BookaTaxiHow to book a taxi in Stresa
Updated: July 13, 2026 · Province of VB
To book a taxi in Stresa, call the radio taxi at 0323 30394. Taxis don't stop on the street: you book them or catch one at a taxi rank.
Stresa is the pearl of Lake Maggiore and the main gateway to the Isole Borromee (Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre), so demand for taxis rises sharply during the high season, from Easter to October. The town has no single radio-taxi dispatch centre with a dedicated app: the simplest way to book a ride is to call a local taxi driver directly, such as the long-standing service in Piazzale della Stazione or Taxi Daniele Stresa. Alternatively, you can look for taxis waiting near the railway station or along the lakefront promenade, close to the piers for the islands. The main Italian ride-hailing apps (Uber, FreeNow, itTaxi, Wetaxi, appTaxi, BTaxi, InTaxi) do not appear to be active in Stresa, so it's worth saving a local number in your phone or asking at your hotel's reception. To reach the Isole Borromee by water, besides road taxis, a private water taxi service run by the motoscafisti (boatmen) of Stresa is also available.
Call the radio taxi
0323 30394 Servizio Taxi Stresa (Piazzale della Stazione)
348 496 7910 Taxi Daniele Stresa
Apps to call a taxi in Stresa
| Uber — Uber automatically generates a city page for Stresa for SEO/promotional purposes, but Stresa does not appear on the official list of Italian cities where the service is actually operational (Milano, Roma, Torino, Bologna, Firenze, Napoli, Catania, Palermo and a few others): there do not appear to be any Uber Black/NCC drivers actually active in the area. | Not available |
| FreeNow — In Italy, FreeNow only operates in major cities (Milano, Roma, Napoli, Torino, Palermo, Catania, Cagliari): the service does not appear to be active in Stresa. | Not available |
| itTaxi — According to itTaxi's official list of covered cities, the service is present in around 95 Italian cities but in none within the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola: it is not available in Stresa. | Not available |
| Wetaxi — As part of the regional MaaS Piemonte project, Wetaxi's taxi service is only incentivized in Alessandria; Stresa is not among the municipalities served. | Not available |
| appTaxi — The ITN network of appTaxi (with BTaxi and TaxiMove) covers dozens of Italian cities, but in Piemonte it is only present in Aosta: Stresa does not appear to be covered. | Not available |
| BTaxi — BTaxi is currently active only in Torino, Bologna, Alessandria, Empoli and Genova: the service cannot be used in Stresa. | Not available |
| InTaxi — InTaxi partners with the radio-taxi services of nearby towns such as Arona and Domodossola, but Stresa does not appear in the official list of partners published by the app: the service is not active here. | Not available |
Taxi from the airport
Aeroporto di Milano Malpensa (MXP) · ~50 km from the center
There is no official fixed municipal fare for the trip to Malpensa: it's an out-of-town metered ride of about 50 km, with a cost that varies according to traffic (roughly 90-140 EUR). Many private transfer operators, however, offer a fixed price agreed in advance, which is useful for budgeting without surprises.
Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL)
Stresa has a Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL) with an electronic gate in the historic centre, covering via Principe Tomaso and a stretch of via Roma: check the hours and exceptions with the Comune or with your hotel before driving in with your own car.
Practical tips
- Book your taxi well in advance during the high season (Easter-October): the huge tourist influx toward the Isole Borromee quickly saturates the few available cars in town.
- For Isola Bella, Isola dei Pescatori and Isola Madre, besides the scheduled ferry run by Navigazione Laghi, you can book a private water taxi with the motoscafisti of Stresa: it's faster and takes you exactly where you want to go.
- The lower station of the cable car to Mottarone is about 2 km from the town centre and the lakefront: it's convenient to take a taxi if you're travelling with luggage, children or in a group, especially on the busiest weekends.
- The historic centre has a ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone) with an electronic gate (covering via Principe Tomaso and a stretch of via Roma): if you arrive by your own car, it's best to park outside and continue on foot or by taxi.
- For Malpensa, besides the taxi, there is the ALIBUS service by reservation (by 11am the day before, tel. 0323 552172): useful if you're on a tight budget, but the taxi remains the most direct solution if you have heavy luggage.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a taxi from Stresa to Malpensa airport cost?
There is no fixed municipal fare for this roughly 50 km out-of-town route: the indicative metered cost is between 90 and 140 EUR depending on traffic and route, while some private transfer services offer a fixed price agreed in advance. It's always worth asking for an estimate before setting off.
Does Uber work in Stresa?
No. Uber generates an automatic page dedicated to Stresa for promotional purposes, but Stresa does not appear on the official list of Italian cities actually covered by the service (Milano, Roma, Torino, Bologna, Firenze, Napoli, Catania, Palermo and a few others): there are no active drivers in the area.
Where can I find taxis in the centre of Stresa?
Taxis are typically found in Piazzale della Stazione, near the railway station, and along the lakefront promenade close to the piers for the Isole Borromee. Alternatively, you can call a local taxi driver directly.
How do you reach the Isole Borromee by taxi?
The islands can only be reached by water. Besides the scheduled ferry run by Navigazione Laghi, you can book a private water taxi with the motoscafisti of Stresa for a faster, more direct service with flexible timing.
Do apps like FreeNow or itTaxi work in Stresa?
No, none of the main Italian ride-hailing apps (FreeNow, itTaxi, Wetaxi, appTaxi, BTaxi, InTaxi) currently cover Stresa: they remain active only in major cities or in some nearby provincial capitals such as Torino.
Sources: comune.stresa.vb.it · comune.stresa.vb.it · stresaturismo.it · taxistresa.weebly.com · taxistresa.weebly.com · it.wikipedia.org · uber.com · apptaxi.it · intaxi.it · muoversinpiemonte.it · ittaxi.it