PollyP

We will be in Varenna on the shore of Lake Como, and planned to take the Italian train up to Tirano to catch the Bernina Express from there (or at least a train that followed the same route, with stops). When I checked the schedule in March, on the bahn.de site, it said there were no trains (I had given it the date in June we would be traveling). I asked on the boards if anyone knew whether this was really the case, and a very kind poster said she had checked and there were trains leaving every two hours on that route. Perhaps I wasn't getting any possibilities because June was so far away. I did a check, and she was right....plenty of trains that day. in March that I checked for. Well...........since we are leaving in a week, I just did another check to confirm the times, and lo and behold......no service between Varenna and Tirano. Help!! We are locked into our stay in Varenna on those dates, and need to get to Pontresina by late the afternoon of June 21. I know it is possible to go back to Milan, and go from there....looong trip, or to ferry and bus over to Lugano, and go from there, but I am so disappointed that the service going through Varenna is no longer there. Anyone got any ideas about the best way to handle this? Am I doing something wrong on the rail site? I don't think so, but don't know how to check where all the trains going through Varenna to the northeast would show up. Is there any sort of a route layout?

Thanks so much to anyone with any info or advice on this!

ellenem

Just check for this week, now, dates before June 15. They are VERY SLOW to post the new schedule. It should be the same. It has been virtually the same schedule for years.

Suelynne

I just checked for you on the SBB site, which is very reliable. There are definitely trains running today, but unfortunately it looks as if they stop on June 13 ! I think the ferry and bus to Lugano may be the way to go, unless you can take a bus to Tirano [which mighn't show up on the SBB site].

Dukey

I agree with Ellenem...I've been checking both the bahn and SBB sites for train connections in September and the new schedule which is usually posted in June is not showing up.

But I just took this trip (in reverse) in April and unless something drastic has or will change there should be no probem as I agree the schedule for that route hasn't changed for years.

I assume you already know about the ease of changing stations once you GET to Tirano, right?

Steve_James

Hi Polly - You are worrying unecessarily. The summer timetables come into effect next weekend and - as Ellen says - are not yet online. They will be by next weekend - so check then.

You are travelling on a Sunday, correct? Sunday timetables Varenna-Tirano are currently:

07.24 - 08.24 - 09.24 - 11.24 ...

That is likely to be the same for 21 June. Re-check next week. Don't worry

Hope this helps ...

Steve

kybourbon

From Trenitalia's website:
Due to technical problems, some offers related to the summer timetable (effective from June 14th) might not be available. All the offers will be online in the next days: we kindly invite you to try again afterwards if you could not book your offer today. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

PollyP

Hi Everyone,

Thank you all so much for your helpful, quick, (and most stress-reducing) replies! I hope that it is just a late loading of the schedule! I did not see the note kybourbon posted from Trenitalia.

Fortunately, we don't leave until the 15th, so I will check before I go. Then to confirm it, I will go to a travel agency in Varenna, which I have read is an easy way to get tickets since the Varenna station is unmanned.

Dukey: no, I do not know fully about the changing of stations in Tirano....I thought they were close together and you had to walk a bit...but how far??

I am so impressed with the helpfulness of these boards. What a great way for folks who love travel to help each other out.
Grazie!!!

Steve_James

Polly - The stations at Tirano are 50m apart Buon viaggio

Steve