How to Travel from Amsterdam to Lake Como (Cheapest Route Step-by-Step)

I almost booked a direct flight. It was right there Amsterdam Schiphol to Milan Malpensa, under two hours, €180 return. And then I caught myself. I was going to Lake Como, not a business conference. The whole point was to slow down, to actually feel like I was moving through Europe, not just teleporting into it.

So I started digging. Three weeks of tabs, train comparisons, and one very long Reddit thread later, I had pieced together a route that cost me roughly €65 one way. It took longer. It was messier. Honestly? It was one of the best travel days I’ve had in years.

Here’s exactly how I did it  what worked, what nearly went wrong, and what I’d do differently if I went back tomorrow.

Why Flying Isn’t Always the Answer

Look, I’m not anti-flight. But the Amsterdam to Lake Como corridor is one of those routes where flying starts to fall apart once you actually do the math. You’ve got the airport transfer from the city (Schiphol is fine, but it’s not central), the budget airline luggage fees that nobody mentions upfront, the fact that the nearest major airport to Como is Milan — and then you still need to get from Milan to the lake itself, which adds another 45 minutes to an hour on a good day.

By the time you’ve added it all up, that “cheap flight” is neither cheap nor particularly fast. The overland route, done right, is genuinely competitive. And it’s scenic in a way that no Ryanair window seat ever will be.

The Cheapest Route: Amsterdam to Lake Como Step-by-Step

The route I took goes like this: Amsterdam Centraal → Basel (or sometimes Cologne, depending on timing) → Milan → Como San Giovanni or Varenna.

Let me walk through each leg.

Step 1: Amsterdam to Basel by Train

This is the backbone of the whole journey. The Amsterdam to Basel train runs fairly regularly and takes around five to six hours depending on whether you go via Cologne or direct through the Rhine Valley. I went via the Rhine route and I’d do it again just for the views — that stretch through the German wine country is genuinely stunning, especially in autumn.

Booking tip: The earlier you book with Deutsche Bahn or NS International, the better. I got my ticket for €29 by booking about three weeks out on a Tuesday morning. Prices jump fast on popular weekend routes, so mid-week travel is your friend here.

One mistake I made: I booked a non-reservable ticket and assumed that meant I could sit anywhere. Wrong. Certain trains require reservations even if your ticket is technically valid. A conductor pointed this out to me somewhere around Freiburg in a way that was polite but firm. Lesson learned.

Step 2: Basel to Milan by Train

Here’s the thing — this leg is where the magic happens, and also where the costs can creep up if you’re not careful.

The Basel SBB to Milano Centrale train is operated by SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) in partnership with Trenitalia. It passes through Lucerne, through the St. Gotthard tunnel, and emerges into the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland before crossing into Italy proper. The whole journey takes about three hours and fifteen minutes, give or take.

Prices fluctuate a lot on this route. Book on the SBB website directly (sbb.ch) rather than going through a comparison aggregator — I’ve consistently found better prices there. If you’re flexible on time, aim for morning departures. The 7am and 9am trains out of Basel tend to be cheaper than the afternoon ones.

Budget around €30–50 for this leg if you’re booking in advance. Last minute can be brutal.

What nobody tells you: If you’re on a tight budget, you can also take a slower regional connection from Basel through Lugano to Milan. It adds about 90 minutes but can shave €15–20 off the fare. I haven’t personally done this one, but people in the travel forums swear by it for flexibility.

Step 3: Milan to Lake Como

You’re in Milan. You’re close. This is where first-timers sometimes stall out and end up overpaying for a taxi or, worse, booking the wrong train and ending up in the wrong town.

Lake Como has several access points. The main ones are:

Como San Giovanni — the town of Como itself, at the southern tip of the lake. Fast, regular trains from Milano Centrale and Milano Porta Garibaldi. The journey takes about 30–40 minutes and costs roughly €4–5. If you’re staying in Como or the lower lake area, this is your stop.

Varenna-Esino — further up the eastern shore, accessed from Milano Centrale via the Lecco line. Takes about an hour, costs around €5–7. If you’re heading to Bellagio (and you probably are — everyone heads to Bellagio), the ferry from Varenna is the most direct connection. Far fewer tourists on the train platform, too.

Cadenabbia / Tremezzo — no direct train here. You’d take the ferry from Varenna or a bus from Como, depending on where you’re coming from.

I made the mistake of going into Como first when I was actually staying near Tremezzo. It added two hours to my arrival. Go straight to Varenna if you’re headed to the mid-lake area.

Total Cost Breakdown (Realistic Estimate)

Here’s what this trip actually cost me, one way, in rough numbers:

• Amsterdam Centraal to Basel: €29–45 (booked 3 weeks out)
• Basel to Milan: €32–50 (SBB, morning departure)
• Milan to Como or Varenna: €4–7
• Total: roughly €65–100 depending on timing and flexibility

Compare that to a budget flight at €60–90 (before luggage), plus €15–20 for the Schiphol train, plus €15–20 from Milan airport to the city, plus another €5 to Como — you’re looking at €95–130 minimum for the flying option, with significantly less comfort and zero scenery.

The train wins. Especially if you pack light and book smart.

What Can Go Wrong (And Probably Will)

I want to be straight with you here because most travel blogs gloss over this part.

Delays in Switzerland. SBB is famous for precision, and most of the time that reputation holds. But during heavy snow in winter or summer storms, that Basel to Milan train can be delayed by 30–60 minutes. I’ve had this happen once. It wasn’t the end of the world, but it did mean I missed a ferry connection at Varenna and had to wait 40 minutes for the next one. Build in buffer time at the end of your journey.

Luggage on Italian trains. Nobody checks your ticket at Como San Giovanni sometimes. But they do sometimes. And the fine for not having a valid, stamped (or app-validated) ticket is steep. Always validate your Trenitalia ticket before boarding, either on the app or at the yellow machines on the platform.

Basel SBB vs Basel SNCF. This confused me the first time. Basel has two main stations very close to each other — Basel SBB (the main Swiss one) and Basel SNCF (the French one). Your train to Milan departs from Basel SBB. Don’t get out at the wrong stop if you’re coming by French train from somewhere like Strasbourg.

What I’d Do Differently

If I were planning this trip again, I’d book the entire journey as separate segments rather than trying to find one through-ticket. It’s more work upfront, but it’s consistently cheaper and gives you flexibility if something runs late.

I’d also leave Amsterdam earlier. My 9am departure meant I arrived in Como around 7:30pm, which was fine — but in summer, you lose the best light on the lake. A 7am train out of Amsterdam would get you there by late afternoon. That first glimpse of the water in golden hour is worth the early alarm.

And I would stay at least one night in the mid-lake area rather than just Como town. The town is pretty, but the real Como — the one in the photos, the one that makes people want to come back — is up around Bellagio, Varenna, and Tremezzo. That ferry ride across the lake at dusk is something I still think about.

Practical Notes You’ll Actually Need

Apps to download: Trainline (for overview), SBB Mobile (for Swiss legs), Trenitalia (for Italian legs), and the Navigazione Lago di Como app for ferry schedules. The lake ferries don’t run as frequently as you’d think, especially off-season.

Currency: You’ll briefly pass through Switzerland, which uses the Swiss franc. If you’re just on a train, you won’t need cash — but if you have a long stopover in Basel, most places accept cards. Still worth knowing.

Seat reservations: Always reserve on the Basel-Milan train. It’s not always mandatory, but the train fills up and standing in a full compartment for three hours through the Alps is not the experience you’re after.

FAQ

How long does it take to travel from Amsterdam to Lake Como by train? Expect around 8–10 hours total, including connections. It sounds long, but a lot of that time passes quickly — particularly the Basel to Milan stretch through the Alps, which is one of the most beautiful train journeys in Europe.

Is the train really cheaper than flying Amsterdam to Lake Como? Often, yes — especially when you account for airport transfers, baggage fees, and the fact that you still need to get from Milan airport to the lake. If you book train tickets 2–3 weeks in advance, the total cost can come in under €100 one way, which is competitive with even budget airlines once everything is factored in.

Do I need to book in advance or can I just show up? You can technically show up and buy tickets on the day, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Prices on the Basel to Milan route especially rise significantly last minute. Book the Swiss and Dutch legs as far in advance as you can. The Italian Milan to Como leg is cheap enough that same-day is fine.

Which is better for Lake Como — arriving via Como or Varenna? Depends entirely on where you’re staying. Como town suits the southern end of the lake. Varenna is better if you’re heading to Bellagio or the mid-lake villages. Most people going for the classic “Lake Como experience” are better served by Varenna.

Can I do this trip in a day from Amsterdam? Technically yes, if you leave very early (6–7am) and go straight to Como without stops. But why would you? Take your time. The journey is half the point.

There’s something about arriving at Lake Como by train that feels earned in a way a flight never does. You’ve watched the Netherlands flatten out, you’ve crossed Germany, you’ve been through Basel and under the Alps and suddenly the light changes — it gets softer, golden, almost theatrical and there’s the lake. Blue and still and completely unbothered by how long it took you to get there.

Worth every connection.