Daytrip Varenna (Lake Como) to Switzerland

Easy by car, easy by train.

Como is practically on the Swiss border.

Train from Varenna to the end of the line at Tirano, hourly service into the Rhaetian highlands by the beautiful Bernina Express route (I always suggest the frequent ordinary trains over the posh hermetically sealed special extra fare tourist ones), round an open air spiral and up into the mountains. Yum.

Train from Varenna to Milano Centrale then a nearly hourly InterCity train to Lugano, Brig, Luzern or Arth-Goldeau. Dogbones and spirals inside the mountains. Yum.

Ferry the length of Lake Como to Como. Join (a bit of as hike from the boat landing but you can do it) many of the same trains at Como heading north. Yum.

Ferry just across the lake to Mennagio - info at http://www.lakecomo.it/en/getting_around/ferries - and an easy bus ride into Lugano. semi yum. You get better views of the lake from the bus than a car.

By car the world is your oyster but you won't get the same views....

Have a look at this other thread:=

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/switzerland/day-trips-to-switzerland-out-of-milan

Thanks Nigel! I am arriving at Lake Como from Tuscany. I'll be returning the car in Lecco and then take the train to Varenna. If you had to choose from one of your scenarios, without a car, which one would you choose?

Hi Andrea --
I have taken the train from Varenna to Tirano and then into Switzerland, but it was part of a longer trip through Switzerland itself. It is pretty spectacular.
I am sure that there is a place to turn around and retrace your steps, maybe St. Moritz or Chur ...
(It's been so long ago now that I can't remember how long those destinations were from Tirano.)
SharYn

Hmmmmm

Well Lugano is close and very Swiss Italian. But after Tuscany do you want more Italian or would you prefer typically "Swiss"?

Through the mountains on the main line to and into Luzern gets you German speaking Switzerland with reasonably close view of mountains. But it is a long way to Luzern.

I'd probably go some distance - however far until you turn around or have a walk and turn around - onto the Bernina line. I love the spiral. But I love trains and mountains. But that would be my choice. Probably.

This will be towards the end of 3 weeks in Italy. It would be nice to show my friend the Germanic side of Switzerland, but probably not if it will take too much of the day to even get there. After our time in Italy my friend is going home. I'll still have over 4 weeks in Europe, including a week in the Austrian Alps.