Yes, you can see Switzerland in a day from Milan, and with a private car it is easier than most people expect. Lugano and the FoxTown outlet are about an hour away, so they make relaxed 8-hour days. St. Moritz, the Bernina Express and Zermatt are about three hours each way and fill a full 12-hour day, a long one but a memorable one.
Below we compare five Swiss day trips, with honest drive times and prices per car. For Lake Como and the Italian lakes too, see all our day trips from Milan by private car.
Swiss day trips from Milan at a glance
| Destination | Best for | Drive from Milan | Tour length | Price from (per car) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lugano & Morcote | A first, easy taste of Switzerland: lake, old town, lakeside village | About 1 h 15 min | 8 hours | €600 (E-Class) · €680 (V-Class) |
| FoxTown Mendrisio | Outlet shopping, with Lugano in the afternoon | About 1 hour | 8 hours | €600 (E-Class) · €680 (V-Class) |
| St. Moritz | Alpine passes, Engadine lakes, a glamorous resort | About 3 hours | 12 hours | €1,085 (E-Class) · €1,225 (V-Class) |
| Bernina Express | Train lovers: the UNESCO railway from Tirano to St. Moritz | About 3 hours | 12 hours | €1,155 (E-Class) · €1,305 (V-Class) |
| Zermatt & the Matterhorn | The Matterhorn and a car-free mountain village | About 3 hours | 12 hours | €1,260 (E-Class) · €1,415 (V-Class) |
All prices are per vehicle, not per person: the Mercedes E-Class carries up to 2 guests, the V-Class up to 6. Saturdays and Sundays are +20%, major holidays +50%, and extra hours cost €75 (E-Class) or €85 (V-Class). The Swiss motorway vignette is included in every price.
Lugano and Morcote: the easiest day in Switzerland
Lugano is about 80 km from Milan, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes on the A9 past Como, through the border at Chiasso and onto the Swiss A2. In the canton of Ticino people speak Italian, but everything else is Swiss.
Your driver drops you on the lakefront near Piazza della Riforma, since much of the old centre is pedestrian. From there you can walk the arcades of Via Nassa, step into Santa Maria degli Angioli to see Bernardino Luini's large Passion fresco of 1529, and follow the lake path to the LAC arts centre and Parco Ciani. Lunch in Ticino means risotto, polenta, local cheeses and a glass of the canton's Merlot.
In the afternoon, Morcote is about 20 minutes south: arcaded houses on the water and a stairway of roughly 400 steps up to the church of Santa Maria del Sasso. From March to November you can also take the funicular from Lugano-Paradiso up Monte San Salvatore for a view over the whole lake. The Lugano and Morcote day trip from Milan is an 8-hour package with 150 km included, and Como is on the way if you want to add a stop.
FoxTown Mendrisio: outlet shopping without the bags on the train
FoxTown is only about 60 km from Milan, around an hour by car, just over the border at Chiasso. It brings together about 160 stores and 250 brands in one building, from luxury houses to sportswear and homeware, and it is open every day except 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 August, and 25 and 26 December.
The car makes a real difference here. Your driver waits in the car park, you come back to drop off bags whenever you like, and the boot keeps everything safe. After lunch, Lugano is 20 minutes north for a walk along the lake. Our private FoxTown outlet day trip from Milan is an 8-hour package. Read the customs section below before you shop.
St. Moritz: a day across the Alpine passes
St. Moritz sits at about 1,800 metres in the Upper Engadine, the high valley where Alpine winter tourism began in 1864 and which hosted the Winter Olympics in 1928 and 1948. It is about 175 km from Milan, roughly three hours each way, so this is a full 12-hour day with an early start.
The drive is half the reason to go. The classic road follows the eastern shore of Lake Como past Varenna to Chiavenna, a good coffee stop, then climbs Val Bregaglia into Switzerland at Castasegna and up the hairpins of the Maloja Pass (1,815 m). Then the lakes of Sils and Silvaplana open out. In St. Moritz there is time for a walk around the lake, the Segantini Museum, Via Serlas and lunch, and on a clear day the funicular to Muottas Muragl shows the whole chain of Engadine lakes from above.
Many guests return a different way, over the Bernina Pass (2,328 m) and down through Valtellina. The St. Moritz day trip from Milan by private car includes distance in the 12-hour package.
Bernina Express: the train one way, the car the other
The Bernina railway climbs from Tirano, in Italy, over the Bernina Pass to St. Moritz with no rack: just curves, tunnels and viaducts, including the circular viaduct at Brusio where the train turns a full loop to gain height. At Ospizio Bernina it reaches 2,253 metres beside the glaciers and Lago Bianco. With the Albula line, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2008.
By car the logistics are simple: your driver takes you along Lake Como and up Valtellina to Tirano station (about 165 km, roughly three hours), you board the train for around two and a half hours, and meanwhile the car crosses the pass by road and is waiting for you in St. Moritz. The way home runs over the Maloja, through the Bregaglia and along the lake.
Book the panoramic train with the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) as early as you can, because it needs a seat reservation and summer trains fill up; then send us your train time and we build the day around it. Train tickets are not included in the price of the Bernina Express day trip from Milan. Timetables change, so check before you go.
Zermatt and the Matterhorn
Zermatt is the day for anyone who has always wanted to stand in front of the Matterhorn. The road from Milan crosses the Simplon Pass into the Valais, roughly three hours each way. Zermatt itself is car-free, so the car stops at Täsch and you take the short shuttle train into the village; your driver waits for you at Täsch.
It rewards an early start and good weather, since the Matterhorn can hide in cloud. Our Zermatt and Matterhorn day trip from Milan is a 12-hour package. Shuttle train and mountain lift tickets are separate.
How to choose
- Short on time or energy: Lugano and Morcote. One hour and a quarter each way, a lake, an old town and a village, and you are back in Milan for dinner.
- Shopping is the point: FoxTown, with Lugano as a reward afterwards.
- You love driving through mountains: St. Moritz, going over the Maloja and coming back over the Bernina.
- You love trains: the Bernina Express.
- One mountain on your bucket list: Zermatt, ideally on a clear day.
Be realistic about the three-hour trips. You will spend around six hours in the car, so they suit travellers who enjoy the scenery on the way. All our day trips are tailor-made: you can start at Malpensa or Linate, add a stop on Lake Como, change the route home or extend the day by the hour.
Your driver is not a licensed tour guide and does not guide you inside the sites, but after years on these roads knows the routes well and can recommend viewpoints, restaurants and practical tips for the day. A licensed local guide can be booked on request.
Crossing the border: what to know
Documents
Every passenger, children included, needs a valid passport or ID card. Switzerland is in the Schengen area, but checks at the border are possible. Non-EU visitors should check that their entry rules and visa cover Switzerland.
Currency
Switzerland uses the Swiss franc (CHF), not the euro. Cards are widely accepted, so you rarely need much cash.
Vignette and licence
The Swiss motorway vignette is included in the price; you do not need to arrange anything. We are licensed to drive day trips from Italy into Switzerland and back, and we can also drop you off in Switzerland instead of returning to Milan. One-way transfers are available too.
Customs and shopping at FoxTown
Visitors who live outside Switzerland can ask the stores for a tax-free form on larger purchases (the minimum is around CHF 300) and have it stamped at Swiss customs on the way out. Coming back into Italy, EU duty-free allowances apply: for travellers arriving by land the limit is €300 per adult, and goods above it should be declared. These rules change, so check them before you shop.
Winter passes
The Maloja Pass road is kept open in winter, but heavy snow can close it for some hours and winter tyres or chains are required; the Bernina and Simplon roads can also be affected by snowfall. Your driver chooses the safest road and adapts the timing. Pass conditions change day by day, so check before you go.
Frequently asked questions
Is a day trip from Milan to Switzerland realistic?
Yes. Lugano and FoxTown are about an hour from Milan and fit comfortably into 8 hours. St. Moritz, the Bernina Express and Zermatt are about three hours each way, so they are full 12-hour days that start early.
How much does a private day trip from Milan to Switzerland cost?
Prices are per car, not per person: from €600 for Lugano or FoxTown with an E-Class (up to 2 guests), up to €1,260 for Zermatt. A V-Class for up to 6 starts at €680. Weekends are +20%, major holidays +50%.
Is the Swiss motorway vignette included?
Yes. The vignette is included in the price, and we are licensed to drive day trips from Italy into Switzerland and back.
Can you drop us in Switzerland instead of returning to Milan?
Yes. We can end the day at your hotel in Switzerland, and we also offer one-way transfers from Milan to Swiss destinations.
Do we need a passport to visit Switzerland from Milan?
Every passenger needs a valid passport or ID card. Non-EU visitors should check that their entry rules cover Switzerland.
Are train and lift tickets included?
No. The price covers the private car, your driver and the Swiss vignette. Tickets for the Bernina Express, the Zermatt shuttle train and mountain lifts are separate.
