We will be staying in Villars Sur Ollon, Switzerland and have planned to drive to the Lake Como area and stay in Varenna for one night. From what I can tell this trip will take about 4 hours each way. My questions are:
1. Would it be better to drive around the south side of the lake to get to Varenna or drive to Menaggio and take the ferry across. I'm not sure if this is a car ferry or just for passengers. We have free parking at our hotel in Varenna.
2. Will we need an international driving license and do we have to buy a vignette for each country? Is the Swiss vignette usually on the rental cars.
3. Are there any restrictions traveling from Switzerland to Italy in a rental car? I will check with Budget the rental car company but wondered what others have experienced.
Posted by
11569 posts
If car is rented in Switzerland it should already have the vignette. No vignette is required in Italy nor any other European countries we have visited and we have visited almost all of the European countries.
No restrictions taking rental cars across borders in our experience excpet if you drop it off in another country you pay a large drop fee.. There used to be some restrictions concerning rental cars going into eastern European countries.
When we traveled by rental car from Switzerland to Bellagio we took the ferry across the lake. Don't know about Varenna though. Check the ferry schedules for type of boat.The driving can be very challenging around the lake. One time we had a long delay as we were behind a bus that got stuck on the narrow road. Mountains down to waterfront.
You should have an IDP. It is a translation of your driver's license for the police. Inexpensive at a AAA office. Photo needed.
Posted by
Green Bay
21142 posts
If you rent the car in Switzerland, it will have a vignette attached. Check the lake Comp ferry website to see schedule and cost of taking a car and the rental restrictions from your rental agency.
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Thank you Suki and Sam for your replies! Suki when you took the ferry across the lake to Bellagio, what town did you leave from and was it a car ferry or passenger ferry?
Posted by
Green Bay
21142 posts
Looking at this site: http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/eng/c_orari.asp
I see ferries with vehicle transport from Menaggio to Varenna at 15:30, 16:00, 16:50, 17:40, weekday, guessing that would be your likely arrival in Mennagio.
Here is the actual vehicle ferry timetable: http://www.navigazionelaghi.it/c_download/NLC_TRAGHETTO%20E2017.pdf
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Thank you Sam! I really appreciate the link!!! I will check into this! Thanks again.