Lake Como to Monterosso

It's very easy and there is no need to buy your tickets in advance. Yes, you will pass through Genova, but you may need to make only one connection in Milano. The name of the station you want at Lake Como is Como S Giovanni.

For timetables and fares use the Trenitalia site. Enter a date within the next few days or you won't be shown fares for regional trains. The fare is €14.55 if you travel on regional trains and €32.00 if you travel on a combination of EC and IC trains.

HAPPY EASTER Tim and thanks for spoonfeeding me. I certainly need it, not very computer friendly.
(obviously)

I was on the Rail Europe site it only offered
Como Italy for a station - so wasn't too sure
and couldn't find a price.

I'll hop on your suggested site now.

Any other tips/must eat or do for around the Cinque Terre region would be appreciated. We girls love
our food.

Thanks again

You're welcome, peta. And Happy Easter to you, too!

IMO, it's more a matter of knowing that Rail Europe's timetables are incomplete than it is about being "computer friendly." RE only shows routes for which it sells tickets (mostly more expensive faster trains) and doesn't show many routes that require connections.

FYI, the best timetable site that shows routes covering more than one country is the German Rail site, www.bahn.de. It won't show fares for routes that are entirely outside Germany, but it will give you detailed timetables for virtually all of Europe.

The town of Como is on the south end of Como Lago (Lake Como). Como S. Giovani station is on the rail line from Zürich to Milan via Lugano, but that's about the only access to Como Lago from that line. I don't think Como is the real tourist destination on Como Lago. I think most people go to Varenna or Bellagio. The route from those towns to Monterosso is a different rail line on the east side of the lake to Milan via Lecco. You can also take a boat from those towns to Como, and go from S. Giovani sta. to Milan.

S. Giovani station is a little ways outside the town of Como. There is a private rail line (LeNORD) from right down in the harbor area of Como to Milan's Cadorna station, which is on a metro line to Milan Central.

Either way, you'll change trains in Milan. There are direct ICs from Milan to Monterosso via Genoa. There are also connections from Genoa to Monterosso by regional trains.

According to the Italian Rail (Trenitalia) website, the entire trip, Varenna to Monterosso, takes about 4½ hours and costs €26,60 in 2nd class.