Peschiera del Garda / Desenzano del Garda-Sirmione → Verona Porta Nuova
Verona is 19 minutes from Peschiera by train for €4.05: which station or bus to use from each shore, and the last trains back.
Verona is the simplest city day out from Lake Garda. It is close enough to go after a slow breakfast, cheap enough not to think about, and the trains run late enough for dinner.
This page is about the day trip: where to start from, when the trains run and how late you can come back. If you are travelling out to the lake from the city, see the train from Verona to Lake Garda.
From Peschiera del Garda the regional train to Verona Porta Nuova leaves at 58 minutes past each hour and takes 19 minutes for €4.05. From Desenzano it leaves at 49 past and takes 28 minutes for €4.80. Just turn up; the fare never changes.
From Lazise, Bardolino and Garda the direct ATV bus into Verona is easier than going to Peschiera for the train. The last regional trains back from Verona left at 21:43 and 21:53 when we checked.
| Option | Time | Cost | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regional train (Trenord RE6 / Trenitalia) | 19 min from Peschiera, 28 min from Desenzano | €4.05 from Peschiera, €4.80 from Desenzano, each way | Hourly, 07:58 to 22:58 from Peschiera; earlier trains at 06:16 and 07:03 |
| ATV bus from Garda, Bardolino and Lazise | €3.90 from Lazise, €4.60 from Bardolino or Garda | All year on lines 162 to 164; extra lines in summer | |
| Frecciarossa or EuroCity | 14 min from Peschiera, 20 min from Desenzano | €11 to €18 | About hourly |
Peschiera station for Peschiera and the Gardaland area, Desenzano station for Sirmione and the west shore, the ATV bus for Lazise, Bardolino and Garda.
From Peschiera at 58 past, from Desenzano at 49 past. Nothing needs reserving.
Porta Nuova is south of the centre. Walk up Corso Porta Nuova to Piazza Bra and the Arena, or take a city bus from the forecourt.
Regional trains for the lake leave Verona at 43 past until 21:43, with one more at 21:53.
South shore: Peschiera is the nearest station to Verona and the cheapest. From Sirmione either station works; Peschiera saves nine minutes on the train.
West shore: from Salò, Manerba, Moniga and Padenghe, take the half-hourly RegioLink 204 to Desenzano station and the train from there.
East shore: from Lazise, Bardolino and Garda, the ATV bus runs straight to Verona. From Malcesine and Torri del Benaco, take the lake bus to Garda and change, or accept that it is a long day.
North: from Riva, Torbole and Arco, bus B332 to Rovereto and a regional train to Verona (46 minutes to an hour, €6.95) is the quickest public route.
The hourly regional leaves Verona Porta Nuova at 43 past and was the last one of the evening at 21:43, with a further regional at 21:53 and a Frecciarossa to Peschiera only at 22:20. After that, the planner showed nothing until the early morning.
That is fine for an early dinner but not for an opera at the Arena, which normally finishes later than that. On opera nights, either drive, book a hotel in Verona, or ask ATV whether late buses to the lake are running for that performance.
Remember the last link too. The RegioLink 204 from Desenzano station runs until 23:00; check the last east-shore bus from Peschiera on the ATV timetable.
Porta Nuova is the city’s main station, on the southern edge of the centre. Piazza Bra and the Arena are a straight walk up Corso Porta Nuova, and city buses to the centre leave from the forecourt. The ATV airport bus also starts here, which makes the station a useful pivot on arrival and departure days.
A relaxed day covers the Arena, Piazza delle Erbe, Juliet’s balcony if you must, and a walk across Ponte Pietra. If shopping is the aim, Verona’s Via Mazzini beats anything on the lake; our Lake Garda shopping guide covers the local alternatives.
Take a regional train from Peschiera del Garda (19 minutes) or Desenzano del Garda-Sirmione (28 minutes) to Verona Porta Nuova. Trains run every hour and need no reservation.
In October 2026 the regional fare was €4.05 each way from Peschiera and €4.80 from Desenzano. Frecciarossa and EuroCity trains on the same stretch cost €11 to €18 and save only a few minutes.
On the weekday we checked, the last regional trains left Verona Porta Nuova at 21:43 and 21:53 for both Peschiera and Desenzano. A Frecciarossa left at 22:20 for Peschiera only.
Peschiera del Garda. Its station is the first lake stop from Verona, 13 to 19 minutes away depending on direction. If day trips by rail matter to you, it is the most practical base on the lake.
Getting there is easy; getting back is the problem, because performances normally end later than the last regional trains at 21:43 and 21:53. Stay overnight in Verona, drive, or ask ATV about late buses to the lake on opera nights.
Not sensibly in one day. Both are on the same line, though, so they make two easy separate days. See Lake Garda to Venice by train for the longer one.
© 2026 Best of Lake Garda · Independent guides to every town on the lake, written and checked by Alex Burgoyne and Nicole. No one pays to be listed.
