This guide on how to get from Milan to Lake Como It will help you prepare your visit to one of the most beautiful areas of Italy, which we are sure, will make you fall in love.
Located 50 kilometers north of Milan this famous "Y" shaped lake is surrounded by beautiful villages like Bellagio and Varenna, luxurious villas like Balbianello and Carlota, and an alpine environment with abundant vegetation, which make it one of the most Famous and defendants of Italy.
If you do not want to rent a car, you have the public transport that will bring you closer to the city of Como, located at one end of the Lake and the departure point of the boats that travel through all the picturesque villages on the shore.
Based on the experience of our trip to Lake Como in 4 days, we explain the different options of get to Lake Como from Milan, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. Let's get started!
How to get from Milan to Lake Como by train
The most usual and cheap way of go from Milan to Lake Como It is by train from the Central Station, Porta de Garibaldi and Milan Cardona, the closest to the center. All these stations are well connected to the center of Milan by metro (lines 1, 2 and 3)
Trenitalia company trains make the journey in just over half an hour for about 10 euros, while the regional trains of Ferrovías del Norte take an hour and cost 5 euros.
The vast majority of trains stop at San Giovanni station, located 10 minutes walk from the center of Como or at the train station. "Like Nord Lake", located a few meters from the lake.
Trains start to depart from 5:30 a.m. and have a frequency of about 20 minutes, so if you only have one day you can take advantage of the time. We recommend you check the schedules and make the reservation of the tickets in advance in this search engine.
Varenna
How to get to Lake Como on excursion
If you don't want to rent a car or take a train, you can go from Milan to Lake Como by bus hiring an organized tour being this the most comfortable option if you only have one day and want to know better the history of this area of Italy by having a guide in Spanish.
Among the day trips best valued by travelers, which include the boat ride on Lake Como, are the following:
Bellagio on Lake Como
Tips for visiting Lake Como
Before planning a trip to Lake Como, keep in mind that this is one of the most visited regions in Italy, especially in the summer months, so we recommend traveling in spring and autumn, when prices the hotels are lower, and there are much less people.
If you plan to know all the most famous villages of the lake such as Bellagio, Vernazza, Nesso, Menaggio and the Balbianello and Carlota villas, we recommend you dedicate a minimum of two full days to the area.
Once you have decided how to get from Milan to Lake Como And the days you are going to be, it is almost essential to book a hotel as many months in advance if you want to save money.
A great option is the B&B Al Porticciolo di Sant'Agostino located near the center of Como and easy to reach from the train station. In addition to its magnificent location, this bed and breakfast has parking, full breakfast and one of the best quality / price ratios in the city.
To visit the towns and villages located on the shore of Lake Como, the best option is to buy a full-day boat ticket for about 26 euros that allows you to get off and on as many times as you want.
If you have a rental car you can make the next day a route along one of the lakeshore stopping at the villages you left on the first day. Think that the roads are narrow and in summer you can find long lines.
In addition to the most picturesque and famous villages on the lake, we advise you to invest one morning to get to know the old town of Como, enter its beautiful cathedral and climb the Funicular de Brunate, which has fantastic views of the surroundings.
You can prepare your route through the city with this guide of what to see in Como in one day.
