How to Get to Lago di Como from Milan

Located about 50 kilometers north of Milan, Lake Como is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Italy and therefore one of the most frequent excursions from Milan. The lake occupies a wide expanse in the shape of an inverted "y" and on its shores are some of the most beautiful villages you will see in the north of the country, such as Bellagio, Varenna or the city of Como that gives its name to the lake.

It is the city of Como precisely the main point of connection with Milan and to know how to move from one city to another I have prepared this post with the best options for travel, its advantages and disadvantages and everything you should know.

Given its popularity as a tourist destination and the proximity to the city of Milan, taking an organized excursion to Lago di Como is one of the most efficient and recommended ways to visit this place.

This type of excursion includes a bus from Milan to the city of Como, the main town on the shores of the lake and the usual starting point for visiting the lake. In addition, they usually include a cruise from Como to visit other beautiful towns on the lake, such as Bellagio.

The bus ride from Milan takes about 1 hour and a half, mainly because of the usual traffic on the way out of the city. But the trip is very comfortable and the bus usually arrives almost to the shore of the lake in the city of Como, which makes it easy to move around the city.

Useful information

• Price: from 104 euros approx.
• Duration: journey to Como 1 hour and a half, and total excursion about 9 hours until the return to Milan.
• Advantages: ease of transportation and convenience of having everything organized.
• Disadvantages: we are subject to the itinerary of the excursion and we do not have more freedom of movement in addition to having a limited duration.

For comfort, speed and many other factors, the train has become the best means of transport to travel between Milan and the city of Como. There are two types of trains departing from Milan:

• The first leaves from Milan Central Station and are the fastest and most comfortable. They are offered by the company Trenitalia and the journey takes about 40 minutes for a price of between 10 and 20 euros to the station of S. Giovanni, a 10-minute walk from the center of Como. There are departures every 20 minutes so the range of schedules is very wide. This is the most recommended and chosen option for this route.
• The other option is to take other regional trains from Milano Nord Cadorna station. These are cheaper, starting at 4.80 euros each way, although they take half an hour longer than the others. On the other hand, the route is more beautiful and if you do not mind lengthening the trip a bit, it is an option to consider especially if you want to save money.

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The disadvantage of the train is that we can only go as far as Como.

The car is the best means of transport if what you want is to move freely around Lago Di Como, since moving between the towns of the lake is complicated given its geography and the car is, in addition to the boats, the only option to move around the area.

Getting from Milan to the city of Como is quite simple and comfortable. It takes about 1 hour driving along the A9 highway straight to Como.

However, in this case, I personally think that renting a car just to visit the lake is not worth it if you have other means such as the train. But if you already have a car it is an option to consider if you want to move as freely as possible around the towns of Lago Di Como.

Useful information

• Price: 4,50 of toll + consumption + parking.
• Duration: 1 hour.
• Advantages: maximum mobility
• Disadvantages: high costs compared to other means of transport.

Despite being a short and very touristic route, there are hardly any bus options to travel from Milan to Como. There are only two buses a day with no fixed schedule and they are not direct. They correspond to the line that connects Milan with the city of Lampugnano and have a stop in Como.

Although there is another option to travel by bus that is recommended in a particular case. If you travel to Milan by plane and your destination is Como, from Milan Malpensa airport there is a direct bus to the city of Como. This bus leaves at 7:50 am from T1 and at 8:00 am from T2.

Flixbus is the company that offers it at a price of 8 euros per ticket.

Useful information

• Price: from 6 euros approx. or from 3 euros if you choose the night option.
• Duration: between 1 hour and 1 hour and a half.
• Advantages: it is an economical way.
• Disadvantages: little offer and variety of schedules.

If you are looking for an alternative to the means of transport we have reviewed there is always the option of resorting to car sharing through websites like Blablacaror Uber. It is not a very common trip on these platforms as there are many alternatives but you can always find a ride.

However, these trips need to be booked in advance and it is only recommended as a last option since there are not always available trips.

You can also travel by cab although when leaving the urban limits of Milan prices soar up to 100 euros. So, except for emergencies, it is not highly recommended.

Information of interest

• Price: from 10 euros approximately.
• Duration: 1 hour
• Advantages: you share expenses and have the comfort and speed of traveling by car.
• Disadvantages: availability is limited and requires planning well in advance.

• If you are traveling in high season, especially in summer, keep in mind that Lago Di Como is a very touristic region so the demand is very high. It is always advisable to get tickets for any transportation as far in advance as possible.
• Milan's central train station is located in the center of the city and the best way to get there is to take the subway. Lines 1, 2 and 3 connect directly to the station.
• If you travel by car, keep in mind that on the direct route there is a toll and above all you will have to leave your car in a parking lot as it is a very touristy destination and parking outside the parking lots is almost impossible.
• To move between the villages of Lake Di Como the best way is by car. But if you do not have it you can do it by boat. A boat ticket valid for a whole day is about 26 euros.