A chaotic, magical deep dive into traveling Italy by train—featuring missed ferries, unhelpful bus drivers, carsickness in the Dolomites, and why you should study up on your toll both etiquette. Check out my guide to navigating 14 days in Northern Italy by train transport!
We traveled from August 21 – September 3 (Labor Day Weekend). Many people say this isn’t an ideal time to visit since much of Italy shuts down in August.
Most Italians head out on coastal vacations to escape the stifling heat of the city centers.
We did a little research beforehand, but honestly, we didn’t mind traveling blind this time of year.
It worked best with our scheduled and we figured if the streets were emptier and a few restaurants were closed, we’d just roll with it. And roll with it we did.
Dates: August 21–24
We spent the morning in Como, took the 2-hour public ferry for a whirlwind visit to Bellagio, got gelato, and got in line for our return ferry a little over an hour later.
Even though we were there on time and had valid return tickets, we missed our ferry—apparently a pre-booked tour group got priority. Everyone around us was just as confused. 😓
We ended up waiting another 45 minutes to an hour for the next ferry, which made us miss our return train. Not a big deal, though. When you’re traveling northern Italy by train, you’ll find routes between Milan and Como are frequent, affordable, and easy to book.
Pro Tip: Download the Omio App. You need it if you want the easiest, most seamless train experience in Italy.
Read More: Discover The Most Famous Food and Wine in Every Region of Italy
Date: August 25
This part of our two week Italy itinerary required some finessing. We were committed to traveling Italy mostly by train, but after hours of research, it became clear: relying solely on public transit in the Dolomites is borderline impossible. The region is too spread out and mountainous for uninterrupted rail travel, so we rented a car.
We checked out of our Milan Airbnb on Sunday morning and took the 8:50 a.m. train to Verona Porta Nuova. From there, we transferred to Venezia Mestre. After a short walk to the nearby bus station, we hopped on a bus to Gaggio Porta Est by Marco Polo Airport.
Note: This full itinerary (train + bus) was easily booked through Omio. But once we got to the bus station, there were no signs or clear instructions. We eventually got on a bus and I literally remember thinking “I really hope we’re on the right bus!” from the minute we started driving until they dropped us off right at the airport (not Gaggio Porta Est, which is 5km away). To this day I’m 99% sure it was not the right bus??? But hey, it worked out.😂
Lesson: Even when you plan and pre-book your transportation, you have to stay flexible. Use context clues and (sometimes) follow the crowd.
Our total travel time from Milan to Marco Polo Airport: 5 hours.
At the rental car area (which is tiny), we had to wait a while. Driving a manual car is a major advantage in Europe—you’ll have more options. We joked that we could always spot American tourists on the road by their Jeep Renegades. Because yep, we got one too. It was basically the only automatic transmission option available.
Dates: August 25–27
The drive up to Venas di Cadore from Venice was an easy and beautiful 1.5 hour drive. Minus the toll…
Pro tip before driving: take a quick refresher course on how the toll booths work in Italy. We had to radio a faceless voice to beg for mercy and, and even then, they just opened the gate and let us through probably because they thought we were idiots. Later, we realized we were supposed to insert the little ticket we got in Venice to calculate the toll rate. We’re still expecting that (well deserved) bill in the mail.
The roads through the Dolomites are narrow and, if there’s construction (there was), you might have to wait to pass through certain areas. Coming from the Gulf Coast, it reminded us of driving Highway 98…just with way more elevation gain (IYKYK).
If you get carsick, load up every purse, bag, and pocket with extra doses of dramamine. I was hoping for a cute, albeit adrenaline junkie, Italian Job moment while my husband, who is very prone to carsickness, thanked his lucky stars he was the one driving.
Expect high elevations, endless switchbacks, blind curves, and beautiful chaos. Oh, and make sure you’re keeping an eye out for bikers, although bike paths are very well marked here.
Dates: August 28–29
After our dreamy jaunt in the Dolomites, we returned to Venice to drop off the rental car and stay in the city for a couple nights. This is where the planning really paid off. Once we dropped off the car, we walked straight to the vaporetto pickup area at Marco Polo and took a boat to the Spirito Santo stop by our Airbnb.
We used the Alilaguna Boat Transfer and paid $43 USD total for two one-way tickets.
Important: You must show your smartphone voucher at the Alilaguna kiosk to get a paper ticket before boarding. You can’t board with just the mobile voucher; you need to validate the paper ticket at the turnstile.
The ride felt like a bus on water. It made multiple stops and wasn’t the most comfortable experience—long, hot, and stuffy. But it’s a very authentic local method, and it gets you as close as possible to your final destination.
Dates: August 30–September 3
To travel to Florence, we took a water taxi to Venezia S. Lucia and a train to Firenze S. M. Novella. From the train station, we walked about 20 minutes with our bags to our Airbnb—it helped us get our bearings and see the city a bit.
We spent our final four days in Florence wandering, eating copious amounts of gelato, and enjoying the slower pace. It was the perfect note to end our trip!
Reminder: Pack light. Especially if you’re traveling the majority of northern Italy by train.