Milan is Italy’s second-largest city, famous for its historical, cultural, and architectural landmarks and its fashion. It is also quite close to beautiful Lake Como. Lake Como is the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. it is a popular retreat for the rich and famous – George Clooney owns a villa here. Today, almost 1.5 million people visit Lake Como every year. Visitors often make Milan their base and take day trips to the lake. So, if you’d like to do the same, there are four ways to get from Milan to Lake Como.
How to get from Milan to Lake Como
Bus
Local buses are the cheapest way to get from Milan to Lake Como. You board the bus at Milan’s Centrale bus station and alight at Como’s S. Giovanni bus station.
Flixbus, the long-distance bus company, also runs daily buses from Milan to Lake Como. The journey takes around 90 minutes. Buses depart twice a day. Tickets cost a bit more than the local bus, but the buses are more comfortable and are air-conditioned.
Car
Renting a car gives you the most flexibility as you can depart when you like and stop off along the way. There are many car hire firms around Milan, but finding the best deal is the first step. Milan and Lake Como are about 85km away from each other, and the drive should take about one hour and 30 minutes. From Milan, you just follow Highways A9/E35.
Large parts of Lake Como are a Zona a Traffico Limitato (ZTL), and cars are restricted from driving in many areas unless you’re a local resident.
Train
Trains are always a fun way to travel. Close to 100 trains a day connect Milan and Lake Como. You can take a train directly from Milan to the Como Lago Station. All Trenitalia Trenord trains for Lake Como depart from the Milano Centrale or the Milano Cadorna stations. Train journey times range anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours depending on your final destination and the train service you choose.
Tour
There are loads of tour operators if you want to visit Lake Como from Milan on a day trip. What tour you take depends on how long you have but to make the most of the sites, a full day tour with a guide is a good idea. You will get a better understanding of the history of the resort, visit the most beautiful villas and gardens, and you’ll also get around easily. Most day tours include transportation by luxury bus, a professional tourist guide, headphones for the tour, a walking tour in Como and a one-hour lake cruise by private boat. Day trips also include a chance to explore the villages of Bellagio and Varenna as well as some free time to do some souvenir shopping.
