cinque terre

There are no buses/shuttles in the CT. The primary connection between the towns is via train. You can catch the train to Monteresso and then hike back.

check the ferrys, they run between each town, trains are only a few min. ride

Depending on the weather, the ferry may not be an option. They don't operate in stormy weather. The trains run regularly.

Jan, As the others mentioned, there are NO Shuttles in the C.T. The hike you mentioned is exactly what I did on my last trip there. The local trains run frequently and the tickets are cheap, so that's absolutely the best way to get from Riomaggiore to Monterosso. I'll be staying in Monterosso this year, so will use the reverse method. Happy travels!

any idea of how much a poitn-to-point fare would cost? I can't afford to use a day on my eurail pass

You can buy a combination ticket from the park service to hike the trail which includes all day train service. However, the trains run only about once an hour and are extremely crowded. We were just in Cinque Terre in the beginning of May and stayed in Riomaggoire for 3 days. At that time, only 2 of the 4 trails were open. We liked Riomaggoire and found it less touristy then some of the other villages.

Jan, DO NOT use a day of your Railpass for travel in the Cinque Terre! The trains are very cheap! The tickets used to be good for six hours, however that's changed. AFAIK, current cost is €1.80 and the tickets are only good for 75-minutes now. That's more than enough time for the trip from Riomaggiore to Monterosso. Cheers!

Jan, the hike between Monterosso and Vernazza was a lot longer than we expected and had lots of ups and downs through a variety of hill side gardens. If the weather is hot take extra water. Also must try the ferry between the towns weather permitting. Gives you an entirely different prespective on the towns and their isolation. Enjoy