Train to Monterosso
 

We are traveling for the first time to Northern Italy (leaving Sunday 5/29). Our last two nights are in Monterosso - coming from Venice. Should we take the train to Milan and then Genoa or some other route to get there? Trenitalia doesn't really make it clear to a novice like me. We're getting very excited! Thanks for your help!

It's been awhile, but we took the train from Venice to La Spezia and changed to a local to Monterosso, I think we had to change trains, maybe Poggibonsi?

Logic suggests that you take the route that requires the fewest transfers and takes the shortest time.

One possibility is

leave Venezia Mestre 08:34
arrive Milano Centrale 11:05
leave Milano Centrale 12:10
arrive Monterosso 14:54

Travel time: 6 hours 20 minutes

But you also have to get from Venezia Santa Lucia to Venezia Mestre; trains are very frequent, but it is an extra transfer.

The best is probably

leave Venezia Santa Lucia 10:22
arrive Milano Centrale 13:05
leave Milano Centrale 14:10
arrive Monterosso 16:54

Travel time: 6 hours 32 minutes with only one transfer

But are you sure you want to spend 6 1/2 hours to get to Monterosso, leaving you with one evening and one day in the Cinque Terre?

I agree with Eloise--is it worth it?
The option via La Spezia takes longer and has 2 stops.

We are (nervously) bound and determined to get to our destination (Villa Steno) in Monterosso....but I hope the relaxation there will prove worth the 6 hour trip. Maybe we should cut the two nights in Venice down to one?

You say that your "last two nights" are in Monterosso. Where and how are you leaving Italy? If by plane, you are cutting it very, very fine to try to get to any airport the morning of your departure.

If you cut Venice down to one night, you might as well skip Venice. I would suggest that you omit Monterosso and add the two nights to Venice -- or one night to Venice if you are leaving from any airport other than Venice and one night in the city closest to your departure airport.

We just did the reserve in April. The FASTEST route, is available, is Venice to Bologna, change trains and then onto Monterosso. You should not have to change again in La Spezia. We also stayed at Villa Steno and loved it. I would be happy to tell you anything else.

Make sure you eat at Gamero Rosso in Vernazza.