LIN-LHR-STR and the Cisalpino to Milano








Ciao, dear readers,

what about riding the mysterious and somewhat unreliable Cisalpino train through the Swiss alps
and returning by plane from Milano Linate?.
That´s the itinerary for that trip.

Returned some two weeks ago from Spain

BCN´s New Terminal 1 And The MD87 (by FLIEGER67 Oct 18 2009 in Trip Reports)

and heading for STR´s main train station that Saturday morning.

Deutsche Bahn offers, like the London special, also a special to Milano, only available for the outbound journey.
But, you know, thats not the real problem.
Booked first class for as low as 85.-- Euros for the two of us.
The routing was on the german highspeed train ICE to Zurich, where we had to change for the Cisalpino,
through Switzerland for Lugano with another change to Milano-Centrale.
The Cisalpino is a joint venture between the Swiss and Italian state owned rail companies.
It has a long and painful history with lots of delays, not reliable railcar material and other problems.
Not that long ago it was announced that the company will be liquidated with the winter timetable change and both companys operates own services.

The first ride:


Welcome to Switzerland:


The ride to Zurich was ontime and comfortable. Some surprise at ZRH when we checked the board and our train was not on the screen.
Where´s swiss efficiency?.
A chat with a nice lady at the info counter showed us that our train was cancelled and another one, on standard swiss railcar material running some minutes later to Lugano.
With only three minutes for our LUG connection not the best news.

Yes, looks like Switzerland:


Up the Gotthard:


And down to Lugano:


But ok, the ride was enjoyable through the swiss mountains and the longest rail tunnel in the alps nowadays, the Gotthard for Lugano where we arrived with some minutes more delay. Only to notice that there was no train on the scheduled track. We missed the connection and had to wait for an Eurocity bound for Milano-Centrale.
Some 45 minutes later the EC arrived and finally we had a whole firstclass compartment for us, ok so far.

Milano Centrale:


Our hotel, the Crowne Plaza Milano Centrale was only some corners from the train station.

Our room:


A top modern property with the subway entrance beside and nearly beneath the hotels door, real good.
Time to explore Milano, especially the Duomos rooftop.

The duomo:


Detail:


View from above:


On the way to the top:


On the top:


Ok, thats the top:


What about shopping?:


In the evening:


The Duomo at night:








Sunday, 06.09.2009
LIN (Milano-Linate-Enrico-Forlanini) Sunny, Temperature 26 degrees
LHR (London-Heathrow) Partly cloudy, Temperature 17 degrees
Duration: No announcement
Actual 1 hour, 45 minutes

Service BA 565 operated by British Airways
Scheduled: 11.30 // 12.30 1 hour time difference
Actual: 11.40 // 12.25
Gate: B 28 Seat: 26B
Load factor: Around 90%

Some difficulties with the booking here, so no seat selection or online check-in from the hotel.
Therefore we decided to go some minutes earlier than expected for the airport.
A direct bus service runs from Centrale to Linate, well timed for us.
Arrived at the airport at around 09.30 am, two eco standard check-in counters with rather long lines open.
Three self service kiosks and only another pax in front at the biz/bag drop off counter.
So, tried my luck at the kiosk, and surprisingly, it works, seats selected and checked in within a minute.
Another minute to drop off the bags and let me ask again that question:
Why do all the pax queue at the standard check in and dont use the kiosks?.
It seems not common sense in Italy. The same situation at AZ. Around ten empty kiosks and a much longer line for standard check-in.
Well, so it was. LIN is a oldfashioned building, only rather small check in area´s in need for some refurbishment.

Oldfashioned:


We decided to explore the airport from the outside after check-in. There was a interesting place beside the taxi waiting area with the departing planes directly above us, nice.

Just departed:


Close to the runway:


LH everywhere:


Another finals:


AirOne:


Takeoff run:


Takeoff:


And away:


It was the KL retro machine:


Back to the terminal and through security with no time to wait. The terminal looks better in the gate area, but nevertheless small sized for all that flights operating from here.
Btw, the first time for me at LIN.

Good used apron:


Closer:


The other side:


Non schengen gates are located in a even smaller area downstairs at the ground level. We saw our plane on arrivals sometimes earlier.
Some ten minutes to wait for passport control with a EI service to Dublin at the same time.
Bus boarding was called perfectly ontime

Classic Meridiana MD:


Some tails:


And a classic AZ MD:


And finally our machine:


Bound for LCY:


G-EUUE waited on the apron. The scheduled A320 delivered at 30.05.2002 to BA.
One of 38 examples in the BA fleet.
Leg no. 51 for me on the A320 and a new registration.

Boarding:


Close up:


Another one:


Once more:


Nice planes nearby:


Reg. shot:


Tail shot:


Two female, two male FAs on that service with a real friendly welcome at the rear door for us.
The cabin fitted with dark blue leather seats, clean. The legroom lower than expected, but the wide ok.

Cabin:


The cabin again:


The route:


The Meridiana MD again:


Window view:


Again:


Cockpit staff was from the UK. The captain with a friendly and detailed welcome during boarding.
Taxi for departures from the 2442 meters runway 36. The captain informed us again that we had to wait some ten minutes at the runway entrance due to traffic restrictions.
Departure later on with nice views above the lakes around for LUG-BSL and CDG.

Above the City:


To the mountains:


And lakes:


More lakes:


Near LUG:


I like these colours:


LUG:


More mountains:


And airports:


Snowy examples:


I´ve never had that nice views despite several flights to and from MXP in the past.
Service was a free snack and beverages.
The captain was once more on the speakers during approach with another friendly information and ten minutes holding prior touchdown on the 3901 meters runway 27R.

Holding:


Finals:


At the gate:


Jumbo nearby:


Our machine:


Docked at a T5 finger gate and the captain wished us in a real friendly style a good day and wants to welcome us as soon as possible on another BA flight,
real nice.









Sunday, 06.09.2009
LHR (London-Heathrow) Partly cloudy, Temperature 17 degrees
FRA (Frankfurt-Rhein-Main) Cloudy, Temperature 20 degrees
Duration: No announcement
1 hour, 25 minutes actual

Service BA 910 operated by British Airways
Scheduled: 15.35 // 18.15 1 hour time difference
Actual: 15.30 // 17.55
Gate: A 9 Seat: 22B
Load factor: 100%

I´ve done several inbound flights for LHR but no outbound from T5 till now, so that connection was warm welcomed.
And why FRA?. STR was pretty more expensive than FRA this time.
We had to go through passport control also with the connecting flight, strange. Thankfully not a long line there and also followed by a separate security check.
No trust to the Italians?.
Back in the gate area some minutes after arrival. A really huge terminal building with good seats and several bars, restaurants and shops, well done here BAA.
And also good places to follow the activities outside.

The board:


Nice terminal building:


Well, its one world:


BA country:


Once more:


Heavy finals:


Heavy on the runway:


EK A380:


Impressive takeoff:


One hour prior to our departure the gate was on the screen and G-EUPO parked at the finger.
The scheduled A319 delivered at 01.08.2000 to BA.
BA operates all together 33 A319´s.
Leg no. 43 for me on type and warm welcomed another new registration for my log.

Our machine:


Closer:


One more gate view:


Another angle:


During boarding:


Boarding:


Boarding was also here called perfectly ontime, two female, two male FA´s, ok so far, but not that friendly like on the earlier leg.
Cockpit crew was in a better mood, the guys from the UK and the captain with a friendly and very long detailed information during boarding.
The cabin fitted with the dark blue leather seats, also ok, but not in the best conditions. Some scratches and slightly dirty.

Cabin:


To the runway:


Again:


Heavy on the run:


Another plane ahead:


Departure from runway 27R like arrivals in direction Stansted and Brussels.
Service was also here free snacks and beverages. Flightlevel 29000 feet.

Just departed:


The captain was once more on the speakers during approach into FRA with a friendly goodbye.
Touchdown on FRA´s 4000 meter runway 25R and taxi to the apron where the bus to terminal 2 waited.

FRA T2:


Again:


Some heavies here:


AirOne on finals:


Thai B744:


Short to touchdown:


Our plane at FRA:


Reg. shot:


The next passport control, some minutes for the bags and the usual sidestep to the MCD with the perfect view followed.
The run to STR on the ICE was well timed, infact the train arrived while we jumped down the stairs, boarded and departed.

The final ride to STR:


244 km/h:


Retour at STR around one our later and with lots of new impressions on the way back home.

The Cisalpino does everything to secure its negative reputation. The ride trough Switzerland was real nice, but also here flying remains preference no. 1.
Two good experiences on BA, average fare per pax per leg was lower than 50 Euros, well done!.

And further?: The Budapest Air Service and my premiere on the E120 to Zagreb coming up, hopefully, soon.

Comments welcome,
Markus (FLIEGER67)