There will be 4 women traveling mostly by train, just need help with logistics. We fly in to Zurich then train to Chur then take the Bernina Express, would like to stay in Lake Como, then on to Florence for a day, rent a car outside of Florence and go to CT and drive in Tuscany for a few days. Return to Florence, take a train to Rome, stay a few days, then train to Naples to the Almalfi Coast(not sure how to get around Almalfi coast, we don't want to drive), then fly out of Rome. We have 2 weeks for this trip. Just not sure how to get around by train in all these places. Could really use some help planning the transportation once we get off the Bernina Express.
Thanks in advance....
Posted by
Bainbridge Island
3095 posts
JUst take the train part of the Bernina Express, not the bus. You will end in Tirant, Italy. Take the train from thee to Varenna on Lake Como, it is about an hour I think. Spend a night or better yet 2. Then take the train from Varenna to Milan (1 hour, regional train) and at Milano Centrale you can pick up a direct train to florence (Firenze). Use Trenitalia.com to see the schedules and prices, and to buy tickets from Milan to florence if you want a discount. the others are regional trains and it makes no sense to buy in advance.
Posted by
OP
Wheaton, Il, US
2 posts
Thanks very helpful, that'll help with the first part of the trip...now we just have to figure out the rest.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
GLH, it's great to rent a car for Tuscany. But, it's not good to have one in the CT. In fact, tourist cars are not permitted in the towns unless you are driving to one of the parking lots or to a hotel with its own lot. In the May through September season, the parking lots are mobbed. From Florence, its so easy to take the train from Florence to the CT. One-way fares are about 15Euro. Then, you can take a train via Pisa and Empoli to Siena and rent a car from Hertz which is one block from the train station. Another suggestion is to keep your car and drive to Orvieto to turn it in. This provides additional options to drive through Cortona, Perugia and Assisi along the way. More time on the road but it's an adventure. The Hertz rental car office is again one block from the train station. From Orvieto, it's an hour train ride into Rome. The Amalfi coast is served by bus and ferry. Frequent buses out of Sorrento down the coast. Depending on where you are staying, the ferry may or may not be a good option. You can take the ferry from Naples to Sorrento. I think you would have to change ferries at Sorrento to go farther down the coast.