Lugano to Menaggio by Bus

Public transport in Switzerland is highly regulated and centrally coordinated yet there is no mention of this route in the national timetable - this does not bode well!

The Italian company that runs/ran it posted a PDF timetable in June on their website italian section but the english section has not been updated since winter 2015/16 and shows a different plan. Crucially their journey planner denies knowledge of the service going beyond the border! They have an interactive map which contradicts their italian timetable and says C12 runs but only between between Lugano and Porlezza.

The Swiss show a small bus shuttling between Lugano (Al forte) and Gandria village but not going to the border.

Google Direction Planning suggests that between Lugano (Castagnola) and Gandria border there is a bus C16 and C12 starts at the border, they refer back to the italian bus company - who deny knowledge of C16.

Basically, it looks like the bus no longer exists and the only service is the once per day Lugano - St Moritz which does call at Menaggio but requires reservation. I wouldn't risk using the C12 route unless someone who can say that they, personally, have travelled on it since June 2017 comes forward - anything that happened before then is not relevant to your query.

The C12 bus between Menaggio and Lugano is operated by an Itailan bus company.
Here is the summer 2017 schedule.
http://www.asfautolinee.it/wr-resource/upload/ORARI%20PDF/ORARI_ESTIVO/C12.pdf?cbck=wrReq93922

ASF runs all the buses in the Como region. My only reservation is that when I look at the google map of Menaggio, getting from the bus stop in Menaggio to the ferry dock. It looks like you would need to get on another bus for that or take a longish walk. With luggage, that might present an issue.

Anyone can Google a website but that proves nothing.

as I said, they published that but deny it it in their online planner, show a third option on the interactive map and the Swiss say they don't enter Switzerland.

So we need someone who has actually travelled on it this season.

Well, even ASF does not show any such thing as a C16 bus. Google maps does, so no, they are not perfect. But I see no reason to doubt the C12 schedule. SBB is on google too, and I don't doubt their existence.

In previous trips i have done this bus ride from lugano to menaggio easily.
If u can not verify contact the tourist board in lugano for their input.

Hi Brian. Since a 2017 schedule is posted, seems like the bus is running. We took it a few years ago from Menaggio to Lugano and it worked well - fun local flavor and allowed us to avoid the extra time and expense of train back to Milan and then to Lugano. As I recall, the walk from ferry dock to stop in Menaggio was easy - maybe 2 or 3 short blocks? As I recall, the longer walk was in Lugano; the bus doesn't quite go all the way into town; it stops slightly out of town along the lake - maybe six blocks? Nice walk along the lake into town, but something to be aware of. Enjoy your trip!

Thanks for all of your input ....much appreciated.

Brian, if you go and take this route, can you be sure to update here? This is exactly what I'm trying to determine for our trip out in May, whether we take this more scenic, slightly more direct route (which seems to be a bit unclear!) or lengthier, but more obvious route through Milan. Many thanks and have a great trip!