Day trip from Como to Bergamo by train

Outbound 2 h 24 minAbout 9 h for your visit in Bergamo
Costs for the dayabout €66.70 to €76.70 per person2 adults, recommended sights, with AI Tour Guide and foodWork out your costs ↓
Start the Bergamo tourSee the day plan
Bergamo

A day trip from Como to Bergamo works, but it is a long day: there is no direct train, so you change at Milano Centrale and spend roughly two hours on each leg. Take an early morning train and you get about nine hours in Bergamo, enough for the whole walk from the funicular up to Città Alta down to the Accademia Carrara, with Como reached again late in the evening.

Is a day trip from Como to Bergamo worth it?

Bergamo gives you what Como cannot: a walled hilltop town. The Venetian walls around Città Alta are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and inside them Piazza Vecchia, the Cappella Colleoni and Santa Maria Maggiore sit within a few minutes of each other. There is no lake here, but there are long views from the Rocca and San Vigilio over the lower town, the plain and the mountains to the north. Bergamo is also noticeably cheaper than Como for eating out, and its kitchen is its own: casoncelli with butter and sage, and a dessert called polenta e osei that contains no polenta at all.

The price is the journey. Como and Bergamo have no direct train, so every trip runs through Milano Centrale, and you spend around four hours of the day on trains and platforms. With an early start that still leaves a full day on foot in Bergamo, but it only makes sense if you have more than one day at the lake and the lake itself is already done.

Who this day trip suits

  • Travellers with several days at Lake Como who want a complete change of scene from lakeshore to fortified hilltop town
  • History and architecture lovers, for the Venetian walls, the Renaissance Cappella Colleoni and Piazza Vecchia
  • Food travellers who want Bergamo's own dishes, from casoncelli to stracciatella gelato, at prices below the lake
  • Good walkers happy to spend a long day on cobblestones between the upper town, San Vigilio and the lower town

Go if you have a spare full day at Como and want a historic hilltop town on foot; if time is short or you came for lake scenery, stay at the lake or choose Milan.

Other day trips from Como

How to get from Como to Bergamo by train

The way to do it is Trenord regional trains with one change at Milano Centrale: one train from Como S. Giovanni to Milan, a second from Milan to Bergamo, both on the same Lombardy regional network. Trenitalia EuroCity trains also run from Como to Milano Centrale, but they need their own ticket.

Train: Trenord

You leave from Como S. Giovanni, the main station above the town centre. The first section to Milano Centrale takes about three quarters of an hour and runs roughly every hour, with a couple of extra trains early in the morning on weekdays. At Milano Centrale you stay in the same station and change to the Trenord train for Bergamo, which also runs about hourly and takes around 50 minutes. Plan at least a quarter of an hour for the change; with a good connection the whole trip takes a little under two hours, with a poor one well over two. The cost tool prices two ordinary regional tickets, one per section. Buy them before you board and validate paper tickets, because inspectors in Lombardy are strict. On the approach to Bergamo, a seat on the left side gives you the first view of the ramparts of Città Alta.

Operator
Trenord
Route
Como S.Giovanni → Bergamo
Journey time
2 h 24 min
Travel fare
Outward €10.50; return €10.50 (€21 return total)

Tickets at Trenord ↗

Bergamo station is in the lower town, Città Bassa. From there you walk through the lower town to the lower station of the funicular at the foot of the old town, about 25 minutes on foot, then the funicular carries you up into Città Alta.

Example connections by weekday

Full journeys with each leg shown. Times and fares can vary by day and service.

DayOutboundReturn
Daily07:29–09:53 · 2 h 24 min
  1. Como S.Giovanni → Milano Centrale: 07:29–08:10
  2. Milano Centrale → Bergamo: 09:05–09:53
20:02–22:23 · 2 h 21 min
  1. Bergamo → Milano Centrale: 20:02–20:50
  2. Milano Centrale → Como S.Giovanni: 21:43–22:23

Timetable

Train: Trenord

Monday to Friday

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:2006:241 h 4 min
06:3607:1741 min
07:0307:5047 min
07:2908:1041 min
08:0508:5045 min
08:3609:2044 min
09:3610:2044 min
10:3611:2044 min
11:2912:1344 min
12:3613:2145 min

Saturday to Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:2006:241 h 4 min
06:3607:1741 min
07:2908:1041 min
08:3609:2044 min
09:3610:2044 min
10:3611:2044 min
11:2912:1344 min
12:3613:2145 min

Timetable: Trenord, as of 22 October 2026

Monday to Friday

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:2506:1550 min
06:0506:5348 min
07:0507:5954 min
08:0508:5752 min
09:0509:5348 min
10:0510:5550 min
11:0511:5348 min
12:0512:5550 min
13:0513:5550 min

Saturday to Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
05:0505:5348 min
06:0506:5348 min
07:0507:5954 min
08:0508:5752 min
09:0509:5348 min
10:0510:5550 min
11:0511:5348 min
12:0512:5550 min
13:0513:5550 min

Check current times at Trenord ↗

Train: Trenord

Monday to Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
12:0212:5048 min
13:0213:5452 min
14:0214:5452 min
15:0215:5452 min
16:0216:5452 min
17:0217:5048 min
18:0218:5452 min
19:0219:5452 min
20:0220:5048 min
21:0221:5553 min
22:0722:5548 min

Monday to Sunday

DepartureArrivalDuration
12:4313:2340 min
13:4314:2340 min
14:4315:2340 min
15:4316:2340 min
16:4317:2340 min
17:4318:2340 min
18:4319:2340 min
19:4320:2340 min
20:4321:2744 min
21:4322:2340 min

Check current times at Trenord ↗

Your Como to Bergamo day trip itinerary

Day plan for: Tue–Sun

The day hangs on the early morning train with its change in Milan: leave Como just before half past seven, be on the funicular before eleven and keep the upper town for the afternoon, when its chapel and towers are open.

  1. Morning07:29 – 09:53

    Take the Trenord train from Como S. Giovanni just before half past seven to Milano Centrale, arriving shortly after eight, and change to the train shortly after nine for Bergamo, which arrives just before ten. From the station walk through the lower town to the funicular, about 25 minutes.

    This connection runs on weekdays and at weekends alike and gets you into Bergamo before ten; the wait in Milan is long, but it leaves plenty of margin for the change.

  2. Tour10:30 – 13:15

    At the funicular, open the tour in the browser. The AI Tour Guide greets you, tells you how the line has linked the two halves of the town since the nineteenth century, asks what you want to get out of the day and leads you up to the Venetian Walls, where you walk along the ramparts, and on to the Castello di San Vigilio.

    The walls and San Vigilio are outdoors and free, a good first stretch while the upper town is still quieter than in the afternoon.

    1. Funicular to Città Alta in Bergamo, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour1Funicular to Città Alta
    2. Venetian Walls in Bergamo, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour2Venetian Walls
    3. Castello di San Vigilio in Bergamo, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour3Castello di San Vigilio

    Start the Bergamo tour

  3. Lunch13:15 – 14:15

    Lunch in Città Alta after the Castello di San Vigilio and before the Campanone. Many places on the main street offer a simple lunch deal, and for casoncelli in a sit-down setting it is worth booking a table ahead.

    The Cappella Colleoni closes over lunch, so eating now means you reach it after it has reopened, and you start the afternoon in Piazza Vecchia with fresh energy.

  4. Afternoon14:15 – 19:15

    After lunch the guide takes you to the Campanone, Piazza Vecchia, the Cappella Colleoni, Santa Maria Maggiore and the Rocca di Bergamo. From there you walk down past Palazzo Moroni and end outside the Accademia Carrara in the lower town around a quarter past six; both are seen from the outside on this day. With about an hour to spare, a spritz on Piazza Pontida on the way to the station is a short optional detour of about half an hour.

    This order keeps the paid interiors in their afternoon opening hours and ends the walk in the lower town, on the side of the station.

    1. Campanone (Civic Tower) in Bergamo, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour4Campanone (Civic Tower)
    2. Piazza Vecchia in Bergamo, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour5Piazza Vecchia
    3. Cappella Colleoni in Bergamo, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour6Cappella Colleoni
    4. Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour7Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
    5. Rocca di Bergamo, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour8Rocca di Bergamo
    6. Palazzo Moroni in Bergamo, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour9Palazzo Moroni
    7. Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, stop 10 on the self-guided walking tour10Accademia Carrara
  5. Return19:15 – 22:23

    Leave the Accademia Carrara by around a quarter past seven and head back to the station for the train to Milano Centrale shortly after eight, arriving just before nine. Change there to the train around a quarter to ten, which reaches Como S. Giovanni just before half past ten.

    The walk back to the station takes about half an hour, plus a buffer for buying tickets, and the change in Milan has plenty of slack.

Arrival to return departure: 10 h 9 min. Time for your visit: about 9 h.

Arrival 09:53, tour start 10:30: 25 min to walk to the start, 12 min spare.

You get about nine hours in Bergamo; if you arrive late, shorten the end of the walk past Palazzo Moroni and the Accademia Carrara rather than changing the order of the stops.

Best day to visit Bergamo from Como

  1. Monday: better not
  2. Tuesday: recommended
  3. Wednesday: recommended
  4. Thursday: recommended
  5. Friday: recommended
  6. Saturday: recommended
  7. Sunday: recommended
  • Monday: The planned interior visits (Campanone (Civic Tower), Cappella Colleoni and Rocca di Bergamo) do not fit the opening hours on this day.

Bergamo walking tour in one day: from the funicular to the Accademia Carrara

The walk starts at the funicular, climbs through Città Alta to San Vigilio, returns to Piazza Vecchia and its chapel and basilica, and ends in the lower town at the Accademia Carrara. It is about two hours of pure walking spread over the whole day, mostly on old cobbled streets. The AI Tour Guide leads it as a conversation: it tells the stories of each place and follows up on whatever catches your interest.

The Bergamo tour: your guide leads you from stop to stop.
  1. Funicular to Città Alta
  2. Venetian Walls
  3. Castello di San Vigilio
  4. Campanone (Civic Tower)
  5. Piazza Vecchia
  6. Cappella Colleoni
  7. Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
  8. Rocca di Bergamo
  9. Palazzo Moroni
  10. Accademia Carrara

Start the Bergamo tour

Opening hours as of 1 October 2026.

  1. Funicular to Città Alta in Bergamo, stop 1 on the self-guided walking tour
    1Stop 1

    Funicular to Città Alta

    Built in 1887, the funicular has linked the lower town with Città Alta ever since, and the short ride is the classic way into the old town.

    Hours
    Daily: 07:00–24:00
    Price
    €1.70
  2. Venetian Walls in Bergamo, stop 2 on the self-guided walking tour
    2Stop 2

    Venetian Walls

    The ramparts that Venice built around the upper town are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a walk with the lower town and plain at your feet.

    Price
    Free
  3. Castello di San Vigilio in Bergamo, stop 3 on the self-guided walking tour
    3Stop 3

    Castello di San Vigilio

    The castle on the hill of San Vigilio, north of the upper town, has guarded the hills around Bergamo for centuries and is the high point of the walk.

    Hours
    Daily: 09:00–17:00
    Price
    Free
  4. Campanone (Civic Tower) in Bergamo, stop 4 on the self-guided walking tour
    4Stop 4

    Campanone (Civic Tower)

    The civic tower, the Campanù in Bergamo dialect, rises over the old town and is the place to climb for the view over Piazza Vecchia.

    Hours
    Mon: closed
    Tue–Fri: 10:00–18:00 (last admission 17:30)
    Sat, Sun: 10:00–19:00 (last admission 18:30)
    Price
    €9
  5. Piazza Vecchia in Bergamo, stop 5 on the self-guided walking tour
    5Stop 5

    Piazza Vecchia

    For centuries the political and civic heart of the town, Piazza Vecchia is the square every walk through Città Alta comes back to.

    Price
    Free
  6. Cappella Colleoni in Bergamo, stop 6 on the self-guided walking tour
    6Stop 6

    Cappella Colleoni

    A Renaissance funerary chapel built in 1476 by Giovanni Antonio Amadeo for the condottiero Bartolomeo Colleoni, with one of the most ornate façades in Lombardy.

    Hours
    Mon: closed
    Tue–Sun: 09:00–12:30, 14:00–16:30
    Price
    Free
  7. Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo, stop 7 on the self-guided walking tour
    7Stop 7

    Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore

    Tradition says the basilica was built to fulfil a vow made to the Virgin Mary, and its interior is the richest church space in the upper town.

    Hours
    Daily: 09:00–18:00
    Price
    €5
  8. Rocca di Bergamo, stop 8 on the self-guided walking tour
    8Stop 8

    Rocca di Bergamo

    The fortress on the hill of Sant'Eufemia looks south over the lower town and the plain and north to the Orobie mountains.

    Hours
    Mon: closed
    Tue–Sun: 11:00–18:00
    Price
    €5
  9. Palazzo Moroni in Bergamo, stop 9 on the self-guided walking tour
    9Stop 9

    Palazzo Moroni

    On Via Porta Dipinta, the family palazzo keeps a collection with paintings by Giovan Battista Moroni, seen from the street on this day.

    Hours (optional interior visit)
    Mon, Tue: closed
    Wed–Sun: 10:00–18:00 (last admission 17:00)
    Price
    Optional entry · Palazzo Moroni: €12
  10. Accademia Carrara in Bergamo, stop 10 on the self-guided walking tour
    10Stop 10

    Accademia Carrara

    The art museum and academy grew from the collection of Count Giacomo Carrara, and its building closes the walk in the lower town.

    Hours (optional interior visit)
    Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri: 10:00–17:30 (last admission 16:45)
    Tue: closed
    Sat, Sun: 10:00–18:00 (last admission 17:15)
    Price
    Optional entry · Accademia Carrara: €10
AI Tour Guide in Bergamo

Your guide for the Bergamo tour

The AI Tour Guide leads this walk in Bergamo and talks with you along the way: why Venice walled the upper town, who Bartolomeo Colleoni was, what the Campanone still rings for. It asks you questions, remembers what interests you and goes deeper there. You start it in the browser at the funicular.

stops
10
route
7.6 km
walking only
1 h 55 min
with visits
6 h 35 min
  • 100 free credits to start
  • €19.99 once for the whole group
  • Travel and admission tickets are not included
Start the Bergamo tourSee the whole tour →

What a Como to Bergamo day trip costs

The day's cost comes from three things: two regional train tickets in each direction, the funicular up to Città Alta and the paid interiors of the Campanone, Santa Maria Maggiore and the Rocca, which the cost tool includes by default. Food is where you save most, because lunch deals and pizza by weight in the upper town cost less than a meal on the lake, and children go free at the Rocca, and under 14 at the basilica.

Adults
Children

One device is enough for the whole group: two people listen on two connected headphones, larger groups use the phone speaker.

Cost breakdown

Costs for 2 adults · planned visits

Travel there and backTrenord2 adults × €21€42
SightsCampanone (Civic Tower), Funicular to Città Alta, Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and Rocca di Bergamo2 adults × €20.70€41.40
AI Tour Guide touronce for the whole group€19.99
Food (estimate)€15 to €25 per person€30 to €50
Total€133.39 to €153.39
Split between peopleabout €66.70 to €76.70 per person
Sights
  • €1.70
  • €9
  • €5
  • €5
  • €12
  • €10
Buffer and private guide

A local bus between the station and the funicular is not included in the total, so add it if you do not walk; at Il Fornaio you can ask for a slice cut to the amount you want to spend.

Prices as of October 2026.

Getting back from Bergamo to Como

The way back mirrors the morning: a Trenord train from Bergamo to Milano Centrale, then a second one to Como S. Giovanni. The walk ends at the Accademia Carrara in the lower town, so the station is not far, but plan about three quarters of an hour from the last stop to the platform: around half an hour on foot plus time to buy tickets for both sections. The example connection in the day plan has a long wait in Milan, so if you are early, check whether an earlier train to Como makes the change.

If the day runs late, drop the end of the walk first: Palazzo Moroni and the Accademia Carrara are only seen from outside anyway. If you miss the planned train, the next ones to Milano Centrale follow roughly every hour, and from Milan the trains to Como S. Giovanni also run about hourly, so check the current timetable for a pair that still connects.

Recommended returnTrenord: departs 20:02, arrives 22:23Leave the last stop of the tour by 19:15

Latest return that fits the day: 20:02

  • Trenord from Bergamo, Monday to Sunday: departs 20:02, arrives 22:23

Questions about the day trip from Como to Bergamo

Should I walk up to Città Alta or take the funicular?

Take the funicular. It is the first stop of the walk, and visitors who climb the hill on foot arrive tired at the start of a long day. A second funicular goes further up to San Vigilio if you want to save your legs for the afternoon.

What should I eat in Bergamo?

Casoncelli alla bergamasca, stuffed pasta with butter and sage, is the dish of the town. For dessert, polenta e osei is a yellow sponge cake with marzipan, not the savoury dish of the same name, and stracciatella gelato was invented at La Marianna in 1961.

Do I need to book lunch?

For a quick lunch deal or pizza by the slice, no. For a sit-down trattoria such as Il Circolino it is worth booking, as it fills up fast, and La Colombina recommends a reservation at weekends.

Is this day trip good with children?

It suits children who walk well, since the day is long and the trains take around four hours in total. Entry to the Rocca is free for under 18s and to Santa Maria Maggiore for under 14s.

What should I wear?

Comfortable shoes for a full day on cobblestones, and in summer a refillable water bottle. Carry some cash for pastry shops and small purchases.

More day trips from Como

Milan in a day 40 min

Sources

Timetables, fares and opening hours come from these operators:

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