How to Get Around Lake Como Without The Car
If you fly over Milano and you don’t have a car, or simply you don’t feel like driving during your vacation, there are basically 4 ways you can explore Lake Como with:
Train
Bus
Ferries, Motorships, Hydrofoils
Taxi
A ferry in Nesso. Image by Valerio Carletto
Train
If you are in Milan and want to get to Lake Como by train, bear in mind that on the Lecco branch you can reach several villages (Lecco, Varenna, Bellano, to mention but the most popular ones), whereas on the Como branch the only stations are located in Como city (Como San Giovanni and Como Nord Lago, both linking Como with Milano in 1 hour only).
Bus
The western coast of Como branch doesn’t have a train service linking the city with the villages on the northern lake, but just outside the two railway stations in Como you can easily take a bus headed to the north.
A typical ASF blue bus (Image via www.trasporti-italia.com)
The company handling the bus service is ASF Autolinee. This is a cheap and convenient way to move on the western coast (meaning from Como to Colico, in the north), even though during the summer months, especially in the weekends, you can face a remarkable traffic in the Tremezzina stretch of coast, so be prepared to stay some minutes stuck in the traffic! But no panic: the windows of the bus are wide and if you take seat on the right side you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the lakeside villages.
Ferries, motorships, hydrofoils
Let’s face it: there’s no better way to wander around Lake Como than by taking a ferry and reaching all the villages directly from the water!
Also, relaxing and enjoying the view from the boat while traveling is not bad at all.
The fast-service aliscafo takes less than one hour to get from Como to Bellagio, but make sure you study the schedule carefully, as it doesn’t stop at every station. The traghetto (ferry) only stops in Cadenabbia, Varenna, Menaggio and Bellagio.
Taxi
Taxi service at Lake Como definitely isn’t one of the cheapest ways to move around, but it is for sure one of the quickest.
There are several companies operating on the lake, both public and private. You will find taxi services at the main public transport hubs, such as train, bus or ferry stations. Most of the companies also provide connections from/to Milan or Bergamo airports.
Public transports on Lake Como: a summary
Are you planning a trip to Lake Como for your house hunting and you need helpful tips to get around?