Closest Airport to Lake Garda: Verona, Bergamo and Milan by Shore

Every rail journey from this airport starts with a bus. Aerobus line 199 (Verona AirLink) runs from the airport to Verona Porta Nuova station every 20 minutes with no intermediate stops. The single fare is $7.82 (€7) and you pay by tapping a contactless bank card on the validator, with no extra commission.

From Porta Nuova the lake trains take over: a regional reaches Peschiera del Garda in 13 minutes for $4.52 (€4.05), Desenzano in 21 to 23 minutes for $5.36 (€4.80), and Rovereto in 40 minutes to 1 hour for $7.76 (€6.95), which is the station for Riva, Torbole and Arco. Frecciarossa trains are faster but fares change by train and date, so price your exact day. From about June to September the public bus to Garda stops directly at the airport, which removes the station transfer entirely if you sleep on the east shore.

Fares here come from a weekday timetable, and regional fares are fixed. The full breakdown lives on our Verona to Lake Garda page.

The airport connects to the rail network through Bergamo station, and a direct shuttle train runs from the airport to the station every 15 minutes. From Bergamo station, regional trains change at Rovato or Treviglio and continue to Desenzano del Garda. On the weekday timetable the trip takes 1 h 21 min to 1 h 42 min and costs $8.60 (€7.70) to $10.05 (€9), which makes Bergamo the cheapest airport-to-lake rail route on this page.

Regional fares are fixed, so this price holds. Trenitalia also sells a combined bus and train ticket from the airport itself: a bus to Verona Porta Nuova of about 1 h 35 min, then a regional on to Desenzano, $25.36 (€22.70) in total, or to Peschiera for $24.52 (€21.95). A Busitalia bus also runs from the airport to Brescia.

If your base is Desenzano, the town page at Desenzano del Garda shows what is around the station.

By rail, a Malpensa regional train runs into Milano Centrale, then the direct regional continues to Desenzano. On the weekday timetable the whole chain takes 2 h 44 min and costs $28.49 (€25.50) in total. Add a Frecciarossa leg and the trip shortens to about 2 to 2.5 hours for $35.64 (€31.90) to $38.99 (€34.90), but remember Frecciarossa fares change by train and date.

One useful detail: from Milano Centrale the direct regional to Desenzano leaves at :25 every hour, so a late landing still has a fixed target. The direct regional reaches both Desenzano-Sirmione and Peschiera, the only two railway stations on the lake. Linate is inside the city and has no rail link printed here, so get yourself to Milano Centrale by whatever means, then follow the same train plan.

Full fares and times are on our Milan to Lake Garda page.

Venice Marco Polo

Venice Marco Polo lies about 100 km from the lake per VisitGarda. It suits travellers who pair the lagoon with the lake in one trip. From the airport you reach the rail network and ride toward Verona, alighting at Peschiera or Desenzano, the two lake stations.

No specific timings are printed here, so check the connection before you book the flight. For the trip in the other direction, from a lake base to Venice for the day, our Venice from Lake Garda page covers the coach tour option.

Brescia Montichiari

Brescia-Montichiari is the nearest airport after Verona, about 30 km from the lake. It links to Brescia station by an Aerobus, and from Brescia station trains run toward Desenzano and Verona. Before you plan a whole trip around it, check what flights it actually has on your dates, because the schedule may not match your route.

If it does, Brescia sits on the same railway as Desenzano, so the last leg follows the train plan on Milan to Lake Garda, where the Frecciarossa runs that change at Brescia are listed. From Desenzano the boats and buses take over, and for a west-shore base such as Salò a car from a rental desk is the simpler finish, see Lake Garda car rental.

Bologna for the North Tip

Bologna sits about 150 km from the lake, the farthest on this page, yet it earns its place for one reason. A direct train runs from Bologna to Rovereto, the station for the north tip, cutting out any change in Milan or Verona. From Rovereto a Trentino Trasporti bus covers the last 17 km to Riva del Garda, calling at Torbole, and the same network serves Arco.

Remember that Trentino buses sell no tickets on board, so buy before you travel. If you fly into Bologna and sleep at Torbole or Arco, this is the smoothest land route.

South shore, in Desenzano, Sirmione or Peschiera: all three big options work. Verona is fastest, Bergamo is cheapest by regional train, and Milan Malpensa handles long-haul arrivals with a fixed hourly regional onward. East shore, in Lazise, Bardolino, Garda or Malcesine: fly Verona.

Trains stop at Peschiera, then ATV buses run up the coast, and from about June to September the Garda bus stops directly at Verona airport. North tip, in Riva, Torbole or Arco: Verona or Bologna, train to Rovereto, then the Trentino bus. Buy the bus ticket in advance, never on board.

West shore, in Salò, Gardone Riviera or Limone: this is the hardest by public transport. Trains do not reach these towns, so a rental car or a pre-booked transfer helps a lot here, and our Lake Garda car rental page covers the terms. Once you land, the things to do in Lake Garda spread across every shore, and the table below condenses the choice.

Day tours can also take the airport question off your mind for a day. Guided options run the whole length of the season, and our Lake Garda tours page lists them all.

Pre-booked transfer companies sell fixed prices per car rather than per person, and Kiwitaxi lists routes from Verona to Sirmione, Peschiera, Desenzano, Garda, Bardolino, Malcesine, Limone and Gardaland, estimating about 45 minutes for Verona to Sirmione. Welcome Pickups serves Verona airport with drivers to Sirmione, Malcesine, Peschiera, Desenzano, Bardolino and Limone, and also covers Milan's airports including Bergamo. Many lake hotels offer their own airport transfers, so ask when you book the room. Because transfer prices are per car and by date, no figure is posted that fits every traveller: get a quote for your exact leg before you commit.

For the west shore towns it is the simplest door-to-door option. Compare with the rail prices above before deciding.