Getting to Lake Como
Situated in the foothills of the Alps in northern Italy, close to the Swiss border, Lake Como is just an hour from Milan and is well connected to it by rail service – both from Como on the southwest corner and from Lecco, Varenna-Esino or Colico on the east side of the lake.
For Como city and Lake Como west-side destinations, the nearest airport is Milan Malpensa.
From Malpensa Airport you can get the Malpensa Express train to Saronno and then take a train from Saronno to Como Nord Lago. Journey time: about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
For Lake Como east-side destinations the nearest airports are Milan Linate and Bergamo Orio al Serio.
The easternmost shore of Lake Como, from Lecco to Colico, is connected by train to Milan.
You can also get to Como S. Giovanni by train from Milan or from Switzerland.
Trenitalia – Book your ticket
Trainline – Book your ticket
For Como city, follow the A9 motorway from Milan to Como (one hour, 52km), or from Switzerland to Italy, and take the exit Como Centro.
For west-side destinations, follow the A9 motorway from Milan to Como (one hour, 52km), or from Switzerland to Italy, and take the exit Lago di Como. At the roundabout follow the sign for Menaggio and connect with the SS340 which follows the lake’s western shore.
Even though the Lake Como coastal road, known as “via Regina”, was named one of the best summer drive in Europe in 2016 (click here to read the post), thanks to its stunning views of the lake and mountains, driving on the lake’s western shore can be a bit nerve-wracking, especially during the crowded summer months.
For east-side destinations, take the SS36 from Milan to Lecco (one hour, 56km). The SS36 continues up the east side of the lake.