Getting to Liguria: by car, train or plane
Liguria is easy to reach from Germany, Austria and Switzerland by car, train and, increasingly, by overnight train.
The best way to travel depends mainly on the location of your holiday home. A house in the Ligurian hinterland has very different requirements from an apartment in a coastal town with its own railway station.
Because we know our holiday homes and their locations, we are happy to tell you before you book whether you can manage well without a car, which railway station is most convenient, or whether a taxi is advisable for the final part of your journey.
Travelling to Liguria by car
Depending on where you start your journey, the most common routes lead through Switzerland or via Austria and northern Italy.
Via Switzerland
You need a motorway vignette to use Swiss motorways. In 2026 it costs CHF 40 and is available either as a traditional sticker, which can also be purchased at petrol stations near the border, or as an electronic vignette.
Official e vignette:
https://via.admin.ch
We recommend buying the electronic vignette directly from the official Swiss website. There are numerous third party providers online that charge additional service fees.
Via Austria
A motorway vignette is generally required for Austrian motorways and expressways. A digital version is also available.
Information and the official toll shop:
https://shop.asfinag.at
Extra tip: Lindau, Bregenz and onward to Switzerland
If you are travelling from Lindau via Bregenz and then continuing into Switzerland, you can avoid buying an Austrian vignette.
The A14 motorway from the German border at Hörbranz up to and including the Hohenems exit is exempt from the Austrian vignette requirement. The Pfänder Tunnel is also part of this exempt section.
You can therefore drive from Lindau along the A14, through the Pfänder Tunnel and continue as far as Hohenems. Leave the motorway there and continue into Switzerland.
Important: if you do not have an Austrian vignette, do not continue on the A14 beyond Hohenems.
You will, of course, need a Swiss motorway vignette once you continue your journey on Swiss motorways.
Motorway tolls in Italy
On most Italian motorways, tolls are calculated according to the distance travelled. When entering the motorway, you take a ticket and pay when leaving.
The colours above the toll lanes help you choose the correct lane:
Yellow:: electronic toll collection, for example Telepass. Do not use these lanes unless you have a compatible device.
Blue: card payment.. For most holidaymakers, this is the easiest option.
White:Choose your lane early rather than changing lanes immediately before the toll station.
Choose your lane early rather than changing lanes immediately before the toll station.
Information::
www.autostrade.it
Wrong lane or lost motorway ticket?
Never reverse at an Italian toll station.
If you have entered the wrong lane or have a problem with payment, remain where you are and use the assistance button or intercom.
If you have lost your ticket, say:
„Ho perso il biglietto.“
Without a ticket, you may initially be charged from the furthest possible motorway entrance. If necessary, ask for and keep the “Rapporto di Mancato Pagamento Pedaggio”, the notice concerning unpaid tolls.
In some cases, you will need to wait until the incident has been recorded, for example by photographing the vehicle registration number, before the barrier opens and you can continue.
You can subsequently use the Autostrade per l’Italia website to provide your vehicle registration number and state where you actually entered the motorway.
www.autostrade.it
A holiday in Liguria without a car
Along the coast, Liguria is often very easy to explore without a car. Many towns are connected by regional trains, and especially in summer you avoid both traffic and the search for parking spaces.
For holiday homes in the hinterland, however, a car is usually advisable.
If you would specifically like to travel without a car, please tell us when you enquire. We know which of our holiday homes are suitable for this.
For the final journey from the railway station, we can put you in touch with a trusted local taxi driver if required. Sometimes the property owners are also happy to collect their guests. It is always worth asking.
Travelling to Liguria by train
Travelling by train works particularly well along the Ligurian coast. Almost all of the main coastal towns are connected to the railway network.
From Germany, convenient connections include routes via Basel or Zurich to Milan and from there onward to Liguria.
Useful websites for planning your journey:
Travelling to Liguria by overnight train
The ÖBB Nightjet is a particularly pleasant option.
www.nightjet.com
There is an overnight connection from Munich via Milan to Genoa. You board in the evening and arrive in Liguria the following morning.
From Genoa, regional trains continue along the coast to many holiday destinations. For some places in western Liguria, it may be more convenient to leave the Nightjet in Milan and continue by Intercity train.
Our tip: when searching for connections, do not search only as far as Genoa. Enter the railway station closest to your holiday home as your final destination.
Flying to Liguria
For the western Ligurian Riviera, Nice is often the most convenient airport. Genoa Airport can be a good choice for Genoa and the Riviera di Levante. Depending on flight availability, Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Bergamo and Turin can also be useful alternatives.
Do not compare flight prices alone. The onward journey to your holiday home can make a significant difference.
Nice Airport for western Liguria
Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is particularly convenient for Ventimiglia, Sanremo, Imperia and the western Ligurian Riviera.
For guests travelling without a hire car, the railway connection is especially useful.
Nice Saint Augustin railway station is located close to the airport and can be reached by tram or on foot. From there, trains run along the Côte d’Azur via Monaco and Menton to Ventimiglia.
Ventimiglia is the Italian border station. From there you change to a Trenitalia train and continue to your holiday destination.
My tip: international tickets from Nice Saint Augustin to your final station in Italy can often be searched and booked conveniently through Trainline.
www.thetrainline.com/de
If you are travelling without a car, the Trainline app can also be very useful during your stay.
Genoa Airport
Aeroporto di Genova Cristoforo Colombo is particularly convenient for Genoa and the eastern Ligurian Riviera.
Genova Sestri Ponente Aeroporto railway station is located close to the airport and can be reached by shuttle. From there, trains run both eastwards and westwards along the Ligurian coast.
Flights to Genoa are, however, often more expensive than flights to Nice or Milan, so it is worth comparing prices.
Milan, Bergamo and Turin
Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Bergamo and Turin can also be good alternatives.
What matters is not only the airfare, but also how easily you can continue your journey to Liguria.
There are very good train connections from Milan to Genoa and onward along the Ligurian coast.
Do I need a hire car in Liguria?
Not necessarily.
If you are staying centrally on the coast and can walk to restaurants, shops, the railway station and the sea, you can enjoy a holiday in Liguria very well without a car.
For a holiday home in the hinterland, or if you would like to explore small villages, different beaches and restaurants away from the coast, a car is usually the more practical choice.
Simply tell us how you plan to travel and what you would like to do during your holiday. Because we know our houses, we can tell you which property genuinely suits the way you want to travel.