Travel from Munich to Varenna Italy. Should I go through Switzerland or Austria?

If you have time for an overnight in the Swiss Alps, for instance at Pontresina, you can take train from Munich to Pontresina in 6.5 hours with 3 connections, partly on the route of the Bernina Express. The next day, it takes about 4.5 hours to Varenna with a connection at Tirano. For Tirano-Varenna-Milano-schedules, see www.trenitalia.com. Train travel Munich-Verona-Milan-Varenna is closer to 8.5 hours total with also a good portion of mountain scenery before you get to Verona.

Munich Hbf - Verona PN - Milano C.le - Varenna.
It's a 12+ hour trip.
Check also flights with Lufthansa (Air Dolomiti) from MUC to PSA or GOA (or even BLQ or FLR). It's shorter in time, but you need to check prices since you are traveling on a very very very busy time (August 15 is a holiday and Aug 16-17 is a weekend and everybody and their mothers will be traveling on that weekend)

Have you contacted Rail Europe? They may be able to help you. Your best bet may be an express train from Munich to Milan if one exists then from Milan to Como where you can take a boat if you wish. When we planned a trip on Lake Como 4 years ago I found a very reasonable b&b in Menaggio which is reachable by boat from Varenna or Como.

paul,

Two routes that I'd consider in those circumstances......

• Munich to Varenna via Chur (travel time 4 - 5 hours). Chur isn't a town that's usually on the tourist routes, but it's worth one night to have a look around. I'm not sure if this will fit your budget, but you might consider Hotel Freieck. The rooms are very comfortable, they serve a great breakfast and the staff are great. The following morning, board the scenic Bernina Express for the trip to Tirano (travel time ~4 - 4.5 hours). You could also travel via regular train on that route. From Tirano to Varenna will be via Regionale, so DON'T forget to validate your ticket prior to boarding the train!
• Munich to Varenna via Verona (travel time ~5H:20M direct). This trip goes through the beautiful Brenner Pass, a trip I always enjoy. Note that your destination station will be Verona Porta Nuova. Verona is a beautiful and historic city with some interesting sights. You can have a look at the tacky Romeo & Juliet balcony if you wish, but expect it to be crowded at that time of year. There are lots of restaurants around Piazza Bra, but you'll probably find cheaper options in the back streets. Ask your hotel for suggestions. Check the Guidebook for hotel listings, but I would suggest BOOKING EARLY as that will be Opera season (shows are held in the large Roman Amphitheatre). You could try Hotel Europa, provided that works for your budget. The following day, continue on to Varenna (travel time ~3H depending on which train you use, but there will be one change at Milano Centrale). The final leg to Varenna is again a Regionale so DON'T forget to validate!

Happy travels!

For some reason I had Vernazza in my mind. Dismiss my advice and go with Ken's.

Since you are 'cost conscious" your best bet is to buy a reduced-price ticket from Bahn.de in advance ( I think it is 3 months for cross-border tickets but check on that). You should be able to get a very good price from Munich to Verona. Spend the night there ( it is a lovely city). Then buy a Super Economy ticket from Verona to Milan on Trenitalia, again 90-120 days in advance. The ticket from Milan to Varenna is inexpensive and can be purchased at the Milan station when you get there.

The route through Switzerland using the Bernina Express route is lovely, but would likely cost a lot more. You should be able to get a discount ticket as far as Zurich on Bahn.de, but discount tickets for travel within Switzerland are almost non-existent, especially on the tourist trains.