Milan-Varenna transportation

Erika: Okay, that clarifies your original question.

You asked about taxi and also mentioned viable budget option. It's over 80 miles from Malpensa to Varenna. I have no idea what the taxi fare for 80 miles would be, but I don't think it's going to be what most would consider a viable budget option.

Because of your late arrival and the fact that the airport is 30 miles from the Milan Centrale train station, spending the night in Milan or at an airport hotel is looking like a better option for you.

You can take the train from Milan Centrale train station to Varenna the next day--probably quite affordable compared to an 80 mile taxi ride.

Alright.

Thanks very much!

Not quite following the question. Are you asking about a taxi to the train station? from the airport ?? Assuming good traffic the bus ride is about an hour to the Central train station. A taxi might be a little faster but it would be expensive. The bus dumps you are the far SE corner of the train station. So it is going to be ten minutes or more from the time you get off the bus, walk to the front of the station, through the station to the tracks, and that is without taking time to buy tickets, find the tracks, etc. To be safe I think you need to allow a min of two hours from the time the plane lands to the train departs -- and I think that is tight. But I may be missing something from your question.

Erika: I had the same questions about your question as Frank did. Please clarify your question:

Are you asking about a taxi from Milan airport to Milan train station?

Which Milan airport, Malpensa or Linate?

Which Milan train station, Centrale?

Or are you asking about a taxi from Milan to Varenna?

Hello!

I'm trying to figure out what our transportation options are for getting from the airport, Malpensa, to Varenna.

Our flight gets in after 2100, after the buses and trains headed for Lake Como have already finished service for the day.

Are there any other viable budget options to get to Lake Como or should we just spend the night in Milan?

Again, thank you!

Erika

Ask your B&B what they recommend, but yeah, it looks like you'll need to spend the night in Milan near the train station.

Erika, We are doing the same trip to Varenna. Taking the bus from the terminal to Milan Central. If your in terminal one the bus stop is between exit 5&6 on the arival floor...bus is malpensa shuttle. If terminal 2 bus stop is a the arrival exit. From Milan Central catch the train heading for Sondrio..sit on the left for the view and get off at Varenna-Esino stop. Never done it before but it doesn't sound bad. The bus to Milan will take about 1 hour depending on traffic, about 6 euros and the train to Varenna will take about 1 hour also. Hope this helps. You CAN take the train from the airport, its about a 40 min ride, not enough to help you I bet.

Jo: Does your answer to Erika take into account the time Erika is arriving at MXP? Her flight arrives at the gate at MXP some time after 9pm?

Well no......sounds like a night in Milan. Oh well!

If you really want to get to Varenna that night, its also worth asking your B&B what the cost of a hired car would be. In all likelihood they have arranged similar transport at some time for a guest and might be able to give you a good guess of the cost, then you could decide about just staying in Milan for the night.

Steve: I think it will help the original poster if you can clarify something about your last post on this thread.

You mention they can arrive in Varenna in time for a romantic dinner--does that take into account that their airplane does not pull up to the gate in Malpensa until after 9pm?

Also, just curious--what mountain are you referring to?

Jo,

One point to clarify...

"You CAN take the train from the airport, its about a 40 min ride"

Yes, the Malpensa Express is also an option, but one thing to note is that this terminates at Cadorna Station and not Milano Centrale. You'd have to use Taxi or Metro to get the the central station. The Malpensa Shuttles are a good option if you're going to the main station, as they terminate at Milano Centrale.

Steve,

A rental car is certainly one option, but IMHO it really wouldn't be a good method in this case. Erika will be arriving quite late, and coming off a long trans-atlantic flight, having to clear Passport control & collect luggage and then having to drive for a few hours while tired and in the dark in unfamiliar territory is not really practical. There's no way I'd try that while suffering from jet lag, even with a GPS unit!

More to follow.......

ERIKA,

Given the time your flight arrives, I think that one night in Milan is unavoidable. Is there any possibility of changing your flight to an earlier arrival time?

As you'll have to clear Passport control, collect your luggage and then get to either the Shuttle or Malpensa Express terminals, I suspect you probably won't arrive in Milan until at least 23:00. If there are several other flights arriving at that time, it could be busy! I believe the last train for Varenna departs about 21:25 so there's no way that will be possible.

You could take the Malpensa Express from the airport and stay at one of the Hotels near Via Dante, but the least complicated option would be to take the Malpensa Shuttle to Milano Centrale and use one of the Hotels in that area. There are several listed in the Italy Guidebook (The Best Hotel seems to be reasonably well rated, but I've never stayed there).

After breakfast in the morning, head for Milano Centrale (watch your belongings!) and buy your ticket to Varenna. Research the times on the net so you know which train you want to take. Note that the ticket will be listed as Varenna-Esino. If you have some Euro cash, I'd suggest going down to the ticket office, which is two floors down from track level (via "moving sidewalks"). There will probably be a queue at the ticket office, but use the ticket machines (the machines near the ticket office will accept cash, while those on the main floor only credit cards and there's usually a queue for those machines). Keep some Euro coins at hand in case you have to use the WC's at Milano Centrale while you're waiting.

continued.....

Part 2.....

You'll have to check the large printed charts for the track no. of your train. Sondrio will probably be listed as the end destination, with Varenna as an intermediate stop. Check the electronic boards for the ACTUAL Track No. (which may be different than the chart) and departure time. They may not post the Track No. on the electronic board until about 30 min. before the train departs. DON'T FORGET to validate your ticket in the yellow box (can post a photo tomorrow if you want to see what they look like)!

Travel time is a bit more than an hour. As Jo said, sit on the left for views of the lake. You'll come through a tunnel just before reaching the station. When an hour as elapsed, be ready to disembark on the left as the train only stops for a minute or so! BE SURE you know how to release the doors (release will probably be a lever that has to be lifted up to the right).

Depending on which Hotel you're staying at, you may be able to walk from the station (I usually do). However, local Taxi's usually meet trains so that's an option too.

If you want to walk, go down the stairs next to the station and walk down towards the lake. At the small bridge, turn left. Where to go from there will depend on which Hotel you're using. If you're going to the Ferry dock, turn right just after the bridge and head towards the bright yellow building (Hotel Olivedo). The dock and ticket office is in front of that. BTW the food at Olivedo is great, especially Laura's Ravioli. If you have time and your budget will allow, give it a try.

Happy travels!

Hey, all.

Thanks very much for the ideas and suggestions. We decided to bite the bullet and just book a hotel in Milan. We'll head to Varenna the next day.

Again, thanks very much.

Erika

Erika,

This is a view of the station in Varenna (looking towards the tunnel in the direction of Milan).

Note that you'll probably be arriving on the left track, which means you'll offload your luggage onto the small platform and then have to get across the other track to get to the station. This is one of the FEW stations where you're allowed to cross the tracks on the pathway shown (watch for oncoming trains of course).

Cheers!

Nice pic Ken, we were just there this past July. When leaving Varenna from this station, we were unable to purchase tickets back to Milan, as the station is not staffed and the ticket machines are turned off. ( We knew about this before, and purchased our return tickets to Milan at the Travel agency in Varenna town ) Also unable to 'validate' the ticket at Varenna station, machine is inop.

Jeff,

I purchased my return ticket using the ticket machines at Milano Centrale. I was planning to have a fine hot meal at Albergo Olivedo (Laura's Ravioli) and since they don't open for dinner until 19:00, I knew the ticket office in Varenna would likely be closed.

I also found that the Validating machines weren't working, and was worried that I might be fined for failing to validate. I was fired up and ready to "tear a strip" off the Conductor, but no one even checked the tickets on my way back to Milan (train departed Varenna at about 21:00). I've learned since that if the Validating machines are broken, it's a good idea to write the time and date on the back of the ticket, as a "substitute".

I've also used the Travel Agency in Varenna on past trips. They've been awesome! I ran into a group of young travellers at the Internet Cafe that were wondering about tickets, and I directed them to the Travel Agency. I saw them a few hours later (after they had visited the T.A.) and the suggestion had been very helpful for them.

Cheers!