Como has two stations that matter. Como San Giovanni is the main one, on the line from Milano Centrale and the only Como stop for international trains from Switzerland. Como Nord Lago, also signed Como Lago on platforms and tickets, is the FerrovieNord terminus, served only by Trenord trains from Milano Cadorna. They are about 15 minutes apart on foot, but the Milan station you depart from decides which one you arrive at.
Many booking pages just say “Como”. Open the train details and confirm the exact station before you pay. Picking the right one saves you a slow walk with luggage and, in some cases, the cost of crossing the city by taxi when you could have stepped almost straight onto a ferry.
Which Como station should you choose?
Pick Como San Giovanni by default. It is the main station, it handles the trains most travellers actually use, and it is the only Como stop on the Milan to Zurich corridor. Choose Como Nord Lago when your priority is being right next to the lake, or when the train you have booked happens to leave from Milano Cadorna.
The rules are simple in practice.
- Como San Giovanni. Book this for any train from Milano Centrale or Milano Porta Garibaldi, anything via Chiasso from Switzerland, and any train continuing to or from Lecco.
- Como Nord Lago. Book this for trains from Milano Cadorna, or when you want the shortest walk to the ferry pier, Piazza Cavour, and the Brunate funicular.
| Station | Line | Operators | Milan endpoint | Walk to Piazza Cavour/ferry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Como San Giovanni | Milan to Chiasso; Como to Lecco | Trenitalia, Trenord, TiLo | Milano Centrale, Milano Porta Garibaldi | About 15 minutes, downhill |
| Como Nord Lago (Como Lago) | Saronno to Como (FerrovieNord) | Trenord | Milano Cadorna | About 5 minutes |
If your booking page only shows “Como”, open the train details. The station code and the Milan terminal will tell you which one you are arriving at. That is the easiest check to make before paying.
Como San Giovanni: the main station
Como San Giovanni sits on Piazzale San Gottardo, slightly above the city centre. The walk down to Piazza Cavour and the lakefront takes around 15 minutes and goes through residential streets, not the most scenic approach but a clear one. There is a bus terminal in front of the station run by SPT (the ASF Autolinee group), with services to Cernobbio, Menaggio, Bellagio, and other lakeside towns. A taxi rank is on the same square.
The station is managed by RFI and is used by three operators. Trenitalia runs the EuroCity trains between Switzerland and Italy. Trenord runs regional services from Milano Centrale and the S11 from Milano Porta Garibaldi, plus regional trains to Lecco. TiLo, the cross-border operator for Ticino and Lombardy, runs the RE80 between Locarno and Milano Centrale and the S10 and S40 regional lines. Como San Giovanni is the last Italian station before the border at Chiasso.
For a traveller, the practical takeaway is short. If you are coming from Milan via Centrale, from Switzerland, or from Lecco, your train ends here. From this station, the lake is a walk away. If you are carrying luggage or travelling with children, a taxi or the SPT bus to the lakefront is worth the few euros.
One thing to avoid. Trains on the FerrovieNord line from Milano Cadorna do not stop here. If a friend tells you to “get the Cadorna train”, you are heading to Como Nord Lago instead.
Como Nord Lago (also signed Como Lago)
Como Nord Lago is on Largo Leopardi, right beside Piazza Cavour. From the platforms you are roughly five minutes from the ferry pier and a few steps from the lakefront promenade. The lower station of the Brunate funicular is also closer here than from San Giovanni.
The station is the northern terminus of the Saronno to Como branch of the Milan to Saronno line. The infrastructure belongs to FerrovieNord, and passenger services are operated exclusively by Trenord. There is one job this station does. It runs regional trains to and from Milano Cadorna, the FerrovieNord terminal on the western side of central Milan. The journey takes about an hour each way.
What you will not find here is the EuroCity to Zurich, anything from Milano Centrale, or any train continuing on to Switzerland or Lecco. The line ends. If you arrive in Como on a Trenord train from Cadorna and your next stop is Lugano, you need to make your way over to Como San Giovanni first, on foot or by bus.
For a traveller staying in the historic centre or planning to step straight onto a ferry, Nord Lago is the friendlier arrival. For everything else, the answer is San Giovanni.
Getting to Como by train from Milan
There are three usable routes from Milan. Which one suits you depends on where you are starting in the city and how you want to arrive.
Milano Centrale to Como San Giovanni. This is the workhorse. Trenord regional trains run frequently and take about 40 minutes. Fares start around EUR 5.20 on the regional service. Faster EuroCity trains operated by Trenitalia and SBB also stop here, on their way to or from Zurich. They take a few minutes off the journey and cost more, typically around EUR 16 for a Milan to Como sector, with a reservation included.
Milano Porta Garibaldi to Como San Giovanni. The S11 suburban line runs hourly and takes about an hour. Fares are the same EUR 5.20 regional anchor. Useful if you are already near Porta Garibaldi or arriving from elsewhere in the Lombardy suburban network.
Milano Cadorna to Como Nord Lago. The FerrovieNord regional, operated by Trenord, takes around an hour and costs from around EUR 5.20. This is the only route that ends at Nord Lago.
Is the EuroCity worth paying for on a short hop from Milan? Usually not. The saving in time is small, and the regional is almost always good enough. The EuroCity makes more sense if you are already on it from Switzerland, if you want luggage racks built for a longer journey, or if you would prefer a guaranteed seat with a reservation.
All three routes are sold on Trenitalia, Trenord, and the usual resellers. Whichever booking channel you use, check the station code on the ticket. “Milano C.le” and “Como S.G.” mean Milano Centrale and Como San Giovanni. “Milano N.” or “Milano Cadorna” with “Como N. Lago” or “Como Lago” means the FerrovieNord pairing. Mixing them is the easiest way to end up at the wrong end of the city.
Coming from Switzerland or Lecco
From Switzerland, Como San Giovanni is the practical arrival point. EuroCity trains running between Zurich Hauptbahnhof and Milano Centrale, Bologna, Genova, or Venezia Santa Lucia call at Como San Giovanni several times a day. A separate pair of EC services links Basel with Milan on the same line. For closer-range Swiss travel, TiLo’s RE80 runs between Locarno and Milano Centrale via Como San Giovanni. The S10 from Biasca and the S40 from Varese also stop here.
From Lecco, the Trenord regional on the Como to Lecco line terminates at Como San Giovanni. There is no FerrovieNord connection from Lecco. Como Nord Lago is simply not part of the picture from this direction.
The mistake to avoid is arriving from Switzerland or Lecco and assuming you can change for a Trenord train directly to Nord Lago. You cannot. You can walk the 15 minutes across town, take an SPT bus, or pick up a taxi outside the station.
Tickets and what to check before boarding
Regional trains in Italy use a date and a route, not a specific departure. If you buy a paper ticket from a machine or counter, validate it at the green or white machines on the platform before boarding. Without a stamp, a regional ticket is not considered valid, and inspectors do issue fines. E-tickets bought for a specific train through the Trenord, Trenitalia, or a reseller app do not need validation. The QR code on your phone is your proof.
EuroCity tickets between Milan and Switzerland are tied to a train, a date, and a seat. There is nothing to validate. The conductor scans your ticket on board.
A few things vary by operator. Children’s discounts on Trenord regional run to age 11, while EuroCity, InterCity, and Frecce extend the child fare to age 14 in many cases. Pass holders using Interrail or Eurail need a separate reservation for EuroCity trains. Trenord regional services on the Milan to Como corridor are pass-included without a reservation.
Use “from” prices as orientation, not a promise. Regional fares are usually stable around the EUR 5.20 anchor for Milan to Como sectors, but EuroCity pricing changes by date, demand, and class. Check live fares for your exact train before booking.
The smaller stations: Como Borghi and Como Camerlata
Como has two further stations that occasionally appear on booking pages. Most travellers can ignore both.
Como Borghi is a small FerrovieNord halt one stop south of Nord Lago, on the same Trenord line from Milano Cadorna. It is useful only if you are staying near Borgo Vico or the Sant’Abbondio basilica. From Borghi, it is a short walk into the centre, but not a sensible alternative to Nord Lago if you are heading for the lake.
Como Camerlata is a Trenord stop on the Milan to Chiasso line, a few kilometres south of San Giovanni in a suburban part of the city. Some S11 trains and a handful of regional services call there. Unless you are staying in the southern outskirts, you do not want a ticket to Camerlata when you mean to visit Como itself.
If a booking page suggests Camerlata or Borghi when you searched for “Como”, switch the station before paying. The right station is almost always San Giovanni or Nord Lago.
A quick comparison
| Station | Line | Operator(s) | Milan endpoint | Walk to lakefront | Useful when |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Como San Giovanni | Milan to Chiasso; Como to Lecco | Trenitalia, Trenord, TiLo | Milano Centrale, Milano Porta Garibaldi | ~15 minutes downhill | Default; coming from Centrale, Switzerland, or Lecco |
| Como Nord Lago (Como Lago) | Saronno to Como (FerrovieNord) | Trenord | Milano Cadorna | ~5 minutes | You want the shortest walk to the ferry; coming from Cadorna |
| Como Camerlata | Milan to Chiasso | Trenord | Milano Centrale/Porta Garibaldi (some S11) | Not practical | You are staying in the southern outskirts |
| Como Borghi | Saronno to Como (FerrovieNord) | Trenord | Milano Cadorna | ~10-15 minutes | You are staying near Borgo Vico |
For most travellers the call is straightforward. Book Como San Giovanni for trains from Milano Centrale or Switzerland. Book Como Nord Lago if your train leaves Milano Cadorna or you want to be on the lake the moment you step off the platform. And if your itinerary continues by ferry, plan from Nord Lago.
Frequently asked questions
Which train station is best for Lake Como?
For most travellers, Como San Giovanni. It handles trains from Milano Centrale, the EuroCity from Switzerland, and the regional from Lecco. If you want to step almost straight onto a ferry, choose Como Nord Lago, which is right beside Piazza Cavour and is served by Trenord trains from Milano Cadorna.
How many train stations are in Como?
Four. Como San Giovanni and Como Nord Lago (also signed Como Lago) are the two that matter for visitors. Como Borghi is a small FerrovieNord halt one stop before Nord Lago, and Como Camerlata is a Trenord stop in the southern suburbs.
Which is the main train station in Como?
Como San Giovanni is the main station. It is on the Milan to Chiasso line and is the only Como stop for EuroCity trains between Italy and Switzerland.
Where is the nearest train station to the lakefront?
Como Nord Lago is right next to the lakefront, about five minutes from the ferry pier on Piazza Cavour. Como San Giovanni is about 15 minutes uphill from the lake.
Do EuroCity trains from Switzerland stop in Como?
Yes, at Como San Giovanni. EuroCity trains running between Zurich Hauptbahnhof and Milan, Bologna, Genova or Venezia Santa Lucia call at Como San Giovanni several times a day, and a separate pair of EC services links Basel with Milan on the same line.
Can I get from Milano Cadorna to Como Nord Lago directly?
Yes. Trenord runs regional trains on the FerrovieNord line from Milano Cadorna to Como Nord Lago, about once an hour. The journey takes around an hour and fares start from around EUR 5.20.
Do I need to validate a Trenord regional ticket?
Yes, if it is a paper ticket. Stamp it at the green or white validation machines on the platform before boarding. E-tickets bought for a specific train through the Trenord, Trenitalia, or a reseller app do not need to be validated.
