The most charming lake como towns are best accessed by the local ferry network.
I have compiled some useful tips to help you navigate this stunning Italian lake so that you can take the ferry confidently on your first trip to the region.
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Lake Como Trip Tip: Did you know that lake como has designated swimming beaches?
Where to Purchase Tickets?
Tickets can be purchased at the ferry kiosks offline or on the official website online. The online ticket service seems to function only if you book your tickets way in advance. It rarely takes same day requests.
Generally speaking, the English version of the official website, Navigazione Laghi, is alright, but it comes with random Italian messages that were not translated into English.
Offline kiosk staff lacks proper English fluency as well, but you can get your ticket done at least. Just a heads-up, they don't seem to like questions and hold-ups.
The earlier you get to the ferry booth, the better, so that you can avoid all queues when purchasing your ticket.
In the summer peak season, I recommend booking your ticket in advance on the official website.
What Tickets to Purchase?
If you intend to do a few towns in the first day, get a 1-Day Pass with free circulation. That will give you the freedom to move around without having to worry about the ticket validity.
On the other hand, if you just want to move from A to B, that means between two towns, you might be better served with a roundtrip ticket for these two towns only. Or you can purchase a one-way ticket, but the ticket is only valid between these two destinations.
Are you planning to stay for at least 6 days? Then get a 6-Days free circulation ticket and pick the zones that suit your travel plans.
To determine the prices, take a look at the official chart. Pick the towns that you are planning to travel to and purchase the ticket that suits your travel plans.
Smaller ticketing booths may accept only cash. So be prepared to bring along some Euros.
Ferry Type
Vehicle ferries take cars, motorbikes and human passengers, and you can hop on a car ferry if the timetable announces the vehicle ferry next.
Keep in mind that car ferries are limited to a few major towns. Car ferries stopover at ports marked with "Traghetto" and they move about much slower, due to the size and cargo. See vehicle transportation rates.
Battello (Slow Ferry) and Motonave (Mid-Speed Ferry) are regular passenger ferries. Battallo serves smaller communities, and Motonave operates between popular routes.
Hydrofoil is the high-speed passenger only ferry that runs between the major towns, including Como, Bellagio and Varenna.
Stick to the Triangle First
The easiest way to start out with the lake como ferry is to stick to the triangle. In time, you will get used to the ferry hopping, and you will feel more confident in visiting other towns.
The triangle includes 3 towns, Bellagio at the center tip, Varenna on the eastern coast and Menaggio on the western coast.
Theoretically, you can do all three towns in a day and for that, I recommend a flexible day ticket, which costs about $15 per adult for this route.
Bellagio and Varenna are the most well known of the three, and they are very touristy. Menaggio is much more chill and easy going compared.
They are all scenic, but if you need to choose between two better-looking towns, then Bellagio and Varenna win. That said, we preferred Menaggio because it was much more chill.
Get There Early & Avoid Rush Hours
The earlier you hop on a ferry, the better the experience. The major town ferry ports get hopelessly filled up with tour groups by midday, and in the afternoon you will find yourself queuing while standing in the hot sun.
The last time we visited was in October and people were queuing, so shoulder seasons are already super busy.
The afternoons seem to be busy, and therefore I recommend spending the whole afternoon in a town.
You can't reserve seats, it's first come, first served.
Timetables
Timetables are seasonal and they change them frequently.
We really didn't look at the timetables because the ferry hours on the digital display didn't always correspond with the exact online or flyer timings.
Ferries can be late due to high demand in the peak season or bad weather. That said, we just jumped on the next available ferry whenever we were ready to take a journey across the lake.
We usually waited for 20–30 minutes at most in the most popular locations. Smaller village stops can have longer waiting times.
Tip: If you are taking off from Bellagio to Menaggio, you might end up on a ferry that stops first at Varenna. You can sit tight and wait at the stopover. The ferry moves on after 5-10 minutes or so.
Tips
- The ticket counters in the major towns are open from about 8 am to 8 pm.
- Pay attention to the ferry stops. Some towns have two and certain destinations are served by a particular ferry stop only.
- Your ticket is checked by some conductors when you set foot on the ferry.
- Don't lose your paper ticket, take a picture of the ticket, just in case.
- You can bring food and drink.
- Seats are not reserved, and you are free to sit wherever you want. Pick a side with the best view!
- Hold on to your hats when you are on the speedy ferry.
- Stroller and luggage are allowed. Avoid peak rush hours with your large luggage.
- Check the last ferry of the day if you intend to get back late.
- Cars and motorbikes need to wait in a queue to board one by one, and you can't park and go away, you need to stick around so that you can board the car.
