Car rental/Train Info

There are two train schedule websites you should try, this one is more user friendly http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/enand this one is the Italian train site and may have slightly more complete schedules http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.htmlYou won't use either website to buy tickets online, the recommendation on this forum is in Italy to purchase point to point tickets, preferably on your first or second day in the country, which sounds like it would be in Venice.A rental car is an expensive headache in the Lake Como area. I would say 90% or more of travelers on this forum use the train to travel in Italy, except to explore the Tuscany hill towns or in Sicily, and certainly to go from Venice to Lake Como--there are reasons why that's the case but they are tedious to explain in the space we have here (if you've driven before in Italy, you'll understand).After you've gotten familiar with the train website, if you have more questions, come on back, or send me a Private Message if you prefer.

I noticed you said you're staying in Lecco, or outside of Lecco. And that you also wanted to see "Como", by which I assume you mean the town of Como. I bring up the following points not to criticize your itinerary but in the hope that it's not too late for you to consider the more scenic mid-Lake areas of Varenna, Bellagio, and Menaggio.Como and Lecco, while okay, are not comparable to the other spectacular choices you have in the mid-Lake part of Lake Como. What I noticed that isn't mentioned at all in your post is the mid-Lake area (Varenna, Bellagio, and Menaggio)--just as a frame of reference for you, these are the choices of probably 90% of the travelers on this forum--the reason being that the mid-Lake area is considered by many to be by far the most scenic part of Lake Como and also highly recommended by Rick Steves in his books and videos. It's in the mid-Lake area that the views open up and you get the postcard views that you've probably seen on the web or in books. The views are rather constricted at both Lecco and the town of Como, one at the very bottom of one "leg" of the Lake and one at the bottom of the other leg.

Janine,

I'd strongly agree with the points Kent made about staying in the mid-lake area of Lago di Como, rather than the town of Como.

Varenna is a wonderful "home base" for exploring the area, and it's an easy one-hour trip via train from Milano. The elegant town of Bellagio is only about a 20-minute Ferry ride from Varenna.

Using the two website links that Kent provided, you should be able to plan your rail journeys without too much trouble.

Happy travels!

Wow! Thank you both so very much. When I originally booked the hotel where we are staying, I was thinking: get in the area, drop off the luggage, continue driving around the lake or take a boat ride around the lake. I most definitely was going to head towards the areas you suggested, I just wanted to get rid of luggage. I will be having my 74 year old parents with me, so I was kind of trying to stay away from hotels with lots of steps or walking involved, which when I looked at hotels and b&bs in the bellagio and I think Varenna as well. All of this thinking was with us driving a car.
After reading your replies, I think there won't be a car involved. I will try the websites again. My biggest struggle, I think, is getting the names of the stations correct. They aren't called what you think they are called and I have yet to figure out how to search for the correct names. Anyhow, I will try them again, as well as look at other accommodations (especially in Bellagio because I thought it would be neat to stay there before). Thanks again. I will post what I found. I truly appreciate your comments and suggestions. It's a big help.

Janine: Oh good! I'm glad we're helping give you some other ideas to consider. If you saw Rick's video or read his book, Italy, you would want to stay in Varenna. Bellagio is more expensive than Varenna, but Varenna is difficult to book because of fewer rooms and more demand (because that's where all of us with the little blue books are). Menaggio is ignored by Rick but is a treasure. In his book Rick explains in detail how to get to Varenna by train from Milan Centrale station. Your departure from Milan Linate will make your return trip from Varenna easier, instead of having to get to Milan Malpensa (which is where most of us depart from); Linate is much closer in to Milan Centrale train station than is Malpensa, even more reason to stick to trains. The dramatic views on Lake Como are had by taking the public ferries from Varenna to Bellagio and then across to Menaggio. Parking for cars is very difficult in Lake Como and the views from the road around the lake are surprisingly limited and constrained. Train is the way to go on your trip from Venice to mid-lake of Lake Como and back to Milan Centrale. Send me a Private Message if you need more help with the train.

A car is a waste of $$, as ferries (or commuter boats in Como)take you to plenty of towns to explore.
You can easily take the train from Venice to Milan, then a train to city of Como,or Lecco,or mid-lake Varenna, which is my favorite place on the lake.The ferry to Menaggio and Bellagio puts you into towns with shopping,and beautiful promenades on the lake, but the Monastero garden, and the garden of the Cipressi hotel on the lake in Varenna are lovely and peaceful.If the walking to/from the train station is too much, there are a few individual taxi owners.
If you do stay in Lecco, which is a bigger city, there may be buses and regular taxi service also. The word taxi seems to conjure images of $$$, but I'm sure it's less than the $400 rental car!
I had no trouble buying tickets at the stations in Milan for local trains the day of travel to lakeside Como(from Cadorna)and to Lecco/Varenna(from Centrale, where Venice trains come in),and also for reserving a seat on the Milan/Venice line.Travel agents in Venice can also issue you tickets, if you want to buy ahead.Connections between Lecco & Como may only be by bus;or by train via Milan-about 1 1/2 hours travel time.I have only train-ed past Lecco, on my way to & from Varenna.