Milan To Zermatt, Como To Zermatt - Train or Car? Need help deciding!

Even in winter on a bus, we've taken the Simplon Pass over the top. Car carrier only if there is a storm and it will take time to clear the highway. Not likely in May. Just look at viamichelin to get an estimate of the drive times.

Edit - It is awkward going from Lake Como to Zermatt by train. If, on the other hand, you went to Lake Maggiore, it would be a piece of cake. You can get a bus from MXP airport to Stresa, a very nice resort town on the lake. The train station at Stresa is on the main rail line going to Brig, Switzerland through the Simplon Tunnel. From there you can get the train up to Zermatt.

Jamsales, are you aware that you cannot actually drive to Zermatt? It is car free. You would have to leave your car at Täsch, further down the valley (paid parking), and get a train to Zermatt.

And Lake Como is not on a direct route from Milan to Zermatt. You say "Como", do you mean lake Como or Como town? Lake Como is large, it has a rail route running up the east side, but not the west side, so rail access depends on which side you are going to. Como town is not usually considered a tourist location.

I too would recommend Stresa on Lago Maggiore. That is on the direct route. You could then go by train to Zermatt, without paying for a car to sit in a car park.
This also gives you the option, instead of doubling back to Milan, to take a train to Geneva or Zürich airports before flying to Berlin.
Look up train times on the Swiss Railways site: https://www.sbb.ch/en

For drive times and distances use https://www.viamichelin.com/ and add 25% contingency for stops etc.

Thanks all for the responses.

We have accommodations already booked in Varenna, on Lake Como. So we cannot change to stay in Stresa.
As I mentioned in my original post, we are aware that we cannot drive into Zermatt and that we need to leave our car in Tasch.

Given that information, it looks like it is faster for us to drive from Milan to Varenna and then Varenna to Zermatt, which would take about 4 hours 50 minutes. Since the Varenna train goes back into Milan, then onto Zermatt and the trip is over 5 hours.
Is this correct? Any more advice or options to get from Varenna to Zermatt?

Again, we have to go from Zermatt to Milan and fly out. We already have that flight booked to Berlin.
So that is why we are thinking driving sounds like a faster option and we can travel on our time schedule.

More thoughts given this information?
Thanks-
JM

I thought you were going to Lenno, on the west shore. Varenna is on the east shore.
Sure, if a car works best for you, then that is the way to go. Use the viamichelin link Chris gave you to scope out the best route. Be sure to get a Swiss vignette if you might venture on to a Swiss motorway. Or, on the viamichelin trip planner, you can click on "avoid vignettes" to get a route that does not get on a motorway. It is just the short stretch between Brig and Visp.

Thanks all for the help!
Yes, we were going to be in Lenno and moved to Varenna to have better train and ferry access.

But Lenno will have better car access going toward Zermatt. If you are going to Varenna, then the train would work better.

From Varenna. Y train, you would return to Milan (1 hour ride), then take the train to Zermatt, 3.5 hours with a single change in Brig.