Travel from Varenna to Lucerne
 

Hubby and I will be renting a car in Italy in May, and dropping it at a rental car drop off near the train station. Just trying to narrow down which train station is best for the drop off. I've read a number of reviews about different ways to get to Lucerne from Varenna. Just want to be sure I'm doing the right thing (since it involves reserving the car in advance). I assume I can get my train tickets upon our arrival. Bernini Express gets great reviews for scenery, and we are up for that. We'll do anything. Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks!

Ok - Varenna-Esino train station - take local train to Tirano - no reason to buy tix in advance - dirt cheap - at Tirano corss the square from the Italian Train Station to the Swiss Train Station from whence the Bernina Pass Railway commences its incredible awesome trip up and over the Bernina Pass to St Moritz - to me the finest scenic rail line in Europe and I think I've been on them all!

Now there are official Bernina Express trains (called the slowest express trains in the world but they do not stop as much as the local trains on the same route so even though they roll no faster over this sinuous terrain they are marginally quicker and are geared for tourists - commentary en route - a hostess - fancy doilies on seats and panormaic domed observation cars - these official Bernina Express trains must be reserved in advance as they do fill up - they cost about 10 bucks more than the locals, which you can just show up and hop on no problem.

To go on to Lucerne from St Moritz take a train to Chur and switch there for trains to Zurich - Lucerne is a few minutes by rail from Zurich. Easy to do in one day and the most scenic possible way.

For lots on Swiss trains and passes (which if traveling much around Switzerland can be great deals - the Swiss Pass valid on trains, lake boats like those on Lake Lucerne - city buses and trams - postal buses and also give free entry to 470 Swiss museums and sights like those in Lucerne - anyway info-laden sites: www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com. They all have special coverage of the Bernina Pass rail line.

Questions, please!

Go HERE for all the info about the Bernina Express
https://www.rhb.ch/en/home

You can also order tickets and get First Class Panorama Car reservations on the above Rhaetian Rail website.

Meanwhile, you need to drop the car...

I'd be curious to know where you are before Varenna. Since it's easy to explore the lake from Varenna without a car, maybe you could return it somewhere before Varenna.

You could return it in Como and take the bus or better boats to Bellagio if staying there or boat to Verenna via Bellagio

Hertz and Avis cars can both be returned at Sondrio: https://www.hertz.ch/rentacar/locati...sondrio/MILN63
http://www.avisautonoleggio.it/WorldWideSearch.aspx

The most scenic train ride from Sondrio to Lucerne goes not via Zurich, but via Disentis; for example:
Sondrio dp 9.20 - Tirano ar 9.50, dp 10.23 by Bernina Express to St. Moritz ar 12.36,
St. Moritz dp 14.02 by Regio Express to Reichenau - Disentis - Andermatt - Goeschenen - Lucerne ar 20.41. 4 train changes, but at tiny stations with short ways from 1 train to another.

Less scenic alternative (but still better than via Zurich):
Tirano dp 10.23 - Bernina Express - St. Moritz 12.36/13.02 - Chur 15.03/15.16 - Pfaeffikon SZ 16.17/17.05 Voralpen Express - Lucerne ar 18.20

Easiest solution:
Sondrio dp 14.22 - Tirano ar 14.50, dp 15.12 - Bernina Express - Bravuogn ar 18.04. Sleep in this charming small mountain village.
Bravuogn dp 9.47 - Glacier Express - Andermatt ar 13.50, dp 14.28 - Schoellenen Gorge railway - Goeschenen ar 14.42, dp 15.09 - Fluelen 15.41 - Lucerne ar 16.41.
You may alternatively go by Lake Lucerne boat from Fluelen dp 16.00 to Lucerne ar 18.47. The Fluelen boat's pier is only a few steps from the railway station.

The point was to return the car before their Lake Como sojourn as you do not need a car on the lake - so Como or any city from where you can get buses or boats to places they are basing - so Sondrio is only if they keep the car whilst on the lake - a needless thing and not a wise thing as motoring around the lake to sights takes so so long and can be tedious with secondary raods with IME lots of traffic, etc.

The shortest itinerary would be ferry or bus to Como and then train to Lucerne. The trains leave from Como S. Giovanni station, that it is not close to the lake to a connecting taxi run is necessary. Not all trains stop in Como S. Giovanni (there is a detour line avoiding the city) so sometimes it is necessary to board a regional train to Chiasso (few minutes) and transfer there. There is a single direct train (no change) per day.

Thanks for all of the great info! We will be driving in from Monterosso. It sounds like we won't need a car in Varenna, so maybe we will drop it first. The first class seats on Bernina Express sound like something we would be interested in. The remainder of our itinerary is: 2 nights in Lucerne, 3 nights in Wengen, and then transferring from Wengen on our final day to the Zurich airport for our flight home in the afternoon. Which rail pass would you all suggest we buy?

I suppose tara likes to travel by car from his Monterosse hotel up to his Varenna hotel and use the car for trips from there to the charming villages above the lake, like Vestreno, Garzeno, Plesio etc. or for short trips to Lake Lugano.
If none of these conditions is fulfilled, it might be easier to return the car at Genoa.

Fastest itinerary Varenna - Lucerne by public transport: via Monza. For example

Varenna dp 7.37 - Monza 8.27/8.37 - Arth-Goldau 11.43/11.48 - Lucerne ar 12.20

People who absolutely want to board the Swiss train in the Como area have the following possibilities:

a) Varenna - ferry - Bellagio - bus - Como SG - train
b) Varenna - ferry - Menaggio - bus - Como SG - train
c) Varenna - hydrofoil - Como Lago - Como citybus - Chiasso - train.

All Milan - Switzerland trains stop at Como SG (the direct line is used by goods trains only). Trains from Milan - Como SG run every 2 hrs, whereas trains from Chiasso run every hr.

I would not necessarily buy a railpass for Switzerland unless you first check the price of point-to-point fares. You can easily do that by going to the www.sbb.ch site and then clicking on the "EN" button at the top.

You can easily buy tickets ahead of time online and print them at home. Also remember that in the Berner Oberland there are places where a regular SwissPass does not FULLY cover rail trips

Swiss Passes have been totally reorganized as of this January (2015) - there is no longer a Saver Pass but passes are significantly cheaper too and you can buy a Half-Fare Card at 50% off and get 50% off on most everything that moves in Switzerland (except cows)! Check the sites I mentioned far above for details on the new Swiss Passes and things like the Swiss Transfer Ticket that also allows you to buy a Half-Fare Card at 50% and gives two free trips on trains to begin your trip (like from Tirano to Lucerne) and another one at the end of your trip to any Swiss border point or station.

And check Swiss Pass prices in U S $ since the appreciation of the Swiss franc when I checked recently the same passes were cheaper here than there - often has been the case not not always so check U.S. fares when comparing overall prices (and also consider you will have no foreign exchange fees on fofreign purchases if buying in U S dollars.