How to get from Lake Como to Milan

Why visit Milan?

Milan is Italy’s economic and design capital — the home of the stylish and the rich. Here is where luxury and art collide. It’s the country’s busiest and most vibrant city, but still charming with its few touches of the Old World.

The city boasts a massive collection of old and new art masterpieces and is home to Leonardo da Vinci’s most iconic work, the Last Supper. You’ll find jaw-dropping architecture everywhere you look in Milan — from its more recent skyscrapers to the age-old Milan Cathedral.

There are 3 ways to travel the 85 kilometre (53 miles) distance from Lake Como to Milan. You can choose between the bus, private transport and train. The journey takes 40 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes and the quickest way is by private transport. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by train with tickets starting at €3.70 ($4.20).

The train is an easy way to get from Lake Como to Milan. You can board the train from 2 different stations in Como. Just note that your arrival point at Milan will depend on where you departed from in Como.

• Trains from Nord Lago arrive at Milano Cadorna.

We recommend checking the nearest railway stations to your hotel to minimize extra travel time by taxi.

Trains are available every 30 minutes from 05:16 to 22:49. A train ticket costs €6 ($6.90) for the 1-hour journey.

You can check Omio for a detailed schedule and the best prices for this journey from Lake Como to Milan.

Are you coming from the lovely village of Bellagio? In order to take a train, you’ll first have to travel 40 km south to Como city centre. You can do this by either taking a boat or a bus from Bellagio to Como.

Bellagio to Como by Boat

If you’re hoping for one last picturesque ride before leaving Lake Como, then we recommend taking the boat.

There are two kinds of boats available. A hydrofoil takes 45 minutes and costs €14.80 ($17). Another option is a slow boat that takes 2 to reach Como centre with prices from €10.40 ($11.90).

Ferries from Bellagio arrive at Navigazione Lago di Como, which is conveniently located 400m west of Como Nord Lago and 900m northeast of S. Giovanni Station.

Bellagio to Como by Bus

A cheaper alternative to the boat is to take the C30 bus to Como. The bus ride will take about 45-70 minutes and cost €3.70 ($4.20).

Buses park at S. Giovanni Bus Stop, which is just in front of the train station.

If you’re planning to go straight from Lake Como to Milan Airport, then you’ll have to take 2 trains.

1. 1. Board the train from Como S. Giovanni Station. This train takes around an hour to Milan Centrale. A ticket costs around €5 ($5.70).
   2. Transfer to a Malpensa Express train bound for the airport. You can get a ticket for about €13 ($14.90). This train ride would take around 50 minutes.

If the train is fully booked, the bus is a good alternative to travel from Lake Como to Milan. The estimated travel time is 45 minutes. Note, though, that buses can depart late and get stuck in traffic, so you can expect the ride to take a bit longer.

This route is operated by FlixBus, which is known for its competitive pricing, but unfortunately also known for delayed departures.

A bus ticket costs €5 ($5.70). Departure times change all the time, so it’s best to visit the FlixBus website for the latest schedules.

Check Bus Tickets with FlixBus

Note that there are also buses from TrenItaly operating on this route, but unfortunately, the buses take longer (around 2 hours).

Departure and arrival station

You can board the bus at S. Giovanni Bus Stop, located 800m south of Lake Como and just beside the train station.

The bus will arrive at Lampugnano Bus Station. This station is still 7 km away from Milan city centre.

A private transfer is a convenient option when travelling in a group from Lake Como to Milan.

Rates start from €130 ($150) for a 3-seater private transfer. Divide the cost and that’s about €44 ($51) per person. Travel time is around 40 to 50 minutes.