Train from Milan to Lk Como/Varenna

They are unreserved Regionali, no reservations needed or offered. Just buy tickets at the Malpensa train station. As both trains (the one to Milano Centrale and the connection to Varenna-Esino) are operated by Trenord, you can do it in one shot and they have a ticket window. Don't forget to validate the tickets in the platform stamping machine before boarding.

Buy round trip, the station in varenna does not have a ticket window

The above posters are correct. Do buy your round trip ticket to Varenna/Esino as station isn't manned at Varenna. Re: Malpensa train to Milano Centrale we actually witnessed a young Australian university student who had just arrived @ Malpensa get fined 50 Euro for not validating her ticket. No exceptions were considered so do remember to validate it. As I recall the validation machine was very near the ticket wicket.

Thanks, all! This is extremely helpful!

One other point to mention regarding the *Malpensa Express from MXP to MIlano Centrale. The M.E. has two routes, one to Milano Centrale and one to Milano Nord Cadorna. BE SURE to board the correct train or you'll end up at the wrong station.

One other point. When you arrive at Milano Centrale and check the "Departures" board for your next train, it may not show "Varenna-Esino" as the destination. It may instead show Sondrio or Tirano, as Varenna is an intermediate stop on that route. You can always check the large "Partenze" charts to confirm which train you'll be using.

One final point to mention. The others have mentioned validating tickets, which is good advice. However, don't validate until just prior to boarding the train on the day of travel, as tickets have a "shelf life" of about four hours once validated. If you validate the ticket the day before travel, the ticket will have expired by the time you use it and you would therefore be subject to hefty fines collected on the spot!

OK thank you! So, after our 5 day stay in Varenna, should we validate our return tickets b4 boarding on the train back to Milan, too?

YES, you will need to validate your tickets for the return trip also prior to boarding the train, since it will be a separate trip. You'll receive separate tickets for each of the trips you'll be making.

Be sure to check the ticket after validating to ensure that the machine has printed the date & time. If not you'll need to find the Conductor as soon as possible and mention that. If you wait for them to find the ticket hasn't been stamped, you could be fined.

Finally if you need to buy tickets for any reason in Varenna and the Kiosk isn't working, go to the helpful Tivano Tours office as they sell tickets.

Thanks so much!