Please sign in to post.

private transfer from Varenna to Milan Centrale

We had a crazy experience on the regional train from Milan Centrale to Varenna recently. Granted it was a holiday, but the train in Milan was so packed that ticket holders were turned away. There are no assigned seats, it's a regional train. We bought first class thinking that meant something, but not sure where first class was, and the conductors standing outside the train doors offered no help. We arrived at Milan Centrale 45 minutes before our train departure, and all the seats were already occupied. We heard that the earlier train was so full that folks boarded our train. At least we got on the train. I sat on the floor, my husband stood. It was shoulder to shoulder. There was good AC, thankfully.

My concern is getting back to Milan Centrale from Varenna on a Monday morning. In the past, we have had to stand. My fear is that the train may be too packed to board, and we would miss our connection to Venice. Any wisdom?

Does any one have any driver or shared shuttle services to recommend- reasonably priced? I know some have been mentioned in the past and I can't find the info. There's just two of us with light luggage. Now I can stress about this.
Thanks to all!

Posted by
26 posts

My hotel found good drivers for us to and from Ravenna. On Monday we’re using daytrip.com.

Posted by
1937 posts

Hi Pat,
Because I had read that the regional train from Varenna to Milan Centrale can be standing room only, we have hired a private driver to pick us up at our hotel in Varenna and drive us to our hotel in Milan. We are leaving for Italy tomorrow so I don't have firsthand experience with this company. But someone on this forum recommended them. The company is Airports Taxi Transfers. The rate is 165 euros.
[email protected]

On June 2 we are taking the train from Verona to Milan (reserved seats) and then the regional train to Varenna. And June 2 is a holiday. UGH! I hope we don't encounter the same problem you did. I think someone told me that Milan to Varenna is not as crowded as Varenna to Milan. But now I am worried after reading about your experience.

Good luck!
Karen

Posted by
3 posts

Wow Karen, thank you for posting that. We are heading to Varenna soon and this post, plus the experience of taking a regional train to Pompeii, has me spooked for sure! I think we'll try to use that service too. It's really expensive compared to the train, but I think it's worth the splurge in this case. Trying to get onto the circumvesuviana in Naples was a nightmare, we were packed in like sardines! And getting to Varenna's one thing, but like Pat we have a transfer in Milan on the way out and it would really mess things up if we were to miss it.

Posted by
1937 posts

Hi Mae,
I am glad that I can help you out. I also just read somewhere, I think it was yesterday, that some hotel owners/staff have reported seeing people running across the tracks in Varenna to catch the regional train in hopes of getting a seat. Is Italy unusually crowded this spring? Perhaps because of the Jubilee Year??? We would like to return in a couple years to visit southern Italy and Sicily but I am getting nervous about the crowds, and crowds don't usually bother me as much as they do other people.

Posted by
6304 posts

Crowds are heavy here now, Folks are telling me that spring is turning into high season, and the weather is currently beautiful.
Around 10:00am the line for buying the ferry tickets was about an hour long, winding up along the creek. The line to actually get on the next ferry wasn't too bad, the problem was buying tickets.
Tickets must be purchased the day of, and although there is a website, it doesn't seem
operational .
I know Thursday was a bank holiday, and it looks like the holidaying has expanded into the weekend.
There are lines everywhere, getting into the Varenna gardens and restaurants and parking garage.
This is our third time here, and I've never seen such crowds in the spring.
Thankfully we have a balcony room on the lake to which we can retreat.

Posted by
199 posts

Pat, I'm sorry things are so crazy now.

Enjoy your beautiful views from the balcony! It brings back lovely memories of Varenna.

Posted by
6 posts

We will be in Varenna June 4-7th. Will be staying near the train station. I have tickets to booked already early the last morning back to Milan and then to Venice. Hopefully we won't have any issues.