Lake Garda Ferry: How the Boats, Fast Boats and Car Ferry Work

Ordinary boats (battello). These are the workhorses. They stop at most landing stages, have open decks, and are the ones to take for the view. Most carry bicycles, subject to space.

Fast boats (servizio rapido, SR). Hydrofoils and catamarans printed in red on the timetable. They link the big towns with few stops: in summer 2026 the quickest ran from Desenzano to Riva del Garda in 2 hours 15 minutes, against about 5 hours on an ordinary boat. You pay the normal fare plus a supplement, bicycles are not carried, and bags longer than 60 cm are not allowed on board.

Car ferry (traghetto). The only vehicle crossing in the operator’s 2026 timetables is Maderno to Torri del Benaco, which takes 30 minutes and runs all year. It also carries foot passengers and bikes. The operator’s fare chart still lists separate vehicle piers at Limone and Malcesine, but no vehicle timetable was published for that crossing in 2026; between Limone and Malcesine we only found passenger boats.

The operator publishes two timetables a year. The 2026 summer timetable ran from 16 May to 4 October and is the full network: 26 towns, fast boats, and boats into the evening.

The winter timetable is valid from 5 October 2026 to 25 March 2027, but read the small print. The boats between Desenzano, Peschiera and Riva run only from 5 October to 1 November 2026 and again from 13 to 25 March 2027, and serve 16 towns. From 2 November to 12 March the car ferry between Torri and Maderno is the only service on the lake. Dates for the 2027 summer timetable had not been published when we checked. See our timetable page for first and last boats, and the month-by-month weather guide for what else is open.

Buy at the ticket office by the landing stage or online through the operator’s site. The main towns have an office next to the pier. The operator advises arriving about 20 minutes before departure in summer because queues build up.

If you board at a pier where the ticket office is open and buy on the boat instead, there is a €1.00 surcharge per passenger, bag or vehicle. Where there is no office, or it is closed, you buy on board with no surcharge. Tickets are valid only on the day of issue unless stated otherwise, and a return costs exactly twice the single. Prices, bands and passes are set out on our prices page.

Bikes. Allowed on ordinary boats when the vessel and the crowd permit, never on fast boats or catamarans. A bike ticket costs €3.50 to €6.90 depending on distance, and e-bikes count as bikes. Folded bikes and scooters under 1.10 m travel free. The timetable marks each run with a bike symbol: recommended, limited, or not carried. The captain has the final say, so in July and August ask at the ticket office first. Riders planning a one-way trip should read our Lake Garda bike rides guide alongside the timetable.

Dogs. Small dogs (up to 50 cm at the withers) travel free. Larger dogs pay the child fare, with no fast-boat supplement. You need a lead of no more than 1.5 m and must carry a muzzle. Guide dogs are free. The captain can refuse dogs on a very crowded boat.

Luggage. One bag per person is free if its longest side is no more than 60 cm and it weighs no more than 20 kg. A larger bag (up to 80 cm, or over 20 kg) costs €4.80. Fast boats do not take bags over 60 cm at all, which matters if you are moving hotels with a full-size suitcase.

For short hops it is the best way to travel on the lake: Desenzano to Sirmione is 20 minutes with no parking to find at the other end, and Malcesine to Limone is 20 minutes against a long drive round the top of the lake. For crossing between the west and east shores with a car, the Maderno to Torri ferry saves the loop through the south.

For end-to-end travel it is slow and not cheap. Desenzano to Riva del Garda is band 7, €17.50 each way on an ordinary boat, and about 5 hours. Treat that as a day out rather than transport. If you want commentary, a set itinerary or a sunset trip, look at our boat tours and cruises lists instead, or hire your own boat.