How to get to Lake Garda from Verona (By Train, Bus or Car)
If you’re wondering how to get to Lake Garda from Verona then you’ve come to the right place!
Verona is the airport nearest to Lake Garda.
Located in the north of Italy, Lago di Garda or Lake Garda as it’s more commonly known, is Italy’s largest lake spanning over a huge 370 square kilometres.
It’s a wonderful spot to visit whether that be for a day trip, a weekend break or a longer holiday. Its shores are dotted with picturesque towns, historic sights, white-pebbled beaches, and quaint towns packed full of cafes, bars and restaurants and it’s one of our favourite places that we’ve visited in Italy – and coming from us, that’s a huge statement!
In a hurry? Here is our quick guide to travelling to Lake Garda from Verona:
What are the options to travel between the two? Train, bus and car hire are the three main options!
How long does it take to travel from Lake Garda to Verona: You can travel between the two in as little as 13 minutes by train, which is the quickest mode of transport.
What is the best option? The train is the quickest, the bus is the cheapest and hiring a car gives you the most flexibility to explore different towns around the lake. So, it really depends on what you prioritise.
How much does it cost to travel from Verona to Lake Garda? The cheapest option is the public bus which costs an average of €4.
Visiting Verona and Lake Garda
Lake Garda itself doesn’t have an airport. But, luckily, Verona Airport is only a short drive away making it easy to pair your trip to Lake Garda with a trip also, to the beautiful city of Verona.
Known as the City of Love, Verona is one of Italy’s most famous cities, behind those such as Milan, Rome, Venice and Florence. It’s a small city but, that doesn’t stop it being packed full of beautiful and unique sights that span over 2,000 years of history and art, the city is also famously the backdrop of the story of Romeo and Juliet.
From Verona, you can easily visit the tows of Peschiera del Garda, Desenzano del Garda, Sirmione, Lazise, Bardolino, Garda, Torri del Benaco, Monselice, Torbole and Riva del Garda. Each is dotted around Lake Garda and is perfect to combine with Verona for a wonderful day trip.
If you can’t decide where to stay on Lake Garda we’ve put together a helpful post to help you decide, that you can read here.
You can also read our guide on Limone sul Garda here (in our opinion – one of the most beautiful towns around the lake.
If you’re thinking of visiting Lake Garda then the easiest way to do that is by flying into Verona airport.
Travelling between the two destinations really couldn’t be easier. So, if you have ever asked yourself ‘How to get from Verona to Lake Garda?’ read on. In this blog post, we will provide you with first-hand tried and tested information on travelling to Lake Garda from Verona.
How to get from Verona to Lake Garda
Verona airport has great road and railway connections, it is the most convenient Italian city to reach Lake Garda. Two of the most popular lakefront towns – Peschiera del Garda and Desenzano del Garda – have railway stations.
You can find out about the best places to stay in Lake Garda via our post here.
Is it worth visiting Lake Garda from Verona?
Before we dive into the question ‘how to get from Verona to Lake Garda’ you might be wondering Is it worth visiting Lake Garda from Verona? The answer is YES! The two spots are so close together and can easily be visited during one trip. Lake Garda is beautiful and well worth a visit, even if it is only for an afternoon.
The best ways to get from Verona to Lake Garda via public transport
How to get to Lake Garda from Verona by train
Once at Verona Airport, take the shuttle bus which connects the airport to the Verona Porta Nuova train station at regular times throughout the day.
From the train station, you can travel directly to either Peschiera del Garda or Desenzano del Garda – two of the most popular towns on the southern shores of Lake Garda.
Once there, you can use the buses and ferry networks to travel to the different lakeside towns and villages. Some buses connect the Verona Porta Nuova train station to different towns on the shores of Lake Garda allowing you to travel directly to them without the need to take a train first.
To reach the northern towns of Lake Garda you can get a bus or a ferry from either Peschiera del Garda or Desenzano del Garda.
Alternatively, you can travel by train from the Verona Porta Nuova train station to the city of Rovereto. Once there, you can take a bus to Riva del Garda and other northern lakeside towns.
As mentioned, Verona has two train stations making travel between Verona to Lake Garda by train nice and easy. The main one is Verona Porta Nuova. It is the city’s busiest and most popular train station also housing the country’s major cross-junction railway hub.
The two airports: Desenzano del Garda and Peschiera del Garda are only about 15 km apart. Both are on the southern shore of the lake. Therefore, if you are looking to visit the North of the lake then a train might not be the best mode of transport for you travelling to Lake Garda from Verona.
Verona to Lake Garda train travel times:
Verona Porta Nuova to Peschiera del Garda – from 13 mins by direct train.
Verona Porta Nuova to Desenzano del Garda – from 23 mins by direct train.
It is worth noting that two types of trains run in Italy: The regular trains; Treno Regionale and the high-speed trains – Frecciargento, Frecciarossa, and ItaloTreno.
Both the regional trains and the high-speed trains cover the distance between Verona to Lake Garda at roughly the same time, due to the short distance. However, the tickets for the high-speed trains cost on average about three times more than the tickets for the regional trains.
How to get to Lake Garda from Verona by bus
Depending on the area of Lake Garda that you want to visit you can easily get a public bus from Verona to Lake Garda.
From Verona airport, you can take the 199 “Airlink” line to Verona Porta Nuova Railway station and then change to lines 162, 163, 164, and 165.
You can see all of the bus routes to Lake Garda from Verona by bus here.
Bus routes to Lake Garda from Verona
Multiple buses run to Lake Garda from Verona. Some of these include:
– Bus lines 162 and 163 will take you from Verona to Lazise, Bardolino, and Garda Town.
– Bus line 164 will take you from Verona to Peschiera del Garda, Lazise, Bardolino, and Garda Town.
– Bus line 165 will take you from Verona to Bardolino and Garda Town.
– Bus line 026 will take you from Verona to Castelnuovo, Peschiera del Garda, and Desenzano del Garda.
The buses for Lake Garda usually start from Piazza Bra (the large square in Verona where you can see the Roman amphitheatre Arena di Verona) and also stop at Verona Porta Nuova train station.
How to travel from Verona to Lake Garda using a hire car
The drive between the two Italian spots, depending on whereabouts you are visiting in Lake Garda, can take as little as 30 minutes.
We went with this option and couldn’t be happier that we did. Our hotel, Hotel Madrigale, whilst being incredibly beautiful was up a large hill with no bus stops near it. if we had opted to take public transport whilst visiting Lake Garda we would have been stuck in our hotel or relying on taxis.
It is worth noting that some of the roads between Verona to Lake Garda have tolls. We only paid around €3 one way. But, you can also choose to avoid the toll roads and instead drive on the provincial/regional roads which are free of charge. However, these drives can take a lot longer. But, if you’re not in any rush and enjoy the journey then we recommend opting for these.
Travel time between Verona and Lake Garda using a hire car
– Verona to Lazise – 25 km takes around 25 mins to 35 mins
– Verona to Peschiera del Garda – 30 km takes around 25 mins to 45 mins
– Verona to Bardolino – 30 km takes around 30 mins to 45 mins
– Verona to Desenzano del Garda – 44 km takes around 35 mins to 55 mins
– Verona to Sirmione – 43 km takes around 40 mins to 1 hr
It is also worth noting that travel times between Verona and Lake Garda may vary widely depending on the day and the season.
As only one road wraps around the whole lake, traffic jams can happen, especially during the high season and on weekends. We actually got stuck as we visited the day of the Lake Garda marathon and the road was closed so our journey was delayed by about 2 hours.
Travelling from Verona to Lake Garda by taxi
If you like the ease of a car but, don’t enjoy driving one yourself (or can’t) then a taxi is your next best option when wondering how to get from Verona to Lake Garda.
Travelling between Verona and Lake Garda by taxi provides a convenient and efficient mode of transport. The journey is approximately 25 to 40 kilometres, depending on the town you are visiting in Lake Garda (Lago di Garda). A taxi between Verona and Lake Garda will cost you approximately €45 – €55 depending on where you are visiting around the lake.
Along the route, you can enjoy views of the picturesque Veneto countryside, the vineyards, olive groves, and rolling hills. It’s a beautiful journey.
You can hail a taxi from Verona Airport, Verona Porta Nuova train station, and just about anywhere in Verona.
Either agree to your price in advance or if you haven’t then make sure that you ask the taxi driver before the start of the journey how much it will cost you. On Sundays and public holidays, a surcharge may be applied so it’s worth noting this when booking your flight and deciding how to get from Verona to Lake Garda.
If you are visiting a different part of Lake Garda then it might be worth flying into a different airport read all about the other various airports near Lake Garda here.
How far is Verona Airport from Limone sul Garda?
Verona Airport (VRN), is located 47 km from Limone sul Garda making it the nearest airport. Limone sul Garda is one of the most popular spots around the lake and one of the most beautiful, we recommend visiting if you have time.
How far is Verona Airport from Malcesine?
Verona Airport (VRN), is located 40 km from Malcesine making it the nearest airport, another popular and beautiful spot around the lake, known for its castle and a stunning little pebble beach.
How far is Verona Airport from Riva del Garda?
Verona Airport (VRN), is located 55 km from Riva del Garda making it the nearest airport. Riva del Garda offers a mix of history, natural beauty, and cultural richness. It’s another popular spot and, once again, absolutely gorgeous.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Garda to Verona
Yes, there is a direct train from Verona to Lake Garda. The train from Verona to Lake Garda takes just 19 minutes and there are over twenty daily services to the two train stations in Lake Garda. These are Desenzano del Garda/Sirmione stations and can both be found on the southern shores of Lake Garda.
Yes, you can easily do a day trip to Lake Garda from Verona. You can be on the lake in as little as 19 minutes, making it easy to visit the two spots in one day.
There are multiple options to travel to Lake Garda from Verona even without a car. The quickest is the train. However, you can only reach the southern shores of Lake Garda by train so you can either combine this with a bus, taxi or even a boat across the lake.
A taxi to Lake Garda from Verona costs approximately €45 – €55 and takes around 30 minutes depending on the part of the lake that you are visiting.
Verona to Lake Garda by train is approximately 22 miles. This is from Verona Porta Nuova to Desenzano del Garda/Sirmione by train. The journey takes around 19 minutes.
The journey depends on whereabouts you are visiting Lake Garda and your mode of transport.
If you are travelling to Lake Garda from Verona then you can be there in as little time as 19 minutes if travelling by train to the southern shores. If you are driving then the drive takes around 30 minutes depending on traffic.
The cheapest option to travel to Lake Garda from Verona is the public bus. This costs on average €4 and takes just over an hour.
The closest town of Lake Garda (Lazise) to Verona is approximately 25km. The drive between the two Italian spots takes around 35 minutes depending on traffic.
The journey between Verona to Lake Garda is very short (taking as little as 19 minutes), making the journey between the two Italian destinations very easy. Just bear in mind that this depends on the area of Lake Garda that you are visiting and the mode of transport that you opt for between the two spots.
Yes! If you have enough time in Verona then we highly recommend combining your visit with a trip to Lake Garda. The largest lake in Italy is really beautiful and you can get there in as little as 19 minutes from Verona.
Lake Garda can get very busy during the peak summer months so we recommend visiting during shoulder seasons (March until May and September to November). This way the weather will still be warm and bars and restaurants will be open but, it won’t be as crowded or expensive as it would during the peak summer months of June, July and August.
Final thoughts on how to get to Lake Garda from Verona (By Train, Bus or Car)
Pairing Verona and Lake Garda is an amazing choice for a long weekend or more. Verona is the nearest airport to Lake Garda and you can travel between the two in as little as 13 minutes! Each mode of transport has its own benefit. The public bus is the most budget-friendly, a train is the quickest (so therefore, perfect for a day trip!) and hiring a car is the best way to be able to explore the whole of Lake Garda.
We hope that this post will help you plan your trip, travelling from Verona to Lake Garda!
