Hi Jeff,

You’ll find the Eurail site contains a lot of this information, and also has a journey planner app you can use to run queries. (Although October trains in Italy won’t have loaded onto it yet, you can still try out some tests with nearer dates to get an idea of the timings and frequencies.) The almost infallible Seat61 website, which most people swear by, also has a very good overview page for beginners such as yourself, with links to more in-depth explanations of most of the obvious question topics: https://www.seat61.com/european-train-travel.htm

There aren’t yet direct trains between Florence and Zurich, but it can still be a very straightforward journey; the main hub of interchange between Swiss and Italian destinations is Milano Centrale. Apart from in Spain and on the Eurostar (and on a couple of budget operators Eurail isn’t valid with anyway), European trains generally don’t have luggage limits, and luggage isn’t charged. There will usually be an overhead rack (as on a plane, but bigger), and a more communal alcove near the doors for bulkier items.

There are direct trains from Bologna/Milan/Venice/Verona to Zürich :)

Note that for just THIS trip alone a pass is not worth the money-simply book online around 2 month before for best pricing or later when you have not yet decided on actual days. A pass will only pay off when making 4 days large distance.

And for the tipical ignorant USAer-this is what all travelfora tell them: you have to carry and be aware that its all self-service for any luggage. NO check-in, noone to help you, so travel light!

In some stations there may still be some free-to-use luggage carts (with refundable coin in the slot)-but as about anyone today has these wheeled thingies, this is also fased out