A Milan day trip with a private driver costs from US$665 per vehicle for a full day in a Business Sedan with Elly8.net, US$850 in a Business SUV and US$1,325 in an Executive Sprinter, fixed and all-in. Shorter outings run by the hour from US$90 with a 3-hour minimum. The price is for the car and chauffeur, not per person, so a family or a small group shares it.
Lake Como is the classic, and it has its own 8-hour package and its own guides. This post is about the other days: Bergamo, Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta, Lugano across the Swiss border, the Franciacorta wine country, the Certosa di Pavia, an outlet shopping day and the long run to Lake Garda. For each, you get a routed drive time, the timing that works and how to book it.
How much does a Milan day trip with a private driver cost?
With Elly8.net, a full-day chauffeur from Milan costs US$665 in a Business Sedan, US$850 in a Business SUV, US$995 in a First Class SUV, US$1,070 in a First Class Sedan and US$1,325 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle. By the hour it is US$90 to US$180, 3-hour minimum. Tolls and parking are billed at cost.
The full-day price includes the chauffeur, vehicle, taxes and standard gratuity. Entry tickets, boat fares, lunch and motorway tolls are extra; tolls and parking are billed at cost. For a half-day, the hourly rate is usually cheaper: four hours in a Business Sedan is 4 x US$90, or US$360.
Rides in Milan are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. For the lakeside classic, the Lake Como day trip package is 8 hours from US$665 in a Business Sedan to US$1,325 in a Sprinter; see our Lake Como car service for stays on the lake itself.
Seven day trips at a glance
All distances and times below are routed estimates from the Quadrilatero della Moda in central Milan, one way, on a clear road. Real days include traffic leaving and entering the city.
| Day trip | One way, routed estimate | Clear-road drive | Best booked as | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergamo, Città Alta | 55 km / 34 mi | about 54 min | Hourly or full day | Medieval town, first-time visitors |
| Lake Maggiore, Stresa | 89 km / 55 mi | about 69 min | Full day | Borromean Islands by boat |
| Lake Orta, Orta San Giulio | 85 km / 53 mi | about 71 min | Full day, with Stresa | A quieter lake |
| Lugano, Switzerland | 77 km / 48 mi | about 65 min | Full day | Swiss lake town, passports needed |
| Franciacorta, Erbusco | 82 km / 51 mi | about 64 min | Full day | Sparkling wine cellars, Lake Iseo |
| Certosa di Pavia | 30 km / 19 mi | about 36 min | Hourly, half day | Art and architecture, short day |
| Serravalle outlet | 96 km / 60 mi | about 71 min | Full day | Shopping with room for bags |
| Lake Garda, Sirmione | 136 km / 84 mi | about 1 h 39 min | Full day, early start | A long lake day |
Bergamo's upper town
Bergamo is the easiest big day out from Milan and one of the best. The lower town is modern; the upper town, Città Alta, sits on the hill inside its walls, with medieval streets, churches and wide views. The city's tourism office describes it as Bergamo's most charming district and lists the funicular that climbs from the lower town (VisitBergamo).
The drive is about 55 km (34 mi), a routed estimate of 54 minutes on a clear road along the A4 motorway. The chauffeur drops you as close to the upper town as access rules allow, or at the funicular, and collects you at an agreed time.
A sensible plan: leave Milan by 9:00, walk the upper town in the morning, lunch there, and either return mid-afternoon or carry on east to Franciacorta, about 39 km (25 mi) from Bergamo's upper town by our routed estimate. A half-day Bergamo trip works on the hourly rate; the Bergamo-and-Franciacorta pairing is a full day.
Flying out of Bergamo's airport, Il Caravaggio, the next morning? The airport is a short drive from the upper town, and a transfer from Bergamo airport to central Milan costs from US$250 in a Business Sedan.
Lake Maggiore, the Borromean Islands and Lake Orta
Lake Maggiore lies north-west of Milan, beyond Malpensa. Stresa, on the western shore, is about 89 km (55 mi) from central Milan, around 69 minutes on a clear road by our routed estimate. From Stresa, public boats run by Navigazione Laghi serve the Borromean Islands, including Isola Bella, Isola Madre and Isola Superiore (Navigazione Laghi). Your chauffeur waits on the mainland while you take the boat.
Lake Orta pairs well with Maggiore. Orta San Giulio is about 24 km (15 mi) from Stresa, a routed estimate of 28 minutes, and much quieter. A full day might run: Milan at 8:30, Stresa by 10:00, islands until mid-afternoon, a short drive to Orta for a late coffee by the water, back in Milan in the early evening.
Boat timetables change with the season, so check sailings before you fix the day. The desk can build the car times around the boat you choose.
Lugano and the Swiss lake
Lugano, in Italian-speaking Switzerland, is about 77 km (48 mi) from central Milan, around 65 minutes on a clear road by our routed estimate. The town sits on its own lake, with a lakeside promenade, shopping streets and boat trips; the regional tourism board publishes what is on (Lugano Region).
Bring passports for everyone in the car, children included, because you cross an international border. Switzerland uses the Swiss franc, so card payment or a few francs helps for parking meters and cafés.
Lugano also works as a stop on a longer one-way journey. Going on to the mountains? Book a one-way transfer through to our St. Moritz car service or the Zurich car service rather than returning to Milan.
Franciacorta and Lake Iseo
Franciacorta is the sparkling wine country east of Bergamo, between the A4 motorway and Lake Iseo. Erbusco, in the middle of the area, is about 82 km (51 mi) from central Milan, a routed estimate of 64 minutes. The wine consortium publishes the producers, the traditional method behind the wines and events in the area (Franciacorta).
This is the day where a driver matters most. Cellar visits and tastings are usually by appointment, so book them first and the car around them. The chauffeur drives between cellars, lunch and the lakeside at Iseo, and follows local rules in the vehicle itself. Our wine tours page explains how a tasting day is planned.
Combine Franciacorta with Bergamo's upper town for a full day, or with Lake Iseo for a slower one.
A Business Sedan suits a couple or three friends. For a group of five or six who all want to taste, a Business SUV keeps everyone together, and nobody in the party has to stay sober to drive home on the A4 in the evening traffic. Ask each cellar about its visiting days and booking rules before you fix the date, because they differ from house to house.
The Certosa di Pavia: a half day
The Certosa di Pavia, the great monastery complex south of Milan, is about 30 km (19 mi) from the centre, a routed estimate of 36 minutes. It is the shortest trip on this list and fits a morning or an afternoon, which makes it a good use of the hourly rate rather than a full day. Check opening days and hours before you go; religious sites can close to visitors at short notice for services.
Four hours in a Business Sedan is US$360; in a Business SUV, US$460. Add Pavia's old town, a short drive further on, for a longer afternoon.
An outlet shopping day
The large designer outlet at Serravalle Scrivia, south of Milan towards Genoa, is about 96 km (60 mi) from the centre, a routed estimate of 71 minutes on the motorway. The appeal of a driver here is practical: the car is waiting at the end of the day, the boot is free for bags, and nobody has to drive back after six hours on their feet.
For a group of four or more, a Business SUV, with room for six passengers and six large bags, is the right vehicle. For a bigger party of shoppers, an Executive Sprinter with driver carries twelve.
Lake Garda and the long days
Lake Garda is a big day. Sirmione, on its southern shore, is about 136 km (84 mi) from central Milan, around 1 hour 39 minutes on a clear road by our routed estimate, and Verona is further still, about 162 km (100 mi), around 1 hour 53 minutes. Turin, Piedmont's capital, is about 143 km (89 mi), around 1 hour 42 minutes.
Be realistic about these. Add Milan's morning traffic and a return in the evening rush, and you can spend four or more hours of the day in the car. For one or two travellers going only to Verona or Turin, the high-speed train is often the better choice. A car makes sense when you want several stops, such as Sirmione and a winery, or when a family or group travels together. Going from Milan to Venice instead? Book it one way to our Venice car service.
Timing a day trip from Milan
A few rules make every one of these days work better:
- Leave early. An 8:30 or 9:00 start clears the city before the worst of the traffic and gets you to lakes and towns before the crowds.
- Book tickets first. Boats, cellar visits and some monuments run on timetables or slots. Fix those, then set the car times.
- Plan the return. Aim to be back in Milan before the evening rush, or after it. A 17:30 arrival on the ring road is the slowest part of many days.
- Mind the season. Lake boats and some lakeside venues run reduced timetables outside the summer. Spring and autumn are lovely; just check before you book.
- Use the hotel as base. The chauffeur collects you at your hotel and returns you there, so nobody walks to a station with a day's shopping.
Private driver, train, tour bus or rental car
Every option has a place. The train is cheap and fast to Bergamo, Stresa, Verona and Turin, and Trenord publishes regional services across Lombardy (Trenord). It suits one or two travellers going to one place. Group coach tours are inexpensive but fixed to their own route and timetable.
A rental car gives freedom but comes with its own costs. Milan's congestion zone, Area C, is active on weekdays from 7:30 to 19:30 and the standard daily ticket for a car is €7.50 (Comune di Milano, Area C), and that is before parking, fuel, tolls and finding your way through unfamiliar old towns. Our chauffeur vs car rental comparison sets out the trade-offs.
A private driver wins when the day has several stops, when the group is three or more, when the plan includes a tasting, and when you want the hours in the car to be part of the trip rather than the work of it. Divided by four passengers, a US$665 Business Sedan day is US$166 each, simple arithmetic for comparison, though the price is always per vehicle.
Staying in the city instead
Not every free day needs a motorway. The private city highlights tour costs from US$360 in a Business Sedan to US$720 in a Sprinter, and links the Duomo, the Last Supper slot, Brera and the Navigli with stops where you choose. See private city tours, or keep a car by the hour. New to the city's stations, hotels and transfers? Read our Milan transfer guide, and for app rides on your free evenings, Uber in Milan.
How to book a day trip
- Pickup. Enter your Milan hotel or address and the date.
- Vehicle and plan. Choose the vehicle class, then send the stops and timings through the web booker: the islands boat you plan to catch, the cellar appointment, the return time.
- Reserve. Pay by card in US$. Confirmation arrives by email.
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show. See the full Milan car service price list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day trip from Milan with a driver?
For a first visit, Lake Como or Bergamo's upper town. Bergamo is about 55 km (34 mi) away, under an hour on a clear road, and fits a half day. Lake Maggiore with the Borromean Islands is the best full lake day after Como. Lugano adds a Swiss town and lake in one trip.
How long is a full-day chauffeur in Milan?
The Lake Como package is 8 hours. For other full days, book the full-day chauffeur from US$665 in a Business Sedan and send your timings through the web booker; the desk confirms what fits. For shorter trips, the hourly rate from US$90 with a 3-hour minimum is usually better value.
Is the price per person?
No. Every Elly8.net price is per vehicle. A Business Sedan carries three passengers, a Business SUV six and an Executive Sprinter twelve. Dividing the fare by the group size is only arithmetic for comparison. Choose the vehicle by passengers and luggage, then share the fixed fare however your group likes.
Do we need passports for Lugano?
Yes. Lugano is in Switzerland, so everyone in the car, children included, should carry a passport. Switzerland uses the Swiss franc, so carry a card that works abroad for parking and cafés. If you continue into Switzerland rather than returning, book a one-way transfer to Zurich or St. Moritz.
Can we visit wineries in Franciacorta with a driver?
Yes. Book cellar visits first, then send the times to the desk. The chauffeur drives between cellars, lunch and Lake Iseo and follows local rules in the vehicle itself. Erbusco is about 82 km (51 mi) from central Milan by our routed estimate.
Are child seats available on day trips?
Yes. Ask when you book and give the children's ages; the partner fits the seats before pickup. A Business SUV carries six passengers with seats, a stroller and day bags. For a group of up to twelve with children, an Executive Sprinter takes everyone in one vehicle.
