Day trips from Genoa
Santa Margherita, Camogli and Portofino are under an hour from Genoa. Cinque Terre asks for a full day and a card of its own.
- Portofino
- train to Santa Margherita Ligure
- Santa Margherita
- train (Trenitalia regionale)
- Camogli
- train (Trenitalia regionale)
The riviera starts right behind Genoa, and you reach it by train. Santa Margherita, Camogli and Portofino are under an hour away, while Cinque Terre asks for up to two hours each way and a full day on site, with its own daily Cinque Terre Card.
By way of Santa Margherita
To reach Portofino you take the train to Santa Margherita Ligure, then the 782 bus (AMT), which comes to about 55 min (train ~38 min + bus ~15 min) in total. The harbour and the lanes behind it need a full day.
Closer and easier
To reach Santa Margherita you take the train (Trenitalia regionale), about 38 min, which makes it a shorter trip than Portofino. Count on half a day. The same station is also the change point for Portofino, on bus 782.
A fishing village
To reach Camogli you take the train (Trenitalia regionale), about 42 min. It is a fishing village with coloured houses stacked around a small harbour, and a visit needs half a day.
A full day
For the five villages of Cinque Terre you take the train (Trenitalia regionale) to Levanto/Monterosso, then the Cinque Terre Express. The journey takes about 1 h 30 to 2 h (depending on the village), and a visit needs a full day.
Further towards Milan
Anyone continuing overland instead of along the coast takes the main line north, towards Milan, the largest city in northern Italy and a hub for onward flights or trains.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
How long does the trip to Portofino take?
about 55 min (train ~38 min + bus ~15 min), with a change at Santa Margherita Ligure.
Can you reach the riviera without a car of your own?
Yes. All four trips run by train, and the last leg to Portofino by bus 782.
Ready for Genoa?
Where to next
Where to stay in Genoa
→Three reasons for three parts of the city. The old town's lanes, a spot near the station for arriving and…
Cinque Terre · 63 km
→Five villages on cliffs above the Ligurian Sea, linked by train, footpaths and boat
How well does Genoa suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Front row for the next trip
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