Welcome to the 2nd UPLIFT School on AI in Radiotherapy. The venue, Fondazione Monte Verità, is located in the beautiful town of Ascona in the Swiss canton of Ticino.
Because Ascona does not have its own major train station, your primary transit goal will be to reach the nearby city of Locarno. From Locarno, Monte Verità is just a short bus or taxi ride away. Below are the detailed travel instructions for arriving from both Zurich and Milan.
The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) network is highly efficient. We highly recommend downloading the SBB Mobile App or visiting sbb.ch to check exact timetables and purchase tickets.
Reaching Locarno by Train
Option A: Travelling from Zurich
Whether you are starting from Zurich Airport (ZRH) or the city centre, the journey south through the Alps is incredibly scenic and takes approximately 2 to 2.5 hours.
· From Zurich Airport (ZRH): Take any frequent commuter train (IR or S-Bahn) to Zurich Hauptbahnhof (Zurich HB). This takes about 10–15 minutes.
· From Zurich HB to Locarno:
1) Board a southbound train (usually an InterCity or EuroCity) heading towards Lugano/Milano.
2) Transfer at Bellinzona (or sometimes Arth-Goldau, depending on the connection).
3) Take the local TILO train (usually the S20 line) from Bellinzona directly to Locarno.
Option B: Travelling from Milan (Milano)
Milan offers several international airports, with Milano Malpensa (MXP) being the most convenient for travelling into Switzerland. The journey to Locarno takes approximately 2 to 2.5 hours.
· From Milano Malpensa Airport (MXP):
1) The most direct route is the TILO S50 train, which departs directly from Malpensa Airport Terminals 1 & 2 heading towards Switzerland.
2) Ride the S50 to Bellinzona (or Giubiasco).
3) Transfer to the local TILO S20 train bound for Locarno.
· From Milano Centrale (City Center):
1) Board a northbound EuroCity (EC) train heading towards Zurich or Basel.
2) Alight at Bellinzona.
3) Transfer to the local TILO S20 train bound for Locarno. (Note: Alternatively, the TILO RE80 train runs directly from Milano Centrale to Locarno, though it makes more stops).
From Locarno Station to Monte Verità
Once you arrive at the Locarno train station, you are only about 10–15 minutes away from the venue. You have two main options to complete your journey:
Option A: By Taxi (Recommended for Convenience)
Taxis are readily available directly outside the main entrance of the Locarno train station.
· Duration: ~10 minutes.
· Cost: Approximately 25–35 CHF.
· Tip: This is the easiest option if you are arriving with heavy luggage or outside of regular bus operating hours.
Option B: By Public Bus
The local transit system is very reliable and offers a direct route up the hill to the venue.
1) Exit the Locarno train station and head to the adjacent bus terminal.
2) Board Bus Line 1 (Direction: Ascona).
3) Alight at the stop Ascona, Centro (Ascona Posta).
4) From Ascona Centro, you can either:
a. Board the Buxi (Bus Line 5), which drops you off directly at the Monte Verità stop.
b. Take a scenic 15-minute uphill walk to the venue.