Sharer - taxi or hired car and driver, Malpensa to Varenna, 8 April
 

Hello all

I'm a single traveller arriving at Malpensa (Milano) on 8 April 2010 at around 11.40 hours. Having read here and elsewhere about the relatively complex travel arrangements for getting from Malpensa to Varenna (train or bus into Milan, another train back out again to Varenna) I am thinking of hiring a private dar and driver, or a taxi. It is very expensive, so I am wondering if any other traveller(s) arriving at Malpensa on 8 April, late morning or lunchtime, might like to share the cost with me (and the car)?!

Oops, car

I don;t think that it's that complex...just the one change. The station at Malpensa is very easy.

A private driver will be at least 200E--is that too much?

Thanks to both of you. You're probably right, Ali, not that complicated - I've just been put off by reading somewhere about pickpockets at Milano Centrale, though I guess it's ok there at lunchtime if you're sensible.....And the 200 euros, Bob, yikes! It is indeed! But thanks for the quote. There is a shuttle bus (fly to lake.com or similar) - for future reference for others - but it's unfortunately full on the day I arrive. It needs to be booked in advance, just to mention also. But looks a relatively reasonable 70 euros per person (single traveller), price going down a little if there are a few of you eg 3 or 4.

I think this is the shuttle service NorthLondoner discovered.

http://www.flytolake.com/home/index.php

Thanks for the tip. I hope this shuttle service is more successful than the last one because the mid-lake area could really use a more direct connection to Malpensa. "Relatively reasonable"? I think I'd only use it for an early departure or late arrival at Malpensa; otherwise, I'd rather save money taking the bus/train.

Hi Jean

thanks for putting up the correct link. I take your point re cost, 70 euros would no doubt be much more than the train into Milano and the next one back out again to Varenna, but I was comparing it to the cost of taxis from Malpensa to Varenna, which are in the 200 euros region!

It really is straight forward and easy to use the direct bus from the airport to the train station and then a train to Varenna. I would not be concerned about pickpockets. The bus leaves from just outside the airport arrival doors and drops you at the train station. You can use a station ticket machine (there are menus in english) or go to a ticket window to purchase your train ticket.

Once you arrive in Varenna, it is a 10 minute walk down to the Varenna lakefront. There is no train ticket service at the Varenna train station, so after your visit to the lake, you need to purchase your ticket from the travel agent located as you walk from the lakefront to the station. You may want to do this the day before your departure.

You may find this link helpful-

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/trains/

You can also buy your Varenna-Milan ticket when you go through Milano Centrale the first time.

Thanks Zoecat and Jean, I'll make sure to get the return part of the train ticket either in Milano or at the travel agent's. And thanks for the link, Zoecat.