Buy train tickets here or there???

Wait until you get to Venice to buy your tickets. Getting them a day or two ahead of your travel date is a good idea.

It should be much cheaper and it is very easy to buy them there. You will not be travelling in high season for rail , soo there is no need to worry about being closed out, except for night trains on popular lines. As the prioor poster advises, buy a day or two in advance. You can use ticket windows but the machines are so simple, helpful and efficient that use of them is infinitely preferable unless u have questions

Hope,

As the others suggested, buy your tickets in Venice. There's a travel agency not far from Piazza San Marco (it's listed in Rick's Guidebooks) where you can purchase tickets.

Be sure to determine if the train you're using requires reservations (there will be an extra charge for these). My preference would be to buy the tickets a day or so before you will be travelling, as I was there in Sept. / Oct. last year and some of the trains were booking up quickly.

Happy travels!

You can easily purchase your tickets in Venice. I suggest that you take a Eurostar to Milan and from there, you will need to take a regional (R) train to Varenna. The Eurostar will require a seat reservation for either 1st or 2nd class. The regional trains are "locals" and do not permit reservations - you just get on. The trip is a 3.5hr. to 4.5hr. journey depending on the time you leave Venice and the connect time in Milan.

Thanks to all of you who have posted!! My plans have changed a bit and I'm now travelling to Menton, FR. from Venice.

I heard that there was a night train (sleeper) from Venice to Menton but I can't find it anywhere! And the places it's listed it says that the tickets can't be bought online!! Any thoughts??

Also, when I do get to Como, I'm going to rent a car for a week. Anyone have any experience with car rentals in Italy???

Thanks Again!
Hope

Car rental is expensive in Italy. Driving will be exciting/challenging/terrifying (pick your own word). You'll probably want to buy all the insurance you can afford. Notice you said you're renting in Como: people who want to see the Lake (Como) generally find that having a car is counter-productive. If you want to see more than the Lake, car rental might make sense.

I'm renting the car to go to Liechtenstein! I'll be going from Gravedona.

Is driving in Northern Italy scarier than driving in LA?