Start well
From the airport to Lake Como, without a confused first day.
Pick the first handover before you book the rest of the journey. The right answer changes with your airport, arrival time, luggage and where on the lake you are staying.
Choose your airport
Make the first handover clear.
Your public-transport plan
Malpensa to the central lake
Follow the numbered pins on the map, then confirm each live service before the next handover.
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Choose where you are flying from and a departure date.
- 1train
Malpensa T1/T2 → Milano Centrale
Take Malpensa Express toward central Milan.
Official service: every 30 minutes
Official tickets & live times - 2train
Milan → Varenna-Esino
Use the east-shore rail gateway rather than guessing a lake-side transfer.
Check Trenord trains - 3walk
Varenna station → ferry pier
The station and boarding pier are different points. Leave a proper margin for the downhill handover.
Plan the complete connection - 4ferry
Varenna → Bellagio
Use Teravia’s published Lake Como ferry timetable for the final crossing and return choice.
Check ferry times
A useful arrival rule
Protect the first connection, then let the lake take over.
Do not treat the airport, Milan and the lake as one uninterrupted journey. Keep a margin for the first handover. Once you reach Varenna, Bellagio or Menaggio, the Lake Como ferry planner can shape the rest of the day around published crossings.
The first view matters
“Arriving well is less about moving quickly than making the first handover feel unhurried.”
FAQ
Before you leave the terminal.
Which Milan airport is best for Lake Como?
The best airport depends on your flight and where you are staying. Malpensa, Linate and Milan Bergamo all need a deliberate first handover; compare the arrival time, luggage, group size and whether you plan to use public transport, a car or a transfer.
Can I go straight from the airport to Bellagio?
A direct transfer can be the simplest option for a late arrival, a group or heavy luggage. Public transport usually involves at least one handover before the central-lake ferry or final shore journey.
Should I hire a car at the airport?
It can work well when you are staying beyond the central villages or continuing into the wider region. For a short Bellagio–Varenna–Menaggio stay, arrive once and use passenger ferries where possible before committing to a car.
Continue planning
Choose the next handover with the airport behind you.
Milan to Varenna by train
Use the direct east-shore rail gateway when Varenna is your Lake Como base.
Milan to Como by train
Compare the two direct rail corridors into Como before choosing your lake arrival.
Driving & rentals
Decide whether a vehicle genuinely makes the rest of your stay easier.
Getting around Lake Como
Choose the next ferry, train or shore connection once you know where you are arriving.
Editorial review
Built from published operator information.
Teravia turns the sources below into route decisions, mapped terminals and timetable checks. They remain the source of truth for live changes on the day.
Published schedules, fares and service conditions can change. Re-check the operator immediately before travel.