Moving between the lovely cities in Italy's Lake District means a bit of travel time, for the massive Italian Alps that rise between the lakes must be circumvented. So getting from Lake Como (assuming you are in the city of Como) to Peschiera del Garda, a 110-mile trip (177 km), takes longer than expected. A bit quicker driving trip will be from starting out in Lecco on the easternmost edge of Lake Como (79 miles, 128 km); and your trip will be a bit longer if you begin in Bellagio (92 miles, 149 km).
Driving is the most direct route and will take almost two hours, regardless of whether you choose the mountain route out of Como or head south for the freeway (which pulls you almost down to Milan, but is a faster drive). Hiring a private car will be a similar trip, regardless of which city around the lake is your starting point; our local specialists can help arrange that private-car transfer for you.
Depending on where you start out, there are train services between Lake Como and Peschiera del Garda. From Como, the train is a three-hour trip and includes a train change in Milan. From Lecco, trains run all every hour or two, rattling along the base of the Alps. It is a beautiful, scenic ride that can usually takes two hours (check the schedules, for some trains on this route take closer to three hours). This is the least-expensive way to travel between the two cities, for as little as $20 one way. First-class seats will cost more, but also be a more comfortable ride.
Helicopter private charters will whisk you from Como to Garda in 30 minutes; longer if you'd like a sightseeing tour along the way. Prices begin at around $2,500 for that luxury service.
Or leave everything to us on one of our leisurely paced itineraries and see Milan and Italy's Lake Region for 9 days or 15 days.
By Rental Car
If driving on mountainous roads brings out your inner James Bond, then renting a car to drive from Lake Como to Peschiera del Garda is the way to go. You'll find car rental companies in Como and Lecco and as always in Italy, renting a manual stick-shift automobile is always much less expensive than an automatic transmission.
And if you are adept with the stick shift, taking the mountain route will be a truly exhilarating ride. Stop for lunch in Bergamo, where the Cittá Alta (the ancient upper district) is surrounded by Venetian Walls that help make this part of the city a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
By Private Car Transfer
If driving on windy roads is not your idea of fun, then hire a car and an experienced local driver to transport you in comfort between Lake Como and Peschiera del Garda. Our local specialists are available to assist, to either negotiate a flat rate for the trip or perhaps help you hire the car and driver on an hourly basis, which will allow you to make stops along the way, for photo ops of those massive mountains and the views below. Or ask to go through Milan, for a less nerve-wracking journey.
By Train
From Como, on the southern shore of Lake Como, the train trip to Peschiera del Garda wends down to Milan and then back up to the Alps and takes about two hours. Trains leave approximately every two hours. From Lecco, the train is also a local two-hour ride, with numerous stops along the way.
By Helicopter Charter
Chartering a helicopter from Lake Como to Peschiera del Garda is an expensive proposition, but if money isn't an issue, you're likely to get a service that will pick you up at your lakefront hotel and taking you anywhere on Lake Garda you'd like to go. Private copters generally only hold five passengers and a few pieces of luggage. Going by helicopter is a quick trip, 30-45 minutes, depending on the sightseeing you do as you go along. Without a doubt, these are the best views you'll ever have of this spectacular region of the world.
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