There isn't a high speed railway between Venice/Venezia and Peschiera, but high speed Frecce and Italo trains heading to Milano and beyond, provide the only direct train services on this route.
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
1hr 26 min
Daily
Frecce trains:
5 x trains per day
EC trains:
2 x trains per day
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Omio ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option if you want to compare taking a train with other, less special, modes of travel.
Omio is an online ticket agency which offers tickets for rail journeys in France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.
The three key advantages of using Omio are
The disadvantage of booking with Omio is that it often adds a booking fee to the final price; therefore when it does so without offering a price advantage, SMTJ doesn't tend to offer Omio as a booking option.
Italiarail lives up to its name by selling tickets for rail journeys within Italy and the core feature of its service is that it is primarily designed to be used by international visitors to Italy.
So the English translations of place names are used when looking up journeys and the terms and conditions for using each type of ticket are clearly explained.
It also clearly points out the additional costs of upgrading to other classes and types of tickets while spelling out the additional benefits of doing so.
Though Italiarail will charge a booking fee, typically of around €3.
The Early Bird service
Italiarail has launched an 'early bird' pre-booking service for journeys by Frecce trains.
Tickets can be booked up to a year ahead of travel at a flat-rate price per route, before the tickets have been released for sale by Trenitalia.
If when they are placed on sale, the price is cheaper than what you have already paid to Italiarail, it will automatically refund the price difference.
Conversely, if the price is more expensive, you won't be charged the price difference.
You can also have the peace of mind of securing your seat(s) on the Frecce train(s) when you are first planning a trip.
If before the tickets are placed on sale, you decide to change your plans, you can request a refund; but once the tickets are released for sale, you will then be bound by the terms and conditions of the ticket(s) you have booked.
Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:
Final Destination:
Milano Cle or Torino P.N. (the Frecce trains)
Geneve and Zurich (the EC trains)
All trains also call at: Venezia Mestre and Verona P. N.
All trains also call at: Venezia Mestre and Verona P. N.
It's an easy journey from Venice to Lake Garda by train, though before booking tickets, check whether it will suit you best to take a train to Desenzano or Peschiera.
Both of these towns have stations on Lake Garda which are conveniently located for the lake shore; the info for train journeys from Venice to Desenzano Del Garda is available HERE.
Less frequent Italo train now compete with Trenitalia's Frecce trains on this route, they match the speed of the Frecce trains and can be cheaper.
Prices can be compared on the Omio and Trainline booking sites; see below.
There are EC trains heading to Switzerland from Venice, which match the speed of the Frecce trains between Venice and Peschiera.
And these trains which typically depart from Venice at 15:18 and 16:18 can be cheaper than the Frecce trains.
The newer type of ETR 700 trains deployed on Frecciargento services are used on this route; ShowMeTheJourney has yet to capture any images of these trains.
The highlight of this journey comes at the very beginning of the trip, as the train heads out over the lagoon to the mainland - with the best of the views on the right.
Then after Padova, also on the right of the train, on a clear day, there are distant views of the Alps.
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 4 months ahead of the travel date
The express train service between Venice and Peschiera del Garda is provided by:
(1) these Frecce trains operated by Trenitalia,
(2) EC trains travelling from Venice to Switzerland,
(3) [alternative Italo train services which now compete with the Frecce trains on this route.
Complimentary seat reservations are included when booking tickets for any of these train services.
Trenitalia does not sell tickets for the Italo trains - and Italo does not sell tickets for these Trenitalia trains.
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day, so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
If you're booking no more than 4 months ahead and have no particular preference for the train that you will be taking, the price and departure times of the Trenitalia and Italo trains can be directly compared on Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.
Rail Pass Users:
If you will be travelling with a valid Eurail or InterRail pass, you will need to reserve prior to boarding these trains, either at the station (using a Trenitalia ticket machine or ticket desk) OR by booking them online.
How to book the rail pass reservations online is included on our guide to using rail passes in Italy.
Though rail pass users can avoid the charge completely by taking Regionale Veloce (RV) trains.
1hr 26min
Daily
4 x trains per day
There are an additional two daily Italo trains from Venezia Mestre station
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Italo trains compete with the Frecce services, provided by the national rail operator, Trenitalia, on the high speed routes which link major cities in Italy.
The Italo booking site only sells tickets for journeys by its trains.
Final destination: Milano Cle.
These Italo trains now compete with Trenitalia's Frecce trains on this route from Venice to Peschiera del Garda.
They match the speed of the Frecce trains and like the Frecce trains, if you book a ticket for these Italo trains, complimentary seat reservations are included
These Italo trains take the same route as the Frecce and EC trains.
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 5 months ahead of the travel date
The train service between Venice and Peschiera is provided by
(1) these Italo trains
(2) trains operated by Trenitalia
Tickets for the Trenitalia Frecce trains are placed on sale around 4 months in advance, but the Italo train tickets are made available around 5 months ahead.
Trenitalia does not sell tickets for the Italo trains - and Italo does not sell tickets for the Trenitalia trains.
Trains departing at different times can be cheaper than others leaving on the same day - so you may need to look through the day's departures to find the cheapest fares.
If you're booking no more than 4 months ahead and have no particular preference for the train that you will be taking, the price and departure times of the Frecce and Italo trains can be directly compared on with Trainline or Omio, though look out for the fact that both of these services will charge a booking fee.
Rail passes are not valid on the Italo trains
1hr 58 min (RV)
Not Every Day
1 x train per day
(not Sundays)
Trenitlalia is the national rail operator in Italy and in addition to its cheaper types of ticket; it also typically offers other discounts available to non-Italians, which include:
Final Destination: Brescia
Until recently there were multiple daily Regionale Veloce (RV) trains from Venice to Peschiera del Garda, but now virtually all of the trains that Trenitalia operates on this route are Frecce trains.
So this train, which is usually scheduled to depart from Venezia S. Lucia at around 16:10 on Mondays - Saturdays, is the only remaining Regionale Veloce service on this route
If you will be buying ticket last minute at the station, and travelling in the late afternoon, this train can be worth targeting, as it will be cheaper than the Frecce trains.
If you will be using a rail pass, you can save €10 in rail pass reservation fees by taking this train instead of the Frecce trains.
When looking up a Venice to Peschiera journey on the ticket booking sites, if you want to save money by avoiding the Frecce trains, there will be multiple other hourly options to choose from.
These will all involve taking a RGV train from Venice to Verona and then connecting there into another train on to Peschiera del Garda.
Though connecting time between trains in Verona will be around 3mins.
Don't forget to stamp your ticket before boarding this train.
Book early and save: No (not on this train)
Tickets will cost the same price if purchased at the same station immediately before departure.
This train departs from Venezia S. Lucia at around 16:10 on Mondays - Saturdays.
If you will be leaving Venice/Venezia at around that time and buying tickets at the station, this train will be cheaper than the Frecce trains.
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