Although I am able to find the schedule from Milan-Central to Varenna-Esino I can't seem to find a train schedule for the opposite direction. I need to go from Varenna to Milan on Sept.21, 2014. What could I be doing wrong?
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
The best source for those schedules is www.trenitalia.com or www.trenord.it. I do see those dates online. Use the Italian spelling of Milano Centrale. This line is not reflected on the DB schedule link that we usually use for all of Europe.
Posted by
Tampa, FL, USA
1054 posts
That route is a regional line. If you are using TrenItalia.com the regional routes are only shown for 7 days in advance. So if you search for Sep 21 you will get no results. Use the same day you will be traveling and enter that day this week to see the schedule. Sep 21 is a sunday so I used Sunday 8/10 on Trenitalia to see the schedules. Depending on the time of day there is a train every hour or every 2 hours from Varenna to Milano.
Those regional tickets never sell out and there are no discounts to buying online or ahead of time. Purchase those in Italy and the cost is the same.
I don't remember Varenna having a staffed ticket office. You'll be using a kiosk to purchase you ticket. If you know what train you want to return you can purchase your return ticket to Milan when you arrive in Varenna or even at Milan Station.
Posted by
Ypsilanti, MI, USA
233 posts
Just an addendum to Robert's post: Varenna's train station doesn't have a ticket machine, either (or a live ticket window). We bought our tickets at the travel agency just down the hill from the station, but you could buy them in Milan from a machine (and we would if we had been thinking ahead!). We were leaving Varenna on a Sunday, and I stressed about the tickets--we took the ferry from Bellagio to Varenna the day before to buy the tickets ahead of time (oh, and to enjoy the town of Varenna--which we did very much). Have a great trip!