How to Get to Lake Como: By Train, Boat, Car and Plane

From Como to Bellagio the fast service of Navigazione Laghi takes about 40-50 minutes, a stopping boat with many calls even more than two hours, and between Bellagio and Varenna the ferry takes 15. Anyone wondering how to get to Lake Como should choose the mode of transport with the same care as the arrival point.

This guide relies on official sources: the 2026 timetables of Navigazione Laghi, Trenord’s pages on the Malpensa Express, Lecco’s tourist portal and RFI’s press releases. It describes train, boat, ferry, bus, car and plane and, for each, says what is documented, what changes with the season and what is worth checking.

We start with a map of the lake’s gateways, then move on to trains, boats and ferries, roads and airports. The guide ends with three car-free routes, the checks to make before leaving and the most frequent questions.

The Gateways to Lake Como

The lake is shaped like an upside-down Y: two branches in the south, one ending at Como and one at Lecco, which join at Bellagio and continue north to Colico. On the site we divide it into five areas: Ramo di Como, Ramo di Lecco, Triangolo Lariano, Centro Lago and Alto Lario.

There are three entry points. Como and Lecco, at the ends of the two branches, are the closest to Milan. Colico is the gateway to the Upper Lake. For the towns of the Central Lake, such as Bellagio, the scheduled service is the boats and ferries.

If you are going to	Arrival point	How to continue
Como and the Como branch	Como	train to Como San Giovanni or Como Nord Lago, then boat
Lecco and the Lecco branch	Lecco	train from Milano Centrale or Porta Garibaldi
Bellagio and the Triangolo Lariano	Como or Lecco	boat from Como (fast) or from Lecco
Varenna and Bellano	stations on the Lecco-Colico line	train, then ferry from Varenna
Menaggio and Tremezzina	Como, or Varenna or Bellagio	boat, C10 bus or ferry
Upper Lake (Dongo, Gravedona, Domaso)	Colico or Como	train to Colico, or boat

Journey Times at a Glance

The table gathers the durations cited in this guide, with the source of each. They are indicative values: for a specific day the timetables apply.

Route	Mode	Approximate time	Source
Milano Centrale - Como San Giovanni	train	about 40 minutes	Wikivoyage
Milano Cadorna - Como Nord Lago	train	about 1 hour	Wikivoyage
Milano Centrale or Porta Garibaldi - Lecco	train	40 minutes (direct), 1 hour (local)	eccoLecco
Malpensa - Milano Cadorna	Malpensa Express	37 minutes	Trenord
Malpensa - Milano Centrale	Malpensa Express	51 minutes	Trenord
Como - Bellagio	fast boat	about 40-50 minutes	Navigazione Laghi timetable
Lecco - Bellagio	boat	about 1 hour 30 minutes	Navigazione Laghi timetable
Bellagio - Varenna	ferry	15 minutes	Navigazione Laghi timetable
Milan - Lecco	car, SS 36 (about 50 km)	under 1 hour	eccoLecco
Como - Lecco	car (about 30 km)	about 45 minutes	eccoLecco

By Train from Milan

The train is the most direct way to reach the two main gateways, and the service is run by Trenord. The durations given are indicative and must be checked against the timetables for the day.

Which Milan station to leave from

Three stations matter in Milan. From Milano Centrale and Milano Porta Garibaldi leave the trains for Lecco and for Como San Giovanni; from Milano Cadorna those for Como Nord Lago. The Malpensa Express that leaves from Milano Centrale also stops at Porta Garibaldi, while the one from Cadorna serves the Ferrovie Nord network.

Como: two stations

Como San Giovanni is the main station, run by RFI. It is served by Trenord regional trains on the Milano-Chiasso line and by international trains to Switzerland, and it is the terminus of the line to Lecco via Molteno. From Milano Centrale it takes about 40 minutes. The suburban line S11 links Milano Porta Garibaldi with Como San Giovanni with one train every half hour, according to the 2023 timetable.

Como Nord Lago, also called Como Lago, is run by FerrovieNord on the Saronno-Como line. Regional and RegioExpress trains link it to Milano Cadorna via Saronno, at half-hourly intervals, in about an hour. The station stands on the lakeshore, close to the historic centre, and the boat landing stages can be reached from here. Como also has the stations of Como Borghi and Como Camerlata.

Lecco and the railway of the eastern shore

Lecco’s tourist portal gives the train from Milano Centrale or Porta Garibaldi on the Milano-Sondrio-Tirano line: 40 minutes on the direct train, one hour on the local one, with a frequency of about one an hour. From Como San Giovanni it takes about 1 hour 10 minutes with a change at Molteno. From Bergamo the direct train takes 40 minutes.

Along the eastern shore the Lecco-Colico-Sondrio-Tirano line, served by the RegioExpress RE8 and by regional trains, stops at Varenna-Esino and at Bellano-Tartavalle Terme and reaches Colico. At Colico the line to Chiavenna also branches off.

Works, Landslides and Notices

The Lecco-Tirano-Colico-Chiavenna line reopened on 15 September 2025 after upgrade works worth 57 million euro, with timetable changes for a transitional period. In the past the line was also interrupted by a landslide at Varenna, in May 2023.

Works and landslides have already changed the timetables and routes of this line in the past. Before leaving, check the service notices published by Trenord and RFI, which report the changes.

By Boat and Ferry

Navigazione Laghi runs the public services on the lake. Timetables change with the season: in 2026 there is a summer timetable (from 1 July to 4 October), an autumn one (from 5 October to 1 November) and a timetable for the cold season, which was not yet published on 6 October 2026.

Three different services

The scheduled boat calls at many landing stages and is the slowest service, with no supplement. The fast service calls at few stops, requires a supplement and shortens journey times considerably. The ferry also carries vehicles, but only between the stops marked “Traghetto” on the timetable.

There are three main lines: Como-Colico, with boat and fast service; Lecco-Bellagio, with boat; and the ferries between Bellagio, Cadenabbia, Varenna and Menaggio.

From Como to Colico: the stops

In the autumn 2026 timetable the Como-Colico line calls, from south to north, at Como, Tavernola, Cernobbio, Blevio, Moltrasio, Torno, Urio, Faggeto Lario, Pognana Lario, Careno, Nesso, Brienno, Argegno, Colonno, Sala Comacina, Isola Comacina and Lezzeno. In the central stretch come Lenno, Tremezzo, Cadenabbia, San Giovanni, Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna, and further north Bellano, Dervio, Pianello, Musso, Dongo, Gravedona, Domaso, Piona and Colico.

Not every run stops at every landing stage: many skip several villages. The timetable shows the stops of each run column by column, and that is where to check before choosing.

Two useful notes from the official timetable: from the Cadenabbia pier to Villa Carlotta there is a walk of about 900 metres along the lakefront, while from the Tremezzo pier about 450 metres are enough, under the porticoes.

How Long It Really Takes

The difference between the fast service and the scheduled boat is the first thing to understand, because on the same route it changes a great deal. The values below are drawn from the columns of the autumn 2026 timetable (5 October - 1 November) and give an idea: the duration of a single run depends on the stops it makes.

Route	Service	Approximate time
Como - Bellagio	fast	about 40-50 minutes
Como - Varenna	fast	about 1 hour
Como - Colico	fast	about 1 hour 30 minutes
Como - Bellagio	scheduled boat with many stops	from about 1 hour 50 to about 2 hours 35
Lecco - Bellagio	boat	about 1 hour 30 minutes

The Lecco-Bellagio line calls at Valmadrera, Abbadia Lariana, Mandello del Lario, Onno, Vassena, Limonta and Lierna. In the autumn 2026 timetable runs are few: three a day in each direction, plus four more on public holidays only. Anyone planning a boat return from Bellagio to Lecco must plan the last run, not rely on frequency.

The Ferries Between Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and Cadenabbia

The ferries connect the four places at the point where the lake divides. The crossings are short, which is why they are the quickest way to get from one shore to the other.

Crossing	Duration
Bellagio - Varenna	15 minutes
Bellagio - Menaggio	15 minutes
Varenna - Menaggio	15 minutes
Cadenabbia - Bellagio	10 minutes

Some runs make an intermediate stop and arrive after 30 minutes. The durations are those in the autumn 2026 weekday timetable; Sunday and holiday runs follow a different timetable.

Tickets, Bicycles and Wheelchairs

Tickets are bought at the ticket offices of the main ports. On board you can buy a ticket with a surcharge of €1.00 for each traveller, item of luggage or vehicle, which does not apply if the shore ticket office is closed. Places are limited to the maximum capacity of the vessels.

For bicycles the timetable shows recommended runs for boarding, others with boarding limited by traffic, and some runs that do not carry bicycles. Wheelchair users should know that boarding may be limited or excluded at the captain’s discretion for safety reasons, and can get information on the freephone number 800 551801 or on 031 579211.

Seasons and Timetables

The timetable states that runs may change depending on traffic at the landing stages, and that vessels may be replaced with others for which the conditions of carriage vary. For a journey on a specific date the simplest rule applies: open the PDF of the timetable in force for that day and that route.

By Car and by Bus

By Car

For Como the A9 motorway starts at Lainate and continues to Como and the Chiasso border. Other roads given for reaching Como are the former SS 35 dei Giovi from Milan, the SS 342 from Varese and the SS 583 from Lecco.

For Lecco the tourist portal gives distances and times: from Milan, about 50 km on the SS 36, in under an hour; from Como, about 30 km on the SS 342, 639 and 36, in about 45 minutes; from Bergamo, about 35 km on the SS 342 and 639, in about 40 minutes; from Sondrio, about 80 km on the SS 38 as far as Fuentes, near Colico, then the SS 36, in about an hour and a quarter. The times are those reported by the sources and change with traffic.

Parking and limited-traffic zones vary from town to town, and in the busiest centres it is worth consulting the Comune’s website before driving in. To cross the lake with a car there is the ferry between Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and Cadenabbia.

By Bus

On the western shore the road link is the C10 line of ASF Autolinee, which connects Como, Menaggio and Colico. The same company also runs road links from Como to Chiasso and from Menaggio to Lugano. Stops and timetables change by season, so they must be read on the company’s website.

By Plane

The reference airports are three in Milan, Malpensa, Linate and Orio al Serio (Milan Bergamo), plus Lugano-Agno in Switzerland. From the Como shore the four are roughly 50, 70, 90 and 30 kilometres away.

Malpensa

The Malpensa Express is the direct rail link with Milan, run by Trenord. From Milano Cadorna the trip takes 37 minutes; from Milano Centrale it takes 51, with a stop at Porta Garibaldi as well. On the Cadorna line there are over seventy-five round trips a day, on the Centrale line 68, with departures from Centrale at minutes 25 and 55 of every hour between 5:25 and 23:25.

Both lines stop at Saronno, where the line to Como Nord Lago also passes: from Malpensa you can therefore reach Como by changing trains there, checking the connections on the timetable. The Milano-Malpensa ticket costs, according to Trenord’s page, €15 one way and €25 return, with a family fare of €36.

Linate and Orio al Serio

Linate is linked to the centre of Milan by the M4 metro line and by shuttles. From Malpensa and Linate, for Lecco, a bus goes to Milano Centrale station, with runs every 20-30 minutes, and then the train to Lecco takes 40 minutes.

Milan Bergamo (Orio al Serio) is near Bergamo. For Lecco, the ATB no. 1 bus goes to Bergamo station, where the direct train to Lecco leaves, taking 40 minutes.

How to Get to Lake Como Without a Car: Three Routes

A day in Bellagio starting from Milan. Take the train to Como Nord Lago, which stands on the shore, and from there the fast service reaches Bellagio in about 40-50 minutes. The return can be the same boat or, with more time, the line to Lecco, of about an hour and a half, with few runs a day, and from Lecco the train to Milan in 40 minutes or an hour.

From Malpensa to Lecco. Take the Malpensa Express towards Milano Centrale, in 51 minutes, with a stop at Porta Garibaldi as well. From one of the two stations the train to Lecco leaves, direct in 40 minutes or local in an hour.

Eastern shore and Upper Lake by train and boat. From Milano Centrale take the line to Sondrio and Tirano as far as Varenna-Esino, where you take the ferry to Bellagio or Menaggio, a 15-minute crossing. For the Upper Lake, the train reaches Colico, from where the boat service to Como runs the same stops as the Como-Colico line in the opposite direction. For a walk along the same shore you can start from the Sentiero del Viandante itinerary from Varenna to Dervio.

What to Check Before You Leave

Five checks prevent most problems:

• the season, because the boat timetable changes between summer, autumn and the cold season;
• Trenord and RFI service notices, given that the lake’s lines have been affected by works and landslides;
• the last useful run, especially on the Lecco-Bellagio line, where runs are few;
• the connection between train and boat, which the timetable does not guarantee;
• the boarding rules for bicycles and wheelchairs, which are specific to each run.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take from Milan to Lake Como?

From Milano Centrale to Como San Giovanni about 40 minutes by train; from Milano Cadorna to Como Nord Lago about an hour. For Lecco, from Milano Centrale or Porta Garibaldi, 40 minutes on the direct train and an hour on the local one.

Can I get to Bellagio without a car?

Yes, with the boats and ferries of Navigazione Laghi. From Como the fast service takes about 40-50 minutes, from Lecco the boat about an hour and a half, from Varenna and Menaggio the ferry 15 minutes.

Does the ticket cost more if I buy it on board?

Yes: Navigazione Laghi applies a surcharge of €1.00 for each traveller, item of luggage or vehicle, except when the shore ticket office is closed.

Can I take a bicycle on the boat?

It depends on the run. The timetable shows the recommended runs for boarding bicycles, those with boarding limited by traffic and those that do not carry them.

How do I get from Malpensa Airport to the lake?

With the Malpensa Express to Milano Cadorna (37 minutes) or Milano Centrale (51 minutes), then by train to Como or Lecco. As the Malpensa Express also stops at Saronno, for Como Nord Lago you can change at Saronno.

Is the information up to date?

The data was collected from official sources on 29 September 2026. Timetables, prices and services change, which is why the date appears at the top of the page. If you find different information, write to info@visitlario.com.

From Here On

Once you arrive, the towns and the place entries help you choose where to go, and the map shows everything together. If the weather is bad, read Lake Como Museums: What to Visit When It Rains; if it is fine, the itineraries offer ready-made routes.