Lago Maggiore Express: from the shores of the lake to the valley

Until October 4th, 2026, every weekend (Saturday and Sunday) and on public holidays, you can take advantage of a single ticket at a special rate to admire, on an unforgettable tour, the finest destinations located between Lake Maggiore, Ticino, and the Ossola Valley.

This year, the route will also be possible on Monday, June 1st.

The itinerary begins in the morning by boat from one of the chosen port on Lake Maggiore (Arona, Angera, Stresa, Baveno, Intra or Laveno) reaching Locarno and then, boarding the Centovalli train, you reach the town of Domodossola.

Once in Domodossola, it is necessary to purchase a train ticket from the FFSS/Trenord ticket office to return to your original destination on Lake Maggiore *

During the boat trip, you can admire from aboard the ship, the numerous attractions making Verbano such an evocative destination, rich in culture and beauty: among these are the “Rocca di Angera”, the Hermitage of Santa Caterina, the Borromean Islands (Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori, and Isola Madre), as well as the Cannero Castles and the Brissago Islands.

The journey aboard the “Centovalli train” includes a journey through the Vigezzo Valley, the Centovalli, and the Ossola Valley, admiring the alternating marvelous Alpine landscapes of these territories.

Lunch is available on board during the cruise;

the tourist menu includes:

• Two first courses (pasta or rice);
• A choice of meat or fish main course with side dishes;
• Dessert

All for €20 per adult, including a half-liter bottle of water.

For children under 12, there’s a junior menu at the special price of €11, which includes pasta with tomato sauce, a chicken and french fries, and a drink of your choice.

Coffee and wine (red or white) are not included and are available at €1.50/coffee, €6.00/half liter of wine, and €10.00/liter of wine.

Groups of at least 9 persons wishing to have lunch on board at the restaurant, have to notify it in advance by email at infomaggiore@navigazionelaghi.it.

Individual travelers wishing to have lunch on board can contact the onboard restaurant manager directly upon boarding to check availability, or contact them in advance at paleosette@gmail.com.

Tickets for the Lago Maggiore Express tour can be purchased on the day of departure at the ticket office at the departure pier (Arona, Angera, Stresa, Baveno, Intra, or Laveno).

The itinerary can also be traveled in the opposite direction (clockwise) by starting the journey with one of the rail operators; in this case, it can also be done on Wednesdays.

The ticket costs €32.00 for adults and €16.00 for children (under 12 years old).

The ticket does not include the section served by Ferrovie dello Stato trains (please check the timetable and route validity at www.trenitalia.com or www.trenord.it) between Domodossola and the departure point on Lake Maggiore (Arona, Angera, Stresa, Baveno, Intra, or Laveno).

Due to limited seating on the SSIF-FART “Centovalli” train, reservations are required for groups of 8 or more by e-mailing to infomaggiore@navigazionelaghi.it to guarantee seats for everyone.

One free ticket is provided for every 20 full-fare tickets purchased.

Individual travelers: trains can be used and seat reservations are available.

Generally, individual travelers (up to eight passengers, not part of a group) are allowed to travel on all SSIF and FART trains based on capacity od the means of transport. Once capacity is reached, transfers are made on the first available train.

SSIF and FART carriers, however, allow individual customers with a standard Lago Maggiore Express ticket to secure a seat—and therefore train travel at a specific time—by purchasing a special reservation fee directly on their portal vigezzinacentovalli.com at an additional cost of €4.00 per adult or child. The “Centovalli” railway does not allow intermediate stops on the Locarno–Domodossola route for Lago Maggiore Express ticket holders.

LME tickets on sale at NLM stations without reservations

 Individual Lago Maggiore Express tickets on sale at NLM ticket counters do not include a seat reservation and are therefore issued to customers (not members of groups) with the assumption that they will transfer to the next available train with available space.

It is therefore essential that this condition is clearly understood by potential travelers, who can choose to reserve their seat on the vigezzinacentovalli.com website, even using a smartphone.

*From June 14th to July 27th, 2026, the railway line between Arona and Domodossola will undergo major maintenance work. Please consult the websites www.trenitalia.com or www.trenord.it to check the replacement bus schedule.