Bus/Auto/Taxi, Como

Because of conference arrangements, a mini-van had taken us up to Bellagio. To experience a different form of travel, on our return we took the bus down along the lake to Como. Besides the bus being a very inexpensive and good way to travel, the road from Bellagio afforded you great views of small towns hugging the lake and a chance to save some Euros. I believe we paid about 2,5 Euros one way from Bellagio to Como. From Como, it is easy to then take a train to Milan or other points in Italy.

For more information about other bus transporation, see the Como-based Società Pubblica Trasporti (www.sptcomo.it in Italian) operates regular buses around the lake, which depart from the bus station. Buses also link Como and Malpensa airport near Milan(€13, one hour, three daily).

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Hi, Milan Malpensa is the closest of the 3 Milan airports and usually the cheapest to fly to whenever Ive looked at ticket prices as Ive flown London to Malpensa and Morocco to Malpensa and onwards back/to London or on to Belgium

Ive always got a rental car when Ive flown to Malpensa to do trips on from there which have generally been quite low priced from www.auto-europe.com and being close to main access roads including freeways its a great little airport for getting in and out of.
There are some lovely driving routes in the Como area and Maggiore that make having your own wheels well worth having - a couple of recommended national park areas in addition to sights around the lakes and routes on up to Lugarno - unless you are just not able to do so.

And for lots of inspiration and

Coming from Malpensa airport I arrived at Lago Nord at midnight. There are a few buses between Como and Malpensa, but only during daytime. I arrived late to Malpensa and had to take the train, Malpensa Express to Saronno and there change to the train for Como (actually it was a bus this late in the evening).
I arrived at Malpensa Terminal 2 and first had to take the free bus to Terminal 1 (I was the only passenger). At Terminal 1 it was empty were I entered, but there two persons at Malpensa Ticket office. I bought the ticket for Como, which was 6 Euro to Saronno and 2.20 Euro from Saronno to Como (February 2009). The train was leaving at 21.23 and I asked how long I had to wait in Saronno. They did not know, but I had been told in a travel forum about the timetable and only hoped there was some connection I didn’t know about. After 20 minutes the train was in Saronno and the next connection to Como was not until 1h 20 min later (which I had feared) Well, the station building in Saronno was open, but the ticket office was closed and there were no seats. I talked to a nice woman from Sri Lanka who was also waiting for the bus. When some young men hanging around at the station started to be too interested she asked the guard to keep an eye on us as there were not many other people around. He in his turn asked someone else when he had to leave. The bus to Como took 45 minutes and from Como Lago station it was not far to walk to my hotel.

The buses to Bellagio from Como are leaving from opposite the bus station, at Piazza Matteotti. You can’t buy the ticket on the bus so do it at the bus station. The price for the ticket was 2.75 Euro (February 2009) and the bus I took left at 8.50.
The road to Bellagio is a narrow winding road with beautiful views over the lake. During the hour the bus drive lasted we were driving in shadow as the sunrays had not reached over the mountain side jet. On the other side of the lake it was all sunny.
I had not intended to stay long in Bellagio so I looked at the timetable as I reached Bellagio to se when the returning buses were leaving. The next bus left 10.01(too early) and the next one after that at 12.36, so it had to be that one. I had read in a guidebook that buses left every hour, but that was not true. Maybe there are more frequent buses in summer though, when there are more visitors.
As I said you can’t buy the ticket on the bus and I could see no open place near the bus stop in Bellagio where to buy a ticket, so I was told to buy the ticket along the road. About halfway to Como the bus stopped and I ran to a building across the road to buy the ticket. It can be good to buy the return ticket already in Como if you know you are returning the same way.

If you arrive to Como by car, I suggest to you to park your car in Ticosa parking area.
It's the biggest and the cheapest (1.60 EUR/day).
On the notices, Ticosa parking area is named P1!
Follow the signs!

Obviously you can also use your car, motorbike or a taxi.
Here a map of Como.
If you need a taxi you can call these tel numbers:
taxi S.ne FS Ple S.Gottardo 031 271466
taxi piazza Perretta 031 260259
taxi radio via Innocenzo XI, 70 031 261515

Buses connect all the city areas and the city to the neighbouring towns.
The main bus station is in Piazza Matteotti, in front of the lake.