. ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁the ▁railway ▁line ▁L ug ano - Ch i asso ▁opened , ▁followed ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁by ▁one ▁running ▁to ▁Como . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁the ▁M end ris io ▁electric ▁tram way ▁opened , ▁linking ▁a ▁northern ▁termin us ▁in ▁R iva ▁San ▁Vit ale ▁with ▁Cap ol ago , ▁M end ris io , ▁Bal erna ▁and ▁Chi asso . ▁The ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁line ▁in ▁Chi asso ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁a ▁bus ▁service . ▁ ▁Modern ly , ▁a ▁large ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁is ▁devoted ▁to ▁Chi asso ' s ▁international ▁railway ▁station ▁and ▁related ▁custom s ▁( although ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁border - control ▁respons ib ilities ▁have ▁been ▁moved ▁to ▁Como , ▁in ▁Italy ). ▁There ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁size able ▁custom s ▁area ▁for ▁traffic ▁passing ▁by ▁road ▁and ▁motor way ▁( both ▁commercial ▁and ▁non - com mer cial ▁vehicles ). ▁ ▁Chi asso ▁offers ▁also ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁custom s ▁related ▁services . ▁ ▁A ▁considerable ▁source ▁of ▁re venue ▁for ▁the ▁town ▁is ▁derived ▁from ▁It ali ans ▁crossing ▁the ▁border ▁to ▁purchase ▁certain ▁goods ▁more ▁cheap ly ▁in ▁Switzerland , ▁particularly ▁c igare tt es ▁and ▁pet rol . ▁ ▁It ▁also ▁functions ▁as ▁a ▁bank ing ▁centre ▁for ▁Italian ▁clients ▁wish ing ▁to ▁keep ▁money ▁within ▁the ▁Swiss ▁bank ing ▁system . ▁ ▁Starting ▁in ▁ 1