train from Tirano to Colico, Italy
Jan 15th, 2013, 11:37 AM
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train from Tirano to Colico, Italy
Have checked various train info sites. No success yet re train service from Tirano to Colico, Italy. Reading other forums looks like it would be a regional train going to Milan. Just want to be sure it will stop where our B&B is in Colico.
We will be heading to this destination from the Berner Oberland region of Switzerland. Eventually departing (9-14) from Spiez and going from there to Zurich (8:25 - 9:58); Zurich to Landquat (10:07 -11:11); Landquat to St. Moritz (11:20 - 1:19); St. Moritz - Tirano (2:45 - 3:46). Am I on the right track so far? Still trying to research about buying Swiss pass for this or not. Checking Bernini Express option.
Once reaching Tirano, it is not too distant from Colico. This is where I am stuck. I have learned from Fodor posts that it is best to purchase tickets for the regional but that the ticket office may be closed around 1:00 pm. Another place to buy them? Just haven't found a schedule indicating stops along way from Tirano to Milan. Need to know if I can get off at Colico. Tentative date to do this long train trip is Sunday, Sept 14.
This is my first time requesting help from Fodor's although I have marveled at the helpful advice generously offered on its site. We have traveled to Italy independently twice but have not tried multi-country trips, Now as still young-at-heart retirees, my husband and I are planning this 6-week journey in Sept/Oct from France to Switzerland to Italy - more daunting than our other itineraries - and would certainly appreciate any assistance.
Lainie
We will be heading to this destination from the Berner Oberland region of Switzerland. Eventually departing (9-14) from Spiez and going from there to Zurich (8:25 - 9:58); Zurich to Landquat (10:07 -11:11); Landquat to St. Moritz (11:20 - 1:19); St. Moritz - Tirano (2:45 - 3:46). Am I on the right track so far? Still trying to research about buying Swiss pass for this or not. Checking Bernini Express option.
Once reaching Tirano, it is not too distant from Colico. This is where I am stuck. I have learned from Fodor posts that it is best to purchase tickets for the regional but that the ticket office may be closed around 1:00 pm. Another place to buy them? Just haven't found a schedule indicating stops along way from Tirano to Milan. Need to know if I can get off at Colico. Tentative date to do this long train trip is Sunday, Sept 14.
This is my first time requesting help from Fodor's although I have marveled at the helpful advice generously offered on its site. We have traveled to Italy independently twice but have not tried multi-country trips, Now as still young-at-heart retirees, my husband and I are planning this 6-week journey in Sept/Oct from France to Switzerland to Italy - more daunting than our other itineraries - and would certainly appreciate any assistance.
Lainie
Jan 15th, 2013, 11:44 AM
#2
You need to use THIS website to check those routes; unfortunately there is no English version
http://www.trenord.it/it/home.aspx
http://www.trenord.it/it/home.aspx
Jan 15th, 2013, 11:54 AM
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If ticket offices are closed there usually is IME an automatic ticketing machine and if not just find the conductor on the train he/she finds you and explain and they will IME sell you a ticket on the train. You cannot purchase regional train tickets online I believe - but you should be able to buy them at any Italian train station.
Still trying to research about buying Swiss pass for this or not. Checking Bernini Express - if a consecutive-day Swiss Pass fits your schedule then it is often the best deal. Then the 3-day Swiss Flexi is usually the best deal because between the first and third unlimited travel day (in a maximum one-month period) you get half off everything that moves in Switzerland - trains, boats, mountain gondolas and most mountain trains to mountain tops - Swiss Passes are valid in full on the Bernina Pass rail route's hourly regional trains but to ride the official spiffy Bernina Express that rolls over the same rails daily costs a small supplement on top of using the pass.
With passes being extremely useful in the Berner Oberland - valid in full to places like Grindelwald, Murren and Wengen from Interlaken-Ost and you'll get half off on gondolas, etc (Trains to Jungfraujoch from Wengen or Grindelwald however are only 25% off now - down from previous 50% a few years ago.
But with the Swiss Pass you can just hop on any regular train anytime as well as lake boats - great floats on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz - the two lakes bookending Interlaken - for something different from the higher up Alpine places - as well as postal buses, city buses, trams, etc and also give free entry to 400+ Swiss museums if any museums are in your plans.
I'd say with your wide-ranging itinerary a Swiss Pass is the way to go. Great sources of info on Swiss train travel - www.swisstravelsystem.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html; and www.ricksteves.com. To my knowledge the Milan-Tirano regional trains all do stop in Colico but I will check some sources on that to see if that is still true from the last time I took that train.
If traveling this spring there is a special for Swiss Passes - 4 day consecutive or 4-day flexipasses where you get a 5th day free - not sure when travel must be completed by however - the annual spring and fall sale of some type during Switzerland's off-season for tourists, in between winter mobs and summer hiking mobs.
Still trying to research about buying Swiss pass for this or not. Checking Bernini Express - if a consecutive-day Swiss Pass fits your schedule then it is often the best deal. Then the 3-day Swiss Flexi is usually the best deal because between the first and third unlimited travel day (in a maximum one-month period) you get half off everything that moves in Switzerland - trains, boats, mountain gondolas and most mountain trains to mountain tops - Swiss Passes are valid in full on the Bernina Pass rail route's hourly regional trains but to ride the official spiffy Bernina Express that rolls over the same rails daily costs a small supplement on top of using the pass.
With passes being extremely useful in the Berner Oberland - valid in full to places like Grindelwald, Murren and Wengen from Interlaken-Ost and you'll get half off on gondolas, etc (Trains to Jungfraujoch from Wengen or Grindelwald however are only 25% off now - down from previous 50% a few years ago.
But with the Swiss Pass you can just hop on any regular train anytime as well as lake boats - great floats on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz - the two lakes bookending Interlaken - for something different from the higher up Alpine places - as well as postal buses, city buses, trams, etc and also give free entry to 400+ Swiss museums if any museums are in your plans.
I'd say with your wide-ranging itinerary a Swiss Pass is the way to go. Great sources of info on Swiss train travel - www.swisstravelsystem.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html; and www.ricksteves.com. To my knowledge the Milan-Tirano regional trains all do stop in Colico but I will check some sources on that to see if that is still true from the last time I took that train.
If traveling this spring there is a special for Swiss Passes - 4 day consecutive or 4-day flexipasses where you get a 5th day free - not sure when travel must be completed by however - the annual spring and fall sale of some type during Switzerland's off-season for tourists, in between winter mobs and summer hiking mobs.
Jan 15th, 2013, 01:24 PM
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Good luck using Dukey1's web site - I gave up quickly - not even knowing how to hit a submit button after filling in the I guess From and To boxes! I think you should email your B&B and ask them that question about trains stopping there.
Jan 15th, 2013, 04:08 PM
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At this site you can chose for a train between Tirano and Colico--no need to worry about Milan:
http://www.fsitaliane.it/homepage_en.html
In the Tickets box, input
From Tirano
To Colico
Choose a date DURING THIS WEEK
Choose the time you want to travel
Click send
When you get the choices, in the next window, you will get a selection of trains. For the day and time I chose, there seem to be a train every 2 hours, and the trip takes an hour. If you want to see intermediate stops, click the "select" button at the far right of the train you like, then click "details by selection" and you'll get another chart at bottom. In this chart, click "info" at far right to see intermediate stops.
http://www.fsitaliane.it/homepage_en.html
In the Tickets box, input
From Tirano
To Colico
Choose a date DURING THIS WEEK
Choose the time you want to travel
Click send
When you get the choices, in the next window, you will get a selection of trains. For the day and time I chose, there seem to be a train every 2 hours, and the trip takes an hour. If you want to see intermediate stops, click the "select" button at the far right of the train you like, then click "details by selection" and you'll get another chart at bottom. In this chart, click "info" at far right to see intermediate stops.
Jan 15th, 2013, 07:44 PM
#6
I didn't have any problem using the Trenord website (5.80€ for Tirano/Colico). Your list of stops will depend on which train your take. The trains that take 2 1/2 hours from Tirano to Milan (1 1/2 from Tirano to Colico) make these stops:
Tirano
Tresenda-Aprica-Teglio
Sondrio
Morbegno
Colico
Bellano-Tartavalle Terme
Lecco
Monza
Milano Centrale
>>>Eventually departing (9-14) from Spiez and going from there to Zurich (8:25 - 9:58); Zurich to Landquat (10:07 -11:11); Landquat to St. Moritz (11:20 - 1:19); St. Moritz - Tirano (2:45 - 3:46). <<<
Are you trying to do this in one day? Is there a reason you are selecting all these connections? It seems a convoluted route with too many connections.
>>>I have learned from Fodor posts that it is best to purchase tickets for the regional but that the ticket office may be closed around 1:00 pm. Another place to buy them?<<<
This is a bit confusing. Learned from Fodor's what? Even if a small station has a ticket window (many don't), there still will be ticket machines (hopefully working). You don't want to buy regional tickets in advance online as they are more restrictive. The regional trains have no discounts and no reserved seating. They don't sell out.
I would take the EC train from Spiez to Como S. Giovanni (departing 8:05 am - no changes!) and then ferry from Como to Colico or take the local bus.
Spiez Fr, 18.01.13 dep 08:05
Como S. Giovanni arr 11:43
3:38 (travel time) EC
This is the winter ferry schedule.
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/file/...rnale12-13.pdf
Tirano
Tresenda-Aprica-Teglio
Sondrio
Morbegno
Colico
Bellano-Tartavalle Terme
Lecco
Monza
Milano Centrale
>>>Eventually departing (9-14) from Spiez and going from there to Zurich (8:25 - 9:58); Zurich to Landquat (10:07 -11:11); Landquat to St. Moritz (11:20 - 1:19); St. Moritz - Tirano (2:45 - 3:46). <<<
Are you trying to do this in one day? Is there a reason you are selecting all these connections? It seems a convoluted route with too many connections.
>>>I have learned from Fodor posts that it is best to purchase tickets for the regional but that the ticket office may be closed around 1:00 pm. Another place to buy them?<<<
This is a bit confusing. Learned from Fodor's what? Even if a small station has a ticket window (many don't), there still will be ticket machines (hopefully working). You don't want to buy regional tickets in advance online as they are more restrictive. The regional trains have no discounts and no reserved seating. They don't sell out.
I would take the EC train from Spiez to Como S. Giovanni (departing 8:05 am - no changes!) and then ferry from Como to Colico or take the local bus.
Spiez Fr, 18.01.13 dep 08:05
Como S. Giovanni arr 11:43
3:38 (travel time) EC
This is the winter ferry schedule.
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/file/...rnale12-13.pdf
Jan 16th, 2013, 05:13 AM
#7
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Good tip from kybourbon on the short cut from Como - from the main station in Como - S. Giovanni you must take a cab or bus or walk about a mile to the Lake Como boat docks - buses should be cheaper than boats but boats of course more scenic and romantic a way to get to Colico.
Jan 16th, 2013, 05:22 AM
#8
I assume the OP is aware that there are two different rail stations IN Tirano; the Rhaetian Rail station where the OP will arrive and the Trenord station which is within sight of the Rhaetian Rail station.
Generally the services from Tirano to Milan leave about once every two hours. You can buy the tickets for the Italian portion at the rail station. As a rule all of those regionals going south will stop in Colico.
Generally the services from Tirano to Milan leave about once every two hours. You can buy the tickets for the Italian portion at the rail station. As a rule all of those regionals going south will stop in Colico.
Jan 16th, 2013, 09:46 AM
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I assume the OP is aware that there are two different rail stations IN Tirano; the Rhaetian Rail station where the OP will arrive and the Trenord station which is within sight of the Rhaetian Rail station>
Yes in sight so practically one station - one wonders why they do not consolidate stations and save some money now that Switzerland is part of the Schengen Accords where passport controls are supposedly abandoned and there is no immigration checks - use to be immigration checks in the Swiss station (though it is of course in Tirano, Italy and does not enter Switzerland for a few kilometers later.
Yes in sight so practically one station - one wonders why they do not consolidate stations and save some money now that Switzerland is part of the Schengen Accords where passport controls are supposedly abandoned and there is no immigration checks - use to be immigration checks in the Swiss station (though it is of course in Tirano, Italy and does not enter Switzerland for a few kilometers later.
Jan 19th, 2013, 01:26 PM
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Thank you for all the advice. Will take the EC train from Spiez to Como, then ferry to Colico - thinking that there will be plenty of scenery to enjoy while in the Bernese Oberland region so forgoing the Bernina Express to save time will be ok.
Jan 20th, 2013, 07:19 AM
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If you're traveling from St-Moritz to Tirano, it would be a shame to skip the Bernina Express.>
If going by train you must take the Bernina Pass Rail Route over which a few daily Bernina Expresses run - but there are local hourly trains as well and I prefer them over the official always chock full official Bernina Express - on locals I can hop from side to side as the scenery dictates - they are rarely full and have no seat reservations.
The official Bernina Express is usually full with bus-tour groups and you must remain glued to your seat - maybe not even a window seat.
On some local services in summer there are even open-air train cars - no roof - just a platform with seats and rail and to me this was the very best way of doing Europe's to me most awesomely scenic rail route.
If going by train you must take the Bernina Pass Rail Route over which a few daily Bernina Expresses run - but there are local hourly trains as well and I prefer them over the official always chock full official Bernina Express - on locals I can hop from side to side as the scenery dictates - they are rarely full and have no seat reservations.
The official Bernina Express is usually full with bus-tour groups and you must remain glued to your seat - maybe not even a window seat.
On some local services in summer there are even open-air train cars - no roof - just a platform with seats and rail and to me this was the very best way of doing Europe's to me most awesomely scenic rail route.
Jan 20th, 2013, 02:03 PM
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The webstes for train info from Tirano to Colico suggested by dukey1 and ellenem were both helpful as was kybourbon's suggestion to go directly from Spiez to Como on the EC train to save hours. Maybe it would be a regret not to take the Bernina Express. Our B&B host is also recommending to do it. The time issue will probably decide. Thanks again.
Jan 20th, 2013, 06:39 PM
#16
FYI - The EC train I listed is showing a change in Milan (perhaps has something to do with dates searched as I just selected random dates or I looked at it wrong). SORRY! It's still only a little over 3 1/2 hours travel time to Como, but since it has the change in Milan I would just catch a train to Colico from Milan. I don't think you can easily leave Spiez and arrive in time to catch the Bernina Express from the timetables I saw.
If you decide to go to Tirano, it appears there are a couple of places to buy tickets (according to Trenord), in the piazza by the train station.
Automobilistica Perego S.P.A. Piazza Stazione 3 Tirano 07:30 / 19:00 (seems to be open daily)
Also a food place .which seems to be closed Sunday.
Buffet Della Stazione Di Tasca Massimo Piazzale Stazione 1 Tirano 05:00 / 22:00 Domenica
Trenitalia also lists a travel agency that has tickets, but no info on hours or closing (you can probably Google the agency).
Tirano WEB ITALICAINTOUR VIAGGI & VACANZE, PIAZZA CAVOUR, 8
Spiez/Colico (via Milan)
Spiez: Tu, 23.04.13 dep 08:05 EC 51
Milano Centrale arr 10:35
Milano Centrale dep 12:20 RE 2560
Colico arr 13:47
The train from Milan to Colico departs every 2 hours and the cost is 7€.
If you decide to go to Tirano, it appears there are a couple of places to buy tickets (according to Trenord), in the piazza by the train station.
Automobilistica Perego S.P.A. Piazza Stazione 3 Tirano 07:30 / 19:00 (seems to be open daily)
Also a food place .which seems to be closed Sunday.
Buffet Della Stazione Di Tasca Massimo Piazzale Stazione 1 Tirano 05:00 / 22:00 Domenica
Trenitalia also lists a travel agency that has tickets, but no info on hours or closing (you can probably Google the agency).
Tirano WEB ITALICAINTOUR VIAGGI & VACANZE, PIAZZA CAVOUR, 8
Spiez/Colico (via Milan)
Spiez: Tu, 23.04.13 dep 08:05 EC 51
Milano Centrale arr 10:35
Milano Centrale dep 12:20 RE 2560
Colico arr 13:47
The train from Milan to Colico departs every 2 hours and the cost is 7€.
