Arriving at Lake Maggiore is genuinely one of the easier journeys in the Italian lakes, and once you are here you can leave the car keys in your pocket for most of a trip. The lake sits close to Milan yet feels a world away, and the public ferries do a huge amount of the work of showing you the best of it. Here is exactly how I get to Stresa and how I get about once I am there, with the practical details I wish someone had handed me the first time.
Getting there
By air via Malpensa
Your gateway is Milan Malpensa (MXP). It is the closest major airport by a comfortable margin, about 40 km from Stresa, which works out at roughly 45 minutes by car. That proximity is the thing to remember: Malpensa is actually north-west of Milan, on the Lake Maggiore side of the city, so you are not battling through the centre at all.
Milan Linate and Bergamo also serve the region, but both are further away and I would only route through them if the fare or schedule were dramatically better. If you are coming from the north, the Swiss airports of Lugano and Zurich serve the far, Swiss end of the lake and can make sense for a Locarno-based trip.
How I would do it: I land at Malpensa, and unless I have a firm reason to drive, I take a pre-booked private transfer or taxi straight to the Stresa lakefront. In 45 minutes or so I am watching the islands from the promenade with a coffee, which is a very civilised way to start.
By train from Milano Centrale
If you are already in Milan or arriving by rail, the train is a joy. Stresa sits on the historic Milan to Domodossola to Simplon line, so it is well served. Fast InterCity and EuroCity services from Milano Centrale reach Stresa in about 1h10 to 1h20. Regional trains cover the same route more slowly and with more stops, so if speed matters, look for the InterCity or EuroCity. Across the operators you can expect roughly one to two departures an hour, though this thins out at the edges of the day, so do check current timetables when you book.
Stresa’s station is a short walk up the hill from the lakefront, downhill on the way back, which is the correct direction to be carrying luggage. I like the train precisely because it delivers you into the middle of town rather than to a car park, and the final stretch along the shore is lovely.
By car
Driving from Milan takes about an hour on the A8 and A26 motorways, and it is a straightforward run. A car earns its keep if you intend to explore the far shores, drive up Mottarone, or base yourself somewhere the ferries do not reach. Just know that in the compact lakefront towns, and Stresa in particular, parking is at a premium in high season and a car can sit unused for days. I will come back to whether you actually need one.
From Switzerland
Coming from the Swiss side is part of the pleasure rather than a chore. By rail you route via Domodossola, the key junction at the top of the lake. The really special option is the scenic Centovalli line from Locarno to Domodossola, and then south towards Stresa. It turns the approach itself into a highlight, threading through gorges and over viaducts. More on that line below, because it is worth building a day around.
Getting around
The ferry network and the day pass
The lake’s public ferries are run by Navigazione Lago Maggiore, and they are the backbone of any gulf-based trip. The central tourist route links the places you will most want: Arona, Stresa, Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori, Isola Madre, Baveno and Pallanza/Verbania. In practice this means you can hop between the mainland towns and all three Borromean Islands on scheduled boats throughout the day.
The clever buy is the day “free circulation” pass, the biglietto di libera circolazione. It lets you get on and off as often as you like within a zone for the day, and it runs roughly €14.80 to €22.20 depending on how much of the lake your chosen zone covers. If you are island-hopping at all, it pays for itself quickly, because individual point-to-point tickets add up fast once you start stringing three islands together. There are also combined ferry-plus-gardens passes, from around €69 upwards, which bundle the boat with entry to the Borromean palaces and gardens. Fares and zones do change, so confirm the current bands and which zone you need when you buy.
How I island-hop: I buy the appropriate day pass first thing in Stresa, then run the islands in a deliberate order rather than doubling back. My usual rhythm is Isola Bella for the palace and its theatrical gardens, then Isola dei Pescatori for a slow lakeside lunch, then Isola Madre for the botanical calm, catching whichever scheduled boat comes next. The pass means I never think about tickets again all day, which is exactly the point. For the detail on each island, I would read my full guide to the Borromean Islands alongside this one.
Taxi boats
When the scheduled timetable does not suit, or you simply want to travel on your own clock, private taxi boats run on demand. They are faster and flexible, taking you island to island whenever you please, and they cost considerably more than the public ferry. I use them when I am short on time, travelling as a group where the per-head cost softens, or chasing a particular light for photographs. For most visitors the scheduled ferries are all you need, but it is reassuring to know the taxi boats are there.
The Intra to Laveno car ferry
Across the middle of the lake, a car ferry crosses between Intra (part of Verbania) on the western shore and Laveno on the eastern shore. This is a proper vehicle ferry, and it is genuinely useful if you are driving and want to reach the opposite bank without the long loop around either end of the lake. Even on foot it is a pleasant short crossing and a quick way to sample the quieter eastern side.
The Centovalli railway and the Lago Maggiore Express
The Centovalli railway, also called the Vigezzina-Centovalli, is a scenic narrow-gauge line running between Domodossola and Locarno, taking around two hours. It is one of the loveliest rides in the whole region, winding through the “hundred valleys” past chestnut woods, waterfalls and stone hamlets. It is often combined with a ferry leg to form the circular “Lago Maggiore Express”, which stitches together boat and train into a single memorable day out.
How I would do it: I treat the Lago Maggiore Express as a set-piece day rather than mere transport. I take the ferry up the lake, connect to the narrow-gauge train, enjoy the slow mountain scenery, and loop back, all on one ticket. Check the current timetable and which direction runs best on your day, because the connections are the thing that makes it sing.
Do you need a car?
For a gulf-based trip built around Stresa and the islands, no, you do not need a car. The ferries, your own two feet and the occasional taxi boat cover everything you will want to see, and a car is more of a parking headache than a help. A car earns its place only if you plan to drive up Mottarone (reached by road, since the cable car is closed) or to explore the far shores properly. That is the calculation I make every time, and for most first visits I arrive car-free and never miss it. If you want the whole trip mapped out, my perfect itinerary shows how the days fit together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the nearest airport to Lake Maggiore?
Milan Malpensa (MXP) is your nearest major airport, about 40 km from Stresa and roughly 45 minutes by car. Because it sits north-west of Milan on the lake side of the city, you avoid the centre entirely. Milan Linate and Bergamo are further afield, while Lugano and Zurich suit trips based on the Swiss end of the lake.
Do you need a car at Lake Maggiore?
For a trip based around Stresa and the Borromean Islands, no. The public ferries, walking and the odd taxi boat cover everything, and a car mostly sits idle while you hunt for parking. A car only really helps if you want to drive up Mottarone or explore the far shores, so I usually arrive car-free.
How do you island-hop to the Borromean Islands?
You take the scheduled Navigazione Lago Maggiore ferries, which link Stresa with Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre throughout the day. Buy a day “free circulation” pass, then hop on and off in whatever order suits you. If you would rather travel on your own schedule, private taxi boats run on demand at a higher cost.
Is the ferry day pass worth it?
Almost always, yes, if you are visiting more than one island. The day pass runs roughly €14.80 to €22.20 depending on zone, and once you are stringing together three islands and the mainland towns, individual tickets quickly cost more. Combined ferry-plus-gardens passes (from around €69) are also worth a look if you are visiting the palaces. Do check current fares when you buy.
Related
Read on with my guide to the Borromean Islands, the perfect itinerary, and for the full picture, the complete guide to Lake Maggiore.
