Caslano near Lugano... Are border towns okay?

Welcome and Introductions
1
Hello,

We are considering Caslano outside of Lugano for our home in Ticino. Can anyone speak to the pros and cons of living near a border that I may not have considered?

It seems there are plenty of pros to living near Italy, such as cheaper groceries and restaurants, but what might some of the cons be? Would there be significantly more traffic from cross border commuters?

2
Caslano is not a border town.

However, lots of border traffic passes though it daily.

I certainly would not consider living there.

Tom

3
As Tom says, the road between Ponte Tresa and Agno can get very busy with commuter traffic to/from Italy, particularly during rush hour. I know he said that Caslano is not a border town, but it's close enough being the next municipality after Ponte Tresa, which straddles the border.

Traffic is bad along the main road that runs along the side of the town, but if you get closer to the lake, it gets quieter. One way to beat the traffic is the FLP train that runs between Ponte Tresa and Lugano Main Station, every 15 minutes. They have just replaced all their rolling stock and so it is a more pleasurable experience than it was last year.

You mentioned some of the benefits of living close to the border such as shopping (a lot of stuff is cheaper - not everything - and grocery stores are often open much later than in Switzerland and, in some cases, even 7 days a week). As far as disadvantages are concerned, we haven't really found that many. Italy seems to have no rules regarding "quiet times" like the Swiss do, so it is not unusual to hear people over the other side of the fence using power tools and garden equipment on Sunday. Whether that bothers you or not, is up to you.

4
The train or motorcycle is the way to go if living there, and the beach is nice.

But the car traffic is often hell.

If I lived there, I'd go through Italy to get to work (Mendrisio) via Brusino, rather than try to get to Lugano and then south.

Tom

5
Absolutely agree with that! I have had to go to Mendrisio and Coldrerio a few times and always go along the lake through Porto Ceresio/Brusino. Apart from the fact that there is no traffic, it is a beautiful road along the edge of the lake.

6
Caslano is a quiet place, nice for families. Close to Italy...you could walk to the border if you wanted (at Ponte Tresa). However, as has been mentioned during the rush hours you may find the traffic hard to bear. The new FLP train is a vast improvement in comfort, especially with A/C in each car. However most of this traffic does not pass through the town proper, but to it's north by a bunch of streets, away from the lakefront. So, it's very calm in the residential areas. Also, flat...so nice for biking around.

Why not live in Lugano? There is much to recommend it. Where will you be working?

-Dr. M.

7
It's good to hear the trains have been upgraded. That said, it does sound like the traffic situation will not be a good fit.

As for why not Lugano, at this point I'm starting to ask myself the same question. I was worried it would be too busy, noisy, or full of tourists, but the fact that it is spread out over a larger area with residential suburbs will probably ease those concerns.

I'll be working mostly remotely from home with occasional trips to Zurich, so being in or near Lugano for the fast train would be a real plus.

8
And the heavy traffic is not just at rush hour. I'm finding it especially bad around lunch time, and heavy but not too bad at other times. It is a beautiful area and place to live though, and I know several people who do live there very happily.

9
Unless you choose to live in the center or along a major street, you can find plenty of quiet in Lugano! And the bus systems are well connected; usually quite easy to get to and from the center and the main train station.

It's quiet where I live and I can take a 6 minute bus ride into the center or simply walk. Great for late nights in the center, knowing if you miss the last bus, you can always walk as a last resort.

Send me a pm if you have specific questions, including about my neighborhood.

-Dr. M.

10
Good point. I have lived here long enough to consider lunch time the middle rush hour of the daily three!

-Dr. M.