Stresa Travel: A Guide to Lake Maggiore Ferries

One of the things that our super front of house girls, Marta, Laura and Carla, have to explain the most is the mystery of ferry travel and the seemingly endless types of ticket!

At first glance it can be difficult to decide what is the best value ticket for what you would like to do.So I thought I'd try and tell it straight: a short definition of the three main ticket types and a few popular scenarios with the best value ticket. I hope that this goes some way to helping you negotiate the timetables and tickets.

(23/02/15 Updated prices for 2015)

Lake Maggiore Ferry

The three main ticket types

1. Standard return tickets: these tickets are for travel to and from two points with no stops on the way (senza fermate intermedie). 
2. Special return tickets: these allow you to travel between two points with stops on the way (con fermate intermedie). 
3. Rover Tickets (Libera Circolazione): these tickets allow you to travel between two points and all the stops in between, for one calendar day. The ticket expires when you get back off the ferry at your starting point. 

I would like to visit all three Borromean Islands in one day and I want to be flexible
In this case the ticket you're looking for is a Libera Circolazione or what we call a Rover Ticket. This type of ticket allows you to travel between Stresa, Isola Madre, Isola Pescatori and Isola Bella as much as you would like and in what order you would like all day. The ticket expires when you return to Stresa. With 2015 prices this costs €16.90 per adult, €13.60 for over 65's Monday to Friday (not public holidays) and €8.50 per child 4-11 years.

Stresa Ferry Station

I would like to visit all three Borromean Islands in one day and don't mind sticking to a set itinerary
If you're willing to be a little less flexible then you can save even more if you get one of our Super Saver Tickets! They are less flexible because you need to visit the islands in a set order. With 2015 prices this costs €13.90 per adult and €7.00 per child 4-11 years. So you save €3.00 per adult ... enough to treat yourself to an ice cream! There are also discounts for over 65's.

I would only like to visit Isola Bella and Isola Pescatori in one day
This is where you can make even more of a saving. The ferry company has a special ticket which enables you to visit Isola Pescatori and Isola Bella from Stresa for just €9.60 per adult and €5.20 per child 4-11 years.

I would only like to visit one place in one day
If you just want to visit one place, with no other stops on the way, then the best value option is a standard return ticket. For example, say you want to just visit Villa Taranto from Stresa. With 2015 prices a standard return ticket costs €12.40 per adult and €6.20 per child 4-11 years whereas a Rover Ticket as far as Villa Taranto costs €20.70 per adult and €10.40 per child 4-11 years.

Stresa Ferry Station

I'm 65 years or over and I would like to know if I get any discounts on the ferries
There is a discount for standard return tickets for people aged 65 and over, Monday to Friday (except public holidays). For 2015 there are discounts on Rover Tickets Monday to Friday (except public holidays.

We're a family and we would like to know if we get any discounts on the ferries
All children under 4 years travel free of charge as it is assumed they will not occupy a seat. There is also a special family ticket. If two adults buy a full fare Rover Ticket, then one or two children 4-11 years can travel with them for free. The whole family group must travel together at all times.

I would like to do the Lake Maggiore Express
You can read more about the Lake Maggiore Express here. We suggest the best route to be departing by train from Stresa and return by ferry. Despite what is written on some websites, there is no advantage to buying a ticket before you arrive in Stresa. You can buy it once you arrive in Stresa or even the same day you would like to travel. Just come along to our travel office when you've decided when you'd like to travel. With 201 prices this costs €34.00 per adult and €17.00 per child 4-12 years.

Lake Maggiore Ferries

I would like to do the Lake Maggiore Express and visit the Borromean Islands

This, without a doubt, is the best value two days out you can have on Lake Maggiore. On one day you can take the Lake Maggiore Express and on another day you have a Rover Ticket valid on the whole lake, so you can use it to visit the Borromean Islands. It is a special two-day Lake Maggiore Express ticket and must be used on two consecutive days. With 2015 prices this costs €44.00 per adult and €22.00 per child 4-12 years, total for the two days.

I've heard about Holiday Cards - what are they?
Holiday Cards are Rover Tickets that are valid for three or seven consecutive days on the whole of the lake. In our experience it is almost impossible to travel for three consecutive days and make this ticket worthwhile. Depending on what you would like to see, the seven day ticket might be the right option for you. With 2015 prices a three day card costs €65.00 per adult and €33.00 per child 4-11 years and a seven day card costs €83.00 per adult and €42.00 per child 4-11 years. 

Can I and should I buy any of the above tickets before I arrive in Stresa?
The simple answers are no and no! All the tickets above can be bought anytime after you arrive in Stresa, right up to the time of travel. Seats or specific ferries are not reserved, so you can even decide last minute and not be disappointed.

On the ferry!

What about the hydrofoil?

None of the above offers or tickets are for travel on the hydrofoils (marked in red on the ferry timetables). To travel on the hydrofoil you will need to book at our travel office in Stresa, or at the ferry station. There is a supplement that must be paid by everyone travelling, even free children.

**Please note that none of the above tickets include any entrance tickets or meals. They are purely transportation tickets**

Phew! It's quite a lot to get through but I've tried to keep each explanation short and to the point. To buy tickets or for any further questions about the ferries just come into our Travel Office on the lakefront opposite the ferry station car park. We speak English, French and German and we are official ticket agents for the Lake Maggiore Ferry Company.

To download full timetables and fare structures visit www.navigazionelaghi.it

Sarah, Viaggi Tomassucci