Those looking for a fast, green and comfortable way to visit the south of France this summer will benefit from more direct trains from Switzerland in 2025. TGV Lyria will be extending its rail services between Lausanne, Geneva and Marseille, while Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) will offer even more trains to help you visit the stunning waters of the Mediterranean.
For the first time since the special holiday train was launched in 2023, the TGV Lyria service between Lausanne, Geneva, Avignon and Marseille will be extended to run throughout most of the summer. While the train only used to run to the capital of Canton Vaud in July - its final stop being Geneva during the rest of the summer - the company confirmed that it will now run the whole route from June 28 to August 24.
The daily train itself has proven a hit, transporting passengers from Geneva to the banks of the Mediterranean in less than four hours. This isn’t the last time the route will be expanded too: as part of SBB’s 2026 timetable, the train between Lausanne and Marseille will run from Thursdays to Mondays from April to October, and continue to run daily in July and August.
It’s not just TGVs heading to the Mediterranean from Switzerland this summer. Since June 1, SBB has operated a daily direct train between Zurich, Genoa and Sestri Levante. This service will continue until September 28. The EuroCity train from Zurich will also be extended beyond Milan to run to Pisa and Genoa.
However, passengers heading southwards through the Alps should also be aware of construction works taking place on major routes. The rail line between Domodossola and Milan will be closed until August and again from mid-September, meaning travellers from Lausanne and Geneva to Milan and back will have to take one of SBB’s replacement buses.
Between June 27 and August 25, heavy disruption is expected on the line between Bern and Fribourg, and trains between Basel and Biel/Bienne will be replaced by buses between Laufen and Aesch until the end of September. Finally, EuroCity trains will be cancelled between Chiasso and Milan on August 16 and 17.
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