Trains in Italy & Switzerland
Both countries are a dream by rail. Trains run city center to city center, and the journeys themselves, especially through the Alps, are part of the trip.
- Italy (Trenitalia & Italo): the high-speed Frecce and Italo trains link Rome, Florence, Milan, Bologna, Naples, and Venice in a few hours. Book ahead on trenitalia.com or italotreno.com for the cheapest fares. High-speed trains need a seat reservation; regional trains don’t.
- Validate regional tickets: in Italy, stamp paper regional tickets at the green or white platform machines before boarding, or risk a fine. High-speed e-tickets with a booked seat don’t need validating.
- Switzerland (SBB): famously punctual and scenic. The SBB Mobile app shows live platforms and sells tickets. Trains connect Zurich, Geneva, Basel, and on toward Zermatt seamlessly.
- Getting to Zermatt: the village is car-free. You park at Täsch and take the shuttle train up (about 12 minutes), or ride the rails the whole way. The Glacier Express and Gornergrat cogwheel railway are spectacular.
- Swiss Travel Pass: if you’re hopping between several Swiss cities and mountain trains, it can pay off and covers most public transport plus many museums. Run the numbers against individual tickets first.
- Crossing the border: direct trains link Milan to Zurich, Geneva, and beyond in about 3 to 4 hours through gorgeous scenery. No border faff, just bring your passport.
Private drivers & transfers
When trains aren’t practical, for the Amalfi Coast, Tuscan wine country, or an early airport run, a private driver is worth it.
- Blacklane (blacklane.com): pre-booked chauffeur service with flat, upfront rates in Rome, Milan, Florence, Naples, Zurich, and Geneva. No surge pricing, and the driver waits if your flight is late. Our go-to for airport transfers.
- Sixt (sixt.com): reliable car rentals across both countries, with automatic cars available (rare in Europe) if you book ahead. Good for Tuscany, Puglia, or Swiss day trips.
- Amalfi & coastal Italy: roads are narrow and parking is scarce. A local private driver is often less stressful and not much pricier than a rental plus parking.
- Switzerland note: the trains are so good that you rarely need a car. Save the private transfer for luggage-heavy airport runs or reaching Täsch for Zermatt.
Packing for both countries
A single trip can take you from a sweltering Roman piazza to a snowy Alpine peak, so layers are everything.
- Comfortable, broken-in walking shoes. Italian cobblestones and Swiss village lanes will give you 15,000+ steps a day.
- Layers for the Alps. Even in summer, Zermatt and the mountains are cold, especially up at Gornergrat or the glacier. Bring a warm layer and a light waterproof even on a sunny itinerary.
- Modest layer for churches. Italy’s churches (St Peter’s, the Duomo, countless chapels) require covered shoulders and knees. A light scarf or shawl does the job and packs small.
- One nicer outfit. Italians dress with care, especially for dinner in Milan or Florence. You’ll feel more comfortable a touch dressed up.
- Universal/EU adapter (Type C/F). Italy also uses Type L in some older buildings; Switzerland uses Type J. A universal adapter covers all of it.
- Refillable water bottle. Rome’s nasoni fountains run cold, free drinking water all over the city, and Swiss public fountains are famously potable too.
- Sunglasses and sunscreen. Alpine sun at altitude and reflected snow are stronger than they feel.
Finding a place to stay
- Location beats luxury. In Venice, Florence, and Rome, a modest room in the historic center beats a grand one far out. You’ll walk everywhere and come back for a midday rest.
- Book direct when you can. Start on Booking.com for the range, then check the hotel’s own site, small Italian and Swiss family-run places often have better direct rates or perks.
- Air conditioning in Italy: not standard in older buildings. If you’re traveling May to September, confirm the listing actually has it.
- Zermatt is car-free and compact: almost anywhere central is walkable, but a room with a Matterhorn view is worth asking for. Book well ahead in ski season and summer.
- Swiss city tax & guest cards: many Swiss towns add a small overnight tax that often comes with a free local transport or guest card. Ask at check-in, it can save you money.
- Free-cancellation rates let you lock in a price and adjust if plans shift, which they often do on a multi-city trip.
Money & payments
- Two different currencies. Italy uses the euro (€); Switzerland uses the Swiss franc (CHF). Don’t load up on francs for an Italy-only leg.
- Cards work nearly everywhere, but carry some cash for small Italian cafes, market stalls, and the occasional “cash only” trattoria. Switzerland is highly card-friendly, even mountain huts often take them.
- Always pay in local currency. If a card machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline, the exchange rate is worse. Choose euro or francs.
- Switzerland is expensive. Budget more for food and drink than in Italy; even a casual meal in Zurich or Zermatt costs noticeably more.
- Tipping is modest. In Italy, service is often included (look for coperto or servizio on the bill); rounding up or leaving a few euros is plenty. In Switzerland, rounding up to the nearest franc or two is normal.
Language
- Italy: a few words go a long way. Buongiorno (good morning), buonasera (good evening), per favore (please), grazie (thank you), scusi (excuse me). Greet shopkeepers when you walk in.
- Switzerland speaks several languages. Zurich and Basel are German-speaking (Grüezi for hello), Geneva is French (bonjour), and parts of the south are Italian. Zermatt is German-speaking. English is widely understood in all of them.
- Google Translate’s camera mode is invaluable for Italian menus and Swiss-German signs. Download the offline language packs before you go.
- Older generations in rural Italy may speak little English, start in Italian and they’ll warm to you quickly.
Eating & etiquette
- Italian mealtimes: lunch runs roughly 12:30 to 2:30, dinner rarely starts before 7:30 or 8. Kitchens close in between, don’t expect a hot meal at 5pm.
- Coffee rules (gently held): cappuccino is a morning drink; after lunch or dinner, Italians take an espresso. Drinking coffee standing at the bar is cheaper than sitting.
- Cover charge: the coperto on your Italian bill is a normal per-person table charge, not a scam. Tipping on top is optional.
- Aperitivo is a lovely Italian ritual, a pre-dinner drink (Aperol spritz, negroni) with snacks, usually 6 to 8pm. Milan does it especially well.
- Swiss dining is punctual and unhurried, reservations are expected at dinner, and meals are relaxed once you’re seated. Fondue and raclette are shared, social, and best in cold weather.
- Dress for churches and nicer restaurants. Covered shoulders and knees for religious sites; smart-casual for dinner in either country.
Slowing down
Our most important advice, learned the hard way across both countries.
- Don’t cram five Italian cities into a week. Pick two or three and let yourself linger.
- Take the long Italian lunch. Sit in a piazza with a spritz and watch the evening passeggiata, the stroll, unfold.
- In Switzerland, build in a slow mountain day: ride up, find a sunny terrace, and just look at the Alps. The view is the activity.
- Talk to the people who feed you, the bartender in Venice, the baker in Zermatt. They give the best recommendations you’ll get anywhere.
- Get pleasantly lost. The best corners of Florence, Rome, and the Swiss old towns aren’t on any map, ours included.