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Milano / Milan / Mailand to Bellinzona by train
How to travel from Milan to Bellinzona by train
Until recently when travelling from Milano to Bellinzona by train there was a choice of two direct services, but the Regionale trains have now been diverted so that they arrive in Locarno instead.
Therefore the only direct rail link from Milano to Bellinzona is by taking the express EC trains, which will be heading on to other destinations in Switzerland.
Though if you will be travelling with a Eurail or InterRail pass, you can avoid paying a rail pass reservation fee in excess of €10 to travel by these EC trains, by taking those Regionale trains to Lugano and connecting there for Bellinzona.
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Routes
From Milano Centrale to Bellinzona
Journey Summary
1hr 35min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Zurich or Basel
These trains also call at: Lugano
9 x trains per day
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 months ahead of the travel date
Reservations will automatically be assigned when booking tickets (but rail pass users will need to make reservations prior to boarding at a ticket office - they're not available from the Trenitalia ticket machines)
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day - so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
Rail pass users:
Avoid these trains if possible, the rail pass reservation fees on these trains are expensive, for such a comparatively short journey.
Instead take a Regionale train from Milano to Lugano, on a newly enhanced service, and connect there for Bellinzona.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Trenitalia | from €26 | |
| Trainline | from €26 | |
| Omio | from €26 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
The trains on this route now travel through the recently opened Ceneri Base Tunnel.
The first half of this journey is unexceptional, but things become a tad more fabulous once the train has passed through Chiasso and crossed the border into Switzerland.
Once you're in Switzerland, look out for these three highlights (the video was taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction)
(1) The views from the left over Lake Lugano, as the train nears Lugano.
(2) The crossing over Lake Lugano - with great views from both sides of the train.
(3) South of Lugano station, the views over the lake switch to the right.
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