The Como-Brunate funicular climbs from the lakeshore to a hillside village in about seven minutes. It runs every 15 minutes, and the cars are wheelchair accessible. Here is what you need to know before you ride: tickets, timetable, the history, the walk to the lighthouse, and how to fold it into a calm day above Lake Como.
Table of Contents
- How to Take the Como-Brunate Funicular: Station, Tickets, and Timetable
- A Short History of the Funicular, Built in 1894
- What to See in Brunate: The Village Above Lake Como
- Combining Como and Brunate: A Relaxed Day-Trip Itinerary
- Usable Tips: Accessibility, Best Times, and Photography
- Staying Above the Lake: Villino Rubini and the Private Shuttle
- Frequently Asked Questions
- A Quiet Way to See Lake Como from Above
How to Take the Como-Brunate Funicular: Station, Tickets, and Timetable
The lower station sits at Piazza Alcide de Gasperi 4, on the lake side of Como's old town. It is a short walk from Como Lago train station, the line that brings you in from Milan. You buy your ticket at the station, step into the car, and ride up the slope.
The journey takes about seven minutes. Trains leave every 15 minutes, so you rarely wait long. The line is 1,084 metres long, and the first 130 metres run through a tunnel. After that, the track climbs in the open with the city falling away behind you.
The fare structure surprises people. Prices and ticket categories do change, so check the current rate at the ticket window when you arrive. If you are staying with us at Villino Rubini in Brunate, our private return shuttle to the funicular is part of the stay, which saves you the steep walk to the station.
| Detail | What to expect | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Ride time | About 7 minutes | Line is 1,084 m long |
| Frequency | Every 15 minutes | Little waiting most days |
| Hours | Daily service | Extended hours on Saturdays and peak summer |
| Tickets | Single and return tickets | Confirm at the window |
| Access | Wheelchair accessible | One wheelchair per car, ramp and gate |
The funicular runs daily, with reduced hours on Christmas Day. Plan the last descent before closing, since lines can grow at sunset when day-trippers head back down together.
A Short History of the Funicular, Built in 1894
The Como-Brunate funicular has carried passengers since 1894. It replaced an old mule track that once linked the two towns, turning a long uphill walk into a quick ride.
The first cars ran on a steam engine. In 1911 the line switched to an electric motor. It was refurbished in the mid-1930s and again in 1951, when new cars arrived. Ownership passed from a private company to the region of Lombardy in 1981.
In mid-August 2011 the line reopened after an overhaul. The two current cars are air-conditioned, 12 metres long, and carry 81 passengers. One is painted lilac, the other red, so you can spot them passing on the slope.
The engineering is worth a pause. The track climbs a 55% gradient, which is why the ride feels steep underfoot. At the upper station, a gallery lets you watch the haulage machinery turn through the cables. It is a small detail, but it tells you how the whole thing works.
Key Takeaway: The funicular is a working piece of 19th-century engineering that still moves both tourists and the people who live in Brunate every day.
What to See in Brunate: The Village Above Lake Como
Brunate sits roughly 500 metres above Como, and the air feels different the moment you step out of the upper station. The village earned the nickname "balcony over the Alps" because, on clear days, your eye reaches the mountains and as far as Monte Rosa, the Apennines, and the Milan skyline.
Right behind the funicular station you will find a small church many hurried visitors miss. The façade wears soft pastel colours. Inside, simple frescoes and woodwork reward a quiet minute before you head further uphill.
The main walk is to the village lighthouse, honouring Alessandro Volta. Volta, the Como-born scientist who invented the electric battery, is honoured all over the area. The lighthouse stands in San Maurizio, above the village, and you can climb to the circular balconies at the top. The reward is one of the widest panoramas in the region.
Brunate is also a starting point for trails into the hills. The village is dotted with Art Nouveau holiday villas built by noble families from Como and Milan. Our own estate, Villino Rubini, is one of these houses, set in beech forest a short way from the village centre. The slower pace up here is the point. People come to walk, to look, and to eat well without the crowds of the lakefront.
Pro Tip: If the uphill walk to the lighthouse feels like too much, a small shuttle runs from near the funicular station for a couple of euros each way.
Combining Como and Brunate: A Relaxed Day-Trip Itinerary
The best day pairs Como below with Brunate above, and you do not need to rush either. Start in Como's old town. The cathedral blends Gothic and Renaissance styles and is free to enter. Just outside sits the main square, good for a coffee and some people-watching by the water.
Walk the lakefront to the museum dedicated to Volta, then make your way to the funicular station for the climb up. Plan the ascent for late morning so you reach Brunate in time for lunch.
For lunch in Brunate, there are trattorias and cafés near the top of the funicular where you can take in the town below. As one travel writer who hiked the route up to the lighthouse noted on Landmark Adventures, the funicular climbs a 55% gradient on the way up, so a meal at the top is well earned.
Come down before the evening crush. November visitors have reported hour-long lines at the upper station near sunset, when everyone descends at once. Plan your descent ahead of time if you are working through a longer Italian itinerary.
Usable Tips: Accessibility, Best Times, and Photography
The cars are wheelchair accessible. One wheelchair rides per car, with a ramp and a special gate to help boarding. If you are travelling with a mobility need, board when the platform is quieter rather than at the sunset rush.
For light, mornings give you clearer air and softer crowds. Late afternoon brings warm colour over the water as the sun drops behind the mountains, but it also brings the longest queues. Pick one or the other based on whether you want calm or golden light.
A few small things make the day smoother:
- Carry a light layer. Brunate sits higher and runs cooler than the lakeshore.
- Buy your return at the station and check the last descent time before you wander off.
- Wear shoes you can climb in if the trails tempt you.
If you are based up in the village with us at our rooms in Brunate, the timing problem mostly disappears. You can ride down for a morning in Como, come back up to rest, and head out again in the cooler evening without fighting the day-trip crowds.
Staying Above the Lake: Villino Rubini and the Private Shuttle
Villino Rubini is a private Art Nouveau estate built in 1892, set in about four acres of beech forest and gardens in Brunate. It is not a hotel. It is a house, run by us, for guests who prefer a home to a front desk.
The estate has ten rooms across three buildings, the Villa, the Dependance, and the Orangerie, with room for up to nineteen guests. A heated pool, spa, sauna, gym, and studio sit within the private grounds. The house was recently restored, and we kept the original ceiling mouldings, floors, and period details rather than replacing them.
A private return shuttle to the historic funicular is included with every stay. Continental breakfast and daily housekeeping come with it. Como is ten minutes below, and Milan Malpensa is about an hour away, which makes Brunate an easy base for day trips out to the lake, to Bellagio, or into Milan.
You can stay in a single room with breakfast, or hire the whole estate. The gardens seat up to one hundred for dinner outdoors under a tent, which suits weddings and small gatherings. Couples planning a celebration can look at our Lake Como wedding venue for what an exclusive-hire event looks like. For most travellers, though, the appeal is simpler: quiet, character, and the funicular a short shuttle ride away.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the Brunate funicular cost?
The Brunate funicular has an unusual fare structure: a single ride can be inexpensive while a return ticket costs a little more. Prices and categories change over time, so confirm the current rate at the ticket window in Como before you ride. Buy your return there if you plan to come back down the same day.
How long does the funicular ride to Brunate take?
The Brunate funicular ride takes about seven minutes each way. The line is 1,084 metres long and climbs a 55% gradient, with the first 130 metres running through a tunnel before the track opens up over Como. Trains leave every 15 minutes, so you rarely wait long for the next car.
What are the funicular opening hours?
The Como-Brunate funicular runs daily, with extended service on Saturdays and during peak summer so you can ride into the evening. On Christmas Day, reduced hours apply. Always check the last descent time before you explore Brunate, since queues build at sunset when day-trippers head back together.
Is the Brunate funicular wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the Brunate funicular is wheelchair accessible. Each car carries one wheelchair, with a ramp and a special gate to help with boarding. If you travel with a mobility need, board during quieter periods rather than the busy sunset rush, when the platform fills with people heading down at the same time.
What is there to do in Brunate at the top?
In Brunate you can walk to the hilltop lighthouse and climb its steps for a wide panorama. Visit the small village church behind the station, take in views toward the Alps and Monte Rosa, eat at a village restaurant, or set off on the hillside trails.
A Quiet Way to See Lake Como from Above
Ride up late morning, eat in the village, and come down before the sunset queue forms. That simple rhythm turns the funicular into one of the calmest half-days you can have on Lake Como. If you would rather wake up in Brunate and skip the day-trip rush entirely, take a look at a stay at Villino Rubini, where the private shuttle to the funicular is part of the house.
Occasional stories from the estate, sent a few times a year at most.