3elevun

My wife and I each got the Patagonia Headway MLC 45L - very cool backback that also functions as messenger style duffel and has multiple handles and the backpack straps can be packed away when loading onto plane or train. It's a versatile bag and has water proof coating. Plus it is a bag we can use for other trips in the future in the US and abroad. We will carry 4-5 days of clothes and have found airBB with washers which should do the trick.

neckervd

So, all itinerary and ticket problems are solved. That's fine!

PalenQ

Day 7 - Train from Varenna through Swiss Alps to Luzern>

Not much -have to go via Milan and then the new world's longest rail tunnel UNDER the high Alps on Gotthard line - but still some nice scenery. BUT if you have an extra hour or two take the old Gotthard line with regional trains that lets you see much more of the Alps than via the new tunnel.

bigtyke

Gengenbach - the Narren Museum ( great display of Fasching masks ) is open on Sat & Sun.

Best to shop Friday, but stores have some Sat. hours.

Sundays may not have as many trains/buses running, but should be no problem - just be aware when looking at schedules

PalenQ

Day 7 - Train from Varenna through Swiss Alps to Luzern>

A longer but totally awesome Alpine routing would be to go from Varenna-Esino station by train to Tirano and hop Swiss trains that go up and over the Bernina Pass to St Moritz and then take trains over the Glacier Express route to Andermatt (really scenic the whole way)- then take the shuttle train down to Goschenen and catch trains to Lucerne via Arth-Goldau from there - yet more nice scenery the whole last segment.

May not take that much longer and no going via hectic Milan Centrale station.

Bernina Pass Railway:

https://www.google.com/search?q=bern...w=1536&bih=760

neckervd

Palen:
thanks for supporting my suggestion made above in this thread:
"Varenna - train - Tirano - Bernina Express - Chur - train - Lucerne (stop over at Pontresina and visit the numerous viewpoints and glaciers in the Bernina area);

As to St. Moritz - Lucerne in July, the most scenic way may be: Glacier Express up to Andermatt plus Swiss Post Bus via Furka Pass - Gletsch - Grimsel Pass to Meiringen and then Bruenig train to Lucerne.

basingstoke2

At Lake Como, an alternative to renting a boat for the day is to buy an all day pass on the ferry which makes the rounds of all of the central Lake Como islands and towns. You can hop off/hop on and a full circuit takes about 2 hours.

bornintheusa

basingstoke2--can you tell me more about the Hop off/on boat on Lake Como-- went to the navigazionelaghi.it website and couldn't find out info like what towns does it stop at, how often does it come by each town and cost of the day pass.. can you help me?? Thanks

basingstoke2

Bornintheusa - I can't answer all of your questions but perhaps this can help. We did this in 2013 and at that time the cost was 15E per person. We took the boat from Bellagio. I do not recall all of the islands but it did stop at most if not all of the mid lake islands and each island is visited several times a day. Below is an excerpt from my Bellagio TR.

After lunch we boarded our ferry. The cost is 15 Euros PP and the ferry visits the towns of Mid Lake Como including Varenna, Managgio and others. You can use it as a hop on - hop off on the same ticket or just ride. If the latter, you will spend a little more than 2 hours cruising the lake. This is something that is well worth your time and money. Rather than a description, here are photos taken on the ride.

Come on the tour with us:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/basings...7634372666689/

The link to the entire TR is: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...n-bellagio.cfm

scroll down to June 26 for the Lake Como part

newbluesea

Some incorrect information being posted here.
There is only one island in Lake Como, Isola Comocina.

In terms of travel the lake is divided into eight zones and depending on which zone you want to go you can buy a full day ticket encompassing travel as far as that zone.

Boats travel in a somewhat circle trip within a limited number of zones. You cannot stay on a single boat and cover the entire lake.

If you want to stop in a number of towns plan your trip carefully since you might find you have limited stay time.
For example on our last trip we stayed in Moltrasio and on day visited Varenna (for about 2hours)and then Tremezzo
Took the first boat out about 930am and the last boat that would get us back from Tremezzo was about 530 pm.

Here a link to the website giving the relevant information
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/c_tariffe.aspThere

bornintheusa

newbluesea--thanks for the info--couldn't tell from the website you gave me which zone I would need-- wanted to do the midlakes area with Bellagio, Tremezzo, Menaggio & Varenna..wanted to find a schedule of the times that the ferry arrives/departs from each town --also is the all day pass about 15E??

bornintheusa

basingstroke2--loved seeing your photos and reading about your travels to Lauterbrunnen where we will be staying and info on the ferry all day pass on Lake Como

newbluesea

As you find nothing in Italy is straightforward.
If you go back to the home page on the site and click on Lake Como you can put in the starting and finishing point and it will show the schedule you can also do the same for the rates.

Note also 1) there discount rates and rates for seniors.
The most informative page for you would the following just ignore the date on the heading.
2) There is a seasonal schedule

http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/c_dow...042017_ENG.pdf

bornintheusa

Newbluesea--You're correct in that Italy makes things very confusing...the seasonal schedule is from 2012 but am assuming it stays pretty close to the same times--thanks for the info

newbluesea

Make sure you get an up-to-date schedule from your hotel.
They will all have skeds which shows you boat and the towns iT will stop at on that run.

also CHECK FOR LITTLE IDIOCYCRCIES.
Example: Villa Carlotta near Tremezzo has two docks we were happily waiting at the one nearer the Villa until someone told us that particular boat was going to stop at the other dock abt a mile down the road. Luckily we had time to walk there or it would be a pretty expensive taxi trip back to our hotel since that was the last boat of the day.

One final thing there are fast cross-lake ferries but you have to pay extra and the fare is not including in the day rate.

neckervd

The Menaggio - Bellagio - Varenna car and passenger ferries run about every 30 - 60 minutes since decades. So, what's the problem?

PalenQ

And car ferries for pedestrians are very cheap too?

Be sure to look up bus schedules Mennagio-Lugano (if not mentioned above). Mennagio was a nice town too for a look around.