We are a family of 5 and will be arriving at Malpensa at 9am on May 23rd. We will be traveling to Vernazza for our first 3 nights and then traveling back through Milan to Bellagio (Lake Como) for next three nights. then back to Milan for last 2 nights. I am trying to figure out if train is really the best way to travel. I have checked car rental which was very reasonable for the week but know then we would have petrol, parking, and more than likely some tickets... So I wanted to look into a car service for at least the first trip from Malpensa to CT. Just wondering if cost would be not too much more than same day train tickets? After that I think pre-booking the train would be more economical.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11222 posts
For a van for 5, the quote is just over 700 euro ( goes to Monterosso) Their site doesn't permit Vernazza as a destination
There might be other providers, but it is 300km+ one way, so you have to pay for the driver having to travel 600km+. My casual observation is the cost usually is about a euro per km, for every km the driver has to drive.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15238 posts
A private car service from Malpensa to Vernazza for 5 pax will cost you about €600 (about $650) or more. Driving time is under 4 hours (plus pit stops).
Taking the train from Malpensa will require 2 changes, one at Milano Centrale, then another one somewhere else (Genoa, or Levanto, or La Spezia depending on the train). Travel time by train will be about 5 hours with tickets costing about 40 to 50 euro per person (x 5 = 200 to 250 euro).
Your choice. Train information is below:
Your stations are:
From: MALPENSA AEROPORTO
To: VERNAZZA
Don't buy tickets in advance since you'll lose everything is the flight is delayed. Also the trains traveling that route are not Frecciarossa (only Intercity and Regionali), therefore the savings on pre-purchased tickets are not that huge.
Edit:
To go from Vernazza to Bellagio you would take a train to VARENNA-ESINO, then the ferry to Bellagio
similar prices as from Malpensa to Vernazza, but maybe a half hour longer.
The train price from Varenna-Esino to Milano Centrale is just over 7€ per person.
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2304 posts
hey hey pk107
using a private taxi will cost you at least $800, just a guess. that taxi/van needs to return back to malpensa.
mytransfers.com
put your info in and get a quote, read all the information it includes
milanobycar.com
click price & booking to get a quote reading all information with you info input.
take the train or a bus. the rental can become more headaches than you think. how wide to drive thru narrow roads, cost of parking with how close to your hotel and how big space is & petrol. relax on the train, pick up some snacks/drinks at airport for the ride.
good luck with your research.
aloha
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15238 posts
If you rent a car, besides the cost of the car rental, plan on the following expenses:
Gasoline: (about 2€/liter) for at least 700 km: Malpensa>Vernazza>Bellagio>Milan city (where you will return the car).
You will need at least 60 liters for that distance or over 120€.
Tolls: approximately 50€ for the entire trip
Parking at Monterosso: €25-30 per day.
Parking at Bellagio: free at some lots (blue stripes on the ground means pay parking, not handicapped like in America)
Traffic fines: none, if you follow the rules of the road.
For 5 people renting a car is likely not much more expensive than the train (depending on the rental price), but more tiring (and stressful) for the driver.
Posted by
OP
New York
11 posts
Thanks everyone for your thoughtful and valuable replies!!
We have pretty much ruled the car out as it does not seem worth the additional expenses and how difficult it may be to navigate the ZTL zones.
We really had planned to take trains as this does seem to be the best environmental and most economical way to travel BUT when looking at train tickets ( unless I am misunderstanding- which is possible) same day tickets are $13 to central station plus $155 to Vernazza per person (x 5 people) which is why I decided to ask about a car service. I realize it maybe expensive but possibly worth it and not as much more as it seems. Not being able to buy train tickets for long trips in advance makes it more costly. I would plan differently next time considering this factor but rooms are booked for this trip.
Thx!
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5555 posts
tickets are $13 to central station plus $155 to Vernazza per person
Where are you seeing $155 per person? I am seeing much lower prices on trenitalia.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11222 posts
Looking on --- https://www.trenitalia.com/en.html ----
the walk up fare from MXP to Vernazza is ~55-60 euro
Puzzling that you are seeing 155
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15238 posts
€57 per person (base walk up fare) is the highest possible price if you happen to take the Frecciabianca to La Spezia.
You must have used some website that is not www.trenitalia.com
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2304 posts
hey hey roberto & joe32F
i see same as you two. my "crazy" brain says total is 155E for all of them, not just per person.
as roberto says only to la spezia station. make sure you mean vernazza in cinque terre and varenna on lago di como.
roberto is the guy since he's from florence and he's our go to poster for many things "italy". mahalos roberto
aloha
Posted by
OP
New York
11 posts
You are all right! When I was looking at prices I had put 5 people and I did not realize it was giving me the total and not the per person price. So now I can see the train is much more economical than I was seeing even with having to purchase same day. Thank you so much!!!