We finally ran out of good weather. This morning we needed to walk to the bus station to take a bus to Arth-Golau where we were getting the train to Milan. From early morning it was raining quite heavily in Luzern. Fortunately, though, while we were hoofing it to the train station so we could be undercover for two blocks, the rain lessened and we were able to walk over without getting soaked. We returned to the restaurant Tibits in the train station for a coffee and muffin.
We then headed over to the bus station, which isn’t a station, just a parking lot, where we were able to stand under an awning to stay out of the rain. I thought I had bought train tickets, but it was actually fun taking the bus. We saw much more of the countryside and stopped at several little very picturesque towns to unload and pickup passengers. Listening to the conversations of the locals was fun, all in German, and some in Italian. Because it was raining and rather foggy, we weren’t able to see spectacular views of the mountains, which was a shame. However, here’s some of what we did see.
We arrived in Arth-Goldau where we waited for our train. Even though we had tried very hard to not take big suitcases and not pack too much stuff, we need to do a much better job. Even though we did manage to get into carry-on size suitcases, we both had backpacks stuffed full which were as heavy as the suitcases. Wearing them for any length of time was very uncomfortable so our only other option was to sit them on top of the suitcase and try rolling everything. Well, you know that on most suitcases the wheels are generally pathetic and pavement is not friendly to suitcase wheels, so wheeling was a real struggle. If we travel in the future, we’re going to have to find a different way to pack and carry.
After picking up some lunch to eat on the train, we had to stand on the train platform to await the train. It was pouring rain and where we had to stand was very far down the platform, and in an uncovered area. We waited undercover for as long as we could and then moved down the platform to board, getting soaked in the process.
Once settled, which wasn’t easy because although our tickets said coach 1, seats 11 and 12, no such seats existed. But we grabbed a couple of empty seats and settled in. After leaving Arth-Goldau, the train goes through a very long tunnel and several little tunnels, through the Alps, and when we popped out of a tunnel, we were in bright sunshine. It was amazing to see the weather difference in just a short period of time. These photos were all taken from the train window, so they aren’t the best.
We crossed into Italy at Chiasso were border guards came through the train. Italy requires travelers to fill out an online passenger locator form, which I did. I never received a verification for access to the digital form that contains a QR code, which the guards were looking for on everyone’s cellphone. Fortunately, I had printed out the forms I had filled out for Christine and me and I quickly dug them out of my backpack. The guard snatched the forms from my hand and continued on down the aisle. Hope I don’t need those forms as proof of registration someplace else.
As we got to the lake district, Lake Lugano and Lake Como, the scenery was stunning. Everything was so beautiful.
We’re making a day trip to Lake Como on Wednesday so you’ll see LOTS more photos of this beautiful area.
Before we knew it, and after Christine thought she lost me on the train after a trip to the WC, we arrived at the central station in Milan. Holy smokes, what a zoo that place is! The station has 24 tracks. Every day about 320,000 passengers pass through the station using about 500 trains, for an annual total of 120 million passengers. I think all 320,000 passengers that day were in the station at the time we arrived. It was pretty difficult to move around. It was really hard to find an exit and to get out of the station. Then once outside, the plaza in front of the station was also jam packed with people, and crazy skateboarders careening around, and finding our bearings was quite the challenge. My Google maps kept going to dark mode and I couldn’t see the directions. That was really annoying. We had a paper map, but it was hard to place us on the map because we didn’t know which side of the station we had exited, but we managed the couple minute walk to find the entrance to our Airbnb building.
I will say that the Milan train station is a wonder. Construction was started in 1912, but WWI impeded the construction. When Mussolini became Prime Minister, he wanted the construction to be more elaborate to represent the power of the Fascist regime. The station was finally completed and dedicated in 1931. It’s a pretty awesome building.
In the plaza in front of the station is a sculpture of a large, white apple that has stitching to put back a bite that was taken out of the apple. Kind of weird.
We settled in to our Airbnb. Christine took a little nap and I looked at the subway map trying to figure out how to get places. We then walked around our neighborhood and located a grocery and purchased a few things for breakfast. I will say that we’ve been spoiled by the neat, tidy and clean places we’ve been in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. Milan is none of those things. After our walk we had dinner in a restaurant next door to our Airbnb and called it a day.
We have limited time in Milan since one of our days here will be a day trip to Lake Como. And the weather forecast is not conducive to walking around outside, so we may be hampered in taking in the sights. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
I remember being in that Milan train station and hunting for a bathroom, and then not having the requisite coins. You know what that is like.