My wife and I will be travelling by train(s) from Innsbruck, Austria to Varenna, Italy in September where we will join a Rick S. tour. We will arive in Varenna the day before the tour starts and we don't want to arrive late at night. An AM Eurostar train departs Innsbruck for Verona daily. Then the next Eurostar fom Verona to Milan Centrale station doesn't depart till 19:32 (according to Eurail Pass Schedules booklet). That put us into Milan at 23:00 +/- and into Varenna close to midnight! There is, however, a Trenitalia train leaving Verona at about 14:00. This train would get us to Milan at about 15:30 and we could probably get to Varenna easily before dark.
Has anyone done this daily trip? If so, any other suggestions about train connections?
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
I'm having a little trouble following the trains you are quoting, but it doesn't look like your schedule is very complete. Look at the German Rail website or the Italian Rail website, www.trenitalia.com, for complete schedules. There are four Eurocity (EC) trains from Innsbruck to Verona alone, at 9:27, 11:27, 13:27, and 15:27, arriving at 13:01, 15:01, 16:57 and 19:01, respectively. The 15:27 train even goes all the way to Milan (17:01). After that, there are hourly, sometimes twice an hour EuroStar trains from Verona to Milan. The Bahn show a connection leaving Innsbruck at 9:27, changing in Verona 13:01 to 14:02 and Milan at 15:25 to 16:20, arriving Varenna at 17:23. Note: at this time of year, the European Rail roads are updating their schedules for the summer, and Italian Rail is notoriously slow. You might have to use the schedule for the next few weeks as a close approximation of that will be announced for June, July, etc.
Posted by
OP
Williams, Oregon, USA
17 posts
Thanks Lee, I see those trains now on the timetable booklet and the DB Bahn website. Much appreciated
Gary
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32327 posts
Gary, I assume you're taking the RS "Best of Italy" tour? You're in for a treat! The train that Lee suggested, departing Innsbruck at 09:27 is the one I'd choose, as there are only two changes at Verona and Milan (both of those changes are probably unavoidable on that route). If this is your first trip to Varenna, a few points to note. The trip from Milan is ~1H:03M, and you'll pass through a tunnel just prior to arrival. The train only stops for about a minute, so be sure to note the method for releasing the doors, and disembark promptly! If you have to walk over the second track, exercise caution. Depending on which Hotel is used by the tour, you should be able to walk from the station. The tour information will provide more specific details on travel options to the first Hotel. Happy travels!
Posted by
OP
Williams, Oregon, USA
17 posts
Lee, Still a bit confused. Neither DC Bahn site nor Raileurope site show any hourly Eurostar trains out of Verona at , say, 14:00 or so. However, Trenitalia site (and Raileurope site) does show hourly trains going from Verona to Milan all day long. Even though the Eurail train schedule booklet says there are hourly trains leaving Verona after about 08:32, they don't appear to be Eurostar trains. We'd prefer Eurostar travel if ossible. What site did you go to to see those mid-day hourly trains out of Verona?
Gary
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
You're looking at the schedule for September? All European railroads make schedule changes in June. Unfortunately Trenitalia has not yet loaded the schedules for September, but, for planning purposes, you can get a pretty good idea by looking at the schedules for next week. Make sure you use Verona Porta Nuova. It looks like the express trains from Milan to Verona are Intercity trains (ICs) rather than the faster, more expensive Eurostar (ES). Hmm: just looked at Trentalia (which must be what I was looking at before) and it shows those trains from Milan to Verona, that the Bahn calls ICs, as "ESCity (Eurostar City)".
Posted by
OP
Williams, Oregon, USA
17 posts
Thanks Lee We think we have it finally figured out.
Gary