Verona is one of the easiest cities in Italy to reach, which is part of why it makes such a good base for the north. It sits squarely on the high-speed railway between Milan and Venice, it has its own airport, and it is ringed by several more within an easy transfer. Whether you are arriving from another Italian city, flying in from abroad, or coming off the shores of Lake Garda, here is how to do it simply, and my honest verdict on whether you need a car once you are here.
Arriving by train
The train is almost always the right answer. Verona Porta Nuova is the main station, a short bus ride or a pleasant twenty-minute walk south of Piazza Bra, and it sits on the Milan to Venice high-speed corridor served by both Trenitalia’s Frecce and the private Italo.
From Milan, fast trains reach Verona in a little over an hour, roughly one hour ten to one hour twenty-five. From Venice, it is much the same, around one hour ten to one hour fifteen. Bologna is about an hour away, Florence roughly one hour thirty on a direct high-speed service, and Rome around three hours. Booking a few weeks ahead brings the fares down sharply, especially on the Frecciarossa and Italo, so reserve early if your dates are fixed. Regional trains also run to the lake towns and the smaller cities nearby, useful for day trips.
Which airport to choose
Verona Villafranca (VRN), officially the Valerio Catullo airport, lies about ten kilometres south of the city and handles a good spread of European and domestic flights. A dedicated Verona Airlink shuttle connects the airport to Porta Nuova station in roughly fifteen minutes, running frequently through the day, which makes it the most convenient arrival if the flights suit you.
If VRN does not have your route, you have excellent alternatives. Venice Marco Polo (VCE) and Bergamo Orio al Serio (BGY) are each around an hour to ninety minutes away by road or a train connection, Milan airports are within two to three hours, and Venice Treviso (TSF) and Brescia widen the low-cost options further. In practice, compare fares into Verona, Bergamo and Venice and let price decide, since all connect to Verona by train or coach.
Getting from the airport
From VRN, take the Airlink shuttle to Porta Nuova and change there for the centre or your onward train; a taxi into town takes fifteen to twenty minutes. From Bergamo, a shuttle bus runs to its train station for the connection on to Verona. From Venice Marco Polo, a bus or transfer reaches Venezia Mestre station for a fast train to Verona in a little over an hour. None of these is difficult, and all end at Porta Nuova, from where the old town is a short hop.
Arriving from Lake Garda
Because Verona sits so close to the southern shore, coming from Lake Garda is quick. Peschiera del Garda has its own station on the Milan to Venice line, just fifteen minutes from Verona by regional train, and Desenzano del Garda to Sirmione is only a little further. Buses also run from the lake towns into the city. This closeness works both ways, and it is why I treat Verona and Garda as a single, easy chapter of any northern-Italy trip.
Getting around once you are there
Here is the good news: you will barely need transport at all. Verona’s historic centre is small, flat and folded into a bend of the river, and you can cross it on foot in about twenty minutes. Most of it is a ZTL, a limited-traffic zone, so it is quiet and largely free of cars. City buses, run by ATV and included in the VeronaCard, link the station and the outer sights, and there is a little funicular up to the Castel San Pietro belvedere, but for the most part your feet are all you need.
Parking, if you must drive
If you do arrive by car, do not try to park in the old town. Most of the centre is a ZTL, a limited-traffic zone watched by cameras, and driving in without a permit earns a fine that will find you weeks later at home. Instead, leave the car in one of the big car parks on the edge of the centre, the Parcheggio Arena and Cittadella just south of Piazza Bra, or the Parcheggio Centro near the river, and walk in; the whole old town is only a few minutes across. If your hotel offers parking, give them your number plate in advance so they can register it for the ZTL, and expect to pay a daily rate for the privilege, often twenty-five euros or more a night in the centre. Park-and-ride options on the ring road, with a bus into town, are the cheapest solution for a longer stay.
Do you need a car?
For the city itself, no, and a car is a positive nuisance inside the ZTL, where cameras enforce the traffic limits and hotel parking is dear. Hire a car only if you plan to roam the Valpolicella vineyards or reach the quieter corners of Lake Garda under your own steam, and even then consider picking it up as you leave rather than parking it uselessly for days. For the lake towns, the wine villages on the rail line, and the nearby cities, trains and the occasional bus will serve you well and spare you the parking.
Taxis, transfers and luggage
Taxis wait outside Porta Nuova and at the main squares, but you cannot flag them freely on the street as in some cities; use a rank or ask your hotel to call one, and expect a short ride across town to cost only a little. For the airport, the Airlink shuttle is cheaper and nearly as quick as a taxi. If you are arriving with heavy bags, note that the old town’s marble streets and the occasional flight of steps make wheeled cases hard work, so a room near your arrival point, or a taxi to the door of a ZTL hotel with its plate registered, saves you dragging luggage across the centre. Left-luggage lockers at Porta Nuova are handy if you want to explore between trains.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the closest airport to Verona?
Verona Villafranca (VRN), about ten kilometres south of the city, with a fifteen-minute Airlink shuttle to Porta Nuova station. Bergamo, Venice and Milan airports are the main alternatives, each an hour to a few hours away with good train or coach links.
How do you get from Milan to Verona?
By high-speed train from Milan Centrale to Verona Porta Nuova in a little over an hour, roughly one hour ten to one hour twenty-five. Book a few weeks ahead for the cheapest Frecciarossa or Italo fares.
Do you need a car in Verona?
No. The centre is small, walkable and a limited-traffic zone where a car is a hindrance. Trains serve the lake towns and nearby cities well. Hire a car only for the Valpolicella vineyards or remote lake corners.
How far is Verona from Lake Garda?
Very close. Peschiera del Garda is about fifteen minutes from Verona by regional train, and the Sirmione side only a little further. Buses also connect the lake towns to the city, making a day trip effortless.
Related
Read next: the perfect Verona itinerary, where to stay in Verona, and Victoria’s complete guide to Verona.
