transportation to Lake Como

I recommend you go by train, not rental car. This train schedule will show you the schedules and times http://www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml

One way to do it will probably be (by train) through Milan Centrale station, where you'll connect to Colico. Pay for your ticket at the station. There may be other ways.

Parking is difficult and driving is not an efficient way to get around the Lake. If you decide to go by car, you use this online map to show you the driving route click here for Google map.

I'm not sure about transportation from Como Lago, the town at the southern end of Lake Como, to Colico, but the train, Malpensa Express, that goes from the airport into Milan, stops on the way at Saronno. In Saronno you can get another train to Como Lago. That train goes right into the town center, near the waterfront. There should be boats from there to Colico. These are private trains, not run by Trenitalia, so you won't find them on most schedules.

www.malpensaexpress.it

Deb
From the airport you will take the train to the Lake. From the Lake you can get to various desinations by ferry.

ASK for the right ferry! .

There are multiple ferries and some are express, and some is the slow boat to china. When we were going to my sister's wedding, we failed to ask, and took the one that stopped at 59 other destinations before getting to our stop. Ok, maybe not 59 stops, but it took about an hour and a half. Yes, it was a beautiful lake cruise, but we just wanted to get to the villa!

You can also get food at the local shops before boarding the ferry. I'm glad we did because by the time we got to our port, the time for lunch was almost over.

Deb: It's a long ferry ride from the town of Como to Colico, Colico is near the north end of this very long lake and so by ferry from Como (town of) you'd have to traverse almost the entire length of the lake.

I think the boat ride is at least 1 and 3/4 hours and maybe only 4 or 5 per day. That's the time starting from when you leave the Como and doesn't include the time to get to the town of Como from Malpensa airport.

The train from Milan Centrale to Colico takes 1 and 1/2 hours and it's about an hour to get from Malpensa to Milan Centrale. There are about 10 or more trains per day.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. It sounds like the train is the easiest way to go. I'm not worried about parking in Colico because my niece has a home there, but I was wondering why you said that driving is difficult around Como.

Thanks again,
Deb

Deb: I should have just let Rick explain it, here's what he says about why you don't want to drive at Lake Como in his book Italy:

"With the parking problems, constant traffic jams, and expensive car ferries, Lake Como is no place to drive if you don't have to. While you can drive around the lake, the road is narrow, congested, and lined by privacy-seeking walls, hedges, and tall fences."

What he means by the last phrase is: that it's disappointing, to someone who hasn't been there and is assuming that you get the postcard views from the roads, how few good views are to be had from the road.

The postcard views are easy to get, you take the ferry out onto the lake.