Train Advice for Italy (Venice to Varenna)

Look at Trenitalia.com. You need to enter Italian station names:

Venezia Santa Lucia
Roma termini

There is a British flag icon that will bring up the translated page (except for station names).

If you would state what the complications are, we can help you unravel them.

EDIT: I just checked, there are several trains daily from Venezia Santa Lucia to Varenna-Esino, with one or two changes.

Someone emailed me and solved one mystery:

"Venezia" for the inbox instead of "Venice" (thank you).

It looks like many train changes from Venice (Venezia) to Varenna?

Are these acrd?

We speak NO Italian - will there be English speaking people who can help us find the correct train?

Do the trains ever "sell out?"

Should we purchase tickets now or wait until it is time to travel (in the station)?

The usual rule for long distance trains is, the earlier you buy tickets the cheaper, but once you buy a ticket you are committed to whichever train you chose. Much the same system as airline tickets.
For "Regional" (local) trains, like the one to Varenna, no discount for advance purchase.

"It looks like many train changes from Venice (Venezia) to Varenna?" - What do you call many? I would expect one or two, Milan ("Milano Centrale"), and possibly one more. Not exactly many.

"We speak NO Italian - will there be English speaking people who can help us find the correct train?" - no, why should there? Are there Italian speaking people to help at your local station?
But, it is not rocket science. You just have to follow signs, go to the correct platform and get on the train. A lot simpler than airports.

Edit: You need to know the real (Italian) names of places because that is the name you will see when you get there. It is no good looking out of the train window and waiting to see a sign that says "Rome", the sign will says "Roma", and that is where you need to get out of the train.

Thanks for your help...I really appreciate it.

We did a rail trip once before, but paid a company to arrange everything (which made it less scary).

Your answers are really helpful, and I found a website that made this a little simpler called "Italiarail."

It was much easier to use.

Just your comments that the platforms are "easy to use" helps.

There is only one change to make from Venezia S. Lucia to Varenna-Esino if you take the fast train to Milano Centrale and then change to the Regionale train to Varenna-Esino.
All the schedules are at: http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en

hardsecondserve, read this: http://seat61.com/Italy-trains.htm
This man, and his website, is the Guru for all things rail travel.

You'll find that, in the real world, it's not all that difficult, but I highly recommend that your read the pertinent information on Italian trains on the Seat61 website. Just scroll right past all the information that doesn't apply to you.

It appears that all trips from Venice to Varenna require a change in Milan. On some, you must also change in Bologna. You probably want to avoid trips requiring three transfers. I spot-checked some morning departures and found that the transfer times were very generous (40 minutes or more). The negative side of that is that it makes the trip longer. The positive side is that it gives you all the time in the world to figure out the train station and where you need to go to get the next train.

Larger stations (probably including Venice, Bologna and Milan, but I honestly don't remember) have a large central departure board ("Partenze") that will--at some point before your train is due to depart--tell you which track the train will be on. If the train is late there will be a notification about that, too. The large board will be in the ticket lobby, not out by the tracks.

I think there will also be a small electronic sign at each track, identifying the destination. I use that as confirmation that I am in the right place, but I don't usually wander around large stations looking at all those signs; I just wait for the information to show up on the Partenze board.

I don't remember whether there are announcements in English (possibly for major trains, especially), but it's not necessarily easy to hear them.

Although you certainly might find an English speaker at the information counter (which might be a labeled regular ticket window), it's usually not a problem to get the information you need by showing your ticket to a uniformed TrenItalia employee and asking "Do-VAY?" ("do" rhyming with "go"; it means "where?"). If that doesn't work, use "Kay bee NAH ree oh?" ("Which track?"). Understand that the track may not have been assigned yet if you inquire too long before the train is due to arrive.

If there are no employees around, look for a friendly young person who seems local; the younger folks are more likely to speak English.

If you have assigned seats (required on the fastest trains--which could theoretically sell out; not available on the regional trains--which therefore cannot sell out), try to board the right car at the beginning. Dragging suitcases through multiple carriages, looking for your assigned seat, isn't a lot of fun.

IMPORTANT: If your ticket (even for part of a journey) doesn't show a specific date and departure time, you must validate it before getting on the train. Look for a small box with a slot you can slide the ticket into. (Watch what locals are doing.) Riding with an unvalidated ticket is akin to riding with no ticket at all. I don't know what the fine is, but you do not want to find out.

Look on the trenitalia website for the Siena to Assisi leg. It is an easy and direct trip by car but long detours on regional trains by rail.

Also remember that Firenze/Siena and vv. legs are possible also by bus, often faster than train.

The stations at Venezia, Milano Centrale, and Roma Termini have staffed information kiosks at the railhead and all the tracks are accessible without stairs or elevators.

As posted earlier, major stations have large electronic boards, other stations may have mounted tv-like monitors inside the station and near the first track (binario). These boards list the train number, destination, arrival time, delay if any, and track number.

Look at the photos at the seat61.com for reassurance.

In 2012 we travelled from Venice to Varenna by train via Milan. It seems like it was 2-3 hour trip from Venice to Milan on a reasonably fast regional train and changed trains for an additional hour to Varenna-Esino. Note the names of the stops two or three prior to Varenna-Esino and begin getting all your gear ready and be up by the door because when you get to the Varenna-Esino station, the train barely stops. If you wait until you arrive, it will be too late. If you are not up and ready, you WILL miss the stop. Assuming everybody can walk a bit, it's a pleasant relatively short stroll downhill to the lake. If you are going all the way into the lower town, Nilus Bar has great pizza - along with other unpretentious Italian fare, great beer and wine, and from lakeside seating, one of the best sunset views on Lago di Como. We stayed five days in Varenna and have seriously considered buying a place there. It is magical.

You are going to have a grand time.

Hardsecondserve,

As others have already mentioned, you will want to check train schedules on this website:http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en

Choose from the drop down menu once you start typing the station name as follows:

• From: Venezia S. Lucia
• To: Varenna-Esino

Choose a time like 8:50 or 10:50 (AM), so you'll only need to make one train change,
If you click on the tiny grey circle with a tiny "i" next to the train #, you'll see all the arrival & departure times along the train's route.

So, here is an example.... I used September 26th.

• If you choose to depart on the 8:50am train, you will take the
  Frecciarossa 9712, which is a high speed train.

• You will arrive at Milano Centrale at 11:25am (Travel time from
  Venezia to Milano Centrale is 2hrs,35 minutes)

• You will transfer to the Regionale (#2560) train going to Varenna, but this train will be departing at
  12:20pm, so you will have about 45-50 minutes at Milano Centrale. You can get a coffee or a snack if you'd like.

• You will want to board the Regionale train as soon as you see the track # posted on the digital arrival/departure board (or at
  least 5-10 minutes before departure)

• Keep in mind that trains don't wait for you. If you're not on the
  train before it departs, then you're out of luck & will have to buy a new ticket for the next train.

• The track # to your train may not be posted till 10-20 prior to departure.

• All the train tracks are on one level at Milano Centrale, so you don't have to worry about going up or down to different levels.

• If you will be returning to Milan, you should buy your return ticket in advance, because there is no ticket counter at the tiny station in Varenna (or at least there wasn't when we were there in 2014)

• You will arrive at Varenna in about 1 Hr, 3 minutes.

• You will go through a tunnel right before arriving to Varenna, so you'll
  want to get your luggage & get ready to exit the train once it stops.
  The train only stops for a couple of minutes so be ready.

FYI: There are still some discounted train tickets (Super Economy) available for your date of travel.

Hope this helps.

Have a wonderful trip!

You have all been incredibly helpful....and I can not tell you how grateful I am.

This has totally helped!

I'm just wondering...

You mention that you plan to travel from Varenna to Siena... will you be skipping Florence?

I hope not! Florence is such a beautiful city!

One more thing about Milano Centrale: the trains are on one level, but you will need to take a moving ramp or elevator to get to the train platform. As you wait for the connecting train, you can put together a nice picnic lunch from one of the many food vendors.

I think the OP is just changing trains at Milano Centrale, not originating there. No need for any stairs, ramps, or elevators.

Florence is gorgeous. We have been there twice and if we could, we would go every year.

Thank you all so much for helping.