Hi David. Thanks for your kind words and your question. Unfortunately, if there is a problem with your connecting travel arrangements and you miss the train you booked, you will have to buy another ticket. Pre-booked tickets are for a specific train.
However, the good news is you can easily buy another ticket at the station when you arrive at Centrale and they’re not too expensive. When we travel by train in Italy, we usually just buy tickets from the machine or ticket office when we’re there. It’s never been a problem in the past.
Hope that helps and that your travel plans all work out to plan. Enjoy your time in Italy. 🙂 Cheers – Jim

Hi. Great info on your site. I’m visiting Varenna next week. I’m flying into Milan and heading directly from the airport to Milano Centrale station and by train to Varenna-Esino. I have a question about booking train tickets in advance. What happens if my flight is delayed or for any unforeseen reason I am unable to make the train departure time I have purchased a ticket for? I appreciate your feedback.

Hi Lynda. As I mentioned in your other comment on our Ultimate Travel Guide to Lake Como, the road to and from the train station and ferry wharf isn’t too bad, though there are other lanes and smaller roads that, though more direct, are a bit steeper.
As for the ferry trip from Como Town to Bellagio, it’s certainly an idea. We haven’t done that journey, so I can’t advise one way or the other. It does look quite a flat, short walk from the train to the ferry. The only downsides I can think of are that the ferry journey will be quite long – even on the fast ferry – and also more expensive, and also that the lines for tickets and the ferries can get quite long in Como. You’ll also need to go from the Garibaldi station in Milan, not Centrale.
Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. I hope you have fun on Lake Como. It’s so pretty there. 🙂
Jim

Hi Jim (great name btw!) So glad you’ve found our site helpful. October’ll a great time of year to be on Lake Como.
The walk from the station at Varenna down to the ferry isn’t too bad – only about 5 minutes and the ground is fairly even. Though it is down hill, which means you’ll have to go back up hill if you’re heading back to Milan via Varenna after your stay in Bellagio.
Bellagio is mercifully well-paved and not too hilly in the main part of the town. Depending on where you’re staying, you might want to get a taxi if it’s away from the main concourse.
Hope this all helps and that you enjoy your stay in this beautiful part of Italy.
Cheers – Jim

Thanks so much for the information. We will be staying in Bellagio in October 2019. If we take the train from Milan to Varenna … how difficult is the walk from the train station to the ferry terminal with luggage?

Thanks for your help

Hi Tansey. Thank you – glad you like our site. 🙂
It sounds like you have a great trip planned, plenty on your itinerary. This is probably what I would do though:
Arrive Milan, get a train down to Venice (it’s only a couple of hours and you won’t need a car when you’re there).
From Venice, get another train to Florence, also another couple of hours.
Pick up a car in Florence when you leave and drive to Assisi and then on to Rome. Drop your car off in Rome – you don’t want to drive in that city. It’s crazy! These guys have pretty good rates as a starting point for car rentals.
Fly from Rome to Milan – I’d bet you’ll be able to pick up a flight for cheap on that route and at that time of year.
Back in Milan, get the train up to Varenna as per this post and stay the night in Varenna – sunset over Lake Como is not to be missed.
Train back to Milan, spend the day exploring the city and fly home that day or the following, depending on your departure time.
I hope this is helpful and that you enjoy your time in Italy. It’s an incredible country to travel in.
Cheers – Jim

Hi Steven. Varenna and Bellagio are lovely, aren’t they? Really excited that you’ll be going back there too and with friends. We went back recently and were still as blown away by how lovely Lake Como is.
If you’re all going up by train from Milan, you’re probably best off basing yourselves in Varenna. It’s the most connected of the towns around that part of the lake and also cheaper than Bellagio, which is now very popular. Have a look on AirBnB or other private rental sites rather than hotels in the area. You’ll get more space and a better price I think.
5-6 days will definitely be enough time to see plenty around the lake. The ferries run regularly from Varenna to Bellagio and Menaggio across the other side, and get over to Tremezzo if you can too. You might even want to head all the way down to Como Town itself one day. Would be a nice ferry ride.
The other option we’d recommend is getting a private boat tour one day. With 6 of you, it won’t be that much. Here’s our post on private boat tours on Lake Como. You can also get a seaplane ride over the lake, which looks amazing. Seen it for only about 90 euros pp on one site.
Hope all this helps. Let me know if you need any more help or advice.
Cheers – Jim