Tailor Made Rail · Self-guided rail holiday

Discover Ticino: Italian Switzerland

Discover Ticino: Italian Switzerland, a rail journey with Tailor Made Rail

Visit Ticino in the Italian-speaking corner of Switzerland by train, discovering pristine lakes, castles and gelato along the way.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Strasbourg

    London to Strasbourg

    High-speed Eurostar to Lille, changing onto a TGV to Strasbourg, capital of the Alsace. Evening sampling local delicacies such as Flammekueche.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Bellinzona

    Strasbourg to Bellinzona via the Gotthard Base Tunnel

    Regional train through the Alsace to Basel, then a Swiss tilting train through the Gotthard Base Tunnel into the canton of Ticino, collecting a complimentary Ticino Ticket on check-in.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Bellinzona

    Bellinzona

    Full day exploring Ticino's capital and its three UNESCO-listed castles, with the Ticino Ticket covering unlimited local rail and bus travel, including a possible trip to the Gotthard Pass at Airolo.

  4. Day 4overnight: Lugano

    Bellinzona to Lugano

    Short ride on the Ticino Ticket to Lugano on its lake shore beneath San Salvatore Mountain, for a 3-night stay, with an evening stroll along Via Nassa.

  5. Day 5overnight: Lugano

    Lugano

    Explore Lugano's traffic-free historic centre, Italianate Lombardy-style buildings and the lakeside Parco Civico.

  6. Day 6overnight: Lugano

    Lugano

    Further time to soak up Lugano's Mediterranean-style squares, arcades and museums.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Locarno

    Lugano to Locarno

    Local train via Giubiasco onto the Locarno line, arriving in the glamorous lakeside city of Locarno on Lake Maggiore for a 3-night stay.

  8. Day 8overnight: Locarno

    Locarno and Lake Maggiore

    Take the funicular to Cardada/Cimetta for a panorama of Lake Maggiore, or use the Ticino Ticket to explore the lake shore or valleys such as the Verzasca.

  9. Day 9overnight: Locarno

    Locarno and Lake Maggiore

    Further time around Locarno and Lake Maggiore, known for its international Film Festival.

  10. Day 10railovernight: Lausanne

    Locarno to Lausanne via the Centovalli Railway

    The scenic Centovalli railway to Domodossola across the Italian border, then a direct train through the Simplon Tunnel, the upper Rhône Valley and along Lake Geneva to Lausanne.

  11. Day 11rail

    Lausanne to London

    Morning at the shores of Lake Geneva before a TGV via the Jura Mountains and Dijon to Paris, then the Eurostar back to the UK.

Included

  • All rail journeys, in standard class
  • Seat reservations where required
  • Ticino Ticket – free travel around the entire canton throughout your stay
  • 11 nights' handpicked hotel accommodation with breakfast in city-centre locations
  • Easy-to-follow travel documentation
  • Despatch of tickets by email
  • Proactive rerouting in case of strikes or disruptions

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