Milan to Lake Como: train, taxi or private transfer?
Three ways to reach Lake Como from Milan, with real prices and journey times. The train is by far the cheapest: what matters is where on the lake you are going.
Prices checked in October 2026 · About 55 km from the Duomo to Como
At a glance
Option
Price
Time to Como
Door to door
Best for
Train
from €4.80 per person
about 1 h to Como Lago
No, to Como station
Travelling light, staying in Como town
Taxi
€130 per car, set fare from Como
50–60 min
Yes
Coming back from Como, with a Como-licensed taxi
Private transferBlackLimo
from €169 per car, fixed price
50–60 min
Yes, to your hotel or villa
Luggage, groups, the lake villages
Trains leave Milano Cadorna for Como Lago, in the centre of town, and Milano Centrale for Como San Giovanni, a short walk uphill from the lake. The €130 fare is the set fare approved by the City of Como for Como ↔ Milan: leaving from Milan, a Milan taxi runs the meter and costs more. Our price is for the whole car, to any address on the lake.
What it costs for three people
€14.40Train · 3 tickets
€130Taxi · per car
€169Private transfer · per car
How long it really takes, door to door
From the Duomo to Bellagio: our car against the fastest public route, waiting time included. Watch the two journeys set off together.
Map seen from above: the car from Milan to Bellagio and the train and ferry route via Varenna
Duomo to Milano Centrale by metro
BlackLimo, door to door
1 h 22
Duomo → Bellagio, no changes
We pick you up at your door
No suitcases to carry up and down
No waiting
Train + ferry
2 h 24
Duomo to Milano Centrale by metro12 min
Waiting for the train20 min
Train Milano Centrale → Varenna-Esino64 min
Walking from the station to the pier8 min
Waiting for the ferry20 min
Ferry Varenna → Bellagio15 min
From the pier to your hotel5 min
2 waits2 changesSuitcases to carryMore time
Total2 h 24
Train time from Trenord’s own site (64 minutes, about 16 services a day), crossing from the Navigazione Laghi timetable. Waits are averages with roughly hourly services: miss a connection and they grow. The walks are estimates. The driving time is the one calculated on the real route, in normal traffic.
The three options in detail
Train
from €4.80
Trains run from Milano Cadorna to Como Lago about every half hour and take around an hour; from Milano Centrale they reach Como San Giovanni a little faster.
Good
By far the cheapest, from €4.80 one way
Departures every half hour, no booking needed
Como Lago station is a few steps from the waterfront
Keep in mind
It stops in Como: for Bellagio, Tremezzo or Cernobbio you still need a ferry, a bus or a taxi
Luggage racks are small and there are stairs at the stations
Last trains leave in the late evening
Taxi
€130
The City of Como has set a fare of €130 per car for the Como ↔ Milan run (Piazza Duomo or Milano Centrale), with nothing to add on arrival.
Good
Door to door, no booking needed
A set fare, with a Como-licensed taxi
Keep in mind
Leaving from Milan, a Milan taxi runs the meter: the ride costs more
Few taxis wait outside Como station in the evening
For the villages along the lake the meter starts again
Private transfer with BlackLimo
from €169
A licensed chauffeur and a premium car booked in advance, at a fixed price per car: from €169 to Como, and a price you see before you book for every village on the lake.
Good
To the address you want: hotel, villa, restaurant or wedding venue
Same price for 1 to 3 passengers; van for up to 6
Fixed price: traffic on the A9 does not change it
Child seats free on request
Keep in mind
Costs more than the train if you travel alone with a backpack
Needs booking at least 30 minutes ahead
Which one should you choose?
Alone, a day out in Como town
The train: from €4.80 and about an hour, straight to the waterfront.
Two or three with suitcases
A car: three train tickets plus a ferry and a taxi at the other end close the gap.
Staying in Bellagio, Varenna or Tremezzo
A private transfer: the train leaves you in Como, the villages are another 30–60 minutes away.
Flying in to Malpensa first
A private transfer straight from the airport: no change of train in Milan with your luggage.
A wedding, a villa or a group of up to 6
A private transfer, with the van and free child seats.
See your exact price
Enter your hotel or address on the lake: fixed price, instant confirmation.
From €4.80 per person one way from Milano Cadorna to Como Lago, in about an hour, with departures roughly every half hour.
How much is a taxi from Milan to Lake Como?+
The City of Como has set a fare of €130 per car for Como ↔ Milan. Leaving from Milan a Milan-licensed taxi runs the meter instead, so the ride costs more than that.
How long does it take from Milan to Lake Como?+
About 50–60 minutes by car to Como, and around an hour by train to Como Lago. Bellagio, Varenna and the other villages are another 30–60 minutes along the lake.
How do I get from Como to Bellagio?+
By ferry across the lake, by bus along the western shore, or by car in about 45 minutes. With luggage, a car to the door saves the change.
Is a private transfer worth it?+
Alone with a backpack, the train costs a fraction. For two or three people with suitcases, or for a hotel in one of the villages, a fixed-price car to the door is worth the difference.
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