Germany - Switzerland - Lake Como?

I've been within a hair's breadth of Stuttgart. I can't speak to the time of year (there is a local forum poster on board, Jo) but one of my brothers had a very enjoyable time there, spending several nights during the course of a wine festival: this may have clouded his judgement but he very much enjoyed Stuttgart and it's surroundings.

Since you are limited timewise, extend your time in Stuttgart, take one or two scenic train rides to reach Lake Como. The Bernina Express ends about two hours away from Varenna on Lake Como (which may also be on your bucket list?). Base there for two or three nights (depending on Stuttgart). Visit Bellagio from there. I did not care for the city of Como itself too much. Some of the famous villas, I imagine, are still worth visiting, in spite of their gardens being retired for the year.

Thanks, Gundersen. I think that's probably great advice. I definitely want to see Switzerland, and can come back for a proper trip later.

I do plan to stay in Varenna, and am finalizing lodging now. I will ferry to Bellagio and Tremezzo and other neighboring spots for day trips and food. Really don't plan to spend much time in Como proper. I think I'll want 3 nights on the lake including the night before I leave.

That would mean making the 7th a travel day from Stuttgart to Varenna. That seems workable . . .

Have you been to Venice?

With the uncertainty of the weather, there would be more to do in Venice than Como if weather is adverse.

Otherwise picking from your choices, I vote #3

My $0.02

I have not, Joe. However, I'm really not looking to do much those last 3 nights. Seeking maximum relaxation, idyllic scenery, good food and drink, and decompression from a busy prior work week.

Can I assume you already have a reservation at the Nurburgring for Nov 3 or 4? Calendar does not anything after Nov 2.

Drop the car before you enter Switzerland, so you don't get hit with big drop charges for the car, plus the need to buy a vignette.

Correct - 11/4. Will drive that morning and then head to Stuttgart.

Good note re: driving in Switzerland. That seems pretty much out of the picture anyway. I think at most, a direct train ride on the morning of the 7th will be my best option.

I was going to add that the driving route from Stuttgart to the Swiss border has some interesting stops.
Tuebingen, a picturesque university town. https://www.tuebingen.de/en/

Hechingen, the other famous bogus castle, Burg Hohenzollern.
https://www.burg-hohenzollern.com/startpage.html

Sigmaringen
http://www.sigmaringen.de/

Friedrichshafen and the Zeppelin Museum
https://en.friedrichshafen.de/

And finally Lindau, where you can drop the car and get a train to Chur, Switzerland and jumping off place for the Bernina Express to Tirano, then train to Varenna.
https://www.lindau.de/en/dossier/top-attractions

We've done this section of road a few times, by car and also via train - it's an easy drive / ride. However, the extra $400-$500 rental charge for the drop off may make taking the train a more viable option. I would suggest two nights in Lucerne followed by three nights in Lake Como. Lucerne is a great halfway point and a terrific-ly walkable city around the lake and old wood bridges.

Having considered this a bit more thoroughly, I've narrowed down the agenda. I'll stay in Stuttgart an extra day, and then plan on a train ride through Switzerland to Como. The question now is how to break up the Stuttgart - Como stretch.

I plan to do the Bernina Express from Chur to Torino, but before that, I have a couple of options:

1) Fly from Stuttgart to Zurich, spend a night in Zurich, then train to Chur and onwards;
2) Train the entire way from Stuttgart to Chur;
3) Fly from Stuttgart to Chur, spend the night, and Bernina in the morning.

Anyone done something similar? Thoughts?

Thanks!

Jordan, The Bernina Route runs from Chur to Tirano, a small town near the Swiss border.
NOT to Torino (aka Turin), which is a big city a long distance to the south-west.

1) Fly from Stuttgart to Zurich, spend a night in Zurich, then train to Chur and onwards;
2) Train the entire way from Stuttgart to Chur;
3) Fly from Stuttgart to Chur, spend the night, and Bernina in the morning.

I vote (2). Train from Stuttgart to Chur takes about 5½ hours (I looked it up on
https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml ).Stay one night in Chur.
The nearest airport to Chur is Zürich, so (3) is impossible. Fly to Zürich then train to Chur would be complicated and slower than train all the way. And staying a night in Zürich is a waste of a night,Chur is a better place to stay.

Chris - Thank you! I misspelled, but intended Tirano.

Great advice. I think it would be nice to break up the travel from Stuttgart to Como by stopping in Chur on the 6th, have a nice dinner, spend the night, and then set off for Como the morning of the 7th.

I would not do 1). Assuming you stay in central Stuttgart, handy to the Hauptbahnhof, it is about 1/2 hour to Stuttgart Airport on the train. You should arrive 2 hours before your flight, to allow for luggage check, and going through security and be at the gate before they start boarding. Then you have a 3/4 hour flight to Zurich, then allow 1/2 hour to get off the plane, then 1/2 hour to walk to the airport station and wait for the next train to Zurich Hauptbahnhof and arrive there. So it will take 4 1/4 hour city center to city center.

Unfortunately, there is a gap in the direct rail line between Stuttgart in Zurich where they are rebuilding the track, so there is now a train replacement bus between Engen and Singen. That means you have to get off the train and onto the bus to go around the construction to Singen, then get back on to the train to continue to Zurich. That adds about an hour to the normal 3 hour trip. So time wise, it is about a wash, but quite a bit cheaper. 29.90 EUR for an advance purchase nonrefundable ticket, or 54.50 EUR for a walk-up price. The Swiss Air flight from Zurich is at least 85 EUR.

And yes, go on to Chur. The Bernina Express Train leaves at 8:32, so in Chur, you can get up at a decent hour. There are advance train tickets available from Stuttgart to Chur (same route as before but with the connecting train from Zurich to Chur) for 39.90 EUR. The extra 10 EUR is a lot less than a single ticket from Zurich to Chur, which is 41 CHF (about 35 EUR).

Awesome. Great advice, Sam. As long as I can get into Chur at a decent time that night, I'll deal with the train switch.

Yes, leave Stuttgart at 10:29 and get to Chur at 15:52. If your schedule is set, buy tickets now to get the 39.90 price at www.bahn.com. They will email you a pdf of the ticket.

BTW, the DB website ( https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml ), if you put in Stuttgart to Chur, gives you a route Stuttgart - Karlsruhe -Basel - Zürich - Chur. That is a detour to the west, but a faster route than using the substitute bus.

That route looks much better. I'll probably leave closer to mid-day because I'll be doing the Porsche museum in the morning, but that looks like the best route.

Thanks!