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Season dates, main lines, car ferry, tickets and PDF timetables for the Italian and Swiss basins – clearly explained.
The official Lake Maggiore ferry timetable for 2026 applies in the Italian basin from 29 March to 4 October, and in the Swiss basin from 29 March to 18 October. Navigation is organised by Navigazione Laghi (Italy) and SNL (Switzerland). Anyone who wants to avoid the timetable jungle and experience the lake privately will find a flexible alternative without crowds in a skippered tour on the gaff cutter Striga Constanze.
In 2026 the Lake Maggiore ferry timetables are divided into two main periods – depending on whether you are in the Italian or the Swiss part of the lake:
Outside these seasons a heavily reduced winter timetable is available – for example the Locarno–Magadino line or the Intra–Laveno car ferry at reduced frequency.
Exact departure times can vary by weekday and season. Anyone travelling on public holidays or in the low or shoulder season should always check the current timetable on the operators' official websites. The difference between public scheduled services and a private charter – such as the one Striga Constanze offers – becomes clear further down this page.
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Many guests planning their holiday on Lake Maggiore face the same problem: at first glance the official timetable looks confusing. Different lines, two countries with separate fare systems, seasonal changes and cryptic symbols in the PDF files – clarity is often missing.
Basically, navigation is divided into two main areas:
Various types of vessel operate on the lake: regular scheduled boats for passenger transport, fast boats (Battelli Rapidi) on the main routes, the Intra–Laveno car ferry as the only ferry connection for vehicles, and seasonal excursion boats for evening and special trips.
The key difference from a private, skippered tour on the gaff cutter Striga Constanze: while public scheduled services are tied to fixed timetables, stops and routes, on a private tour you decide yourself when you set off, where you go and how long you stay on the water.
Anyone who wants to explore the lake by public boat saves time, nerves and missed connections with good preparation. Because the typical pitfalls lurk everywhere:
The last connection to Stresa, Locarno or Laveno often leaves earlier than expected – especially in the low season or on weekdays. In remote lakeside villages there are then hardly any alternatives.
Many travellers believe there are car ferries everywhere. In fact, the only car ferry runs between Intra and Laveno.
Many island and excursion connections are dropped or heavily reduced after 4 October.
Passenger ferries to the Borromean Islands sometimes run every half hour – yet on Saturdays and public holidays that is often still not enough. Waiting times of 30 minutes or more are not unusual in high season.
Ferries can be cancelled depending on weather conditions, waves or operational disruptions – without warning.
Private tours such as those with Striga Constanze avoid all these problems: no changes, no rigid times, no queues. More on this below.
The Italian basin stretches from Arona and Angera in the south via Stresa, Baveno, Pallanza (Verbania), Intra, Cannero and Cannobio to Maccagno and the Swiss border at Brissago. All these places are served by Navigazione Lago Maggiore as part of the public service.
Full service starts at the end of March and ends at the beginning of October 2026. The summer timetables usually apply from the end of March to October/November, with the densest frequency reached in July and August. In addition, there are seasonal evening lines, especially in the southern basin and around the Borromean Islands.
The timetables are organised by line numbers: main routes run north–south along the shore, cross connections lead to the islands, and special island shuttles serve the Borromean Gulf. Important: tickets and timetables for Italy and Switzerland are completely separate – there is no single "all-in-one" card for the whole lake.
The most important routes at a glance:
Arona – Stresa – Baveno – Verbania/Pallanza – Intra – Cannero – Cannobio – and on towards the Swiss border. This line connects all the major villages and towns on the western shore and provides access to promenades, historic villas and the port of Luino on the eastern shore.
Stresa – Isola Bella – Isola dei Pescatori – Isola Madre – Baveno / Pallanza. Boat tours to the Borromean Islands are very popular, and the ferries offer connections to the Borromean Islands from places such as Stresa and Verbania. In high season the boats run particularly frequently here.
The only east–west connection carrying vehicles (covered in detail in its own section).
Ferry connections link Arona, Stresa, Verbania and Locarno – with changes at central hubs such as Intra or Pallanza.
In high summer (July–August) the frequency increases and there are more special trips – for example to fireworks or as evening cruises along the illuminated shores.
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Evening trips start in June and end in September. They are ideal for enjoying the sunset over the lake and the lights of the lakeside towns from the water.
Specifically, there is an evening loop route in southern Lake Maggiore – for example Arona – Angera – Ranco – which runs on Fridays and Saturdays. The last evening trip departs at 01:30. In the official timetable these connections appear as a separate section ("Servizi serali").
Fireworks over Lake Maggiore are an unforgettable experience – especially the traditional Ferragosto fireworks in Laveno in mid-August, which attract thousands. Places on the boats are then limited: arrive at the pier in good time or simply book a private tour to enjoy the view from the water without the crowds.
Ticino
The northern part of Lake Maggiore lies in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. Here you'll find Locarno, Ascona, Tenero and Magadino as well as the famous Brissago Islands with their botanical garden.
The 2026 timetable in the Swiss basin applies in full from 29 March to 18 October. The lines are operated by SNL, partly in cooperation with Navigazione Laghi for cross-border connections.
Tickets and timetables are available separately on the Swiss portal. Separate day passes and combined offers – such as the Lago Maggiore Express – are also available. The Swiss Travel Pass and regional discounts are accepted on many routes too.
Line 351 is the backbone of navigation in the Swiss basin. It connects Locarno with the Ticino estuary areas at Magadino and Tenero.
Typical users are:
The fast connections in the Swiss basin run all year round, but with a much denser frequency during the season. Specific departure times vary by weekday – a look at the current PDF timetable on lakelocarno.com is recommended before every trip.
Ascona as a holiday resort and the Brissago Islands with their subtropical botanical garden are among the most popular destinations for boat trips in Ticino. Seasonal connections from Locarno and Ascona to the islands are more frequent from April to October, with a denser frequency in summer.
Some services continue towards the Italian border to the area around Cannobio, but are not available all year or all day. Travellers should note the cross-border character of the timetable: different fare zones and tickets apply on the waters between Switzerland and Italy.
The Laveno–Intra car ferry connects the eastern shore with the western shore – and is the only real car ferry connection on Lake Maggiore. It runs between Verbania-Intra (Piedmont) and Laveno-Mombello (Lombardy) and is the most important east–west connection across the lake.
The car ferry carries cars, motorbikes and bicycles as well as, of course, pedestrians. The crossing takes 30 minutes. In summer the car ferry between Intra and Laveno runs every 20 minutes – with extended operating hours in July and August and occasional late trips. In the low season the frequency is reduced. The first car ferry went into service in 1933 – since then this connection has been a fixture on the lake.
To avoid misconceptions, here are the most important clarifications:
The fare system on Lake Maggiore reflects the lake's division: the Italian and Swiss basins have separate ticket systems with their own price structures. An overview of the most important options:
The fares for the Italian basin were updated from 1 April 2026 – current price lists are available as PDFs on the Navigazione Laghi website.
Day passes are worthwhile if you want to combine several places or islands in one day:
The Lago Maggiore Express is one of the region's most popular combined trips: a cruise on the lake combined with a train ride through the spectacular Centovalli valley to Domodossola and back. The ticket works as a round trip with a single ticket and is available on certain days during the season.
Reservations are recommended especially in summer and at weekends – the connections are in high demand and seats on the train and on board are limited.
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This is where the search for "Lake Maggiore ferry timetable PDF" ends. There are two official sources:
How to find the PDFs: in the navigation menu "Orari/Timetables" select "Lago Maggiore", then the relevant section (italiano/tedesco/english). Mark your travel day and, if needed, use the PDF search function (Ctrl+F) for departure port and destination.
Timetable notices are also posted at every pier – a sensible backup in case something changes at short notice.
Guide
Many travellers don't struggle with the boats but with the table layout of the PDF timetables. This simple guide helps:
First choose the right line plan – for example "Servizi Interni – Bacino Borromeo", "Servizi internazionali" or "Linea Intra–Laveno". Use the columns to identify the departure and destination ports: if Arona is at the top and Locarno at the bottom, you are travelling north. Stops are listed on the left, times at the top.
The tables use symbols that easily lead to misinterpretation without the legend:
Always read the legend in the margin – it explains whether connections run only on certain days, with vehicle transport or as a fast service.
Many trips require changes – for example Stresa to Cannobio with a change in Intra or Pallanza. Allow 10–20 minutes for changes, especially in high summer or when connecting with buses and trains. You can recognise fast connections (Motonave Rapida) by the "SR" symbols – surcharges or reservations may be required here.
Official timetables are binding, but can be adjusted at any time in cases of force majeure:
On the day of travel, check the online timetable again in the morning or use the information at the ticket offices. If you want to play it safe with an uncertain weather forecast: a private trip with free rebooking in bad weather – as with Striga Constanze – is far more relaxed than a fixed-booked scheduled boat.
The official timetable is public transport on the water – reliable, but impersonal. Striga Constanze offers the exact opposite: a private, skippered tour on a traditional gaff cutter where you decide where the journey goes.
On board the Striga Constanze you are not tied to fixed lines. Individual routes lead to the Borromean Islands, Santa Caterina del Sasso, the Cannero castles or to quiet bays away from the crowds. No PDF timetable needed: start time, duration (3–7 hours) and route are agreed directly with us.
Guests particularly appreciate the peace, the distance from crowds and the chance to enjoy the beauty of the lake at their own pace – an experience no scheduled service can offer.
A personal lake experience in just a few steps:
This replaces the complex official timetable with a tailor-made tour without the stress of changing boats.
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Here the most frequently asked questions about boat travel on Lake Maggiore are answered concisely.
Full scheduled service mainly runs from 29 March to mid/late October 2026. In winter a heavily reduced timetable applies – especially in the Swiss basin and on individual core routes. Outside the season, always check the current day's timetable.
Season 2027
In 2026 the official timetable offers you many ways to reach the towns and islands of Lake Maggiore flexibly by boat. With a little preparation – studying the PDF timetable, choosing the right tickets, noting the season dates – the typical pitfalls can be avoided. Anyone looking for a personal experience without crowds instead of scheduled services is better advised with a private boat tour on the gaff cutter Striga Constanze.
For public connections: Download current timetables from navigazionelaghi.it or lakelocarno.com, mark your preferred route and check the day pass.
For your private lake experience in 2027: Send your preferred date via WhatsApp to +39 333 3802 383 and enquire about availability without obligation. We look forward to welcoming you on board.
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