From Milan Malpensa Airport to Stresa: Bus, Train, Transfer or Car?

For most people the best way from Malpensa to Stresa is the Alibus shuttle, as long as you book it the day before. It costs €14 one way to Stresa, takes a little over an hour and drops you at the lake. If you cannot book ahead, or your flight lands late, the train with one change is the fallback, and a rental car is the answer when Stresa is only the first stop of a longer trip. In 2026, however, it only runs until 31 October; after that, the train, a transfer or a car remain.

The Alibus shuttle

The operator, S.A.F. Duemila, runs the Alibus Malpensa–Lago Maggiore line from 1 April to 31 October in 2026. The timetable on its website has six departures a day from Terminal 1: 10 am, 12 noon, 2 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm and 8 pm. The bus reaches the Stresa boat landing about an hour later (11:03 am for the 10 am departure) and the Stresa railway station five minutes after that.

The fares listed for a single trip:

Destination	Fare
Arona, Meina, Solcio	€12
Lesa, Belgirate, Stresa, Baveno, Feriolo	€14
Verbania, Fondotoce	€17

Three conditions matter more than the price:

• You must book by 11 am the day before, on the operator’s booking site. For departures on Saturday, Sunday and Monday the deadline is Friday at 11 am; before holidays it is the day before the holiday. The page mentions a €5 surcharge for buying on board “if available”, so do not plan around it.
• The operator says the times are binding and it cannot wait for latecomers. If your flight is delayed, a booked slot can be lost, though the operator offers rebooking onto another departure on its site. Choose a departure at least two hours after landing, with bags.
• One bag is included. Each additional bag costs €5 (20 kg), and special baggage €10.

The first bus leaves at 10 am and the last at 8 pm, so an early arrival has a long wait and a flight landing after about 7 pm is a poor fit. The service runs in the warm months only; check the operator’s page for the season in other years.

By train

The Stresa tourist office describes it as eight daily connections with a change on the way: take the Malpensa Express from Terminal 1 to Busto Arsizio, then a regional train on the Milan–Domodossola line to Stresa. It gives a journey time of about 1 hour 30. Look up current times and fares on Trenord and Trenitalia, because the number of connections changes with the timetable.

Stresa station is about five minutes on foot from the lakefront and the town centre, and the main boat landing is in Piazza Marconi next to the tourist office. That makes the train the best choice if you are staying in the centre and travelling light. With two large suitcases and a change of platform, the shuttle is easier.

By private transfer

With a taxi or private driver you are neither tied to a timetable nor driving yourself. On GetYourGuide, the private transfer between Malpensa and Arona costs €125 for a group of up to three and takes about one hour. It has no reviews yet. The listing names Arona, not Stresa, so ask the operator through the booking page whether the driver goes on to your hotel before you pay.

For three people the shuttle costs €42 in total, so the private car costs €83 more, and for a single traveller the gap is larger. It makes sense for a late landing, small children or a lot of luggage. Other private offers are collected under private tours around Lake Maggiore.

By car

The Stresa tourist office puts the drive at about 50 km and 50 minutes: follow the A26 towards Gravellona Toce and leave at Carpugnino, then follow the signs to Stresa. If you want to see more than Stresa and the islands, a car saves several bus and train connections.

You can compare rental cars for Lake Maggiore before you decide. Check the excess, the deposit and the fuel policy on the booking page before you pay, because they differ between offers and this article does not quote them. In Stresa itself you will not need the car for the Borromean Islands.

Which one to choose

Situation	Best option
Arriving 10 am–6 pm, can book a day ahead	Alibus at €14 (in 2026 only until 31 October)
Staying in the town centre, light bags	Train with one change
Late landing, small children, many bags	Private transfer
Visiting several places around the lake	Rental car

Whatever you choose, plan your first morning around the water. The hop-on hop-off boats from Stresa start at the landing stage a short walk from the station, and the Borromean Islands tours are listed by price and rating.