Switzerland to Dolomites Route Questions

Posted by ellieamorse on 09/27/19 07:49 PM

Hello! My husband and 10 month baby and I will be making our way from Switzerland to Venice via the Dolomites from Nov 2-6. Our plan is
Nov 2- FlixBus from Lucerne to Lake Como, spend the night in Como
Nov 3- Como to Bolzano to Ortesei
Nov 4- 5 Explore South Tyrol/ Dolomites- Puez Park
Nov 6 Drive back to Venice
Nov 7, fly out of Venice

Is this a good way to get to Ortesei, or do you have a more efficient recommendation?
At Como, should we rent a car and drive to Bolzano so we have easy access to see the Dolomites? Will it be too expensive to return it in Venice? How doable is this road for an American first-timer to Italy? Or, should we take public transport?
Once we get to Ortesei, how do we explore the Puez-Geisler Nature Park?

Thanks!

Posted by Laurel

Forest Grove, OR

09/28/19 04:17 AM

11823 posts

This is not a good time of year to explore the Dolomites. It is way off-season and lifts are closed, many hotels take a break before ski season starts (about Dec 1). I would not want to take the chances of driving a rental car through the passes as up high there may be winter conditions. Likewise, I think Lake Como would be rather dull in November. Perhaps a better plan would be to travel from Lucerne to Venice by train and spend a few days seeing Venice and the beautiful towns around Venice on day trips: Padua (Padova in Italian), Verona, Vicenza. Then if weather is poor you have indoor activities to do. When it rains and is cold in the mountains it is grim and little to do.

Posted by N_Kingdom

09/28/19 04:35 AM

872 posts

See train times to Venice on www.trainline.com. You’re looking at around 6.5 hours with a late arrival. Do not use Raileurope, recommended by Steves, a reseller with exorbitant rates. You can fly from Zurich, 50 minutes by train from Luzern. 6See www.skyscanner.com.

Posted by lachera

Firenze, Italy

09/28/19 07:11 AM

1756 posts

November is not a good time for mountain hikes, not because lifts are closed, but because weather is rainy and daylight is short. Also considering you have a baby with you, I would rework the itinerary, also avoiding one night stays.

Posted by NickB

Maryland

09/28/19 12:22 PM

913 posts

Check travel options on bahn.com

Bus Lucerne to Como? only 3 hours on the train, and you can walk around and change the baby en route... No weather worries that way either.

4 hours on the train from Como to Bolzano (changes in Milan and Verona). Local buses from Bolzano take about an hour to get to Ortisei. Your hotel in Ortisei will provide a local bus pass for free. Weather may be variable and likely cold/wet.

BUT, from their website:
https://nature-parks.provinz.bz.it/puez-geisler/nature-park-visitor-center.asp

Opening hours 2019
From 27 December 2018 to 30 March 2019 and from 2 May to 31 October 2019. Open from Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 to 12:30 a.m. and from 2:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Puez-Geisler / Puez-Odle Nature Park Visitor Center is open on Sundays in July and August.

Considering the time of the year I would recommend public transport to manage possible bad weather. I have driven in the Dolomites in the summer and the scenery is spectacular, and not a driving problem. If you need a car and the weather forecast is good, maybe rent and return in Bolzano. Another option could be to stay in Bolzano for three nights and take buses/rental car up to the park area, Ortisei or Castelrotto on day trips. There is also a gondola that goes up to Oberbozen (a village above Bolzano/Bozen west of the valley) with beautiful hikes and a tiny train across the high meadows...

3 hours on the train from Bolzano to Venice. Given the trains I would skip driving back to Venice.

Have fun!