Zurich to Milan by Train Across the Gotthard

One of the most important international train connections in Europe, and a firm favourite among travellers, is the rail route from Zurich to Milan across the Gotthard.

This short guide tells you all you need to know about taking the train from Zurich to Milan, including the fast connection through the Gotthard Base Tunnel and the classic rail route via the Gotthard Pass.

Zurich to Milan by train

The fastest way to get from Zurich to Milan is by taking one of the frequent direct EuroCity trains, which take 3 hours and 17 minutes to complete the journey.

For most of the day, these premium EuroCity trains run at hourly intervals.

The trains depart from Zurich HB, the main railway station in Switzerland’s largest city, and terminate at Milano Centrale, the main railway station in Milan.

At Milano Centrale, it’s easy to make an onward connection to cities elsewhere in Italy, for example by taking a train from Milan to Venice or one of the frequent high-speed trains from Milan to Rome, which also stop in Bologna and Florence.

Of the EuroCity trains from Zurich to Italy, three continue beyond Milan into other parts of Italy.

One daily train continues to Verona and Venice, another to Bologna and Florence, and a third to Genoa and La Spezia.

All these EuroCity trains from Zurich to Milan travel via the Gotthard Base Tunnel, which at 57.09 kilometres (35.5 miles) is the longest railway tunnel in Europe.

They call at the intermediate stations of Zug, Arth-Goldau, Bellinzona, Lugano, Chiasso and Como.

Although this route bypasses the best mountain scenery along the Gotthard, you can still enjoy beautiful views of the Alps, as well as Lake Como and Lake Lugano.

These EuroCity trains all feature first-class seating in a 2+1 layout, second-class seating in a 2+2 layout, and a dining car.

Seat reservations are compulsory (and automatically included in your ticket) for journeys between Italy and Switzerland, but are optional if you take these trains for domestic journeys within Switzerland.

Zurich to Milan by train via the classic Gotthard route

A great slow travel option between Zurich and Milan is to take a train along the classic Gotthard route, a highly scenic railway line.

Although all EuroCity services travel through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, InterRegio trains still take the classic Gotthard route through the mountains.

These include the InterRegio services linking Zurich with Bellinzona and Locarno.

If these trains don’t show up in a search on a booking website, try adding Göschenen or Airolo as a via station, as this will route you along the classic Gotthard line.

Simply take an InterRegio train from Zurich to Locarno, then change there onto one of the frequent regional trains to Milan.

You could even stay for a couple of hours or a day in Locarno, a beautiful city that is well worth a stopover!

Seat reservations are not required on the Zurich–Locarno or Locarno–Milan regional trains, so you can simply choose any available seat.

Booking tickets

You can book tickets for European trains, including services between Zurich and Milan, on the reliable booking website Omio.

Use the Omio journey planner below to find the best train connection for your travel date.

Using Interrail on the Zurich to Milan train

If you’re travelling around Europe with an Interrail pass, you should be aware that EuroCity trains between Switzerland and Italy require a compulsory passholder reservation for international journeys.

The reservation fee ranges from €13 to €17, depending on the train you take.

Click the link to learn how to make an Interrail passholder reservation for this train.

One way to avoid the passholder reservation is to take a EuroCity train from Zurich to Chiasso, then change onto one of the frequent regional trains from Chiasso to Milan.

On EuroCity trains between Switzerland and Italy, passholder reservations are only compulsory for international journeys into Italy, not for domestic journeys within Switzerland.

You can therefore avoid the reservation fee by getting off in Chiasso and taking a regional train for the final stretch to Milan.

The classic Gotthard route from Zurich to Locarno via Göschenen/Airolo is another great option for avoiding the passholder reservation fee.

Conclusion

The best way to travel from Zurich to Milan is by train, with hourly services connecting the two cities across the Alps.

Take one of the hourly EuroCity services through the Gotthard Base Tunnel for the fastest journey, or opt for an InterRegio train along the classic Gotthard route for the most scenic views.