What would be the best way to go from Varenna on Lake Como to Stresa on Lake Maggiore. This will be at the start of our trip on our own, and we will need to get to Stresa to pick up our tour. 2 large suitcases!
got any help? I'm planning the same route but I'm not clear how to make it
joe, Travel between Varenna and Stresa seems to be a popular topic tonight! That question has also been covered in the "Transportation" section. Here's a brief summary for both you and Mario. Take the train from Varenna to Milano Centrale (travel time about 1H:03M - departures about every two hours). From Milan take another train to Stresa (travel time varies depending on which train is chosen, but it's a short as 0H:52M - departures about every hour). Upon arrival in Stresa, you should be able to walk to your Hotel (depending of course on which Hotel you're staying in). From the station, the center of town is "downhill" so it's an easy walk. If you're hauling lots of luggage, I'd suggest using a Taxi (it won't be a long trip, so shouldn't cost much). One important reminder, when travelling on trains, be sure to validate your ticket! The Validation machines in Varenna seem to be frequently "out of service", but I believe that it's acceptable to write the time and date on the ticket, but it's important to do that BEFORE the Conductor checks! Cheers!
would you recommend staying somewhere other than Varenna in order to get to Lake Maggiore for a day trip?
we also want to go to switzerland for a day trip? Would it be better to stay in Como? It appears that you have to take a train to Milan and then to other locations...is that so?