How to get from Milan Linate Airport to Lake Garda

If you’re travelling from Linate Airport to Lake Garda by train, Desenzano and Peschiera del Garda Stations on the southern shore are the closest stopping-off points where you can either base yourself or travel onwards to other towns by bus or ferry. 

There are several train routes to choose from but one of the most straightforward options with fewer transfers is to take the M4 metro line from the airport to Forlanini Station, which takes just 5 minutes, and from there you can take a train to Desenzano or Peschiera del Garda, transferring briefly through Milano Lambrate or Pioltello Limito. This option has a total journey time of 85 minutes, excluding wait times. 

Another option is to travel from Linate Airport to Milan Central Station and from there, you can take a direct train to either Desenzano or Peschiera del Garda Station in around 60 minutes.

The minimum fare ticket on the ATM metro line costs €2.20 per passenger and is valid for 90 minutes. To pay for your ticket, tap on and off as you enter the train with a credit or debit card.

Tickets for regional trains on Trenord can be purchased online or from ticket counters and kiosks at the station. The cost for a one-way journey should be about €11.50 per person, bringing the total cost to €13.70.

Taking the metro and train from Linate Airport to Lake Garda is the cheapest mode of transport for this trip and the only public transport option with a reasonable journey time. However, given that it requires a couple of transfers and there are potentially long wait times in between connections, it’s not the most convenient option, especially if you’re arriving at night or need to carry your luggage.

For a comfortable door-to-door transfer service with a local English-speaking driver, we suggest pre-booking a private transfer with a company such as Welcome Pickups and that way you’ll avoid the hassle of train timetables altogether.