[Removed user]

29 July 2017 at 17:29:56 #812782

Greetings,

We are holding the Swiss TravelPass and would like to do a day trip to Lake Como from Lugano. We are staying at International au Lac hotel.

Research shows Postbus leaving Autosilo Balestra at 11.45am to Menaggio .

Which bus do we take to reach Autosilo Balestra from the hotel?

Alternative is the C12 bus – casserate bus terminal departure- any suggestion on the schedule and how to rech the bus stop in Lugano?

Any help would be appreciated

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[Removed user]

30 July 2017 at 7:27:42 #867580

Hi amitgilani,

You can use the Swiss railways timetable to see your best options. You can enter your hotel in the “from” search box search to Lake Como. There are some connections with a very short walk.

Alternatively, your hotel, via email, could answer this question if it still isn’t clear to you.

Lucas

[Removed user]

30 July 2017 at 10:03:28 #867581

Hi amitgilani,

>> We are holding the Swiss TravelPass and would like to do a day trip to Lake Como from Lugano … Research shows Postbus leaving Autosilo Balestra at 11.45am to Menaggio … We are staying at International au Lac hotel … Which bus do we take to reach Autosilo Balestra from the hotel?

This is the Palm Express bus. If you are catching the Palm Express, the best place to catch it is from Stazione Nord, one of several bus stops outside Lugano railway station. Standing with your back to the station, it is about 200 metres to your left.

To get to Lugano station from your hotel, walk to the bottom station of the funicular (Lugano Città TPL) and get the funicular up to the railway station. Google Maps can show you the way.

>> Alternative is the C12 bus – casserate bus terminal departure- any suggestion on the schedule and how to rech the bus stop in Lugano?

If you are catching this bus, look up “Lugano cassarate – terminal bus, Lugano, Switzerland” on Google Maps, and see where it is. It is about a 15 minute walk from your hotel, and Google can give you walking directions. If you want to get there by bus, use the Swiss Timetable: from Lugano, Piazza Luini (which is near your hotel) to Lugano, palazzo studi (which is a local bus stop close to the Lugano cassarate bus terminal).

Postbus Palm Express (bus 631)

If you decide to take this bus, your Swiss Travel Pass is valid, but reservations are compulsory (and free).

There is only one departure each day in each direction: leaving Lugano, Stazione Nord at 12:05, arriving Menaggio, Via Mazzini at 12:55. The only return trip leaves from Menaggio, Via Lusardi at 15:05. Note that this is a different bus stop from where you get dropped off. Both bus stops are marked on Google Maps, and are about 150 metres apart. Make sure you are waiting on the correct side of the road!

Reservations (compulsory and free) can be made by following the link on this page:

http://www.postauto.ch/en/exc ursion-tips/palm-express

C12 bus

This bus is run by an Italian company, and your Swiss Travel Pass is not valid, but they have many departures througout the day in both directions.

The timetables (orario) and route details (schema) are here:

http://www.sptlinea.it/conten t/it/orari-rete-extraurbana

The current timetable is only valid until 11 September.

There don’t seem to be any timetables in English. I’m not familiar with the conventions of Italian bus timetables, but from what I know of Italian, my guess about the notations on the timetable is as follows:

Fer6 – working days Mon-Sat

Fer5 – working days Mon-Fri

Fest – public holidays (and probably Sundays as well)

1 – Monday to Friday

3 – only Saturdays, but not if the Saturday is a public holiday

4 – not running 29 Jul to 26 Aug

5 – only running 29 Jul to 26 Aug

6 – only Saturdays

General information in English about the Italian buses in Menaggio is here:

http://www.sptlinea.it/conten t/en/terms-and-conditions-for-transports

Alpenrose

[rockoyster]

30 July 2017 at 10:53:52 #867582

Hi amigilani,

Alpenrose has given you all the information you need to get to Menaggio.

But I am going to ask you why you feel the need to go there given all the other options in and around Lugano. Of course I have no idea how long you are staying in Lugano or what your itinerary is.

I am just intrigued as to why you find that particular bus trip so desirable.

I recently enjoyed a great 5-day stay in Lugano. You can read about what I got up to here http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/the-reluctant-travellers-swiss-adventure-part-5 if you are interested in some alternatives to Menaggio.

[Removed user]

31 July 2017 at 8:20:30 #867583

many thanks for the detialed info Alpenrose

I am travelling with 2 senior citizens with restricted mobility – so will probably take a taxi (there are 4 of us) from International Au Lac to the Bus 631 bus stop.

From International Au lac would it be easier to reach Stazione Nord or Autosilo Balestra ? I am guessing distance and time taken would be similar. Finding the correct bus stop at AUTOSILO might be a challenge? I think bus number 4 from Piaza Luini goes to Lugano station- is Stazione Nord neaby to the bus stop #4 at Lugano station?

Also, will the TICINO Discovery card cover the boats in Lake Como as well as the ASF bus lines c12?

@rockoyster- we will be in Lugano for 4 days and thus the idea of spending a day in Lake Como intrigued us- it isn’t the bus trip that is desirable to us but the ideal to cruise around the villages on Lake Como

[Removed user]

31 July 2017 at 10:21:06 #867584

>> will probably take a taxi … from International Au Lac to the Bus 631 bus stop. From International Au lac would it be easier to reach Stazione Nord or Autosilo Balestra ? I am guessing distance and time taken would be similar.

I would go to the station, as it’s far more central.

>> I think bus number 4 from Piaza Luini goes to Lugano station- is Stazione Nord neaby to the bus stop #4 at Lugano station?

Yes, both stops are outside Lugano station. The Palm Express stop is a bit further from the main station entrance. You can download a plan of Lugano station, with all the bus stops marked, from here:

http://www.sbb.ch/content/int ernet/sbb/en/bahnhof-services/bahnhoefe/bah nhof-lugano.html

>> Also, will the TICINO Discovery card cover the boats in Lake Como as well as the ASF bus lines c12?

I wouldn’t think so. Lake Como is not in Ticino.

Alpenrose

[rockoyster]

31 July 2017 at 10:28:45 #867585

I guess I was just wondering why you would want to go to Lake Como when there are so many great Lake Lugano cruises which are free with your Swiss Travel Pass.

I’m pretty sure the Ticino Ticket only covers trips in Switzerland (but you only get a 25% discount on a day pass on the lake ferries – not individual trips). Does the Ticino Discovery Card even exist anymore? I had the idea it ceased in 2016 .

[Removed user]

31 July 2017 at 23:48:13 #867586

Amitgilani, we also stayed at the International Lac hotel, in early July. There is a bus stop almost right outside of the hotel that we used to get back and forth from the train station. It was free with the Ticino Pass and very convenient!

[Removed user]

1 August 2017 at 3:18:09 #867587

>> Does the Ticino Discovery Card even exist anymore? I had the idea it ceased in 2016 .

It seems you are right about that. It looks like the Ticino Discovery Card was discontinued at the end of 2015, due to a drop in sales and “austerity measures”. It had to be purchased by the tourist, was valid for any 3 days out of 7 and provided free entry to various tourist attractions as well as an option to include public transport at an additional cost.

After a gap of a year with no tourist card, it has been replaced by the Ticino Ticket from from 2017 onwards, which provides free travel for the duration of your stay on trains and buses, and discounts on various cable cars, boats and tourist attractions. It is given free to people staying in accommodation in the region, and cannot be separately purchased.

The Ticino Ticket definitely does not cover travel into Italy. From the Ticino Ticket FAQ:

Can I use the Ticino Ticket to leave the Canton, for example to reach Italy?

No. The Ticino Ticket is valid within the area embraced in the Arcobaleno Community only.

http://www.ticino.ch/en/ticke t/faq-tourist.html

One interesting thing is that (between 9 April and 10 October 2017) the Ticino Ticket provides a 25% discount on day passes for boats on Lago Maggiore, which is not covered at all by the Swiss Travel Pass. However, the Ticino Ticket only covers the Swiss part of Lago Maggiore (as far as Brissago), not the Italian part.

http://www.navigazionelaghi.i t/eng/m_tariffe_agevol azioni10ch.asp

Some great places to visit in the Swiss waters of Lago Maggiore include the Isole di Brissago (Brissago Islands) and Ascona. Ascona can also be reached by bus, but I think it is more fun to arrive by boat!

Isole di Brissago

http://www.isolebrissago.ch/e n/

Ascona

http://www.ascona-locarno.com/en/

Alpenrose