Zurich to Varenna
 

We'll be arriving at the Zurich airport at around 3:45pm, and we would like to spend a few days in the lake region of Italy before touring in Italy. We'll be using the trains in Italy, but we may rent a car for a few days in Tuscany. Can anyone provide some insight on our trip from Zurich to Varenna? We'll be there in mid-September.

I thought that the train would be scenic, but late in the day and after a long flight from LAX, I wondered if we'd be better off to stop in Luzerne for the night. Is the train route from Zurich due south to Lugano the best way to get to the lake region? Would we be making the trip to Lugano in daylight most of the way if we went all the way to Lugano?

Then getting to Varenna..... would we need to get the ferry from Bellagio to Varenna? We'll be in Varenna for 2 nights after spending 1 night somewhere--- Luzerne or Lugano probably. Also thinking about renting a car in Bellagio for a few days......

Any advice? This forum has been very helpful to us in the past! Thanks in advance!

There are two train routes or more you could take. Zurich more or less to Lugano or to Milan and changing in Milan for a regional train to Varenna (the only mid-lake town with rail connections) and then the ferry over to Bellagio. From Lugano there is a bs connection to Menaggio and then the ferry to Bellagio.

OR, and MUCH more scenic...a train from Zurich to Chur where yo could change to the Rhaetian Railway for the Bernina Express to Tirano...VERY spectacular scenery on that route. An easy change in Tirano to a train to Varenna.

Thank you--Your reply was helpful. I'll look into Chur now.

kat12 - if you choose the route Zurich to Chur, you should consider spending the night in Chur, saving the scenic ride for the following day. :-)

Thanks.... we're leaning towards Chur. Also looking into going further and spending the night in St. Moritz.

Hi kat12,

Yes, I think this is the right choice, getting to the Engadin Valley and then taking the Bernina Express to Italy.

I also would stay at or nearby St. Moritz even though it's a longer initial ride. The mountains are higher at that end of the valley, so the scenery would be more dramatic.

Here are friend Ingo's pages on this area, lots of good info there:

St. Moritz
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/4166c/a88f9/

You may want to attract his attention with another post asking specifically about the Engadin.

Have fun!

s