· · 6 min read · by Salimar Boat Tour
Milan to Como by train: 40 minutes, €5.20 — times and the right station
Most Lake Como visitors sleep in Milan — and rightly so: the lake is forty minutes away by train. The only mistake you can make is picking the wrong pair of stations, because Milan has two that look towards Como and Como has two that welcome you back. Here is everything: lines, times, prices and the live departure boards.
The 30-second answer
| Route | Time | Price | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milano Centrale → Como S. Giovanni | ~40 min | €5.20 | roughly hourly (6:43–21:43) |
| Milano Cadorna → Como Nord Lago | ~1 hour | ~€5 | every 30–60 min — you step off at the lake |
| P.ta Garibaldi → Como S. Giovanni (S11) | ~1 hour | ~€5 | one useful train per hour |
| Malpensa → Como (bus) | ~55 min | €6–10 | Flibco ~every 2h + FlixBus |
Centrale → Como San Giovanni: the fastest
It’s the Trenord regional on the Chiasso–Locarno line: about 40 minutes non-stop, €5.20 in second class, no seat reservation — hop on and go. Departures are roughly hourly: first train 6:43, last 21:43. Buy the ticket in two taps on the Trenord or Trenitalia app, or at the machines.
One thing to watch
The train continues into Switzerland: your stop is Como San Giovanni, not Chiasso. From the station it’s a 15-minute downhill walk to the lakefront (or 5 by taxi).
The Locarno train: every hour at minute 43
The regional that takes you to Como is the RE80 Milan Centrale – Locarno: it leaves every hour at minute 43, from 6:43 to 21:43, and reaches Como San Giovanni 40 minutes later. No booking needed: hop on and go.
Monza (14:52) · Seregno (15:01) · Como Camerlata (15:17) · Como San Giovanni (15:23) · Chiasso (15:29) · Mendrisio · Lugano Paradiso · Lugano · S. Antonino · Cadenazzo · Riazzino · Gordola · Tenero · Minusio · Locarno (16:38)
Get off at Como San Giovanni: it is the last stop before the border. Fall asleep and you end up in Chiasso, Switzerland, six minutes later.
Live boards for Milan Centrale
arrivals › · departures › · See the route on the map ›
From the station to the pier: on foot or by bus
From Como San Giovanni to the pier in viale Geno it is a 15-minute downhill walk (or 5 by taxi). If you prefer the bus, ASF lines leave the station towards the centre: get off in the town centre and the lakefront is a few minutes away.
Stop: Como - Lungolario Trieste · Google Maps ›
From Como San Giovanni station these lines stop here:
| Line | Departures from the lakefront stop | |
|---|---|---|
| C130 | Como - Nesso - Bellagio | 05:58 · 08:55 · 09:25 · 10:25 · 10:30 · 10:55 · 11:25 · 12:00 · 12:25 · 12:55 · and more |
| C131 | Como - Torno - Palanzo | 09:45 · 11:25 · 12:35 · 18:35 |
| C132 | Como - Nesso - Piano del Tivano | 10:10 · 18:45 |
| C170 | Como - Villa Guardia - Appiano Gentile | 06:15 · 07:15 · 08:20 · 09:20 · 10:20 · 11:20 · 13:20 · 14:20 · 15:20 · 16:20 · and more |
Times updated on 2026-09-13 · Official ASF Autolinee timetables ›
Live boards for Como San Giovanni station
arrivals › · departures › · Official ASF Autolinee timetables ›
Cadorna → Como Nord Lago: step off at the lake
The Trenord from Milano Cadorna takes about an hour, but pays you back with the perfect arrival: Como Nord Lago station is five minutes on foot from the lakefront, the Brunate funicular and our pier. If your goal is the lake — not the upper town — this is the right pair of stations. Trains every 30–60 minutes, around €5.
Why it often wins even from central Milan
Cadorna is right downtown, next to the Sforza Castle, on metro lines M1 and M2: for many Milan hotels it’s handier than Centrale. And on arrival: no climbs, no taxi — you are already where you wanted to be.
S11 from Porta Garibaldi: the neighbourhood option
The S11 suburban line links Porta Garibaldi to Como San Giovanni in just under an hour: trains run every 30 minutes but only one per hour goes all the way to Como. Worth it if you stay around Garibaldi, Isola or Corso Como — otherwise Centrale wins.
From Malpensa straight to Como
Landing at Malpensa? Skip Milan entirely: Flibco (about every two hours) and FlixBus (a couple of runs a day) link Terminal 2 to Como — Piazzale San Gottardo stop, next to San Giovanni station — in 55 minutes for €6–10. Alternatively, take the Malpensa Express to Saronno and change for Como Nord Lago.
Trenord stations — Cadorna and Como Lago, live times
ViaggiaTreno (RFI) — live rail traffic
As soon as you arrive: the lake in five minutes
From Como Nord Lago you are already on the lakefront; from San Giovanni it’s a fifteen-minute walk down through the centre. And if you want to turn arrival into an outing, our boat tours from Como leave two steps from the square: one hour among the villas, prosecco included.
Tips from lake commuters
- Buy tickets in the app: no queue at the machines.
- Summer weekends: aim for trains before 9am, later ones fill up fast.
- Always check the live board before moving: the Chiasso line has its moods.
- Frequencies drop in the evening: check the last useful run on the board before that one aperitivo too many.
How much is a boat tour from Como
1 hour Lake Como boat tour · small group, prosecco aperitif★★★★★4.93(29 reviews)1 hour · More details ›
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Small group Bellagio tour · 3 hours · with prosecco aperitif★★★★★5(6 reviews)3 hours · More details ›
2 hour Lake Como boat tour · small group, prosecco aperitif2 hours · More details ›
Private boat tour on Lake Como · 1 hour★★★★☆4.33(3 reviews)1 hour · More details ›
Private boat tour on Lake Como · 2 hours2 hours · More details ›
Private boat tour on Lake Como · 3 hours★★★★★5(2 reviews)3 hours · More details ›
Trimarchi boat rental without licence · Bella Vita Como2 hours · More details ›€320per boatBookThe best way to see the villas is from a boat: we leave from the pier in viale Geno, 75 metres from the bus stop. Here are the tours you can book right now.
Quick questions
How far is Milan from Como? About 50 km: 40 minutes by direct train from Milano Centrale, an hour from Cadorna, 1–1.5 hours by car depending on traffic.
Milan to Como train times? From Centrale the direct RE80 to Como San Giovanni leaves roughly every hour at minute 43, from 6:43 to 21:43; from Cadorna to Como Nord Lago there are trains every 30–60 minutes. Check the live boards below for today.
Is Como a day trip from Milan? Yes, one of the easiest: train in the morning, a boat tour on the lake, lunch on the waterfront and back in Milan for dinner.
How much is the Milan–Como train? €5.20 from Centrale to San Giovanni, about €5 from Cadorna to Como Nord Lago. Fixed price, no booking: buy it a minute before departure.
Centrale or Cadorna? Centrale for speed (40 minutes). Cadorna to step off right at the lake, by the funicular and the piers.
Do I need to book? No: these are fixed-price regional trains. Take the next useful one — the live boards above tell you which.
Read next: the perfect Milan day trip itinerary · Milan to Bellagio
Official sources: Trenord, Trenitalia. Facts checked on August 2, 2026: fares and times can change — always check the live boards.
