Milan Central to Como S. Giovanni Trains from €5.40

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Departure station: Departing from Milan Central

All trains from Milano Centrale to Como San Giovanni depart from the mainline platforms on ground level, so there’s no need to descend to the underground platforms, where the high-speed services depart.  Trenord, which operates the majority of services on this route, also departs from here. Allow 10-15 minutes to get from the entrance hall to your platform, and check the departure boards for your platform number, which is usually displayed around 15-20 minutes before departure.

Before heading to your train, Mercato Centrale on the upper level of Milano Centrale is one of the finest food halls in Italy and an excellent place for breakfast or a coffee. If you need to store luggage before your journey, KiPoint is available on the ground floor, open approximately from 06:00 to 23:00.

Arrival station: Arriving at Como San Giovanni

Como San Giovanni is a compact station with a ticket office, tourist information, restrooms and a small selection of cafes and shops, all on the ground floor. However, there’s no luggage storage at the station, so if you need to store bags, use your hotel or a third-party storage service nearby.

The historic centre and lakefront are around a 15-minute walk from the station. Head straight out of the main entrance, follow Via Milano south towards the cathedral and Piazza Cavour, and you'll arrive at the lake with the ferry terminal directly in front of you.

Outside the main entrance, a bus station also provides quick connections to central Como, the lakefront and towns around the lake, including services towards Bellagio and Menaggio. Taxis are also available outside the station for those heading directly to the waterfront or their hotel.

With no high-speed line between Milan and Como San Giovanni, this route is not served by Frecciarossa or Italo trains. Instead, the route is operated by Trenord regional services and a small number of international EuroCity trains. Here's how the options compare:

Trenord

Trenord is the primary operator on this route, running approximately hourly services throughout the day between Milano Centrale and Como San Giovanni.

• Average journey time: Around 40 minutes.
• Best for: Day trippers, commuters and anyone wanting the most flexible service. With the highest frequency of departures throughout the day, this is the locals’ choice.
• Onboard perks: Standard regional carriages and comfortable seating – no reservation required, just buy a ticket and board.
• Worth knowing: Tickets cost about €5.20 for a second class single. The first departure from Milano Centrale is at 05:43, and the last one at 22:43. Don’t forget to validate your ticket in the yellow machines before boarding.

EuroCity

A small number of EuroCity services operated by Trenitalia and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) also call at Como San Giovanni on their way from Milan to Switzerland.

• Average journey time: Around 39 to 43 minutes.
• Best for: Travellers looking for the fastest service, or those continuing from Como to Switzerland
• Onboard perks: Comfortable first and second class seating, at-seat trolley service on most trains, free Wi-Fi on SBB operated trains
• Worth knowing: EuroCity fares are generally higher than Trenord for this short Milan to Como hop.

Como is a gateway to the lake, but it's also a city in its own right – with a magnificent cathedral, a proud silk-making heritage, and a lakefront that ranks among the most beautiful urban waterfronts in Italy. Here are the highlights within easy reach of Como San Giovanni.

• Como Cathedral and the historic centre

The route from Como San Giovanni station to the lake takes you directly through the historic centre, and the first major landmark you'll encounter is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, a remarkable building that took six centuries to complete, blending Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements in a facade of extraordinary richness. The surrounding streets are Como's silk quarter, lined with shops selling the ties and scarves the town has been producing since the Middle Ages.

• Piazza Cavour and the lakefront

A 15-minute walk from the station, Piazza Cavour is where the city meets the lake – a grand neoclassical square opening directly onto the water with the Alps rising behind. The lakefront promenade stretches in both directions and is lined with Art Nouveau buildings, cafes and views of the lake that make it clear why Lake Como has been attracting wealthy visitors since Roman times.

• Ferries to Bellagio, Varenna and beyond

The ferry terminal sits directly alongside Piazza Cavour, and from here you can catch a service to almost every town on the lake. The fast ferry to Bellagio takes around one hour, while the slower passenger ferry takes two, offering one of the most beautiful slow journeys in Italy. Varenna on the eastern shore is smaller, quieter and arguably more beautiful than Bellagio – well worth the slightly longer crossing for those with time to spare.

• Funicular to Brunate

A short walk along the lakefront, the funicular to Brunate departs every 30 minutes and climbs to the hillside village above the lake in around 7 minutes – the views from the top across Como and the lake are spectacular, and among the best available without a boat.