Canton de Vaud Travel Forum

I could end up doing many times every month the route Lausanne-Milan with an ordinary car (VW Passat), and I need an IMPARTIAL opinion about the possible routes towards Italy and particularly their condition and practicability IN WINTER (snow, rain, fog, etc...): the Grand S.Bernard pass and tunnel, the E29 once passed Martigny, the routes along the Aosta valley and possibly alternative routes like the E62 from Brig to Domodossola.

I've been told I could manage it in roughly 4hrs but as I said I'd be glad if I could have an impartial confirmation about the winter bit! Anyone done it or know someone I could contact to have more info?

Ta very much in advance to those who might be able to help.

Hi,

I experience each winter road condition in Valais as I lived in a village at 1300m
I would not recommend to this way for winter as the route between Orsičre and Gd St Bernard Tunnel is not currently not in a good state (many road works should be done but split on several years due to massive financial investment).
You will have to be very attentive especially in winter and could be a stressful trip in cse of bad condition.
You have to have appropriate winter tyres and snow chain (+ know how to set up...) and more than 4 hours (only manageable by fine weather).
Alternatively you could pass the Simplon but the pass at 2000meters could easily be closed and downhill to Gondo is not a restful road. You could also use the Simplon Tunnel by using the car transport on train from Brig to Iselle.

Anyway for me, best option in winter is by train in Express Cisalpino with a only 3h and stressless trip where you can work on your laptop or sleep on the way.

Be safe..

Greetings from the Alps.

OUps, I forget to say that St Bernard pass is closed in winter and that the tunnel have a toll. See fare under:
http://www.sitrasb.it/

Well, Tripack, you definitely seem to know what you’re talking about and you’ve been very helpful indeed, thanks.

As regards the St. Bernard Tunnel’s toll I know that you can purchase cumulative tickets so that you pay something like 5 euros each way, becoming then cost/effective.

For what I know, because I phoned cisalpino, you cannot actually sleep on the train (I mean sleep properly) because the silly buggers don’t have beds on afternoon trains, they keep those only for night trains, nonsense really, that’s what I told them, on a 3+ hour trip what you look for is a kip whether is day or night! Besides, the journey wouldn’t be totally stressless, since the train would be just part of it. Since I live 20km from Lausanne, there’s transport to be organised before the main train and since destination is 40km from Milan Centre transport would affect my journey there too…

You talk about bad state from Orsičre and St. Bernard Tunnel, that’s less than 20km, if that was the main drawback it would be manageable, just let’s hope this winter will not be as bad as the last one, otherwise I’ll be stuck in the Aosta Valley more often than I thought I would…

Again, ta very much and… enjoy the Alps