Milan to Interlaken: Green Train Alps & Lake Thun Cruise

The Green Train climbs into Switzerland while you watch the Alps close in from your seat

You travel from Milan on a high-speed train to Domodossola, then ride the Green Train through the Simplon Pass with a guide who explains the mountains as they unfold. After lunch in Spiez, you take a steamboat across Lake Thun to Interlaken, where you have free time to explore and shop. The return journey mirrors the morning route, with a coach ride back to Milan in the late afternoon. Total time is around 12 hours, and you'll need your passport for the Swiss border.

Step-by-step itinerary

Train journey and Interlaken visit

• Depart Milan by high-speed train
• Travel through Simplon pass on Green Train
• Arrive in Spiez and have lunch break
• Take steamboat cruise on Lake Thun
• Enjoy views of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau
• Explore Interlaken and walk lakeshore
• Try Swiss chocolate at local shops
• Return to Domodossola by train
• Travel back to Milan by coach

The Experience

You board a high-speed train in Milan and two hours later you're threading through the Simplon Pass on what locals call the Green Train of the Alps, and it hits you how fast the landscape changes. The guide points out the valleys opening below, the way the light hits the rock faces, the small villages that appear and vanish. It's not a gentle climb. It's a crossing, and you feel the difference between Italian flatland and Swiss mountain the moment the train tilts into the first serious grade.

The train pulls into Spiez around midday, right on the shore of Lake Thun. You have time to grab lunch on your own (there are cafés and restaurants in the town), and then you board a steamboat for the cruise to Interlaken. The water is pale blue-green, and across it you can see Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, the three mountains that show up in every Swiss postcard, except now they're in front of you and not flat. The crossing takes a couple of hours, and most people spend it on deck with a camera or just standing there. The boat is modern, not some heritage relic, so it's comfortable even if the weather turns cool.

Interlaken itself is a small town built for tourists, which means it's clean and walkable and full of chocolate shops. You get a few hours to wander, watch the hang gliders drift down from the peaks, or sit by the water. Then the afternoon train takes you back through the Simplon Pass, the same route in reverse, and you drop into Domodossola as the light starts to change. An air-conditioned coach meets you there for the drive back to Milan, which takes a few hours depending on traffic. You'll need a valid passport. The border crossing is real, not ceremonial.

What’s included

• High-speed train from Milan to Domodossola.
• professional English-speaking guide for the Green Train section.
• the Green Train of the Alps journey through Simplon Pass.
• steamboat cruise across Lake Thun from Spiez to Interlaken.
• air-conditioned coach return to Milan.

Days and timesSun · 07:15 · season until 1 Nov

AgesAges 12+ · 4 to 11 years · Under 4 — Free

Meeting point and pickupNo pickup · ends where it startsMeeting point, per the operator: “Please be ready 15 minutes before the departure of the tour in Piazza Duca D'Aosta, Zani Viaggi bus stop in front of the main pedestrian square. A current vali…”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Zani Viaggi

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the Alps from a train without renting a car or planning the connections yourself. The fixed itinerary handles the border, the transfers, and the timing, so you just show up at Milan with your passport and a moderate level of fitness for the walking in Interlaken.

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Top questions

Can children come?

4 to 11 years; under 4, free.

Do I need a passport for this day trip from Milan?

Yes. You cross into Switzerland, so a current valid passport is required on the day of travel.

Is lunch included in the Green Train tour?

No. You have free time in Spiez to buy lunch at local restaurants or cafés before the lake cruise.

How long is the train journey through the Simplon Pass?

Around two hours from Domodossola to Spiez on the Green Train, with your guide narrating the route.

What is the total duration of the day trip?

Approximately 12 hours from departure in Milan to return, including the high-speed train, Green Train, lake cruise, and coach ride back.

Can I bring a service animal on this tour?

Yes, service animals are allowed on the high-speed train, Green Train, steamboat, and coach.

Is the coach air-conditioned on the return to Milan?

Yes, the return journey to Milan is in an air-conditioned coach.