Getting to Lake Como: train, car and plane
From Milan by train to Como, Varenna or Lecco, the nearest airports and how to get around the lake without a car: a practical guide to reaching the Lario.
Lake Como is less than an hour from Milan and easy to reach without a car. The right choice depends on where you are staying: Como and the first basin, the mid-lake with Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio, or the Lecco shore.
By train
- Como: trains from Milano Centrale and Porta Garibaldi arrive at Como San Giovanni; Ferrovie Nord trains from Milano Cadorna arrive at Como Nord Lago, right by the lakefront.
- Varenna and the mid-lake: the Milan-Lecco-Tirano line stops at Varenna-Esino, a few minutes from the ferry to Bellagio and Menaggio.
- Lecco: linked to Milan and Bergamo.
By plane
The nearest airports are Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate and Bergamo Orio al Serio. From all three you can reach Milan and then the lake by train, or go by car or private transfer.
By car
Como is reached from the A9 Milan-Chiasso motorway; the Lecco and Varenna shore from the SS36 main road. The lakeside roads are narrow and very busy in summer, and parking in the villages is limited.
On the lake
Navigazione Laghi boats, hydrofoils and car ferries link Como and the villages on both shores. In the mid-lake, car ferries connect Bellagio, Varenna, Menaggio and Cadenabbia, with cars on board too.
