Spain, on an excellent air-conditioned train with cafe-bar, sit back and enjoy the ride.
It leaves Barcelona Sants at 09:05 on Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays, arriving Vigo Guixar 23:35.
Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com (much more fiddly, may reject some overseas credit cards, see advice on using it).
Booking normally opens 60 days ahead, but this varies greatly. You print your own ticket.
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Stay overnight in Vigo. The lovely NH Collection Vigo hotel & cheaper Hotel Atlantico Vigo are both near the station with great reviews.
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Day 3, travel from Vigo to Porto by Celta regional express, leaving Vigo Guixar at 08:58 arriving Porto Campanhγ 10:20.
The fare is 15.90, fixed price. 2nd class only.
Book this at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com. Booking opens 60 days ahead, but this can vary.
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Day 3, travel from Porto to Lisbon by Alfa Pendular, leaving Porto Campanhγ at 11:40 and arriving Lisbon Santa Apolonia 14:30.
Or book a later train and spend some time exploring wonderful Porto.
Fares start at 15. Book this at the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt (in ) or at Omio.com (in , £ or $).
Switzerland to Faro & the Algarve
Option 1, Switzerland to Faro using a bus from Seville to Faro - fastest & easiest
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Day 1, travel from Geneva to Barcelona as shown above.
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Stay overnight in Barcelona. The Hotel Barcelo Sants is top choice here, it's located above Barcelona Sants station itself and gets great reviews, with nice rooms, a great breakfast buffet and a delightfully kitsch space theme. Alternatively, the Nobu Hotel and AC Sants Hotel by Marriot are both just across the road from the station. Other suggested hotels near the station.
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Day 2, travel from Barcelona to Seville by AVE high-speed train, then from Seville to Faro by bus, as shown in the Barcelona to Faro section.
The Alsa bus from Seville to Faro takes 3h15 and leaves from right outside Seville Santa Justa station, making connections easy.
Option 2, Switzerland to Faro via Lisbon - a longer way round, but all-train.
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Step 1, travel from Switzerland to Lisbon as shown above.
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Step 2, take a train from Lisbon to Faro as shown here.
Switzerland to Andorra
Option 1, Switzerland to Andorra via Toulouse
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Step 1, travel from Geneva to Toulouse, leaving Geneva at 07:14, change at Lyon Part Dieu & Montpellier-Saint-Roch, arriving Toulouse Matabiau 15:18.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easiest to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the French Railways site www.sncf-connect.com, in , no fee.
Booking opens up to 4 months ahead. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone.
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Step 3, travel from Toulouse Matabiau to Andorra la Vella by bus, leaving Toulouse Matabiau at 17:45, arriving Andorra 21:45.
The bus is run by Andbus, the fare is 36.
I'd allow at least an hour between train and bus in Toulouse, just in case of delay.
The buses leave from bus stand 15 inside the Gare Routiθre (bus station) immediately outside Toulouse Matabiau station. Simply walk out of the station onto the forecourt and look to your right. The bus station is the modern building with the glass-and-blue-framework upper section, see the photos below.
Book the bus at Andbus.net or Omio.com.
Option 2, Switzerland to Andorra via Barcelona
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Step 1, travel from anywhere in Switzerland to Barcelona Sants, as shown in the Switzerland to Barcelona section.
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Step 2, travel from Barcelona to Andorra by bus. Autocars Nadal (www.autocarsnadal.com) run several buses a day, there's usually a bus leaving from outside Barcelona Sants at 20:45 and arriving Andorra La Vella at 23:45.
Fare around 30.50.
Buy a bus ticket at www.andorradirectbus.es.
Switzerland to Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne & Germany from 27.90
Option 1, Switzerland to Berlin by Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option
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A Nightjet sleeper train links Switzerland with Berlin, leaving Zurich HB 19:59 & Basel SBB 21:13, arriving Berlin Hbf 07:20.
The train has a Comfortline sleeping-car with 1, 2 & 3 bed compartments, 9 standard with washbasin, 3 deluxe with shower & toilet. There are toilets and a shower at the end of the corridor for passengers in regular sleepers. There are also two couchette cars with 4 & 6-berth compartments, and ordinary seats. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation.
Tip: There's no restaurant car so have dinner before boarding, see suggested restaurants at Zurich HB & restaurant at Basel SBB.
Tip: You can check the consist for this train, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, click Train formations, scroll to Germany, click nj, look for EN409.
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Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book this train at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Tip: The train may be listed in the search results twice, once as seats, once as couchettes/sleepers. Choose the latter!
Option 2, Switzerland to Hamburg by Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option
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A Nightjet sleeper train links Switzerland with Hamburg, leaving Zurich HB 20:59 & Basel SBB 22:13, arriving Hamburg Hbf 07:53.
The train has two double-deck sleeping-cars with compact 1 & 2 bed compartments, several larger deluxe compartments with en suite shower & toilet, and a few 3-bed compartments with washbasin. There are two couchette cars with 4 & 6-berth compartments, and ordinary seats cars. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation.
Tip: There's no restaurant car, so have dinner before boarding, see suggested restaurants at Zurich HB & suggested restaurant at Basel SBB.
Tip: You can check the consist for this train, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, click Train formations, scroll to Germany, click nj, look for EN409.
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Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book this train at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com (both easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same prices). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket.
Tip: The train may be listed in the search results twice, once as seats, once as couchettes/sleepers. Choose the latter!
Option 3, Switzerland to Cologne & Dόsseldorf by Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option
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A Nightjet sleeper train leaves Zurich HB at 21:59 & Basel SBB at 23:13 every evening, arriving Cologne Hbf 05:53 & Dόsseldorf 06:23.
This comfortable Nightjet train has two air-conditioned AB33 sleeping-cars with 1 & 2 berth compartments with washbasin. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. More about Nightjets.
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Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 89.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book this train at www.oebb.at. Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, sometimes less.
Tip: This train may be listed in the search results twice, once as an IC with seats, once as an NJ with couchettes/sleepers. Choose the latter!
Option 3, Switzerland to anywhere in Germany by daytime trains
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Comfortable InterCity trains and luxurious ICE high-speed trains link Basel, Zurich, Bern & Interlaken to various cities in Germany.
Basel to Cologne Hbf in 3h52, Basel to Berlin in 7h12.
Most InterCity trains have a refreshment trolley, ICE trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi.
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Fares start at 27.90 in 2nd class, 56.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from almost any station in Switzerland to any station in Germany for one inclusive price.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Tip: you can build in up to 2 stopovers with these German Sparpreis (saver) fares, within the 2-day ticket validity. Simply click Stopovers and enter the city and desired length of stay.
Option 4, Switzerland to Koblenz, Bonn, Cologne, Dortmund, Hamburg by classic train along the Rhine Valley - the scenic route
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If you don't mind taking an extra hour, there are a couple of morning EuroCity (EC) trains from Switzerland to Koblenz, Bonn, Cologne, Dortmund, Bremen & Hamburg which take the classic curvaceous route all along the Rhine Valley between Mainz & Cologne, past river boats, castles, vineyards and the legendary Lorelei Rock. It's well worth the extra time, make sure you sit on the right hand side of the train for the best river views. See the Rails Down the Rhine page.
There's an 10:59 from Zurich, 12:20 from Basel SBB to Koblenz, Bonn, Cologne, Dortmund, Bremen, Hamburg (train EC8).
There's a 12:00 from Interlaken Ost, 13:04 from Bern, 14:27 from Basel SBB to Koblenz, Bonn, Cologne, Dortmund, Bremen, Hamburg (train EC6)
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Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from almost any station in Switzerland to any station in Germany for one inclusive price.
To get the scenic Rhine Valley route, click Stopovers and enter Koblenz Hbf, leaving length of stay zero.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
If you buy a through ticket from Swiss stations such as Luzern, Interlaken or St Moritz to Germany at int.bahn.de, this includes the Swiss domestic connecting train, it's a lot cheaper than buying a separate Swiss domestic ticket to Basel.
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Tip: Panorama car on train EC8. You will thank me for this! Train EC8 from Zurich & Basel to Cologne & Hamburg conveys a wonderful Swiss 1st class panorama car, see the Rails Down the Rhine video. Speeding along the Rhine in this is a real treat, yet all you need to sit in it is a 1st class ticket. To make sure you get a seat in it, add a free seat reservation when you book, using the select seat link to pick a seat in car 263, see the advice on the Rails Down the Rhine page.
Switzerland to Munich from 18.90
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See the Zurich to Munich page for timetable, fares & how to buy tickets.
In 2020, Zurich-Munich trains were replaced by bullet-nosed Astoro trains and frequency was doubled to 6 trains per day each way & journey time cut to 4 hours. In 2021, journey time was further cut to 3h32.
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Fares start at 18.90 in 2nd class or 49.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from almost any Swiss station to Munich for one inclusive price.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Switzerland to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck & Austria from 29
Option 1, Zurich to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train - the time-effective option
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A Nightjet sleeper train leaves Zurich HB at 21:40 and arrives Linz at 06:14 & Vienna Hbf at 07:58.
Update 2024: Due to trackwork, until 24 October this train will leave an hour earlier, at 20:40, arrival times unchanged.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has two air-conditioned double-deck sleeping-cars with compact 1 & 2 bed compartments with washbasin, several larger 1 & 2 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, and several 3-berth compartments with washbasin. It has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments & ordinary seats. The sleeper attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. Sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee in the morning, served in your compartment, see the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation.
Tip: There's no restaurant car, so have dinner before boarding, see suggested restaurants in or near Zurich HB.
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Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in CHF, , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
Tip: You'll see two overnight trains in the search results, both leaving at the same time: The Zurich-Vienna Nightjet (NJ) & Zurich-Budapest EuroNight (EN) leave Zurich coupled together, they split up at Salzburg, the EN runs fast reaching Vienna at around 06:35, the Nightjet dawdles via some smaller stations reaching Vienna at 07:58. Take the Hungarian EuroNight if you need to be in Vienna early, but otherwise I'd stick with the Nightjet as this has higher quality cars with the option of deluxe sleepers with shower & toilet & a more extensive breakfast.
Tip: You can check the consist for this train, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, click Train formations, scroll to Switzerland, click nj & look for NJ467.
Tip: Booking through from any Swiss station to Vienna (for example, from Geneva, Bern or Lucerne to Vienna) includes the Swiss domestic part of the journey often for little more than a Zurich to Vienna ticket. This saves money over buying a separate Swiss domestic ticket.
Option 2, Zurich to Innsbruck, Salzburg, Linz & Vienna by railjet train through the Arlberg Pass - the scenic daytime option
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Railjet trains leave Zurich HB for Innsbruck (3h36), Salzburg Hbf (5h23), Linz (6h34) & Vienna Hbf (7h52) at 06:40, 10:40, 12:40, 14:40 & 16:40.
These swish railjet trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, treat this as a chill-out day, especially if you splurge on business class, a real treat. Railjets travel at up to 230 km/h (143 mph) on new sections of line, and at lower speed on the classic lines, which account for the vast majority of this route. They roll past the Zόrichsee and along the Walensee, pass non-stop through a corner of Lichtenstein, then travel through the Arlberg pass into the Austrian Tirol with some superb mountain scenery. Watch the Arlberg Pass video to see for yourself & see the Arlberg Railway page.
There's also a 08:40 EuroCity train (the Transalpin) to Innsbruck & Graz, and an 18:40 railjet to Innsbruck.
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How much does it cost?
Zurich to Innsbruck starts at 19.90 in economy, 44.90 in 1st class or 59.90 in business class (premium 1st).
Zurich to Salzburg starts at 29.90 in economy, 44.90 in 1st class or 59.90 in business class.
Zurich to Linz or Vienna starts at 39.90 in economy, 54.90 in 1st class or 69.90 in business class.
Zurich to Hallstatt with a change at Stainach-Irdning starts at 39.90 in economy, 54.90 1st class or 69.90 business class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Buy tickets from almost any Swiss station to almost any Austrian station at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in CHF, , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same fares).
If you want business class (premium 1st class), select 1st class then look for the +15 business class reservation.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket.
Geneva or Lucerne to Salzburg or Vienna might cost only 10 more than a Zurich-Salzburg or Zurich-Vienna ticket, saving a fortune over buying an expensive Swiss domestic ticket separately for the Geneva or Lucerne to Zurich leg. Remember that before you try and use a Swiss railpass for the Swiss part of the journey too, that expensive railpass might only be saving you 10!
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Tip: 1st class panorama car on the 08:40 from Zurich to Innsbruck & Graz.
Most daytime trains from Zurich through the Arlberg Pass to Innsbruck & beyond are modern railjets as shown below, but the 08:40 from Zurich to Innsbruck & Graz is the Transalpin, an older EuroCity (EC) train with conventional Austrian cars & restaurant car like the ones shown here. It also has a superb Swiss Railways 1st class panorama car, see the photos here.
Anyone with a 1st class ticket or railpass can use the panorama car, but you should reserve a seat for 3. If you have a 1st class ticket, reserve a seat in the panorama car as explained here. You can make a reservation this way even if you already have a ticket or Interrail or Eurail pass.
Swiss lakes: Soon after leaving Zurich, the railjet runs alongside the shore of the Zόrichsee and then the Walensee.
Arlberg Pass: Above, we're now in Austria, with brooding skies over the Arlberg pass. The pass itself is long, narrow and curvaceous with the train snaking along the valley sides, often high above the valley floor.
Arlberg Tunnel: Between Bludenz and St Anton am Arlberg the train passes through the Arlberg Tunnel, 6.2 km (6.3 miles) long and opened in 1884. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlberg_Railway_Tunnel.
River Inn: Running alongside the river Inn in the Tirol, somewhere between Landeck & Φtzal.
Mountains near Innsbruck. The train calls at Innsbruck Hbf for several minutes.
Kufstein: The train stops at Kufstein, where the castle towers above the station. Above right, lunch is served. In first & business class on a railjet, the steward takes your order & serves lunch at your seat.
Cutting across Germany: East of Kufstein, the train takes a short cut through Germany without stopping, see the route map here. All fast Vienna-Salzburg-Innsbruck trains do this, they're still considered Austrian domestic trains even though this short cut means they spend an hour on German territory! Such a train is called a Korridorzug. The train crosses back into Austria near Freilassing, just before Salzburg.
Salzburg: View of the Fortress Hohensalzburg on the right hand side as the railjet crosses the River Salzach into Salzburg Hbf heading east.
Watch the video: Zurich to Austria through the Arlberg Pass
Option 3, Zurich to Vienna using the Bregenz-Vienna new generation Nightjet - a useful alternative
If the direct sleeper is sold out or you find fares too expensive, this is a great alternative which is often cheaper. And you get to experience a new generation Nightjet. The inexpensive privacy of the new-generation mini cabins is reason enough on its own!
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Step 1, travel from Zurich to either Bregenz or Feldkirch on an early evening train:
You can leave Zurich HB at 17:33 by Swiss EuroCity train arriving Bregenz 18:58, giving a robust connection with time for dinner in Bregenz.
Or leave Zurich HB at 18:40 by Austrian railjet arriving Feldkirch 20:09, giving a robust connection with time for dinner in Feldkirch.
Or leave Zurich HB at 19:33 by Swiss EuroCity train arriving Bregenz 21:00, giving a much tighter but still reasonable connection with the sleeper.
All these trains have a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. If you go to Bregenz you can board the sleeper to Vienna from around 21:00. If you go via Feldkirch you have to wait until it arrives from Bregenz, at 22:27.
Fares start at 14.90 in 2nd class, 24.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in CHF, , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead, you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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Step 2, travel from Bregenz or Feldkirch to Vienna by new generation Nightjet, leaving Bregenz at 21:40 or Feldkirch at 22:27 and arriving Vienna Meidling 06:51 & Vienna Hbf 06:58.
This modern sleeper train offers 1 & 2 bed sleepers all with shower & toilet, 4-berth comfort couchettes, individual mini cabins and ordinary seats, see the new generation Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation, travel tips & photos. The sleeping-car attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. A light breakfast is included in sleepers, couchettes & mini cabins.
Fares start at 59.90 in a mini cabin or 4-berth couchettes, 109.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 159.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book the sleeper at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in , £ or $, overseas cards no problem, small booking fee) or the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (same prices, in ). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead and you print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Tip: If you like, you can check the train formation, check car numbers & see in what order cars for different destinations are marshalled using the excellent www.vagonweb.cz. Change cs to English upper left, then click Train formations, scroll down to Austria & click nj.
Bregenz or Feldkirch to Vienna by Nightjet sleeper train. More about new-generation Nightjets
Switzerland to Copenhagen from 49.90
Option 1, Switzerland to Copenhagen in a single day
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Leave Zurich HB at 05:59 or Basel SBB at 07:06, change at Hamburg Hbf and arrive Copenhagen 19:34.
Leave Zurich HB at 07:59 or Basel SBB at 09:06, change at Hamburg Hbf and arrive Copenhagen 21:34.
Treat this as a chill-out day. You travel from Switzerland to Hamburg by ICE4 high-speed train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.
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Fares start at 49.90 in 2nd class or 79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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Book at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
You can book from almost any station in Switzerland to almost any station in Denmark for one inclusive price.
I'd change Transfer time from normal to 40 minutes, to ensure robust connections. The times above take that into account.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Tip: If fares look expensive (over 110), try splitting the booking at Freiburg: First book from Freiburg to Copenhagen, then book from Switzerland to Freiburg, making sure both tickets are for the same Zurich/Basel to Hamburg train, ICE 76.
Step 2, Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats, but no catering so bring your own food & drink. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 2, Switzerland to Copenhagen using the Zurich-Hamburg sleeper - the time-effective option!
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Step 1, travel from Zurich or Basel to Hamburg by Nightjet, leaving Zurich HB at 20:59 or Basel SBB at 22:13, arriving Hamburg Hbf at 07:53.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has two air-conditioned double-deck sleeping-cars (compact 1 & 2 bed compartments with washbasin, larger 1 & 2 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, plus a few 3-berth compartments with washbasin), couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments & ordinary seats. Sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee in the morning, see the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation.
Tip: There's no restaurant car so have dinner before boarding, see suggested restaurants at Zurich HB & restaurant at Basel SBB.
Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in CHF, , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 arriving Copenhagen at 13:34.
Fares start at 27.90 in 2nd class or 59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead..
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Step 2, Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats, but no catering so bring your own food & drink. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 3, Switzerland to Copenhagen with an overnight stop in Hamburg
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Day 1, travel from Switzerland to Hamburg by ICE4, leaving Zurich HB at 13:59 or Basel SBB 15:06, arriving Hamburg Hbf 21:39.
The ICE4 train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Or book an earlier train if you'd like an evening in Hamburg.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50, arriving Copenhagen 13:34.
The EuroCity train has power sockets at all seats & a refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
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How much does it cost?
Fares start at 49.90 in 2nd class or 79.90 in 1st class.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Buy tickets at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a length of stay of, say, 10 hours. Adjust length of stay & departure time to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
Switzerland to Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmφ from 56.90
Option 1, Switzerland to Stockholm using the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train - the time-effective option
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Step 1, travel from Switzerland to Hamburg by ICE, leaving Basel SBB at 13:06, arriving Hamburg Hbf 19:36.
The ICE train has a restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Always allow at least an hour when connecting with a sleeper train you don't want to miss, ideally more. Times may vary, a change of train may be necessary on some dates. Have dinner in Hamburg, see suggested restaurants near Hamburg Hbf.
Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 69.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book from anywhere in Switzerland to Hamburg at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted, so you can log on at any time and check or reprint tickets.
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Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Stockholm by SJ sleeper train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 22:03 & arriving Stockholm Central 09:55.
Run by SJ (Swedish Railways), the train has one or two sleeping-cars with compact 1 & 2 berth compartments with washbasin, several 1, 2 or 3 bed deluxe compartments with en suite toilet & shower, couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A bistro car is attached between Malmφ and Stockholm. More about the Hamburg-Stockholm sleeper train.
Fares start at 44.90 with a couchette in 6-berth, 69.90 with a couchette in 4-berth, 79.90 with a bed in a 2-bed sleeper or 164.90 with a single-bed sleeper all to yourself. All prices per person per bed. Fares vary like air fares so book ahead.
Book tickets at the Swedish Railways website www.sj.se.
Booking opens several months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
Option 2, Switzerland to Sweden using the Zurich-Hamburg sleeper
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Step 1, travel from Zurich or Basel to Hamburg by Nightjet, leaving Zurich HB at 20:59 or Basel SBB at 22:13, arriving Hamburg Hbf 07:53.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet sleeper train has two air-conditioned double-deck sleeping-cars (1 & 2 bed compartments with washbasin, 1 & 2 bed deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, plus a few 3-berth compartments with washbasin), couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments & ordinary seats. The sleeper & couchette fares include a light breakfast with tea or coffee in the morning. See the Nightjet page for a guide to on-board accommodation.
Tip: There's no restaurant car so have dinner before boarding, see suggested restaurants at Zurich HB & restaurant at Basel SBB.
Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in CHF, , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Step 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train, leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 & arriving Copenhagen at 13:34.
Fares start at 27.90 in 2nd class or 59.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead..
You can book from Hamburg to Copenhagen at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, but see below as it's usually cheaper to book from Hamburg to Malmo, Gothenburg or Stockholm as one journey.
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Step 3, travel from Copenhagen to Sweden.
For Stockholm, travel from Copenhagen to Stockholm by X2000 train, leaving Copenhagen at 14:19 and arriving Stockholm Central at 19:37.
You can book from Hamburg to Stockholm as one transaction from 56.90 at int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. If you want to go 1st class you'll need to split the booking, first book to Copenhagen using int.bahn.de then book Copenhagen to Stockholm using www.sj.se.
For Malmo or Gothenburg, Φresund trains run hourly from Copenhagen to Gothenburg Central in 3h50 and every 20-30 minutes from Copenhagen to Malmφ Central in 39 minutes. You should book from Hamburg to Malmo or Gothenburg (Goteborg Central) as one transaction from 56.90 at int.bahn.de. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone.
Step 2, Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats, but no catering so bring your own food & drink. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 3, Switzerland to Sweden with overnight stop in Copenhagen
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Day 1, travel from Switzerland to Copenhagen, leaving Zurich HB 07:59 or Basel SBB 09:06, change Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 21:34.
Or there's an earlier departure, leaving Zurich HB 05:59 or Basel SBB 07:06, change Hamburg Hbf, arriving Copenhagen 19:34.
If you're going to Malmφ, catch the next Φresund train from Copenhagen to Malmφ Central, these run every 20 minutes taking 39 minutes.
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Stay overnight in Copenhagen. The friendly Astoria Hotel is a 1930s design classic right outside Copenhagen station main entrance, see photos & information here. Other hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).
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Day 2, travel from Copenhagen to Gothenburg or Stockholm.
For Stockholm, leave Copenhagen at 08:21 by fast X2000 train, arriving Stockholm Central 13:34, or there are later trains.
For Gothenburg, take an Φresund train from Copenhagen to Gothenburg Central, these leave every hour taking 3h50. No reservation necessary or possible, you hop on and sit where you like.
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How much does it cost?
Switzerland to Malmφ, Gothenburg or Stockholm starts at 56.90.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Method 1: Book a through ticket from Switzerland to Sweden at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Copenhagen, click Stopovers and enter Copenhagen with a suitable length of stay, say 11:00 hours. Adjust the departure time & length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Copenhagen, a little trial and error may be needed.
Method 2: If method 1 doesn't work, or brings up only silly-money prices, or you want to travel in 1st class, book like this:
First book from Switzerland to Copenhagen at the German Railways website int.bahn.de. Then book from Copenhagen to Malmo, Gothenburg (= Gφteborg Central) or Stockholm at the Swedish Railways website www.sj.se or (if you have any problems) Omio.com.
Method 3: If Switzerland-Copenhagen looks expensive, try splitting the Switzerland-Copenhagen booking at Freiburg (Breisgau).
Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train. From June 2023, these trains are temporarily being operated by former German Railways intercity cars and a Danish electric locomotive, until new trains being built by Talgo arrive in 2024. The current trains have 1st & 2nd class, power sockets at seats, but no catering so bring your own food & drink. More about the Hamburg-Copenhagen journey.
2nd class seats are almost all open-plan like this. There are a handful of 6-seat 2nd class compartments in one of the coaches, but only a few.
The 1st class car has 6-seater compartments like this. Larger photo. Larger photo.
Option 4, Switzerland to Sweden with overnight stop in Hamburg
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Day 1, travel from Switzerland to Hamburg by ICE train, leaving Zurich HB at 13:59 or Basel SBB 15:06, arriving Hamburg Hbf 21:39.
Or by all means book an earlier train and spend a pleasant evening in Hamburg, trains leave every hour or two.
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Stay overnight in Hamburg. The Hotel Reichshof Hamburg is the top choice here, just across the road 100m from the station's Kirchenallee exit, with art deco-based design and great reviews. Other hotels near Hamburg Hbf with good or great reviews include (starting with the cheapest) the Hotel Continental Novum, Hotel Furst Bismarck, Hotel Europaischer Hof, Hotel Atlantic Kempinski. If you're on a budget, cheap private rooms in the A&O Hotel near Hamburg Hbf can be booked at www.hostelworld.com.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train leaving Hamburg Hbf at 08:50 & arriving Copenhagen at 13:34.
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Day 2 travel from Copenhagen to Sweden:
For Malmo, take an Φresund train from Copenhagen to Malmφ Central, these leave every 20-30 minutes taking 39 minutes.
For Gothenburg, take an Φresund train from Copenhagen to Gφteborg Central, these leave every hour taking 3h50.
For Stockholm, leave Copenhagen at 14:19 by X2000 train, arriving Stockholm Central at 19:37.
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How much does it cost?
Switzerland to Malmφ, Gothenburg or Stockholm starts at 56.90.
Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
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How to buy tickets
Method 1: Book a through ticket from Switzerland to Sweden at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
To get the overnight stop in Hamburg, click Stopovers and enter Hamburg Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 10:00 hours. Adjust the departure time & length of stay to get the trains you want either side of Hamburg, a little trial and error may be needed.
Method 2: If method 1 doesn't work, or brings up only silly-money prices, or you want to travel in 1st class, book like this:
First book from Switzerland to Copenhagen at the German Railways website int.bahn.de, clicking Stopovers, entering Hamburg Hbf with a suitable length of stay, say 10 hours. Then book from Copenhagen to Malmo, Gothenburg (= Gφteborg Central) or Stockholm at the Swedish Railways website www.sj.se or Omio.com. For Stockholm, book the 14:19 departure from Copenhagen.
Switzerland to Oslo & Norway
Option 1, Switzerland to Oslo with overnight stop in Copenhagen - by train all the way
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Step 1, travel from Switzerland to Copenhagen in a single day:
Leave Zurich HB at 05:59 or Basel SBB at 07:06, change at Hamburg Hbf and arrive Copenhagen 19:34.
Leave Zurich HB at 07:59 or Basel SBB at 09:06, change at Hamburg Hbf and arrive Copenhagen 21:34.
Treat this as a chill-out day. You travel from Switzerland to Hamburg by ICE4 high-speed train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. You travel from Hamburg to Copenhagen by EuroCity train with power sockets at all seats & refreshment trolley. More about the Hamburg to Copenhagen journey.
Fares start at 49.90 in 2nd class or 79.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Stay overnight in Copenhagen. The friendly Astoria Hotel is a 1930s design classic right outside Copenhagen station main entrance, see photos & information here. Other hotels near the station with good reviews include the Nimb Hotel (5-star luxe), Radisson Blu Royal Hotel (5-star), Axel Guldsmeden (4-star), Andersen Boutique Hotel, First Hotel Mayfair (3-star), Hotel Ansgar (3-star), City Hotel Nebo (2-star).
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Step 2, travel from Copenhagen to Oslo, leaving Copenhagen at 07:30, changing at Gothenburg Central and arriving Oslo Sentral 15:47.
Or there are earlier or later departures, see the Copenhagen-Oslo timetable and how to buy tickets.
Alternatively, spend the morning in Copenhagen and sail overnight from Copenhagen to Oslo by DFDS cruise ferry, leaving Copenhagen at 16:30 (15:00 some days) and arriving in Oslo at 10:00, with restaurants, bars, cinema and comfortable en suite cabins. See www.dfds.com for times, prices & tickets.
Option 2, Switzerland to Oslo via the Kiel-Oslo cruise ferry - the most luxurious way to Oslo
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Day 1, travel from Switzerland to Hamburg by Nightjet sleeper train, leaving Zurich HB 20:59 or Basel SBB 22:13, arriving Hamburg Hbf 07:53.
This comfortable Austrian Nightjet train has two double-deck sleeping-cars with 1 or 2-berth deluxe compartments with shower & toilet, 1 & 2-berth compartments with washbasin, and a few 3-berth compartments with washbasin. The sleeper attendant can serve drinks, snacks & light meals from a room service menu. The train also has couchette cars with 4 & 6 berth compartments, and ordinary seats. A light breakfast is included in sleepers & couchettes, served in your compartment. See the Nightjet page for a guide to accommodation, travel tips & photos.
Tip: There's no restaurant car, so have dinner before boarding, see suggested restaurants at Zurich HB & restaurant at Basel SBB.
Fares start at 49.90 in 6-berth couchettes, 59.90 in 4-berth couchettes, 69.90 in a 3-bed sleeper, 89.90 in a 2-bed sleeper or 139.90 in a single-bed sleeper, all per person per berth. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this train at www.thetrainline.com (easy to use, in CHF, , £ or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee) or at the Austrian Railways website www.oebb.at (in , same fares). Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket.
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Day 2, travel from Hamburg Hbf to Kiel Hbf by regional train, these leave several times each hour taking 1h10, fixed-price fare 25.70.
In Kiel it's a 7 minute 450m walk from Kiel Hbf to the Color Line ferry terminal, see walking map. But always allow several hours between trains and ferry for the ferry check-in and in case of any delay.
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Day 2, sail from Kiel to Oslo by luxurious overnight Color Line ferry, with a full range of en suite cabins, suites, bars, restaurants and lounges. The m/v Magic or m/v Fantasy normally sails at 14:00 arriving Oslo at 10:00 next morning (Day 3 from Switzerland).
Check times & buy tickets using the Direct Ferries website or at www.colorline.com.
Money-saving tip: It appears that it's considerably cheaper to book on Color Line's Norwegian website www.colorline.no in Norwegian Krone, for example a 274 fare becomes the equivalent of 164. You'll need to use Google Chrome translation to translate the Norwegian. You are still able to enter a UK or other European address and contact details. Feedback appreciated.
Make sure you're on deck next morning as the ship sails through spectacular scenery up Oslo Fjord. The ship docks at the modern Color Line terminal about 2 km from the city centre. Color Line provide transfer buses to Oslo Sentral station costing 55 krone, or there are plenty of taxis. If you have little luggage it's possible to walk. See map of Oslo showing ferry terminal.
Step 2, sail from Kiel to Oslo with Color Line. It's just a 6 minute walk across from Kiel Hbf to the Color Line terminal. There's a lift up to a connecting walkway which takes you to the ferry terminal. If you've booked one of Color Line's 5 star suites, check in at the desk rather than the machines to be directed to a VIP lounge with free tea, coffee, juice, snacks & WiFi. You'll have priority boarding & free access to the on-board spa. Photos courtesy of Philip Dyer-Perry except where shown.
Above left, cabin with TV, shower & toilet, luxury suites are also available. Above right, restaurant with a view.
Restaurant and lounge on the Kiel-Oslo ferry.
Wake up to lovely scenery sailing up Oslo Fjord.
The Color Line ferry, arrived at Oslo. Above right, there's a transfer bus to Oslo Sentral, photo courtesy of Andrew Leo.
Switzerland to Helsinki & Finland
Option 1, Switzerland to Helsinki using a Finnlines ferry from Germany - the easiest option
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Day 1, travel from Switzerland to Hamburg, for example leaving Zurich HB at 09:59 & Basel SBB at 11:06 by ICE train with restaurant car, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi, arriving Hamburg Hbf at 17:36. Times may vary, so check online, but allow plenty of time.
Fares start at 37.90 in 2nd class or 56.90 in 1st class. Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead.
Book this at the German Railways website int.bahn.de.
Booking opens up to 6 months ahead. You print your own ticket or can show it on your laptop or phone. I recommend registering when prompted so you can log in & check your bookings or re-print tickets at any time.
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Day 1, transfer from Hamburg Hbf to the Travemόnde ferry terminal by train+bus and sail from Travemόnde to Helsinki with Finnlines, see details of the transfer, check-in arrangements & ferry crossing here.
Finnlines sail from Travemόnde in northern Germany to Helsinki every day, boarding at 23:30, sailing at 02:45 (the exact time varies) and arriving at Helsinki's Hansa Terminal in Vuosaari at 09:15 2 nights later (Day 3 from Switzerland).
Check sailing dates, times & book the ferry at www.finnlines.com or using the Direct Ferries website.
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Book onward trains within Finland at the Finnish Railways website www.vr.fi.
Option 2, by train to Stockholm, then ferry to Helsinki
UK call 0207 864 4600,
US call free 1-888-829-4775,
Canada call free 1-855-882-2910,
Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526,
New Zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or
