I'm driving

Can you fly out of Pisa or Genoa? ...both are much closer to the CT than Milan or Rome.

David,

A few questions....

• where are you getting your train information?
• 6 hours to get from the CT to which airport?
• where on Lago di Como are you going to be staying?
• when is this trip taking place?

Yes, IMHO for the routes you've mentioned, driving IS "so crazy"? For one thing, there are some potentially expensive "caveats" to be aware of when driving in Italy, and during the time you're in the C.T., your car will be parked gathering dust and parking charges.

In order to get to Santorini, I'm not sure there are any direct flights so one short layover is probably inevitable (although I haven't checked all the routes). The most convenient airport to the C.T. is Pisa and there are a number of airlines you can use. Depending on when you'll be travelling, there may be a direct flight from Genova to Santorini with Volotea.

Hi David. I'm a little confused by your post.

"We will be in CT and want to fly to Santorini Greece.
I see the train from CT is 6 hours to get to the airport."
What airport are you referring to???

"9 hours from Como to CT"
Not sure what you mean here. The train from Lake Como to Milan is a little over an hour, and from Milan to Cinque Terre is about 3 hours.

"Am I better off going to Rome?"
For what???

Enjoy your trip!

I looked on the Internet and the trains I saw were Milan to Como 3 hours, Como to CT 9 and 6 from CT to Milan .......I must be looking in the wrong place for my info.
I need to fly to Santorini on May 3
We are staying in Monteroso in CT

How to Look Up Train Schedules and Routes Online gives you the DB train schedule link and tips for using it. Or the Italian site that also sells tickets is www.trenitalia.com.

Ok, panic is over, I see its 1 hour from Milan to the lake. What station is it in the Milan airport? I didn't see a stop in Verenna where we will be staying on the lake.
5-6 hours from the lake to CT but that's ok, no rush that day.
Then it's 3 hours from CT Monterosso to Milan. We have a noon flight, so need to get going early.
His should work.

What is the station in Milan airport is it Centeal?

Were you perhaps using the RailEurope site? I think it doesn't show a lot of the inexpensive regional trains. If it routed you on only the fast trains, it might have shown a very convoluted (and thus not fast) route that required some doubling back. I'm just guessing though.

Edited to add:

The Milan airport train station is Malpensa Aeroporto and the main city station is Milano Centrale.

There is absolutely no way I'd spend the last night before a Milan flight departure down in the Cinque Terre. Rail delays do occur, especially on regionale. And are you familiar with the word "sciopero"? (It means "strike".) I wouldn't risk having to buy a last-minute airline ticket to Santorini.

The train station inside Milano airport is Malpensa Aeroporto. Are you using the Trenitalia.com website?

Edit: acraven was posting while I was typing. To be at the airport three hours before a noon flight, you are cutting it too close. MXP is a big, busy, not terribly well-organized airport, you should spend your last night in Milano.

I may try to change and do CT first and lake Como after, then we can take the short train ride from the lake to Milan

Great idea.

Note that Varenna to the airport is still over 2 hours. The town of Como is a bit closer and will in most cases be 1-1/2 to 2 hours away. I see a 70-minute connection at 6:30, 8:30 and 9:20 AM. I was looking at weekday schedules; weekends may be different.

You're still talking about regionale, so allow plenty of extra time. The difficulty with being so far away is that if you find out a few days ahead of time that there's going to be a rail strike, you're going to have to scramble for a hotel in a completely different town and/or pony up a great deal of money for a long-distance cab ride.

Got a 5pm flight out of Milan, that should give us plenty of time.

David,

My suggestion would be to keep the order of your Itinerary the same, as it's quicker and easier to get to Varenna after a long international flight than to Monterosso. This is the route to follow.....

• after arrival at MXP Terminal 1, collect your luggage and make your way to the airport rail station. Using a Kiosk or staffed ticket window, buy tickets from MXP to Milano Centrale on the Malpensa Express, and from Milano Centrale to Varenna-Esino (2 tickets). Travel time on the M.E. is 52M and the train to Varenna 1H:03M.
• locate the platform for the Malpensa Express that goes to Milano Centrale. Note that there are two routes, one to Centrale and one to Milano Cadorna. BE SURE to board the correct train.
• BEFORE boarding the train, validate your ticket in the machines located close to the tracks.
• when you arrive at Milano Centrale, as I recall your arrival will be on tracks 1 or 2 which are in the far corner of the station. Walk from there into the main hall where all the other tracks are located.
• check the electronic display boards to determine the track no. (Binario) of the train to Varenna. The destination of that train may not show "Varenna" but rather Tirano or Sondrio (Varenna is an intermediate stop on that route). You can verify the train using the large "Partenze" paper charts in the station.
• before boarding the train, validate your ticket for that train.
• the train doesn't stop long in Varenna, so be prepared to disembark promptly. The train goes through a tunnel just prior to arrival, so that will be a clue. Be sure you're clear on how to release the door.

For the trip from Varenna to Monterosso, you can either (a.) buy tickets for that trip at the MXP or Milano Centrale when your arrive; (b.) buy tickets a day or so prior to travel at the helpful Tivano Tours office in Varenna, which is either in the station or just below the station (I can't remember); OR (c.) buy advance tickets online on the Trenitalia or Trainline.eu website. In the same situation, I'd probably use Option "C".

One of the easiest trips from Varenna to Monterosso will be a departure at 10:37, arriving 15:05 (time 4H:28M, one change at Milano Centrale). The later departure will give you time to have breakfast at your lodgings in Varenna, and you'll arrive in Monterosso in time for a nice walkabout before supper.

If you use the train mentioned above, this is the procedure.....

• If you're using a locally purchased ticket for the first train segment from Varenna, you must validate it prior to boarding the train on the day of travel. If you're using a ticket purchased online, it will come pre-validated.
• when you arrive at Milano Centrale, check the electronic board to determine the track no. of your train to Monterosso. Look for the train number (IC-665).
• on this train you'll have an assigned Coach no. (Carrozza) and Seat no.(s) (Posti) so that's where you must sit. The trip from Milan to Monterosso is a reasonable 2H:55M, so very easy.
• when you disembark in Monterosso, walk down the stairs to the transfer tunnel and then out onto the main street in the "new town". Which hotel are you staying in?

For the flight from Milan to Santorini on 3 May, there are lots of choices with a variety of costs and flight times. Although it means a late arrival, one of easiest flights appears to be with Aegean....

• 17:10 depart MXP (OA665)
• 20:40 arrive ATH (time 2H:30M - note that Greece is in a different time zone and one hour ahead of the rest of Europe)
• 21:50 depart ATH (flight OA364)
• 22:35 arrive JTR (time 0H:45M)

You'll have to check out the flights on Skyscanner or other website and figure out which one looks best. I'll provide some suggestions on train from Monterosso to MXP once you've chosen a flight.

Ken I did book the Aegean air flight at 5pm. Thank you for the train info. I'll print it and have it with me on the trip. I feel much better now about the trip.