An interesting trip with a couple of hiccups. The primary purpose was to revisit Venice outside the tourist season, in March. Secondary targets were to travel over the Bernina Pass in winter, and to visit friends in Annecy on the way back. Usual start – East Midlands Railway to St Pancras, Eurostar to Paris – but there was a major signal failure and we arrived in London more than three hours late. A frantic dash to the Eurostar desk, and we were on the train fifteen minutes later! We arrived in Paris only an hour late. Next day, TGV from the Gare de Lyon to Zurich and a very quick transfer to the Chur train – no problem if you miss the train, as you don’t need to book on any Swiss train (apart from tourist trains like the Glacier Express). After a pleasant evening and morning in Chur, we took the Rhätische Bahn (RhB) to Tirano – the normal train, not the Bernina Express. Cheaper, fewer passengers, and a Photography Coach with a compartment lacking seats and having windows that lowered for photography. On the approach to Tirano the train runs along streets in places. The following day, train to Milano, which runs alongside Lake Como, to a flat next to the magnificent Milano Centrale station. From Milano it is a couple of hours to the modern station in Venice. See Venice by Night and Venice by Day for more pictures of Venice. We thought the return journey would be less complicated, but SNCF decided to go on strike – an occupational hazard travelling in France. The SNCF app did keep us updated. So a slow journey via Verona to Milano Centrale, enough time for lunch in the superb Mercado Centrale in the station, then SBB via the Simplon tunnel to Genève. The SNCF app said take a local train then a bus to Annecy. I enquired about this, and was told that there was a direct train in about 20 minutes! After a very enjoyable stay in Annecy, getting home was an easy but very long day – TGV to Paris via Chambéry, Number 91 bus from the Gare de Lyon to the Gare du Nord, Eurostar to London, East Midlands to Chesterfield, taxi home.
