Lake Garda: everything you need to know about public transport

All bus lines on Lake Garda

In this article, I’d like to talk to you about how the public transport works on Lake Garda. The most important thing is to plan ahead, so you can make the most of your time at Lake Garda instead of waiting at a bus stop. If you’re also interested in information about ferries, I recommend reading the dedicated article.

To get an idea of how to get around on Lake Garda without a car, it’s best to start with the fact that Lake Garda is composed of different provinces. Therefore, there are different companies, each serving its own area. The good news is that this doesn’t mean these buses are difficult to use. They connect fairly easily with each other.

If you’re asking yourself how do you travel between towns on Lake Garda, this article is perfect for you!

The train stations on Lake Garda:

Let’s not forget to mention that you can reach Lake Garda by train. There are two train stations: Densenzano del Garda and Peschiera del Garda, both in the southern part of the lake. You can find the timetable for the train on this website.

From these train stations, it is easy to travel around Lake Garda thanks to the bus stops that you will find directly in front of the station.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN VERONA AND ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF LAKE GARDA (VERONESE SHORE)

ATV – Azienda Trasporti Verona – takes care of public transportation in the urban and suburban areas of Verona. Thanks to these lines, it’s possible to move within the urban center of the famous city of love and also reach our beautiful lake.

Things to know about ATV buses:

The main lines travel along the Gardesana East Road with stops in all the towns overlooking the lake.
The busses timetables vary in each season. In winter, most buses have reduced schedules. Moreover, some lines operate exclusively during summer.
Tickets can be purchased at ATV ticket offices, authorized tobacco shops, tourist offices, or on the Ticket Bus Verona App.
For those who decide to stay by the lake for several days, it’s possible to take advantage of daily passes valid for 1, 3, or 7 days. From the validation date, these passes allow you to travel on all urban and suburban buses in Verona and the province.
For schedules, notices, prices, and additional information, you can check the ATV company’s website.

The main ATV lines to travel around Lake Garda:

Line ATV 164: Verona – Peschiera – Garda

Line 164 is active all year round and connects Garda to Verona along the Gardesana Road. With line 164, you can reach Bardolino, Lazise, Peschiera railway station, and the amusement parks of Gardaland, Sealife Aquarium, Movieland, and Caneva.

Line ATV 484: Garda – Malcesine – Riva

Line 484 is also active all year round and connects Garda to Riva del Garda, heading north along the Gardesana Road. With line 484, you can reach Torri del Benaco, Brenzone, Malcesine, and Torbole.

In the low season, if you’re planning to go from the south of the lake to the northern towns, like Malcesine or Riva (or vice versa), you need to combine lines 164 and 484, transferring at Garda.

Line ATV 483 (summer bus until 20/10): Peschiera – Garda – Malcesine

From early May to mid-October, line 483 is active. It’s very convenient as it runs hourly, connecting San Benedetto di Lugana (a village in Peschiera del Garda) to Malcesine. It stops in all the towns on the Veronese shore between these two destinations.

Lines ATV 162 – ATV 163 – ATV 165: Garda – Pastrengo – Verona

Other year-round lines connecting Garda to Verona are 162, 163, and 165. These take different routes inland, passing through Pastrengo, with a stop at Parco Natura Viva. Particularly with line 163, you can reach Colà and the Parco Termale del Garda, while line 165 reaches Affi and Costermano sul Garda.

If you’re staying on the Veronese coast of Lake Garda and want to take a trip to the mountains, Monte Baldo and its beauties are easily accessible with ATV buses.

ATV has also thought about cycling enthusiasts! The Walk&Bike buses 476 and 470 offer the option to load bicycles on special racks.

This bike transport service has an additional fee of €2 on the normal fare. The ticket can be purchased at the ticket office and does not require a reservation.

Line ATV 476 (summer bus): Garda – Spiazzi – Ferrara di Monte Baldo

During summertime, line 476 is active, connecting Garda to Spiazzi and Ferrara di Monte Baldo. Perfect for those who want to visit this magnificent mountain range and reach the Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona.

Line ATV 470: Garda – San Zeno di Montagna

With line 470, active all year round, you can reach the beautiful village of San Zeno di Montagna. A great option for those who want to admire Lake Garda from a different perspective.

Line ATV 499: Spiazzi – Madonna della Corona

Another year-round line is 499, connecting Spiazzi to the wonderful Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona.

In the summertime, you can reach Spiazzi with line 476, which connects Garda to Ferrara di Monte Baldo.

Line ATV 199: Verona Porta Nuova – Aeroporto Catullo (Airlink)

Among the other year-round lines is line 199, which offers the Airlink Shuttle service. This connects Verona Porta Nuova station to Catullo Airport with departures every 20 minutes.

Line ATV 482 (summer bus): Lago di Garda – Aeroporto Catullo

To optimize the travel time for those arriving by plane in the villages on Lake Garda in the summertime (starting from June) line 482 is active. It connects Verona’s Catullo Airport and Lake Garda. This line is designed for all tourist customers who need a convenient and affordable connection between the airport and the lake. Line 482 is also convenient for those from the lake who want to reach Valeggio sul Mincio, Borghetto, and Parco Giardino Sigurtà.

Line ATV 479 (summer bus): Lazise – Affi

The summer line 479 starts from the center of Lazise and goes all the way to Affi. This is the perfect line to reach the Villa dei Cedri thermal baths in Colà and Parco Natura Viva in Pastrengo.

Line ATV 185 (summer bus): Garda – Verona

To optimize travel from Garda, Bardolino, and Lazise to Verona in the summer, ATV also offers line 185. From these little towns on Lake Garda, it’s possible to reach the city center of Verona more quickly and directly.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF LAKE GARDA (BRESCIA SHORE)

The company ARRIVA manages the local suburban public transportation service on the Brescia shore of the lake and in Brescia and its province. Thanks to these lines, it’s possible to travel from south to north along the lake shore, and also reach the nearby city of Brescia from our beautiful lake.

Things to know about ARRIVA buses:

The main suburban lines travel along the shore with stops in all the towns overlooking the lake.
The company’s schedule varies in each season.
Tickets can be purchased at ARRIVA ticket offices, authorized retailers, or on the Arriva My Pay App.
For those who choose to visit multiple towns on the lake in one day, there is the Oneday ticket, allowing the use of all suburban transport services in the Province of Brescia on the day of validity.
For schedules, notices, prices, and additional information, you can check the company’s website.

The main ARRIVA lines to travel around Lake Garda:

Line LN026 (034): Brescia – Desenzano – Sirmione – Peschiera – Verona

Line 026 (or 034) is active throughout the year, connecting Verona to Brescia. With line 026, you can reach Sirmione, Desenzano, and Lonato del Garda. It departs every hour and is an easy and fast way to reach the Sirmione peninsula by bus from Peschiera del Garda.

To avoid long waiting times (due to traffic), from April to October, line 026 does not stop in the center of Sirmione but in Colombare. Colombare is located at the beginning of the peninsula. To go to Sirmione from here, an ARRIVA shuttle bus will wait for you every 20 minutes and operate back and forth all day. Enjoy walking? The stroll to Sirmione is also a good option; in some stretches, you’ll be able to see the lake from both sides!

It’s useful to know that you don’t have to pay an extra surcharge for the shuttle if you already have a ticket for bus 026.

Line LN027: Desenzano – Salò – Gargnano – Limone – Riva

To reach the towns along the western coast of Lake Garda, between Desenzano del Garda and Riva del Garda, you can use line 027. Please note that this bus does not run every hour. So, I recommend checking the schedules a day in advance to plan your day effectively.

Lines LN006 – LN007: Desenzano – Padenghe – Salò

Other lines departing from Desenzano are line 006 and line 007. These are two short and convenient lines that easily connect the towns between Desenzano and Salò.

Line 006 passes through Padenghe and Puegnago. On the other hand, line 007 stops at Padenghe, Moniga, Manerba, and San Felice del Benaco.

Line LN034: Ponti – Pozzolengo – Desenzano – Brescia

To reach Brescia or the hills south of Lake Garda from Desenzano, you can take line 034. It stops at Lonato, Pozzolengo, Monzambano, and Ponti sul Mincio.

Line RL204: Desenzano – Padenghe – Manerba – Salò

The RL204 line is a fast connection that will take you to the southwestern shore of Lake Garda. You can easily reach Lido di Lonato, Padenghe, Moniga, Manerba, and Salò.

To reach the upper part of the lake, you can then take the LN027 line.

Line LN011: Gargnano – Tignale

Another convenient line for transfers along the Brescia shore of Lake Garda is number LN011. This line connects Gargnano and Tignale, and from Gargnano, there’s an immediate connection with line RL202-1 to reach Toscolano Maderno, Salò, and Brescia.

Line LN012: Gargnano – Tremosine – Limone

ARRIVA Brescia has created line LN012 to reach the beautiful Tremosine. From Gargnano, it follows the Gardesana before ascending towards Tremosine along the famous Strada della Forra, the most beautiful panoramic road on Lake Garda.

The journey then ends in the magnificent village of Limone sul Garda, where there are connections with lines RL202-1 and LN011.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT ON THE NORTHERN SHORE OF LAKE GARDA (TRENTINO SHORE)

The northern part of Lake Garda is managed by the company Trentino Trasporti. Thanks to their lines, you can explore the surroundings of Riva del Garda and reach the magnificent Brenta Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Things to know about Trentino Trasporti buses:

The main suburban lines travel through the valleys around the city of Trento, reaching as far as Lake Garda.
The company’s schedule varies in each season.
Tickets can be purchased at Trentino Trasporti ticket offices or on some applications (full link here) with a 10% discount.
For schedules, notices, prices, and additional information, you can check the company’s website.

The main Trentino Trasporti lines to travel around Lake Garda:

Line Urbana 1 (B861): Riva del Garda – Cascate del Varone – Arco

With Trentino Trasporti’s Urban Line 1 (B861), it’s easy to reach the village of Arco and the famous Cascate del Varone.

Line Urbana 2 (B862): Riva del Garda – Cascate del Varone – Arco

Trentino Trasporti’s Urban Line 2 (B862) follows the same route as Urban Line 1 but in the opposite direction. It reaches Arco and the Cascate del Varone.

Line Urbana 3 (B863): Nago – Torbole – Riva del Garda – Arco

Using Trentino Trasporti’s Urban Line 3 (B863) from Riva del Garda, you can reach Arco, Nago, and Torbole.

Lines B204 – B205: Riva del Garda – Arco – Trento

From Riva del Garda, you can reach Trento with lines B204 and B205.

Line B204, in the direction Trento – Arco – Riva, only unloads passengers at the stops in Arco and Riva del Garda. Therefore, if you’re looking for a line that takes you from Arco to Riva, you should opt for Urban Line 2.

Line B211: Riva del Garda – Tenno – Ponte Arche

From Riva del Garda, you can reach Tenno with line B211. Tenno is a beautiful municipality in the province of Trento from which you’ll have a magnificent panoramic view of Lake Garda.

The bus then continues to Ponte Arche, where you’ll find connections to many other buses.

Linea B208: Ponte Arche – Molveno

One of the most beautiful villages in the Dolomites of Brenta is Molveno. The village and its namesake lake can be reached with line B208 which departs from Ponte Arche.

From Riva del Garda to reach Molveno, you would take line B211 to Ponte Arche. Afterward, you’d change and take line B208 to Molveno.

Linea B201: Trento – Ponte Arche – Tione

The B201 line connects the city of Trento to Ponte Arche and Tione. I’m mentioning this line because you’ll need it to reach Madonna di Campiglio, the most famous village in the Dolomites of Brenta.

Linea B231: Tione – Pinzolo – Madonna di Campiglio

The line connecting Tione, Pinzolo, and Madonna di Campiglio is the B231. On board this bus, you’ll pass through valleys and witness breathtaking mountain landscapes until you reach the magnificent Madonna di Campiglio.

From Riva del Garda to reach Madonna di Campiglio, you would first take line B211 to Ponte Arche. Then, change and take line B208 to Tione, and finally, take the B231 to Madonna di Campiglio.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THE MANTUA AREA NEAR LAKE GARDA

In the southern part of Lake Garda and the hinterland, you can also use the Mantuan company APAM to get around. Thanks to their lines, you can explore the morainic hills south of the lake and reach Mantua.

Things to know about APAM buses:

The main suburban lines travel around the city of Mantua, reaching as far as Lake Garda.
The company’s schedule varies in each season.
Tickets can be purchased at APAM Infopoints, APAM ticket sales points, or through some applications (list link here).
For schedules, notices, prices, and additional information, you can check the company’s website.

The main APAM lines to travel around Lake Garda:

Line APAM 46: Peschiera – Valeggio – Mantova

Line 46 departs from Peschiera del Garda and heads south along the Mincio River. With this line, you can reach Ponti sul Mincio, Monzambano, Valeggio sul Mincio, and Mantua.

Line APAM 50: Colombare – Ponti sul Mincio – Valeggio – Monzambano

With line 50, starting from Colombare (Sirmione), you can cross the morainic hills and reach the villages that populate them. Among these: San Martino della Battaglia, Ponti sul Mincio, Monzambano, Volta Mantovana, Cavriana, Castellaro Lagusello, and Solferino.

Traveling with public transport on Lake Garda is also an eco-friendly choice. A bus can carry up to 45 people, which would require an average of at least 15 cars!