LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
After booking flights to match trains on the Simplon-Lötschberg route in June, I've just discovered the Simplon route is closed in Italy (Arona-Stresa, but effectively Domodossola-Milano) from June 9 to September 8.
EC services from the north are truncated at Domodossola, and there are Trenitalia buses from there to Milano Centrale taking 2h20m (the EC trains take 1h36m).
The work around Stresa is apparently gauge clearance for larger international freight trains.
Given the long-term problems on the Fréjus and Gotthard routes it's a pity RFI have to close a third trans-Alpine route.
My intended route was on local trains from Malpensa airport to Domodossola via Gallarate, but that is now impossible.
I've booked on the Malpensa-Domodossola express bus instead to catch up with my Swiss itinerary.
I'll miss the scenic rail route along Lake Maggiore.
I'm posting this in case others have plans to use this route in the summer.
EC services from the north are truncated at Domodossola, and there are Trenitalia buses from there to Milano Centrale taking 2h20m (the EC trains take 1h36m).
The work around Stresa is apparently gauge clearance for larger international freight trains.
Given the long-term problems on the Fréjus and Gotthard routes it's a pity RFI have to close a third trans-Alpine route.
My intended route was on local trains from Malpensa airport to Domodossola via Gallarate, but that is now impossible.
I've booked on the Malpensa-Domodossola express bus instead to catch up with my Swiss itinerary.
I'll miss the scenic rail route along Lake Maggiore.
I'm posting this in case others have plans to use this route in the summer.