How to reach Lake Garda and its towns by public transport

Lake Garda is absolutely doable without a car. You can reach the lake by train or bus, then continue to different towns by bus or ferry. The best option for you depends on where you are coming from, where you will stay, and the time of year you visit.

Table of Contents

Getting to Lake Garda by public transport

By train

There are two train stations on Lake Garda:

Desenzano del Garda
Peschiera del Garda

Both are on the main Milan – Verona – Venice railway line, so they are easy to reach from several cities. From:

Milan – there are direct trains to both Desenzano del Garda and Peschiera del Garda.
Verona – there are direct trains to both towns.
Bergamo and Lecco – you can reach Desenzano del Garda or Peschiera del Garda with one change, usually in Brescia or Verona.

You will find both regional trains and faster, more expensive options. Regional trains are usually enough for this route and often cheaper, especially if you book close to the travel date.

A walkway from the train station leading over a bridge towards an arched gateway into the old town — The route from Peschiera del Garda station, crossing the bridge towards the historic arched entrance of the old town

By bus

You can also reach Lake Garda by bus, especially if it is more convenient for your route or timing.

From Bergamo Airport (Orio al Serio) there is a direct FlixBus to Peschiera del Garda.
- It runs only 2–3 times per day.
- The journey is shorter than by train, but the ticket is usually more expensive.
From Verona you can take regional buses (ATV or SIA) to:
- Peschiera del Garda
- Garda

These buses run along the southern and eastern side of the lake and are useful if you want to go directly to a lakeside town instead of changing at the train station.

Transport in Italy is reliable most of the time, but strikes do happen. They’re usually announced in advance, and knowing what to expect can help you avoid stress on travel days. I have a separate guide on what to do if you run into a strike.

When it makes sense to choose the train

Whenever you can, it is usually most comfortable to travel by train. Even if you need to change trains once, the train has several advantages:

Trains run more often than many buses.
You often find a cheaper ticket compared with long-distance buses.
There is a wider choice of routes and times.
Stations are easier to find than some bus stops, especially in bigger cities.
There is usually more legroom and you can move around more easily on the train.

Imagine a simple regional train in Italy, a green one standing on the platform next to a red train – that is the type of train you will probably use to reach Lake Garda.

However, everything still depends on your plans:

Where you are staying
How long you will stay at the lake
Which towns you want to visit

If you are staying all nights in Desenzano del Garda or Peschiera del Garda, the answer is simple: take the train. You arrive directly in town and can walk or take a short local bus to your accommodation.

If your “base” at Lake Garda is another town – for example Limone sul Garda, Sirmione or Malcesine – you need to look more carefully at:

Train timetables
Bus timetables
Ferry timetables

Then you choose the combination that works best for your exact situation.

For example:

In one case it might be more practical to take a train to Desenzano del Garda, then continue by bus or ferry with one or more changes to reach Limone sul Garda.
In another case it might be easier to take a bus all the way, with one or several changes, to reach Malcesine.

Getting from town to town on Lake Garda

Once you are already at the lake, you can travel between towns by ferry and by bus. Only Desenzano del Garda and Peschiera del Garda have train stations, so trains are mainly for arriving at the lake, not for moving between lakeside towns.

The good news is that this is not just a practical question. Travelling by ferry on Lake Garda is a small experience in itself. From the water, the views of the towns and mountains are usually much better than from the streets inside the town.

Travelling by ferry on Lake Garda

Ferries are a lovely way to explore towns all around the lake. But the service is seasonal, and this is very important when you plan your trip.

According to Navigazione Laghi, which runs the public ferries on Lake Garda, the main season runs roughly from spring to autumn, with a fuller timetable between about late March and early October. Outside this period, there is a reduced autumn/winter timetable.

Ferries run with a full timetable in the summer season, from the end of March to the beginning of October.
In the winter season, from the beginning of October to the end of March, there are fewer ferries.
From the beginning of November to the beginning of March there is only one route, between Torri and Maderno.
Cars are transported only on one route (also Torri – Maderno).

These exact dates can change from year to year, so you should always check the current timetable on the official Navigazione Laghi website before you travel.

Small boats and sailing vessels moored in the calm harbour of Desenzano del Garda — A serene scene of moored boats and sailing yachts in the picturesque harbour of Desenzano del Garda

In summary, for ferries:

Summer / high season:
- Many routes, frequent connections.
- Easy to use ferries for day trips around the lake.
Spring and autumn “shoulder” seasons:
- Still ferries, but less frequent.
Winter:
- Very limited service, sometimes only one route operating.
- You often cannot rely on ferries to move between towns.

Travelling by bus around Lake Garda

In winter, from mid-November to March, buses are often the only way to reach many towns around Lake Garda. Even in summer, buses are important, especially for places that have fewer ferry connections at certain times of day.

Lake Garda is divided between two regions / provinces:

Western and southern shore: part of Lombardy
Eastern and southern shore: part of the Veneto region

Because of this, the different sides of the lake are served by different bus companies:

Eastern side (Verona / Veneto):
- Mainly ATV (Azienda Trasporti Verona).
- From Verona you can reach Peschiera del Garda, Lazise, Bardolino, Garda and other towns along this shore on several routes.
Western side (Brescia / Lombardy):
- Mainly Arriva Italia.
- Buses connect Brescia, Desenzano, Salò, Gardone Riviera, Limone sul Garda, Riva del Garda and other towns on this shore.

Eastern shore: more coordinated routes

On the eastern side of the lake the routes are generally better coordinated, which makes it easier to cross a large part of the lake in one day. For example:

From Peschiera del Garda you can reach Riva del Garda with one change in Garda town.
If you buy a one-day ticket, you can:
- Travel up and down this side of the lake.
- Get on and off different buses as many times as you like in one day.

This is very convenient if you want to visit several towns on the eastern side in one day.

One important detail:

If you want to go from Riva del Garda to Limone sul Garda, you need to buy a separate ticket, because you are switching to a different route / operator.

A lakeside promenade with colourful houses, a tree in the foreground, and a mountain rising behind. — A vibrant corner of Lake Garda’s promenade, where colourful buildings meet the water and mountains frame the view

Western shore: possible longer waits

On the western side you can also travel by bus between towns, but:

The waiting time between connections can be longer.
It can be a bit more complicated to plan a long route with many stops in one day.

This does not mean it is impossible – just that you need to check timetables more carefully and accept a slower rhythm if you want to explore multiple towns on this side.

Timetables and useful links

When you travel by public transport, always start with the timetables. Your wishes are important, but if the transport you want does not exist at the right time, you will have to adapt. So it is better to:

First check what is running and when.
Then plan your sightseeing around the available buses and ferries, not the other way round.

Here are the most useful official sources for Lake Garda:

Ferries (Lake Garda navigation)

Navigazione Laghi – Lake Garda: official site for ferry timetables and tickets.
- Use it to check:
  - Current summer / winter timetables.
  - Which routes are running on your travel dates.
  - Whether the Torri – Maderno car ferry is operating.

Buses

ATV (eastern shore and Verona connections):
- Lines from Verona to Garda, Bardolino, Lazise, Peschiera del Garda and others.
Arriva Italia (western shore and Brescia connections):
- Routes along the western shore and from Brescia and Desenzano towards the lake.

Trains

Trenitalia / Italo:
- For trains to Desenzano del Garda and Peschiera del Garda from Milan, Verona, Venice, Brescia and other cities on the same line.

You can also use journey planners such as Rome2Rio or Google Maps to get a first idea of possible routes, but always double-check on the official websites before travelling, because private sites are not always perfectly up to date.

Final advice for visiting Lake Garda without a car

To sum up:

Trains are usually the easiest and most comfortable way to reach Lake Garda, especially if you are staying in Desenzano del Garda or Peschiera del Garda.
Buses and ferries are essential for reaching other towns around the lake.
In winter, many ferry routes do not operate, so you must rely mainly on buses.
In summer, ferries and buses together give you many options to circle the lake and explore different towns.
Whatever the season, start by checking timetables, then adapt your plan to the reality of public transport, not the other way round.