Tuesday 23 September 2025
Sunday morning we donned our backpacks and walked to nearby Gare de Lyon train station from Paris’s Hotel Marceau Bastille. It was an easy walk and soon we were on a TGV Lyria train enroute to Basel, Switzerland. We stressed over the fact that we had only 17 minutes to switch trains in Basel but in fact that transfer went smooth as silk. We arrived late afternoon, hefted on our backpacks and walked the 0.8 miles uphill to the Swiss Nights Hotel. At that point we decided to treat ourselves to a taxi ride to the station for our early train departure next morning. Even though Zürich was scheduled just as an overnight between travel days we wanted to get a taste of the city. We walked to Kronenhalle hoping for a dinner of Swiss cuisine but learned that they had no tables available. Curious that the couple just after us also had not booked ahead but were seated without an issue. Nonetheless we were welcomed at the restaurant Santa Lucia where with the help of the Camera feature in the Apple Translate app that’s native on iPhones and a friendly waiter we enjoyed a fine Italian meal. Then back for a cozy night at our Swiss dairy themed hotel. Ruben, the desk clerk, helped us figure out from which platform our train would depart. The next morning after a delightful early breakfast down historic stairway at the hotel and a quick taxi ride to the station we had soon located the platform and our assigned coach and were settled in our reserved seats when we learned there were two trains on the platform and we should be on the other one. We changed trains and settled in again. First part of the journey went according to plan as we enjoyed the company of a young woman traveling she hoped, considering the Italian train strike, to Genoa for a relaxing few days with friends. We admired the scenery of the Alps through rain soaked windows until the train ground to a halt at the Carimate, Italy station just minutes from Milan. And there we sat. And sat. Waiting. For the train to move. Or for information. After getting sketchy information about there being a weather related problem on the tracks ahead a fellow passenger found a video of flooding in the area. We considered summoning an Uber but we learned simultaneously that the roads as well as the track between us and Milan were impassable and that the train would be backing up to Chiasso, Switzerland. We stayed on the train but got in touch with our travel agent and the rail booking agent. When we arrived at the Chiasso station we hundreds of passengers disembarked and the train crew just walked away. The little information we heard was in Italian and unfortunately we speak only English.The ticket desk was totally overwhelmed with passengers seeking information so instead of standing in line, we grabbed a couple of well needed sandwiches and bottle water and then at the rail agent’s suggestion got a taxi to the station at Como, Italy to catch a train to Milan, our tickets would be honored. Small glitch though. At Como the next train to Milan was listed on the board but not noted was that it had been cancelled due to the Italian train strike that was now underway. Oops! No train to Milan. We spotted a Flix Bus headed to “the Milan airport” and we forked over 30 Euro for the last two seats on the bus, climbed aboard and continued texting with our travel agent who booked us a flight to Rome the next day and was researching a hotel near the airport. Turns out we arrived at Malpensa airport where we fortunately found a free WC but unfortunately learned our flight would be out of Linate airport. Another taxi ride and 150 Euros later we arrived at the vastly overpriced hotel, transportation disruptions lead to increased demand for lodging. In the morning we had time to enjoy our hotel breakfast, leisurely walk to the hotel, easily obtain our boarding passes, then wait in line for more than an hour for our turn to ride a bus out to the plane waiting on the tarmac. Takeoff was an hour forty-five minutes late. We arrived in Rome, tried to get an Uber but we couldn’t find the driver and he couldn’t find us. Then we found an area designated “Uber” and tried again. This time we connected and had a pleasant ride to Hotel Diana Roof Garden getting our first glimpses of Rome through the windshield. Needless to say by the time we arrived we were exhausted. We opted to enjoy our first night in Rome enjoying complimentary drinks and bistro fare in the very lovely roof garden at the hotel. Tomorrow we’ll be busy touring and transferring to the port city preparatory to departing on our Mediterranean cruise. Travel doesn’t always go according to plan! When plans go awry just say, “Shucky Darn” and roll with the punches. Before long you have a new story for around the campfire or during cocktail hour.
Although our travels in Europe were over 15 years ago, we also dealt with train strikes in Italy. Your stopover in Zurich brought back memories as well. Can’t wait to compare stories around a campfire this spring!
That sounds positively delightful!