Although Lake Garda is over 50km long and 15km wide it doesn’t mean that you wont be able to explore all of it’s beautiful and historic lakeside towns in just one holiday. There is a a fantastic fleet of Lake Garda ferries that provides a service to most of the towns on the lake, making it possible to travel all of Lake Garda if you plan carefully.
As a foot passenger you can choose between the ferry boat and rapid hydrofoil service. The service is very flexible , you can book tickets direct to a destination or you can book a day tickets that cover either half, top or bottom, or the entire lake. Drop in to the ticket office in the Lake Garda town nearest to where you are staying and you will find pre-planned routes or you can ask the ticket officer for advice in getting the most out of your day out.
If you prefer to drive but don’t want to drive the whole way round the lake there is a car ferry service between Maderno and Torri del Benaco and another between Limone and Malcesine.
Click here for the ferry boat and rapid service timetable
Click here for the Maderno to Torri car ferry timetable
Click here for the Limone to Malcesine car ferry timetable (NB:This service is available June 1st to September 28th)
Click here for the ferry boat and rapid service fares
Click here for information about luggage allowance, cycles etc.
Click here for more terms and conditions.
Visit the Navlaghi website for more information and to check the Lake Garda Ferry fare prices.
Navigada’s Smartphone App for Navigating Lake Garda
Navigarda have produced a smartphone app with the timetables and lots more information including resorts info, fare prices, public notices and charter costs. You can download the App by clicking the images below.
When can I view a timetable for April/May 2017?
Many thanks
Hi Neil, I believe the winter time table ends in March so at that time they will produce the spring timetable. This is a copy of a previous years spring timetable…..it will probably be very similar.
Hello
Is it possible to get a ferry from Lake Garda to the Amalfi Coast? We are staying in Lake Garda for 4 days but fancy the remaining part of our holiday in the South! We will have a car.
Kind regards
Tina
Hi Tina,
Thanks for your comments on Love Lake Garda.
Lake Garda is a land locked lake so you will need to take your car.
Hope you have a great holiday
Roy
Hello,
we are travelling to the lake Garde in a week and we wanna travel by ferry from Malcesine to Limone Sul Garda. Please could you tell me if we can use the ferry because there is the note: NB:This service is available June 1st to September 28th.
Best wishes,
Tereza
Hi Tereza, yes you can use the ferry, it is the car that doesn’t run until the high season.
Hi there,
We are currently planning our holiday to Lake Garda and only have the 15th and 16th June available. Should we stay in Sirmione or Desenzano in order to see as much on the Lake as possible and when would the summer timetable be advertised as currently it only goes till the 31st March, 2017.
I have downloaded your timetable but I can’t seem to find a direct ferry service from Sirmione to Riva. We would love to cruise around or north/south of the Lake and get off and look at the different towns and then come back on the same day to where we started. Is this possible or is the Lake too big?
Thanks
Jill
Hi Jill, I have just updated the page with the spring timetable which does give the option to travel up to Riva on the rapid service. I would however say that the lake is too big to cover too much in one day. You can get some ideas for itineraries here. Hope this helps. Roy
we had 4 days in Garda last week and covered a good bit of the south end of the lake in one day, part regular ferry and part rapid, would recommend the latter although a but pricier. Would also recommend staying on bordelino, a beautiful town and with more to it that the others.
I am seeking a timetable for ferries on Lake Garda,going from Desenzano to Gargnano at the end of July 2017 and returning at the beginning of August.The relevant web pages for Lake Garda ferries only give timetables as far as May this year. Can anyone help or inform me when the timetable will be available.
Hi Merle,
The summer timetable will be released early to mid may….you can get an indication of what it will be like from this blog post about the 2014 Lake Garda Ferries summer timetable.
Hope this helps
Roy
Iam staying at barbarano de salo from May 4 and would like timetable and be able book trips on ferries never been to Lake Garda before
Hi Jackie,
You will find a link to the timetable on this page above. You can book tickets directly at the port in Salò or Gardone either on the day or in the days before.
Hi we are staying at salo 4th May for 1 week. We would like to go on leisurely cruises around the lake stopping off at towns/Villages do we have to book in advance,
Thank you Jackie
Hi Jackie,
You can but tickets at the port, either go down the day before you want to travel and speak to the ticket office who will advise on itineraries, or just go down earlier than the ferry you want to catch.
Is it possible to hire a water taxi for around 50 people from Riva Del Garda to Castelletto? Leaving at around 6pm and coming back at 11pm?
Hi Luke,
My partners only operate in the lower half of the lake otherwise the cost would be too much.I suggest you try contacting this company. Good luck. Roy
Hi
We are staying in torri del benaco in july. Is there a ferry service from peschiera to torri del benaco?
thanks
Hi Sunku, yes there is a service from Peschiera to Torri…..I have just added the summer timetable so click the link to check the ferry times.
Hello
Is iT possibel To take the carferry from Torri – Toscolano with the Car and caravan!!!
Thanks ronsld
Hi Ronald, sorry for the late response…the answer is yes, it is OK to tow a caravan on the Torri-Toscolano ferry. Ciao Roy
Hi, Very helpful info!
I understand there are no reservations for the car ferry. So, in early September, how early would we need to arrive to be sure to make a car ferry?
And, if the car ferry times are best for our schedule, can we get on with no problem, just as passengers?
Hi Dawn, the ferries always run to schedule and shouldn’t be over capacity, especially in December. You need to arrive early enough (10-15 mins) to park in the queue and go and buy your ticket from the office…….hope this helps. Roy
Hi, we are traveling by car and willbe staying around Lake Garda and want to take the car across on the ferry from Limone to Malcesine. Can you advise whether the ferry is suitable for very low profile cars? We would not wish to have a difficulty and would rather change our plans than encounter a problem.
Thankyou
Hi Sue, I’m sure the ferry is fine for all types of cars…..I’m intrigued to know what a very low profile car is:-).
Lake Garda Ferries for the disabled,
Dear Sir,
My wife is disabled and I push her round in a wheelchair.
Can you please tell me how much it costs to use Lake Garda Ferries for the disabled.
Many thanks Peter
Hi Peter, the Italians have an amazing attitude towards disabled people and give excellent service and discounts. Here you can check Lake Garda ferry fares and information for disabled passengers. If you can’t work it out then go down to your local ticket office and they will be very helpful.
We are staying in Bardolino and will be visiting friends for the day in Riva. We have a hire car but are going 15th July so no doubt the roads will be busy. Can you suggest the best way to make this return trip so we get the best out of the day.
Hi Chris, the best way to travel would be by car as ferries wouldn’t give you much time to spend with your friends. The best advice I can give is to leave early morning and come back late in the evening. Hope this helps. Roy
My parents are looking at going to Lake Garda on our recommendation but my dad using a motorised wheelchair- do you know if the ferries will allow these wheelchairs on board?
Hi Wendy, sorry for the late response, I hope I’m not too late. I’m almost certain that it won’t be a problem for your Dad to take on board his motorised wheelchair. In fact I’m almost certain he will get a concession on his fare and as much help as he needs from the crew.
Hi, we plan to take the Limone to Malcesine ferry for a day trip to Malcesine, but are wondering where we can park our car in Limone. Are there any parking lots nearby? Many thanks in advance.
Hi, I believe that there is ample parking in Limone, if the car park down by the port is too busy there is parking up the hill off the main Gardesana road.
Hi, we want to take a ferry from gargnano to castelletto to go to Osteria al Pescatore restaurant in late August. we’re staying near Tignale on the other side of the lake. I have found a ferry that goes over, but there seems to be nothing coming back late in the evening. Do all ferries stop running after a certain time? Many thanks, John
Hi John, yes I’m afraid the last ferry from Castelletto is around 6.15pm.
Hi…Is it possible to take a ferry from Southern part of the lake like Desenzano to Riva del Garda or Malcesine…where can I find info about it.Thanks
Hi, yes it is possible, the Lake Garda ferry timetable can be found on this page.
Hi
We are staying in Malcesine 2nd to 9th September and are quite keen to go to Limone on the 3rd September for the fireworks.I,ve been trying to make sense of the ferry timetables. Is it possible to get a ferry at night to get us back to our hotel in Malcesine
Many Thanks
Hi James, I’m so sorry I missed your comment….in any case the last ferry was at 7.15pm…..I hope you had a wonderful holiday.
Hi
We are planning to visit Gardaland for the Halloween festivities on 31.10 and 01.11 and will leave the area on Sunday 05.11.
Do the ferries operate at that time of year? If yes, which ports do they stop at please?
Hi Kenneth, yes the ferries do operate all year round, although for the winter timetable the ferries run less frequently and finish earlier, I don’t think they will be running after 5pm. You need to check back on this page after October 8 to see the winter timetable.
Hello, have been looking at your website and found it very informative and interesting for a newbie coming to the lake,we are actually coming 6th of October for a week staying in decenzano, it looks from the ferry timetables that they stop October 8th , does that mean we are not going to be able to see the rest of the beautiful lakes ?
Chris
Hi Christine, sorry for the late response. you’ll be pleased to know that the ferries run all year round but less frequently and finishing earlier during the winter. Check back on this page or click the link for the Navigarda website nearer the time for the winter timetable.
Hi! We are staying in Malcesine the last week in September and would like to visit Bardolino… we don’t have a car…what is the best mode of transport please?thanks!
Hi Heather, I would suggest you take a bus, you can get the Malcesine to Bardolino bus route details by following the link.
Hi, I am going to Lake Garda on 7th October, but can’t find the “winter” ferry timetable. Do you have a ink please? Thanks. Alan
Hi Alan, the winter timetable will change on October 8, please check back to this page nearer the time or follow the link to the Navigarda website.
Thinking about visiting Lake Garda between 28 Oct and 5 Nov this year. Is that too late and would you advise us to postpone the trip to April? Many thanks for any advice in this regard.
Hi Amrit, Lake Garda is beautiful all year round, it’s never too late or too early to visit…..it would most likely be a lot cooler in November that April.
Hi, We will be making a day trip to lake Garda on sat. October 14,2017.
Will there be ferries still running or lake /boat tours avail. this late in the season?
What would be your recommendation for the day?
Hi Cindy, the ferries run all year although for the winter timetable the bats stop running much earlier. Let me know where you are staying an I may be able to make recommendations or help you with a boat tour.
Hello,
I am planning a day trip to lake Garda from Verona on December 2nd. I would like to visit both Sirmione and the northern part of the lake (e.g. Limone or Malcesine). What would be the best way to go from one place to the other? Are there any ferries available during that month? Or is a bus the only option? What would you recommend?
Many thanks,
Miguel
Hi Miguel,
You could get to the North of the lake by bus or ferry but I don’t think it would be a good idea if you are only visiting for the day as the traveling time would take too much out of your day. I would suggest you visit Sirmione and say Bardolino….that way you’ll get to see two lovely Lake Garda towns and have plenty of time for lunch, aperitivo and sightseeing. Next time you could visit the north. I hope this helps. Roy
Hello there,
I am travelling to Lake Garda on the 18th November until the 20th November for a short stay.
I will be staying in Desenzano del Garda and hoping to do a day trip to Garda or Malcesine.
The timetable you have attached says it only runs until 8th November. Is this correct or are the ferries running throughout November?
Any other suggestions on beautiful towns to visit easily accessible from Desenzano del Garda
Hi Daniel,
Sorry for the late response, I was investigating ax I thought a reduced service ran all winter. But this year it seems that the ferries stop between November 6th and March 11, except for the car ferry service between Torri and Maderno….sorry. There is a good bus service that will take you all around the lake.I believe the bus route from Desenzano to Peschiera is LN026.From there you can pick up the Verona bus routes around the east coast. I hope this helps.
Hi,
I’m wanting to travel from Desenzano to Sirmione and back on Monday 8th January, is this possible? And if so to what frequency? Thanks
Hi Val,
You will need to take the bus on route LN026, I don’t believe the ferries will be running.
[…] we like to take a break from all the driving and hop on a FERRY! Lago di Garda has many ferries that criss cross the lake from all directions… some even take cars, […]
Hi, We’re looking at visiting Lake Garda in June or July this year, after flying into and spending a couple of nights in Venice. Could you please confirm if there is a direct ferry service from the south of the lake (one of the lakeside towns that is easily reachable via train from Venice) up to Riva Del Garda? Many thanks, Wayne
Hi Wayne, yes the train stops in Peschiera and you can catch the ferry to Riva, but please be aware it takes 3-4 hours depending on which boat you catch. You need to check this page for the ferry timetables which change during the seasons throughout the year.
Hi, could you please confirm if there is direct ferry service from Sirmione to Riva in June.
Hi Julia, yes there will be. The rapid service (hydrofoil takes about 2.5hrs and the cheaper ferry service takes around 4.5 hrs.You will need to click the link above for the timetable. The June Timetable will go on near the end of May….it will be an improved service on the spring timetable.
Hello, we are hoping to take the ferry from Desenzano to Bardolino on 22nd June – is there a ticket office at Desenzano?
Hi Kaz, yes I believe there are ticket offices or kiosks in all the towns where the ferry stops, definitely in the major towns like Desenzano.
Hi, hoping to book ahead online for the firework night cruise on the 25th August.
Can you please help me with information for online booking address in English , to book on the 11th August.
Arrive Bardolino 22nd ,tickets may have sold out before we can go to the Navigarda Ticket Office.
Hi Alistair, unfortunately it doesn’t seem possible to purchase tickets on line before or after August 11. They must be purchased for the ticket office from what I’ve found out. Sorry about that. If I find out anything different I’ll let you know. Roy
Hi we’ve just been to lake garda and travelled about on lots of different ferries. So easy to do. We were wondering where do all the ferries get built?
Hi Jenny, thanks for your comment, I don’t know 🤔. I’ll try to find out and post back here. Ciao Roy