Across the Simplon Railway: Geneva to Milan by Train
A popular way to travel by train to Italy is to take the train from Geneva to Milan, Verona or Venice across the Simplon Railway.
In fact, the Simplon Railway is perhaps the most historic rail route from Western Europe to Italy, and it is the route after which the famous Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is named.
From Geneva to Milan by train
The Simplon route starts in Geneva, Switzerland, with trains taking you via Lausanne, Montreux, Sion and Brig to the border with Italy.
Along the way, you can enjoy fine views over Lake Geneva and the mighty mountain peaks of the Alps.
After a stop at the border station of Domodossola in Italy, the train journey continues along the shores of Lake Maggiore via Stresa to Milan.
Although the Simplon Railway officially refers only to the most mountainous stretch between Brig and Domodossola, the term is also used to describe this wider route from Switzerland to Italy, as most trains start their journey in Geneva and terminate in Milan.
Swiss train at Domodossola railway station. ©AndyBTravels
Current services
At the moment, there are three direct train services linking Geneva in Switzerland with Milan in Italy via the Simplon Railway, all of which are comfortable EuroCity services with a dining car.
The morning EuroCity train from Geneva even continues beyond Milan to Verona and Venice, although the other two terminate at Milano Centrale station.
Connect in Milan to destinations further south in Italy, such as Florence, Bologna, Rome, Naples or even Sicily.
The train journey from Geneva to Milan currently takes 4 hours and 23 minutes.
Dining car on a Swiss train. ©AndyBTravels
How to book tickets
It’s easiest to book tickets for the Geneva–Milan EuroCity train through the reliable booking website Omio.
Use the journey planner below to find the best train for your travel date.
Using Interrail on the Simplon Railway
If you’re travelling across Europe using an Interrail pass, note that a compulsory passholder reservation applies to international trains between Switzerland and Italy.
This Interrail passholder reservation currently costs between €13 and €17, depending on which train you take.
Click the link to learn more about how to make an Interrail passholder reservation for this train.
If you are Interrailing and want to save some money, there is a way to travel between Geneva and Milan without paying the passholder reservation fee.
This fee does not apply to domestic journeys within Switzerland, as seat reservations on Swiss trains are optional, including on the stretch between Geneva and the border station at Domodossola.
You can therefore take a Geneva–Milan train without a seat reservation as far as Domodossola, where you then get off and take a frequent regional train (no reservations needed or even possible!) for the final stretch to Milan.
Frecciarossa high-speed trains at Milano Centrale. ©AndyBTravels
AndyB travel tip
For fans of scenic railway lines, take the unfortunately named FART (Ferrovie Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi) train along the narrow-gauge Centovalli Railway from Domodossola back into Switzerland to Locarno.
From Locarno, you can then easily travel onwards to Milan on one of the hourly regional train services.
Conclusion
The Simplon Railway between Switzerland and Italy is one of the historic rail routes across the Alps.
Currently, three daily EuroCity trains run over the Simplon Railway between Geneva and Milan, making for a highly scenic journey that remains one of the best ways to reach Italy from Western Europe.
