TRAIN STATIONS
The train is certainly a very convenient way to reach Lake Garda: in fact, the railway stations of the lake are located on the axis that connects Milan, Brescia, Verona and Venice, so trains are very frequent.
There are two main stations: Desenzano del Garda–Sirmione and Peschiera del Garda. From here, buses will connect you to all the surrounding destinations.
Since the public transport system in Italy is not always easy to understand, here are the best solutions – in our opinion – based on the starting point and what you could do on the Lake.
Looking for sport and outdoor activities?
If you want to go for an outing on foot or by bicycle, the best solution is to take the train from Verona to Peschiera del Garda (on the east coast of the lake).
The journey takes about 15 minutes, and once there you can choose whether to take the routes to Lazise and Bardolino (to the north), or to Pozzolengo, in the direction of Mantua (to the south).
You can also take your bike on the train, but only on the local ones and you have to buy an extra ticket at the cost of € 3.50. Usually the bicycle wagon is the first one in front of the train, but if you have any doubts ask the conductor.
Looking for cultural and historical sites?
The most interesting place from a historical and cultural point of view nearby is Sirmione, and you can reach it in two ways: you can get off at Peschiera station, which is the nearest station to Verona, and take the bus to Sirmione; or, you can get off at Desenzano, which is the following station (further west), but has more frequent buses.
Looking for fun for the whole family?
If you are travelling with children, the Verona coast of the lake is definitely the perfect place, thanks to the many amusement parks that populate it, such as Gardaland and Movieland. Reaching them is easy, because they all have a dedicated shuttle bus service: just reach the station of Peschiera del Garda, 15 minutes by train from Verona.
Looking for sport and outdoor activities?
As we said for Verona, if you like outdoor activities on foot or by bicycle, you can get off at Peschiera del Garda and there take the routes to Lazise and Bardolino (to the north), or to Pozzolengo, in the direction of Mantua (to the south), and cycle (or walk) through hills and vineyards.
The journey takes one hour and 30 minutes with the direct high-speed train, or one hour and 50 minutes with the local train, but you need a change at the station of Verona.
Also in this case, remember that you can only bring your bike on local trains, and not on high speed trains, and you need an extra ticket which costs € 3.50.
Looking for cultural and historical sites?
It is difficult to match the beauty of Venice, but surely Sirmione is a good challenger in terms of charm.
You can reach it in two ways: you can get off at Peschiera station, which is the nearest, and take the bus to Sirmione; or, you can get off at Desenzano, that has more frequent buses. If you take a high-speed train, you can choose depending on where it stops (Desenzano or Peschiera).
Looking for fun for the whole family?
As we said, the Veronese coast of Lake Garda is super rich in amusement parks, such as Gardaland and Movieland: fun is guaranteed at all ages!
To reach this parks is very easy, since they have a dedicated shuttle bus service: all you have to do is get to Peschiera del Garda, about one hour and a half from Venice.
Looking for sport and outdoor activities?
Moving from Milan, the first station you’ll find is Peschiera del Garda – Sirmione, on the western shore of the Lake. If you want to walk or cycle through the hills and vineyards, you can go north, towards Valtenesi and up to Gardone, or you can go south, towards the morainic hills and the Lugana area.
Remember that you can’t take your bike on high-speed trains, but only on local trains with an extra ticket costing € 3.50, and usually the bicycle wagon is the first one in front of the train. The ride with a local train takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes, while the ride with a Freccia Train lasts 50 minutes.
Looking for cultural and historical sites?
As we said for travelers from Verona and Venice, the most interesting place is certainly Sirmione, the pearl of Lake Garda. You can easily reach it by getting off at Desenzano-Sirmione station, and then taking the shuttle bus that leads to the town center of Sirmione.
If you have time, you can also take a boat from Sirmione and cross Lake Garda towards north, up to Riva del Garda. Leaving from Milan will also give you the opportunity to visit the upper Lake Garda: if you stop in Brescia, about an hour from Milan by train, you can take a bus to Gardone, to visit the Vittoriale, or to Limone sul Garda.
Looking for fun for the whole family?
The main amusement parks, including Gardaland, are located on the Verona side of the lake, so from Milan you have to reach Peschiera del Garda (about 1 hour and 20 minutes). From here, as mentioned, reaching the parks is very easy, thanks to the dedicated shuttle buses.
You can choose between 3 different types of train, all running on the same axis:
- Local trains (or “regional trains”) operated by Trenitalia, the Italian public train company;
- High-speed trains, also operated by Trenitalia, called Frecce;
- Italo Trains, high-speed trains operated by a private company named Italo.
Remember that the Frecce, the high-speed trains from Trenitalia, stop alternately in Peschiera OR Desenzano, not in both stations.
An unpleasant point: unfortunately assistance for people with disabilities or reduced mobility is not always guaranteed and should be requested as specified on Trenitalia official website.
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