Is there a direct train from Milan to Varenna on Lake Como?
 

Thanks for any help. I have been reading over similar questions on this site but am getting very confused. Where is the train schedule on trenitalia.it? I can't seem to locate it? I believe Alice Twain mentioned departing from Cadorna Station to Como but does this train go to Varenna?

No--this is a regular train on the Italy system. It is on the route to Sondrio, but not all of them stop at Varenna. You should be able to get it on trenitalia.com--try again.

There was a recent discussion on this on another thread. You can get to Varenna direct from Milan main station in about an hour. The train does not go through the town of Como but goes up the east side of the lake (Como is on the south).

I personally find treinitalia difficult to use, so I use the website for the Swiss Federal Railways, SBB.ch. Click on "Swiss Federal Railways" on the first page of the website to get to the English version. They can give you schedule information for most trains in Europe, including within Italy.

I just pulled it up on Trenitalia this morning. Try putting in Milano Centrale for departure, and Varenna-Esino for arrival. They run every one to two hours. However, I can't get a price, but I don't imagine it's much.

Anyone out there know about how long it takes to purchase a ticket in the Milan station? We'll be arriving from Switzerland at 13:50 and would like to catch the 14:15 to Varenna. Would this be possible?

Aj, the train from Milan Cadorna Nord station to Como is run by a different rail company - go to www.ferrovienord.it for the schedule.

The one that goes direct to Varenna you will find on trenitalia.it if you punch in Milano for Milan as the departure station. It takes about an hour, and leaves roughly every two hours.

aj:

There's a trip report currently in the "top 50" that talks about this very thing. Perhaps you could ask your question on that thread since that person obviously just been in this area.

It's called something like "Just back from an amazing 2 weeks in Northern and Central Italy."

Good luck,
Jennie

to the best of my knowledge, you can buy the Milan-Varenna ticket in Switzerland at the same time you buy the ticket to Milan. I live in Swizterland and have often bought train tickets here for trips wholly within another country, esp Italy.

Cicerone,

Thanks so much for that bit of info! That will take the pressure off, for sure. You guys are great!!!!

Yes, it was about 10 euro each and can be found on trenitalia site, just put in Milan and Varenna. Took just over an hour, bought the ticket easily at the train station in Milan and there are also travel agencies in and outside of the main train station where you can purchase them. The morning times were 8:15, 9:15, then no train til 12:15. FYI.

The train you want from Centrale does NOT go through the city of Como...the train you want ultimately goes to Tirano (notice it is not Turino)...and most of them stop at Varenna-Esino. The trip takes a little over an hour and the trains leave Centrale every two hours or so, many at 15 minutes past the hour. The train will make stops in Monza and then Lecco prior to the stop in Varenna.

Thanks for all the great info. I feel better informed and will check the different rail sites recommended.

PS: Sit on the left side (when facing the locomotive) of the train for the best views of the lake.

fyi, on these local trains, you CANNOT secure seat reservations. Also, no air conditioning (but there is heating in winter).

We also had to make a quick train connection at Milano Centrale to Varenna. It's not a huge station, so getting to the right track is not a problem. However, the train is like a bus on rails, as in the seats are first come... It was very crowded (and not very clean), and my husband and I could not find seats together (and no one offered to move). The good news is that the ride to Varenna is only an hour.

GAC and Jean are both correct...one strategy is to check the departure "posters" (the yellow ones) that are everywhere in the station. Look for the approximate time you're going to depart and find the train..the platform it will be leaving from will be listed (and there is usually little variation from that schedule)..go to that platform and wait just before the train arrives so you can be some of the FIRST people on the train..that way you get to sit together...and as to the non-A/C..open the windows and that's about all you can do.