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Varenna to Venice Train

Posted by (Coral Gables, Florida) on

I need to get from Varenna to Venice and I’m looking at these trains:
- 7:35am from Varenna to Monza (arrives at 8:26am) (6 minutes to switch trains)
- 8:32am from Monza to Milano Garibaldi (arrives at 8:51am) (22 minutes to switch trains)
- 9:13am from Milano Garibaldi to Venezia S. Lucia (arrives 11:42am)

I would buy the tickets as one ticket on the Trenitalia app.

If I miss the 8:32am and 9:13am trains because the Varenna train is late, can I just get on the next available trains without having to go to do anything other than showing my ticket (on my phone)?

How tight is the 6 minute connection in Monza and the 22 minute connection in Milano Garibaldi?

Posted by
2161 posts

If anything happens, from Centrale there is a Frecciarossa to Venezia every hour; from Porta Garibaldi, once per day. Why in the world you prefer to have two changes to board the single daily FR from Garibaldi, it eludes me. Look for trains from Centrale.

Frecciarossa ticket are like airplane tickets: to change them, say for a delayed connecting train, you have to do a formal rebooking with an agent. So you have to show your ticket to an agent (sometimes you do not need the full ticket office, there could be agents at the head of the train), that will rebook for you if such is the case. - For regional trains, you can just board the following train, as there is no place reservation.

Posted by
718 posts

Look for trains from Centrale.

The 7:35am train from Varenna that goes through Centrale arrives in Venice at 12:12pm, which is 30 minutes later than the train from Garibaldi, assuming there’s enough time to make those tight connections. That may be a big assumption, which is why I’m asking about the connections.

Posted by
7335 posts

If the trains from Varenna are regional trains, add a lot of time for connections. In our personal experience, the regional trains are frequently late and/or canceled. Again, this is our experience . Good luck!

Posted by
4238 posts

I would go for the 8:35, 10:35 or 12:35. Each give you a fast trip to Venice.
If a delayed regional train makes you miss the Frecciarossa you go to the service desk at the head of the platforms in Centrale, and they will exchange your ticket for one on the next train.

If you go via Garibaldi and miss that train they will put you on a train from Centrale, but you will have to go there then...

Posted by
18251 posts

You only have 5 min to make the change at Monza. That is pretty tight as regional trains are not always punctual to the minute, especially during commute hours.
I’d go with the option via Centrale. With the train departing at 7:35 you arrive just 30 min later but you have a very comfortable connection at Centrale (about 1 hour), therefore very safe. Is time of the essence in this trip, that you can’t arrive 30 min later?

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