Switzerland-Lake Como-Venice help

This is an opportunity to follow our favorite route to Venice. We have been there several times by various means, but last time we went, I wanted to include the Bernina Pass in Switzerland. We flew into Zurich and rode the trai a few hours to the town of Samedan in the Engadine Valley of Switzerland. We have spent a lot of time in Switzerland over four trips, but had never made it to this area as it is out of the way, off Innthe southeast corner of the country. But fortunately of you start in Zurich, it is right on the way to Lake Como (Varenna).

We spent two nights in Samedan and had a full day between for hiking. Other villages are close by --St. Moritz and St. Moritz---and there are lifts that take you up into the mountains from most of them.

On Day 3 we rode the train over Bernina Pass to Tirano on the border with Italy. Thisis the route of the scenic Bernina Express train, but we chose a regional train as the timing was better. From Tirano it is an hour and a half to Varenna on Lake Como. We spent one night there, but you have time for two.

From Varenna it is an hour to Milan, where you catch the high-speed Frecce train to Venice. You arrive at Venezia Santa Lucia station. Walk out of the station and you have the Grand Canal in front of you to welcome you to Venice.

Thanks a bunch. I wasn't sure if flying into Zurich or Milan or even Venice (since that's a round trip fare) would make most sense. I thought Zurich was the way to go. I think this will be a nice start to the Greek island cruise.

Where does your cruise end? You should be able to get a "Multi-city" (open jaw) ticket into Zurich and out of X for close to the price for a roundtrip. Ours was into Zurich and out of Rome, for example.

If Milan is way cheaper than Zurich, you could do a similar trip in terms of overnights, with backtracking, or make a loop. Options:

1) out and back: land in Milan, head straight to Varenna (one hour from Milano Centrale by train). Spend two nights. Then take the train north to Tirano and right the Bernina route to Pontresina or other Swiss village. spend two nights and use the intervening day to explore the area. Return to Varenna for the last night or ride a lake boat from there to another town on the lake for the overnight. Then BA k to Milan for the train to Venice.

2). Loop: land in Milan, head straight to Varenna For two nights. Train tomTirano and over the Bernina Pass as above. One night in Pontresina, St. Moritz, or other village. From there, you travel to Chur and transfer to Luzern for one or two nights. Take the train back to Milan (via Arth-Goldau) from Luzern. There are also options to ride a lake boat to Flüelen and ride the train through the Gotthard tunnel to Lugano and on to Milan.

3) longer loop with more train time: Milan---Varenna---St. Moritz----Glacier Express to Brig, train to Milan via Simplon tunnel.

If Milan is your landing point, I personally would choose (2) Bernina Pass plus Luzern, as it gives you even more of Switzerland. but my first choice, flight prices being comparable, would still be to start in Zurich as in mynfirstpost.

i Think Zurich works and fly back from Venice. Its a year plus away but I already am ready to go! Hope the mountains still have snow early June

Be sure when searching for flights to use the "multi city" or "multiple destinations" option, rather than "one way" or "round trip." Even if it costs more than a simple round trip (and it may not), you save a lot of money and (ever more important) time and hassle by not backtracking.