There are a number of ways to make the nearly 600-mile (975 km) journey from the wild beaches of Italy's Gargano National Park to the mountains and chic ambiance of St. Moritz in Switzerland. Flying and driving take about the same amount of time, but driving is the least complicated option. Taking a combination of trains and buses between the two destinations is possible, but not the most practical choice.
By Rental Car or Private Transfer
Duration: 9-10 hrs
Gargano National Park is located in the southern Italian region of Puglia, and is between 550-600 miles (900-975 km) from St. Moritz, depending on the route you choose. By car, you would travel on the A14 - Autostrada Adriatica (also signposted as the E55/E45 highway) to Bologna—this leg of the journey is more than half the trip. At Bologna, you briefly pick up the A1 Autostrada del Sole/E45 to Modena. From here, you can opt for the shorter route via Milan and Lake Como, or a slightly longer route via Verona, Tirano and the Bernina Alps.
If you travel through Milan, consider a stop-off at this dynamic northern Italian city, or a longer itinerary that includes Milan, Lake Como, and surrounding cities and lakes.
If you choose to drive to St. Moritz by way of Verona, the well-preserved city is a good place to plan on an overnight stay. Note that the portion of this route from Tirano to St. Moritz is usually closed from mid-Autumn to mid-Spring due to snowfall at its high elevations.
Whether you choose the route via Milan or Verona, when entering Switzerland, U.S. and U.K residents and anyone not a resident of the EU's Schengen Area should have a valid passport. You probably won't be asked to present it, but it's always a good idea to have it on hand. If you're renting a car in Italy, be sure your contract permits you to take the car across international borders.
By Plane & Train
Duration (with travel to Bari): 8-10 hrs
Reaching St. Moritz from Gargano National Park by plane is possible only with additional driving or taking of trains/buses. Travelers first have to get to Bari, which has the closest international airport to the Gargano. Drive time from the park to Bari is about 90 minutes, while getting to Bari from Manfredonia, the southernmost town in the park, takes 3-4 hours by train and bus.
From Bari, travelers can opt to fly into Milan, Italy or Zurich, Switzerland. Direct flights to Milan take 80 minutes. From Milan, a combination of SBB trains and PostBuses, both Swiss-owned entities, are required to reach St. Moritz in about 6 hours. Direct flights from Bari to Zurich take 2 hours. From Zurich, several daily SBB trains travel to Chur, where connections can be made to St. Moritz. Total train time is between 3-4 hours, and the portion of the trip from Chur to St. Moritz is considered one of the most scenic in Switzerland.
By Bus and Train
Duration: 12-16 hrs
Travel from Gargano National Park to St. Moritz is possible via a combination of buses and trains, though we consider this the least practical option unless you plan to spend the night at one or more stops along the way. From Manfredonia, travelers take a bus to Foggia, where they transfer to a Trenitalia Frecciarossa high-speed train to Milan. From Milan, SBB or Trenord trains reach Lugano, Italy, and from there, Swiss PostBuses connect to St. Moritz. Depending on departure times, the entire journey takes from 12 hours to 16 hours or more.
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