Lake Como Train Questions

Posted by Robert (Seattle, WA, USA) on 09/14/15 07:59 PM

I will be visiting Lake Como on an upcoming trip. My itinerary takes me from Padua to Varenna via Milano Centrale. Later I’ll leave Varenna for Florence, again via Milan. My questions are these:

1) Do I buy a round trip ticket in Milan for the trip to and from Varenna?

2) While in Varenna I wish to day trip to Chiavenna beyond the north end of the lake. It is the same tracks, but is it the same train service?

3) And where do I get those tickets?

4) Is there a change of trains in Lecco between Milan and Varenna?

Thanks

Posted by Bob

Reading, PA, USA

09/14/15 08:23 PM

1593 posts

I can only answer question 1. Yes, you must buy the return trip tickets from Varenna in Milan. No tickets are sold in the train station in Varenna. I have been told there is a travel agency in Varenna that sells train tickets but I have not used it.

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

09/14/15 08:58 PM

20256 posts

You can purchase thru tickets on line now if your schedule is set in order to take advantage of Super Economy or Economy discount tickets for the Padua-Milan leg and the Milan-Florence legs. When you do this, it comes with pre-validated tickets from Milan to Varenna-Esino and return. www.trenitalia.com.
Most of the connections are direct Milan to Varenna, a few require connections at Lecco.

From Varenna to Chiavenna, it is the same rail line, but you do need to change trains at Colico. You can buy tickets either at Milan station, from the Trenord window or kiosk, or you can buy in Varenna at a tabac or travel agency. These you would need to validate before boarding the train.

Here is the Trenord website you find schedules. Remember, Milano Centrale and Varenna-Esino.
Skip anything to/from Milan with a connection, as there are actually 2, at Monza and Lecco and they take 2 1/2 hours, where as the direct trains take 1 hour. http://www.trenord.it/EN/

Posted by Robert OP

Seattle, WA, USA

09/14/15 09:27 PM

120 posts

Thanks, Sam - I really appreciate your help.

Posted by Ken

Vernon, Canada

09/15/15 10:15 AM

32222 posts

Robert,

A few thoughts on your questions.....

It's probably better to buy a round trip ticket to & from Varenna while you're in Milan. Buying from the Kiosks is easy. As the others mentioned, there is no ticket office in Varenna, but there is the very helpful Tivano Tours office and you can easily buy tickets there as well.
I didn't check this one, but Sam provided good information.
As in question #1 - buy tickets at Milano Centrale, either from a staffed ticket window or Kiosk, or at the travel agent in Varenna.
Every train I've used from Milano Centrale to Varenna over the years has been direct, and the trip is 1H:03M. There may be a change on some runs, but you can check all the solutions on the Trenitalia or TreNord websites.

One important point to note is that the trains on that route are Regionale, so you MUST validate your ticket prior to boarding the train on the day of travel.

One other point to note. I was through Milano Centrale a few days ago, and they now have security barriers installed between the front part of the station and the rear portion where the tracks are located. These consist of a solid glass wall with glass doors labelled "A" through "E", which are designated as "gates". Passengers entering the track area must show their tickets in order to get through one of the gates (guards were checking each person). As you're coming from Padua, you'll arrive inside the secured area so won't have to worry about the "gates" as long as you don't exit from the track area.