Train from Monterosso to Varenna

Posted by KRF25 on 02/10/25 07:24 PM

Hello
I have one last train to book for our June 2025 Trip and this one is giving me grief.

I am on the Trenitalia website wanting to book for June 23rd Monterosso to Varenna. The only time it gives me is 4:06 pm to 9:24 PM.

On June 13th I can see 10:33 am to 3:24 PM which is the time I want to book. I've been waiting patiently for new times to be released, but nothing has come up past June 13th for weeks.

I have read on other travel sites that there may be some work going on the railways in June, but I haven't been able to find any further details and now I'm worried.

If no train is available, what is the next option? Should I book a private driver from Monterosso to Milan and then take the train from Milan to Varenna? I can see lots of time for Milan to Varenna, so the issue seems to be Monterosso to Milan.

Are there another option for us? I don't want to spend a fortune.

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

02/10/25 07:37 PM

21472 posts

The rail schedules in Italy are due for a revamp after June 14. It happens twice a year, also in December. After that date, a lot of trains are not yet officially scheduled, so you can't see them. You can book to Milano Centrale now, but the train to Varenna is a regional train, so not scheduled yet. If there is a shut down on the line scheduled, there will be substitute buses.

Posted by KRF25 OP

02/10/25 07:40 PM

8 posts

Thank you. I was able to book Varenna to Venice through Milan for June 26th already. I assume Varenna to Milan is a regional train that I have already booked.

So what should I do? Should i book private transportation from Monterosso To Milan?

Posted by WengenK

Wengen

02/10/25 09:06 PM

2643 posts

What you should do is what Europeans do. Not lose any sleep over this. Do not overthink this. This is mass transit.

If I try to find schedules for the NY Subway for June I don't find any either. That does not lead me to assume there won't be any service.

So just wait till about April or so, and then look again.

On my last trip to Italy we booked all long distance trains just a few days beforehand, and regional trains on the day itself.

Posted by ChristineH

Gettysburg PA

02/10/25 09:10 PM

7414 posts

Simply put- you are too early to book those dates

You can check schedules now for same day of week to see what your options will likely be
Schedules don’t change much

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

02/10/25 09:10 PM

21472 posts

Now that I had a chance to look at the schedule, the regional trains are showing, it is the IC trains from Monterosso to Milano Centrale that are the issue. Wait a month or so and they should show up.

Posted by WengenK

Wengen

02/11/25 04:34 AM

2643 posts

Yes, the IC seat inventory isn't loaded yet beyond June 7th. But the trains will run.

Italy has two types of trains: Trains with compulsory reservation, and trains without. With trains that do not have compulsory reservation it is possible to load them in the booking system as soon as it is known that they will run. But even then it is not always that case that all trains get loaded at the same time. Regional trains are operated on behalf of the regions, but not all regions publish times at the same time. As a result some regional timetables for dates in the Summer have already been published, but others not.
That is why you are not seeing all the Cinque Terre local services after June 7.

Long distance trains have compulsory reservation, so they will only be bookable once seat inventory is loaded, and that can only be done once there is certainty that the train will run, and what rolling stock can be used. So for the Summer Trenitalia is probably still busy rostering IC services, and thus no seats can be booked yet.

So yes, just wait a bit. Come back in April. This is a train, not a Taylor Swift concert. There is no need to worry about all the tickets being gone before you get a chance to buy one.