Best way to get from Bellagio to Monterosso in Cinque Terre.

jolee,

The easiest method to get from Bellagio to Monterosso would be to take the Ferry across to Varenna (~20 minutes) and then walk up the hill to the station. There may be a ticket Kiosk at the station (can't remember?) OR you can buy rail tickets at the helpful Tivano Tours office in Varenna. It's on the way to the station anyway, but be sure to check their hours of operation. The trip from Varenna to Milano Centrale is ~1H:03M. That train is a Regionale so DON'T forget to validate your ticket prior to boarding the train on the day of travel, or you'll risk hefty fines which will be collected on the spot!

Another possibility would be to make a stop at the rail station in the airport and buy all your tickets before connecting with your car service to Bellagio.

The specifics of the trip from Milano Centrale to Monterosso will depend on which train you choose. The easiest option will be one of the direct (no changes) trains. The one you'll most likely connect with is a departure at 12:10, arriving 15:03 (time 2H:53M). That train is an InterCity so reservations compulsory. Of course if you don't mind changes, there are numerous other trains on that route, but longer travel times.

Ken
Thanks so much for your help and quick reply. I may need to start another thread because I am having difficulty with getting tickets on Trenatalia for a different portion of our trip, from Monterosso to Bologna. Site says no tickets available. Could they be sold out?

jolee,

It's not likely the tickets are sold out. Could you provide further information on your travel date and departure time from Monterosso. If a portion of the trip uses Regionale trains, that could explain the problems. Those are "awkward" to buy online, especially long in advance, and come with restrictions.

Great advice from Ken on buying your tickets from the tour office in Varenna - and DO check when it's open. The station in Varenna is notorious for being locked up tight and there is no ticket machine outside - unless that has changed. There was a tabacchi on Via VI Novembre that used to sell them as well but...

You could also pre-buy your ticket when you first get into Milan: then you'd have it in hand when you leave Bellagio.

The regional train schedule from Varenna to Milan is only published on Trenitalia.com a week in advance (as they do for all regional trains) and is not published at all on our favorite DB schedule link (due to a change a few years ago in the local operator of that route). For rough planning before you arrive, you can also use the older schedules published in the Milan and Varenna chapters of Rick's Italy book; they run about every two hours to/from Milano Centrale station and take an hour.

Thank you Ken, Kathy and Laura!

Re Bellagio, is there a place to buy tickets in Bellagio? I worry that the office will not be open when we get there from the ferry. I would like to get them before that.

Ken, we are looking at travel to Bologna on May 15 , either
Leave Monterosso at 11:06 on IC //
Arrive Pisa 12:17. On RV to //
Florence 13:32. On F rossa to
Bologna , arrive at 14:32

OR
Leave Monterosso at 9:05 on IC//
Viareggio 9:58 on R //
Prato 11:27 on R //
Bologna arrive at 12:48

I think the 11:06 is probably what we will take. Unless there is a way with fewer changes that I did not see. Hotel check in is 3 pm so we want to get in a bit before that.

Our next travel will be from Bologna to Milan on May 17. Do I need to buy those tickets now?
Anyone have a hotel in Milan near Centrale to recommend? We have a reservation but it is pretty expensive.

Thanks everyone
Joanne

You should be able to buy the Varenna to Milan ticket on the TreNord website.

http://www.trenord.it/en/

They are the actually operator of the train on that route.

Looks like you're right on, Lola. Good tip!

jolee,

For the trip from Monterosso to Bologna, either of the solutions you listed for 15 May would be good. I found slightly different information on the changes......

• Depart at 09:05, arrive at 12:35 (time 3H:30M, two changes at Pisa Centrale and Firenze SMN, trains IC / RV / Freccia).
• Depart at 11:05, arrive at 14:35 (time 3H:30M, changes and trains same as first soluiton).

I'd probably use the 11:05 departure as that allows time for a nice relaxing breakfast without any rushing about, and arrival time in Bologna is about right as the hotel rooms should be ready by then.

Thanks for all your help. I am away now, so I will be looking again at the train sites in a few days.

Is there a place in Bellagio to buy train tickets in case I cannot get them from the site? I have not been on the Trenord site yet.
Any other thoughts, ideas on our itinerary are welcome.

There isn't anyplace to purchase train tickets in Bellagio (that I know of) as it doesn't have a train station. I would buy your tickets at Milan Centrale. As trains between Varenna and Milan are regionals, your tickets will be good until you validate them before boarding.

Thank you Kathy.
We will not be in the airport train station as we are taking a carvservice right from Malpensa. I was hoping there would be an agency in Bellagio, like the one in Varenna that Ken mentioned. If I buy the Varenna to Milan tkt on the Trenord website, is the ticket good only for a specific time and day, or is it a generic type ticket to be used any time? I see now that the Milan to Monterosso tkt must be bought on the Trenatalia site. Thanks!

Jolee,

Is there a place in Bellagio to buy train tickets in case I cannot get them from the site? I have not been on the Trenord site yet.

You can buy your train tickets at the train ticket counter at the Malpensa Airport before you go to Bellagio.

You can also get your train tickets in Varenna at the 'I Viaggi del Tivano' Travel agency right next to Albergo Beretta.

The travel agency is not far from the ferry dock.

Here is their website for more information: http://www.tivanotours.com/en/index.php

BTW, when we were in Varenna this past October, the small train station was under construction (remodeling), so I don't know if this remodel will include a ticket counter or at least a ticket machine.

Jolee,

I have not purchased Regionale train tickets online but here is the information you need: http://www.trenord.it/en/tickets/tickets.aspx

Hi Jolee,
I think you have enough information, but I would like to tell you about my experience last summer. We came to lake Como in July for 5 days and I order all my train tickets online (it was a very busy trip started from Spain; then Nice, France, after Nice we came to Genoa, then Venice and at last- Lake Como).
At the train station in Como, we bought bus tickets to Lezzeno (almost last bus stop before Bellagio) in the magazines kiosk. then we traveled around area by bus a few times and all locals know where to get bus tickets in every small town on the lake. Sometimes we bought tickets in a local bar, or pizza place, the good thing- you can buy bus tickets for the next day, just tell them where you would like to go. We left Bellagio to Como train station by bus. For us traveling to and from train station by bus was very convenient. Have a great vacation!

Thanks for the bus info. Sounds like a good way to travel.
We got our train tickets from Bologna to Milan online. Still need to do the ones with the R trains. Need to use 2 sites as Trenitalia will not do Monterosso to Bologna. or Varenna to Milan to Monterosso.

And many thanks to all for the very helpful train info. I really appreciate everyone's help.

Jolee,
try to get train tickets through the site www.seat61.com

(I just bought mine from Venice to Milan for June)