We arrive into Malpensa at 4:30 and have to make our way to the Hotel Florence in Bellagio that same evening (Friday, July 9). What do you think the best way to get there is? Initially it seemed like the bus to Stazione Centrale, the train to Varenna and the ferry to Bellagio would be the best, but looking at all the schedules, it looks like we may not get to Bellagio until pretty late by the time we get out of the airport. Do you think there is an easier way? I'm worried about checking into the hotel so late. How much would a car service be to Bellagio? Thanks.

I used a car service from Bellagio to Malpensa and the cost was 165E. It was arranged by the conscierge of our hotel.

The ride took approximately 1-1/2 hours.

Gail

There is bus service from Malpensa to Como. I don't know the schedule, but the Malpensa website may list it.

Why not just rent a car and drive down. It is an easy ride, without much possibility of getting lost. It not only provides a transport there (and back to the airport) which can be expensive and a headache to organize, but it provides transportation and independence for your entire stay. This way you will not only see part of Northern Italy driving down to Como, you will be able to drive around the whole lake, visiting Varenna, Bellagio, Como, Menaggio, Cernobbio and such..

Oh, and if it is only two people, you can rent a compact rent-a-car for as little as 30 euros per day, depending on the company..If they also have a representative office in Como, you can just use it to get there and pick it up again the last day for your drive back - essentially renting it just for 2 days...Think it is worthwhile.

You can hire a car or taxi to take you directly to your hotel in Bellagio, for a cost of 165 Euros, or you can do it yourself for 9.45 Euros. Here's how:

1. Take the Malpensa Express Train towards Milan, but GET OFF AT THE SARONNO STATION (20 minutes south of the airport). Malpensa Express trains leave every 30 minutes at 15 and 45 past the hour, from the airport train station, which is on the lowest level of the airport structure, reachable by elevator from the arrivals hall. These trains are air conditioned and very modern.

2. At SARONNO, connect to a northbound commuter train for Como Nord Lago (final destination of the connecting train). You will have ONE MINUTE to connect. If you miss the connection, the next train leaves in 30 minutes. You must use the underground passageway to connect trains. This commuter train is rather old, but otherwise acceptable.

3. Buy a combined ticket (Malpensa to Como Nord Lago) for Euro 6.95 at the Malpensa Airport Train Station. You must specify this itinerary very clearly to the ticket agent. Validate the ticket in the yellow machine before taking the escalator down to the train track. Be careful to get off at Saronno, as the train stops for less than 60 seconds.

4. If you take the Malpensa Express Train from Malpensa at 17:45, you'll arrive at Como Nord Lago Station (after connecting in Saronno) at either 18:53 or (if you miss the connection) at 19:14.

5. Walk across the street to the Como Bus Station, where there is a bus (Line C30) direct to Bellagio at 18:49, 19:43 and 20:19. Fare is Euro 2.50 and travel time is 65 minutes. Validate the ticket on the bus. Luggage can be stored in the underfloor baggage compartment. Be aware that the bus at 20:19 is the last bus of the day.

6. There is also a hydrofoil at 19:10 which arrives in Bellagio at 19:52. The hydrofoil also leaves from across the street from the Como Nord Lago Station. The hydrofoil is thrice the cost of the bus, yet only saves about 20 minutes of actual travel time.

7. The distance between the Como Nord Lago Station and the Como Bus Station is about 100 yards. Ditto for the hydrofoil landing.

8. There is a cafe/bar next to the Como Bus Station where you can have refreshments whilst waiting for the next bus departure.

9. The direct airporter bus between Malpensa Airport and Como (operated by SPT Como Lines) appears to have been eliminated. I'm currently trying to validate this info. Too bad, as this bus avoided the connection in Saronno, although service was limited to three runs per day.

The original poster is actually staying in Bellagio, not Como. I haven't done the drive myself, but most people say that the drive to Bellagio is very difficult. If arriving at 4:30 from an international flight, the last thing I would want to do is drive a car in a new area, let alone a foreign country. Also, without knowing the rest of the itinerary it's hard to comment on truly how useful a car would be.

Corrections to my previous posting:

1. The cost of the combined train ticket from Milano Malpensa Airport to Como Nord Lago Station is now Euro 7.00.

2. If you take the Malpensa Express Train at 17:45, you arrive at Saronno Station at 18:05, and connect to the northbound commuter train departing at 18:22, arriving Como Nord Lago at 18:53

3. If you take the Malpensa Express Train at 18:15, you arrive at Saronno Station at 18:35, and connect to the northbound commuter train departing at 18:36, arriving Como Nord Lago at 19:14. If you miss the connection, the next northbound train leaves at 19:06, arriving Como Nord Lago at 19:44.

4. If you arrive in Como at 18:53, you can take the hydrofoil to Bellagio at 19:10, or the bus at 19:43.

5. If you arrive in Como at 19:14, you can take the bus at 19:43.

6. If you arrive in Como at 19:44, you can take the last bus at 20:19.

7. The combination train/train/bus from Malpensa to Bellagio costs Euro 9.50, versus Euro 165 for a taxi or limosine.

8. Note well that the train service is operated by Ferrovie Nord Commuter Line, NOT Trenitalia National Railways.

9. Note that SPT Como Bus Lines is now called SPT Linea, and has a new website (see below)

10. It takes less than 5 minutes to walk from the bus terminus in Bellagio to the Hotel Florence. The walk from the hydrofoil landing is 1 minute.

www.ferrovienord.it (train)
www.sptlinea.it (bus)
www.navigazionelaghi.it (hydrofoil)

The hydrofoil from Como to Bellagio costs Euro 8.90, versus Euro 2.50 for the bus.

Actually, looking at the timetable for the boat service on Como the last boat leaving Varenna to Bellagio is 17:13, 5:13. There's no way you're going to be able to make that because I think the train takes about 1.5 hours from Milan to Varenna. (I took it from Varenna to Milan a couple years ago.)

Likewise, your connections to Como to get the hydrofoil are going to be tight. Assuming your flight is on time and not late, you'd have to cab from Malpensa to Milano centrale, catch the 17:45 train leaving Milano Centrale, arriving in Como station at 18:16 in order to catch the last hydrofoil of the evening at 19:10. That puts you arriving at the hotel florence about 45 minutes later at around 8 pm. I wouldn't have a problem arriving later at that hotel (they'll hold your room) so much as I'd have a problem making all those connections after a transatlantic flight.

Here's the timetable for the ferries
http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/itali...indicecomo.htm

Here's the raileurope timetable for Milan to Como, http://www.raileurope.com/cgi-bin/fs...mp;submit.y=15

The Como station is not near the ferry so you need a taxi there.

So to answer your original question, how would I do it? I'd take the ferry from Como to Bellagio the next morning and stay the night somewhere in Milan in a nice, but spartan, business hotel. There is simply not a more breathtaking, lovely way to arrive at the Hotel Florence than by ferry... watching those colorful villages hanging onto the rocky hillsides. Then landing in Bellagio, then walking essentially across the street to the Hotel Florence. Since the connections are going to be tough, and Hotel Florence isn't a cheap hotel, you can easily find a nice accommodation (if a bit spartan) in Milan for the night... get yourself cleaned up, get a nice dinner and get some rest then start out the next morning for Bellagio and you can be there before noon. The hotel can hold your bags, I'm sure if you arrive before checkin.


Then again, if your time in Bellagio is limited or you just don't want to spend the night in Milan, then you'll probably want to hire a car but that seems ridiculously expensive.

~k

The message posted by Skatterfly assumes travelling all the way to Milan, then north again to Como or Varenna. As noted in my previous postings, this is very inefficient, in view of the connection available at the Saronno train station.

I'd reluctantly side with Skatterfly on this one...if the plane is late for any reason (not unheard of in Italy), you will be cutting it very tight. But I wouldn't stay at the airport, though...go into Milan itself. Do a Priceline bid for a good hotel. Go see the Duomo, walk around the galleries, then have dinner at Mauro's on via Collonetta...delicious seafood. Then catch a morning train and hydrofoil combo next day...fortunately, the hotel is just about a two minute walk (if that!) from the ferry landing.
Ken, I stayed in the Hotel Florence last month and had a delightful time. Enjoyed it so much I'm going back in October with my husband for our anniversary. I strongly recommend having lunch in their little garden across from the hotel. Reserve a lakeside table and try their filet of local trout with grilled veggies. With wine, of course! And their little bar/cafe has a seductive atmosphere.
I know the preferred Fodorite hotel in Bellagio is the Belvedere (and I can understand why for those who have lakeview rooms), but I was very pleased with the Florence. However, it doesn't have airco, so fingers crossed for nice lake breezes at night. Plus, in case you didn't know, they give an 8% discount for cash payments. I brought the cash with me and paid upfront when I checked in (so I didn't have to worry about having that cash on me). Bellagio has cash machines right by the lake, FYI, and a post office.
My best cappuccino in Bellagio was at Cafe Sport up the hill by the church.
Best souvenir: L'erbolario soaps, sold in a little shop up on the hill. Great soap, beautiful packaging. When we go back in October, I'm stocking up on gift sets for my entire Christmas list.
And as you walk up toward the Belvedere, check out the picturesque little church on the right. It's been deconsecrated and is now a private home...the Villa Gothica. Am I jealous of its owners? You betcha!

GAC describes the cheapest way to get to Bellagio. If you are looking for fastest and easiest, then hire a car. A compromise would be to take a taxi from Malpensa to Como and then either bus or ferry to Bellagio.

Boulder is correct: I have described the least expensive way to go from Malpensa airport to Como/Bellagio. However, it's really a pretty good option, compared to a taxi/limosine. Consider:

1. Train service runs every 30 minutes throughout the day, and is generally reliable.
2. Travel time by train is 59 minutes in the best of circumstances; 89 minutes if you miss the connection at Saronno. A taxi will take about one hour.
3. Taking the train from Malpensa is very, very easy. Connecting at Saronno is also a breeze (BTW, Saronno is where they make the famous AMARETTI DI SARONNO cookies).
4. A taxi to the Como Bus Station/Hydrofoil Landing will cost about 90 Euros, versus 7 Euros for the train.

Naturally, several factors weigh in favor of taking a taxi, viz.

1. Number of persons in travelling party
2. Young children/elderly or travellers not feeling well or extremely tired
3. Lots of heavy luggage
4. Very cold or very rainy weather
5. Night arrivals
6. Train strike

Also, the cost of a taxi to either Como or Bellagio might be affordable for some travellers, but others might prefer to save the money.

We followed GAC's directions just this past May. We had missed the direct bus to Varenna so the train worked out great (avoiding Milan). We took the hydrofoil to Bellagio. Thanks again GAC.

UPDATE TO MY PREVIOUS POSTING:

I've received an e-mail from the SPT bus company in Como. They confirm that the airporter bus to Malpensa airport CONTINUES to operate three times per day, with departures from Malpensa at 8:30, 13:30 and 18:30. Travel time to the Como bus station is 1 hour, and fare is 13 Euros one way (compared to 7 Euros for the connecting train service via Saronno).

Using this method of transportation, you can take the bus from Como to Bellagio at 19:43, arriving at your final destination at 20:48. Total travel time is 2 hrs. 18 minutes, or not much longer than taking a taxi. Your connection time in Como is 11 minutes. Total cost is 15.50 Euros (versus 165 Euros by taxi).

BTW, return airporter bus service from Como to Malpensa departs daily at 7:00, 12:00 and 17:00.

If the airporter bus schedule is not convenient, you can take the connecting train service via Saronno, described previously.

GAC - I have your detailed instructions for train travel printed out and ready to take with me in a couple of weeks. Thanks so much. But two questions based on what you've said here. First, the bus that goes from MXP to como - where exactly do you get it (is is outside terminal 1 with the rest of the buses, the ones that go to Milan?) And do you know what it says on the bus so it's easily identifiable?

If I were to take the train, changing at Saronno, I believe you said it only stops there for a extremely brief stop. I've found it helpful to know the name of the stop just before the one I want to get off at so I can get ready. Can you tell me which stop is just before it so I don't miss the Saronno stop? Thanks.

Isabel:

1. The SPT Malpensa Airport Express Bus (Line C250) leaves from bus stall 13, outside of doors 3/4 on the arrivals level. This is not far from the departure point of the bus which goes straight to Milano Centrale Train Station. It should be the only SPT bus at Malpensa, so it should be very easy to identify (and you can confirm with the driver).

2. Malpensa Express Trains leaving at 15 past the hour go straight to Saronno in 20 minutes. Trains leaving at 45 past the hour stop at Busto Arsizio before stopping at Saronno, but travel time to Saronno is still 20 minutes. You can read this info at www.malpensaexpress.it

Thanks GAC, great info as usual. Any pointers/tips on how to make that connection in Saronno in one minute. You say you have to use the underground tunnel. Is it obvious where you need to go. Any real chance a first timer could make that connection or should we plan on having to wait the half hour?

Isabel: first of all, the connection time at the Saronno Station is not always exactly one minute. If you've printed out the schedules between Saronno and Como Nord Lago, you will have noticed that the connection times vary for some trains. Also, it is possible that the connecting train to Como Nord Lago will be travelling a few minutes late, as it originates in Milano Cadorna Station and makes several stops enroute.

Where the connection time is truly one minute, it should be possible to make the connection, if you act immediately and don't take a wrong turn. There are only a couple of tracks at the Saronno Station (it is a small station), and if you know the track number of the northbound commuter train leaving Saronno (ask train personnel on the Malpensa Express Train), you can quickly connect via the staircase and underground tunnel (unfortunately, you cannot walk over the train tracks). You should also be able to SEE the connecting train as soon as you step off the Malpensa Express Train. Finally, you can verify the destination by looking at the overhead monitors on the train platforms.

With careful planning and some luck, you can travel from Malpensa Airport to the Como Nord Lago Station in 59 minutes (same as in a taxi) (and for a very reasonable 7.00 Euros).

Fellow Fodorites: a taxi from Malpensa to Como City will cost you around 90 Euros!