from Milano Centrale, changing at Lecco. Lierna station is in the village.
from Bellagio to the Lierna pier, July to early November. All year round from Varenna.
from Milan on the toll-free SS36. Exit at Abbadia Lariana, then the lakeside road.
Lierna sits on the eastern shore of Lake Como, between Mandello del Lario and Varenna, 16 km from Lecco. We live here, and this is the guide we send our guests: train, boat and car, with real times and the points where people go wrong. The information was checked against the official sources on 4 October 2026; timetables, works and opening days change, so check the Trenord and Navigazione Laghi websites again before you travel.
By train
Lierna station is on the Milan–Lecco–Colico–Sondrio–Tirano line, run by Trenord. One detail catches many people out: only the R13 regional trains Lecco–Colico–Sondrio stop at Lierna, roughly one an hour in each direction. The RE8 RegioExpress Milan–Tirano does not stop here: it calls at Lecco, Mandello, Varenna, Bellano and Colico.
From Milan the simplest route is therefore in two legs: Milano Centrale to Lecco on the RE8 (about 40 minutes), then Lecco to Lierna on the R13 (27 minutes). With the connection the journey takes about an hour and twenty minutes. Regional trains to Lecco also leave from Milano Porta Garibaldi in about an hour.
| From | Time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Milano Centrale | about 1 h 20 | RE8 to Lecco, then R13 |
| Lecco | 27 min | R13 direct, about hourly |
| Varenna-Esino | 12–13 min | R13 direct |
| Mandello del Lario | 10–13 min | R13 direct |
| Colico | 43 min | R13 direct |
| Bergamo | check on Trenord | bus to Ponte San Pietro, train to Lecco, then R13 |
Times from the Trenord Q180 timetable in force since June 2026, weekdays. There is no direct train from Bergamo to Lecco: because of works announced by Trenord until December 2026, trains between Bergamo and Ponte San Pietro are replaced by buses. Check the route and connections on trenord.it.
Buy your ticket in the Trenord app or on their website before boarding: the safest option at a small station. From Lierna station to our house at Via San Nicolò 19 it is about 1 km, a quarter of an hour on foot along Via Parodi.
By boat
Lierna has a pier on Via Imbarcadero, one kilometre from the house (13 minutes on foot). Navigazione Laghi serves it on the Lecco–Bellagio line, a seasonal line whose timetable changes from one period to the next (in 2026 the summer timetable runs from 1 July to 4 October, the autumn one from 5 October to 1 November, with some sailings on Sundays and public holidays only). Lierna to Bellagio takes 18 minutes; Lecco to Lierna just over an hour. It is the most beautiful way to arrive, not the most frequent: check the timetable on navigazionelaghi.it before you travel.
For the rest of the year, and for a wider choice of times, the pier to use is Varenna: 12 minutes by train or 9 km by car. From Varenna you have the regular boats, the fast service with a supplement, and the car ferry to Bellagio and Menaggio, a 15-minute crossing, all year round on seasonal timetables.
| Route | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bellagio → Lierna | 18 min | boat, seasonal line (in 2026 July to early November) |
| Lecco → Lierna | about 1 h 10 | boat, same seasonal line |
| Varenna → Bellagio | 15 min | car and passenger ferry, all year |
| Varenna → Menaggio | 15 min | car and passenger ferry, all year |
Summer and autumn 2026 timetables (different schedules) from navigazionelaghi.it.
Tickets are sold online or at the pier ticket offices: arrive about twenty minutes before departure.
By car
From Milan take the SS36, the dual carriageway to Lecco, and continue towards Colico. There are no tolls. Coming from the south, leave at Abbadia Lariana and follow the SP72, the road along the lake, to Lierna. Coming from the north, leave at Bellano and drive down the same road.
| From | Time | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Milan | about 1 h 10 | 67 km, SS36 |
| Lecco | 25 min | 17 km |
| Como | about 1 h | 46 km, via Erba and Lecco |
| Bergamo | about 1 h 10 | 49 km, SS342 and SS36 |
| Lugano | about 1 h 30 | 83 km, A2 and SS36, Swiss vignette required |
Indicative times without traffic. On summer weekends the SS36 towards the lake fills up: leave early.
Parking in Lierna is public, in blue-line bays, paid with EasyPark or scratch cards sold in the shops. The main areas are at the station and along Via Roma. The house has no reserved spaces: we say it up front because it is the question we get most often. The old centre has a limited-traffic zone: follow the signs and leave the car in the car parks.
From the airports
| Airport | Public transport | Car |
|---|---|---|
| Milan Malpensa | Malpensa Express to Milano Centrale (51 min), then train: about 2 h 30 | about 1 h 15, with tolls |
| Milan Linate | Metro M4 to San Babila (12 min), metro to Centrale, then train: about 2 h 15 | about 1 h 05 |
| Bergamo Orio al Serio | Bus to Bergamo station, then Lecco–Bergamo line (bus to Ponte San Pietro, train to Lecco) and R13: check times on Trenord | about 1 h 10 |
| Lugano | Train to Milano Centrale, then train: about 3 h | about 1 h 30 |
If you land in Bergamo, a car is the easiest choice; from Malpensa and Linate the train holds its own, especially in summer.
Once you are here
You can get around very well without a car. Varenna is 12 minutes by train; from there the ferry reaches Bellagio in a quarter of an hour. Lecco, with its centre and lakefront, is 27 minutes away. In Mandello del Lario, 10 minutes by train, there is the Moto Guzzi Museum: opening days and tickets are on the official page of the Municipality of Mandello; tickets online at motoguzzi.madeticket.it. Abbadia Lariana is a quarter of an hour by train. And in summer the boat from Lierna takes you to Bellagio in 18 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Does the train from Milan stop at Lierna?
The RE8 RegioExpress Milan–Tirano does not. Get off at Lecco and take the R13 regional towards Colico–Sondrio: 27 minutes to Lierna, about one an hour.
Can I reach Lierna by boat?
Yes, on the seasonal Navigazione Laghi Lecco–Bellagio line (in 2026 July to early November), with different timetables in summer and autumn: check them on navigazionelaghi.it. For the rest of the year the nearest pier with a regular service is Varenna, 12 minutes by train.
Do I need a car for a stay in Lierna?
Not to see the lake: train and boat connect Varenna, Bellagio, Lecco and Mandello. A car helps for the valleys and for getting around in the evening.
Where do I park?
In the public blue-line car parks, at the station and along Via Roma. The house has no reserved spaces.
How far is the station from La Casa degli Ulivi?
About one kilometre: a quarter of an hour on foot along Via Parodi to Via San Nicolò 19.
