Public Transport on Lake Garda
All bus lines on lake Garda for you in a row
In this article I would like to tell you about how you can use public transport on Lake Garda. The most important thing is that you inform yourself well in advance so that you can get the most out of your time on Lake Garda instead of waiting at a bus stop. If you also want to inform yourself about the ferries, I advise you to read the article about it.
To have an idea of how Public Transport works on Lake Garda, I better start with the fact that Lake Garda is surrounded by 4 provinces. For this reason there are more companies, each for their own area. The good news is that this does not mean that these buses are difficult to use. They are quite good connected to each other.
Public Transport on the eastern side of Lake Garda; Verona Province
ATV, Azienda Trasporti Verona, manages public transport in the urban and extra-urban areas of Verona. It is therefore with the ATV bus lines that you can move around the Veronese area of Lake Garda.
Good to know about the ATV buses
- The main buses run along the “Gardesana orientale” with stops in all the lakeside villages on this side of the lake.
- ATV bus times vary depending on the season. In the winter there is a less regular timetable and during the summer most of the buses run every hour and there are even extra bus lines between the beginning of May and the end of August.
- Bus tickets can be bought at ATV vending machines, authorized resellers such as tourist offices or by downloading the App Ticket Bus Verona.
- For those who decide to stay on Lake Garda for several days, it is possible to use the day tickets valid for 1, 3 or 7 days. From the validation date of these subscriptions you will be able to travel with all ATV buses.
- For schedules, possible strikes, prices and additional information, check the ATV company’s website; atv.verona.it
CLICK HERE FOR THE TIMETABLES
The main ATV buses around lake Garda
ATV BUS 164 – Verona-Peschiera-Garda
Line 164 operates all year round and connects the village of Garda to Verona through the Gardesana road. With line 164 it is possible to reach Bardolino, Lazise, Peschiera train station and the amusement parks Gardaland, Sealife Aquarium, Movieland and Caneva.
ATV BUS 484 – Garda-Malcesine-Riva
Line 484 also operates all year round, connecting Garda to Riva del Garda, in the nothern part of the Gardesana. With line 484 it is possible to reach Torri del Benaco, Brenzone, Malcesine and Torbole.
Will you be on Lake Garda in the low season? If you are staying in the south and would like to visit the northern villages such as Malcesine or Riva, or the vice versa you are staying north and want to go south. You must combine the two ATV lines 164 and 484 and change in Garda.
ATV SUMMER BUS 483 Peschiera – Garda – Malcesine
From the beginning of May to the end of October there is an extra and very comfortable bus line, the 483 that runs every hour, between 08:00 and 18:00 between San Benedetto di Lugana (part of Peschiera del Garda) and Malcesine. It is among the best buses because it stops in every village between Peschiera and Malcesine.
ATV BUS 162 – 163 – 165 Garda – Pastrengo – Verona
The other ATV lines running all year round and connecting Garda to the city centre of Verona are the 162, 163 and 165. These make hinterland routes, all of which pass Pastrengo with a stop near Parco Natura Viva (the zoo). In addition, with line 163, it is possible to reach Colà and the Parco Termale del Garda; To reach Villa dei Cedri. Line 165, however, tackles the more northern hinterland of Garda; Affi and Costermano sul Garda.
If you are staying on the Veronese coast of Lake Garda, know that you can easily reach all the main attractions on this side of Lake Garda with ATV.
ATV BUS 499 Spiazzi – Madonna della Corona
Another line all year round is the 499 that connects Spiazzi to the beautiful Santuario della Madonna della Corona. During the summer it is possible to reach Spiazzi with line 476 that connects Garda to Ferrara di Monte Baldo.
ATV BUS 470 – 476 Garda- Baldo (Bus Walk & Bike)
ATV has also thought of cycling enthusiasts! The Walk & Bike bus 470 and 476 offer the possibility to load bicycles on special bicycle racks.
To take your bicycle with you, you must take into account a surcharge of € 2 for each bicycle. This service has not to be reserved.
ATV BUS 199 – Verona Porta Nuova – Verona Airport Catullo (Airlink)
Are you traveling through Catullo Airport in Verona? Throughout the year you can use the Airport Shuttle 199. This connects shuttle connects the Verona Porta Nuova train station with the Catullo airport and runs every 20 minutes.
ATV ZOMER BUS 482 Lake Garda – Verona Airport Catullo
To reach the airport with a direct connection from lake Garda, it is possible to take the line 482 from June until the end of August. This line is for all those who need a practical and economical connection between the airport and the places on the eastern side of the lake. Line 482 is also useful for anyone wanting to reach Valeggio sul Mincio, Borghetto and the Sigurtà Garden Park from the lake.
Whether you will be staying in the north-eastern part of Lake Garda or in the south-eastern area. You don’t have to worry about how to get around Lake Garda, public transport offers many options.
Do you want to head south? Since you then enter the province of Mantova, you can use the APAM bus lines.
APAM BUS 46 Peschiera – Valeggio – Mantua
The most requested APAM line is the 46. This line runs between Peschiera del Garda and Mantua and follows more or less the course of the Mincio river. The villages you can reach with this bus are: Ponti sul Mincio, Monzambano, Valeggio sul Mincio, Volta Mantovana and other villages before Mantua. To find a bus and an up-to-date schedule I advise you to check the official website www.apam.it.
Public Transport on the western side of Lake Garda; Brescia Province
ARRIVA SIA, manages public transport in the urban and extra-urban area in the province of Brescia. It is therefore with the SIA bus lines that you can move around the western area of Lake Garda.
Good to know about the ARRIVA SIA buses
- The main lines run along the Gardesana occidentale (SS45bis and SP572) with stops in all villages on this western side of the lake.
- The bus times of the SIA buses vary based on the season. The timetable is less regular during the winter period (especially on Sundays and public holidays).
- Bus tickets can be purchased from ARRIVA offices in the province of Brescia, from authorized resellers such as many tourist offices or through the Arriva My Pay app.
- For those who decide to visit several villages on Lake Garda in one day, a Oneday ticket can be purchased that will allow you to use all extra-urban transport services in the province of Brescia on the day you decide.
- For all bus times and any adjustments or strikes, I recommend checking the website.
ARRIVA SIA BUS 26 Brescia – Desenzano – Sirmione – Peschiera – Verona
Line 26 operates year-round and connects the two cities; Verona and Brescia. With line 26 it is possible to reach Peschiera, Sirmione, Desenzano and Lonato del Garda. This bus departs every hour in both directions, towards Brescia and thus towards Verona. During the high season, this bus also runs every hour on Sundays and public holidays.
To avoid long waiting times (due to traffic), the ARRIVA SIA line 26 from April to October 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 be waiting for you every 20 minutes and runs back and forth throughout the day. Do you like walking? The walk to Sirmione is also fun to do, in some parts you will be able to see the lake on both sides!
Also useful to know is that you do not have to pay an extra surcharge if you have already paid for a bus ticket for line 26.
ARRIVA SIA BUS 27 Desenzano – Salò – Gargnano – Riva
To reach the villages along the western coast of Lake Garda, between Desenzano del Garda and Riva del Garda, by bus, you can use the ARRIVA SIA line 27. Please note that this bus does not run every hour, even in high season. So it is always useful to check the times a day in advance in order to organize your day well.
ARRIVA SIA Linee LN006 – LN007 Desenzano – Padenghe – Salò
Other bus lines that depart from Desenzano are the buses 6 and 7 taking you to the villages between Desenzano and Salò.
Where are the Train stations on lake Garda?
Let’s not forget to mention that to reach Lake Garda by train, there are two train stations; Desenzano del Garda and Peschiera del Garda. From these stations it is easy to travel around Lake Garda, thanks to the bus stops that you will find in front of the station.
Traveling by bus on Lake Garda is also an ecological choice. One bus can move up to 45 people, which would require at least 15 cars on average!
