The Cisalpino, the crown jewel of the modern Italian Ferrovia(rail system), the contemporary incarnation of the Orient Express. Travelling from the North of Italy, via Venice and Milan, the train snakes its way up through the Alps and up into the Northern continent. There it stops at many of the fashionable Continental cities between Milan and Brussels, including either Geneva or Zurich in Switzerland. This is my train of choice for my trips to visit my family in the Alps, and you should seize any opportunity to hitch a ride on the glorious CA as well...

Part I--My Adventure(a short journal entry)

Upon bidding a fond farewell to my Alps family for awhile, I boarded the Cisalpino in Domodossola to shoot directly back to Venice, homebase. On the train I met a lovely couple from Great Britain, as well as a professor and his wife from William & Mary who were absolutely charming. This is a first time in a awhile that I've broken my anti-American rule, that habit of convenience wherein I pretend to not understand English to avoid interaction with tourists, and it turned out pretty well. I guess I might actually start having to be nicer to other travellers on trains, but I still plan to avoid the tourists when it comes to the nieghborhoode, can't have any that...

Part II--The Guide

1.First vs. Second Class- One of the biggest debates for travellers in Italy is whether or not first class is worth it. The answer, yes and no. Use this simple guide to judge for yourself your "class" needs:

a.The Hopper- This is a short trip, under 3 hours of train riding. The extra amenities of first class just don't add up to the price hike in this situation.

b.The Jaunter- This is a trip of between 3-5 hours long. Here the first class lifestyle will make a difference in how happy you are when you step off of the train, but it's still not a necessity. Worth paying extra if you have the money to spend...

c.The Long Hauler- For 5 hours worth of travelling or more, first class is simply a must. The extra space, peace and comfort will add up to a more relaxing journey and a happier you when you finally step off of the train. Turn your long ride into a mini-vacation by ponying up the First Class ante.

2.To Eat or Not To Eat- On of the most indulgent/useful features of the Cisalpino in the restaurant car, which usually offers 2 seatings each of lunch and dinner. At about $12-20 dollars, the meals are not cheap, but they are of a surprisingly high quality. A soup to nuts restaurant meal with a nice wine selection and fresh food, this is a splurge that is well worth it if you are in for the long haul...snacking on chips and soda for 8 hours will only dehydrate you and make you feel horrible when you get off the train.

3.Secrets of the Smoking Car- So you can't go 3 or 4 hours without a cigarette, does that mean you should take up in the smoking car? No! What Americans don't understand about European smokers is that their nicotine habits are a bit more zealous than the average American smoker's. You may be dying for a cig after an hour or two on the train, but for an Italian or a Frenchman it's nothing to smoke continuously for the length of the trip, be it one hour or four. What that means is that the smoking compartment is constantly filled with an impenetrable haze of cheap cigarettes and cigars. Your best bet? Get a more comfortable seat in non-smoking, then just slip into the never-full smoking compartment to sneak a quick smoke. Otherwise it's going to be a looong ride...

4.The Price Difference- As with anything else in life, you get what you pay for with the Italian rail system, and that means that the luxurious Cisalpino train is consistently priced 10-25% higher than a regular ticket. It's definitely worth it! Besides being a less crowded and more comfortable ride, the rarely-stopping nature of the train means an always quicker arrival at your chosen destination. Save yourself the time and the headache, and shell out for a Cisalpino ticket.



Recommended: Yes