Hi ~ We are a group of ten staying in Lucca. We need advice on the best way to travel for a day trip to Cinque Terre. Which would be better car or train? Thank you for your help!

Train

Thank you! How many connections from Lucca and what would be the best first stop in Cinque Terre?

If you have a car you could drive to La Spezia train station, park and then trained it. I would take the train to Monterosso and hike or train your way back. You have to wait to see what trails will be open but do hike some if you can.

Macross how much hiking as I’m recovering with an injured knee but hopefully by September I’ll have more mobility.

Those are regional trains Lucca-Pisa-Cinque Terre- no need to pre-book as no reservations possible - just buy at station or arrange some kind of van/driver but trains are easy and go between all 5 villages effortlessly. Most of the trails linking towns are rather hilly - take boats or trains between them. Info Italian trains: www.trenitalia.com; www.seat61.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. 2 changes of train usually -once in Pisa San Rossore and La Spezia Centrale.

Thank you PalenQ!

Between La Spezia and the CT towns a local train shuttles frequently - you may want to take train to Monterosso - furthest up the coast and walk or train or boat back towards La Spezia - I visited all 4 towns by train on a day trip from Florence once - Corniglia is high above its train station with a shuttle bus from station to town center.