How to get from Milan Malpensa airport to downtown?

Milan is served by 3 airports, Malpensa (the main one), Linate and (Orio al Serio located in Bergamo near Milan). This post will be dedicated to the main Milan Airport, Malpensa, located in Varese, 50 kilometers from Milan. Milan Airport and Fiumicino Airport in Rome, are the main arrival airports for tourists in Italy. After all, how to get to the center of Milan from Malpensa Airport? See also: “Transport in Italy! Transport Options” Here at Your Travel to Italy with Ana Patricia you make the trip of your dreams!!! ALSO: see our “Accommodation in Italy – Tips for your holidays!”

Our introduction

To get from the Airport to the Center of Milan, we basically have 5 options. Shall we know them? First things first: the Malpensa Airport has 02 terminals, and they are:

• Terminal 1: International, intercontinental and national flights.

• Terminal 2: Low cost flights and charter flights.

1) How to get to the center of Milan from Malpensa Airport? BY PRIVATE TRANSFER

Before you travel, make your Transfer reservation so you don’t have to worry, as the driver will already be there waiting for you with identification. That way you won’t have to think about anything, just go safely to your hotel. The best way to reach the hotel in the center of Milan is by Transfer.

Accessing the link Transfer Service you can get more information about this option. It is safe, comfortable and worthwhile is excellent! This way, you avoid the exchange of transport to get to the hotel, since the transfer is direct! Non-stop! The driver speaks English (booking in advance)!

Not to mention that it makes your life much easier with regard to bags. Because you imagine carrying bags on other transports, it is not easy, but neither is it impossible. It’s just not comfortable for those who are traveling in order to relax;)

Note

• Remember to always check customer testimonials before proceeding with your booking 😉
• Also check our session Transfers in Italy!

Benefits

• It is certainly the least stressful option. Nothing better than arriving after a long trip and finding a person waiting to take you to the hotel without wasting a lot of time, with a comfortable, clean car and a driver with a friendly smile, and always available to help you.

Disadvantages

• In comparison with the other means of transport that will be shown here, there is no way to compare, because just knowing that your tranquility, safety and satisfaction will be guaranteed, I certainly say that the service is worth it. With Transfer you will not have to worry about consulting maps, nor be afraid to make “wrong” choices regarding the means of transport!
• BOOK NOW : 

2) How to get to the center of Milan from Malpensa Airport? BY TRAIN

A second option is with the MALPENSA EXPRESS train. The train departs from Terminal 1 and arrives at Cadorna metro station (green and red metro lines), Garibaldi (green metro lines) and Milano Centrale (green and yellow metro lines). The travel time to the Cadorna station takes an average of 30 minutes, while to reach the main station, Milano Centrale the travel time is around 50 minutes. The train costs an average of 13 Euros per person, but do not forget to take into account the number of people and suitcases. Especially if you are with children and the elderly. 😉

Ticket Purchase Location (In loco)

• At all Trenord and Trenitalia ticket offices;
• Automatic ticket machines inside train stations;
• In travel agencies;
• How to buy a train ticket in Italy?

IMPORTANT

The last train leaves the airport at 11:20 p.m.

If you are going to arrive later will you have to use another type of transport.

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Benefits

• The advantage of riding a train is its speed, as it does not catch traffic. And also the cost benefit which is very good.

Disadvantages

• The final stop is also at the Central Station of Rome – Termini and arriving there you must take another transport to go to the hotel, so you’ll lose a little time, in addition to tiredness and distance. Leaving the Station you will find subway, bus or taxi (which is very expensive).

Important to Know

• I advise buses or trains only for those who do not have many bags (if you arrive with a lot of luggage it will be really complicated to use this type of transport!). Do not be in a hurry, but if you are with young children or elderly people, consider investing in a Transfer or Taxi.
• International flights generally allow large luggage (32 kg depending on the airline), so if you bring luggage like this it will be really unwise to use public transport. I advise only if you are young and need to save money, or if you have small and light weight luggage.

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3) How to get to the center of Milan from Malpensa Airport? BY BUS

Probably the cheapest option to get to the center of Milan is by bus. They leave from Terminal 2 and have buses every 20 minutes to Milan. The ticket costs an average of 8 Euros per person, but don’t forget to take into account the number of people and bags. Especially if you are with children and the elderly 😉

Obviously this is also one of the most time consuming options, you should consider at least 50 minutes to get to the Milano Central train station and, plus, the time you will spend to get from there to your hotel. But it is certainly the most economic option! Read also: “Where to eat in Milan?”

Ticket purchase location

• Internet;
• Airport;
• At sales booths next to the bus stop;
• Directly on the machine.

Benefits

• The advantage is that this type of transport is super cheap, but it is convenient only when there are few people, 1 or two, more than that it is advisable to take a taxi or use the Private Transfer option.

Disadvantages

• The final stop is at Milan Central Station, when you get there, you must take another transport to go to the hotel, I mean, you lose a little time, and end up spending more, because the taxi in that region it is not cheap! It is also tiring to go up and down with suitcases after a long flight. Also think about the bags you are carrying. 😉
• So I advise these alternatives only for those who do not have: lots of bags and no hurry; if you’re travelling , with small children or elderly people, it might be really complicated to take this type of transport.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW

• Remembering that arriving at the train station you can take the metro which is connected to the green and yellow lines of the Milan metro. Find out here how to use the metro in Milan
• International flights generally allow large luggage (32 kg depending on the airline), so if you bring luggage like this it will be really unwise to use public transport. I advise only if you are young and need to save money, or if you have small and light weight luggage.

4) How to get to the center of Milan from Malpensa Airport? BY TAXI

From 2 or 3 people I sincerely advice you to use the taxi or a private driver. There is nothing worse than arriving with many bags and spending the most time trying to understand how to get to the city center and then trying to understand how to get to the hotel. Even worse: have to carry suitcases up stairs, right? The service costs approximate 95,00 euros.

Advantage

• From 2 people, you can even compensate for taking a taxi, but it is possible that the taxi driver will give you a “fatigue” and ride more than necessary, once he realizes that you are a tourist and that you have no idea of the location where are you going.
• Use your own GPS (on your phone) when possible to save money.

Disadvantage

• Find the right, fair and honest taxi driver! If you’re in a group of 4 people, it is not worthwhile to use a taxi, it is more expensive than hiring a Private Transfer.

Important to Know

• Attention not to catch a clandestine taxi driver, besides being more expensive, it is very dangerous! Use only official taxis, ok?!

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5) How to get to the center of Milan from Malpensa Airport? RENTED CAR

We also have the option of renting a car. Deciding to travel by car in Italy is another good option, since you also already leave with the reservation made from home. It’s possible? Yes, it is possible.

Benefits

• When you disembark at the Airport, you will go straight to the Car Rental space to collect your vehicle with the Voucher. With the car you have the freedom to come and go at any time you want and also the ease of carrying your bags (depending on the size and number of bags and the type of vehicle rented).

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IMPORTANT TO KNOW!

• Remember that to drive in Italy it is MANDATORY to have the International Driving License, the famous IDP (International Driving Permit). The certificate is not issued in Italian, but it is accepted in English! The IDP lasts 180 days (it depends where you live) and is issued by the Traffic Department of your country (if you have the European Driver License, you don’t need to worry about it!).

Note

• Check with your country’s Traffic Department which documents are required and the rates for issuing the IDP.
• The car will only be worth it if you go to cities other than Milan. To travel only in Milan is not worth it, as there are the Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL). I remember that Milan is a city with many public transport options and many paths can be done on foot. Also state that with the car you will spend fuel and parking.
• If you chose to travel by car, be sure to read our section “Driving in Italy“. It is very important to avoid winning fines for lack of information. Also read our posts with “Examples of Car Travel Itineraries in Italy”.

Benefits

• If you are in 4 or 5 people it will be a great option instead using train or bus;
• Great for visiting more places on the same day, at your time and pace;
• It is the best way of transport for people who are used to driving anywhere and it is easy to “locate” where they are just like this! 😉

Disadvantages

• Unforeseen expenses with parking and fuel that, unfortunately, cannot be calculated, but this is normal, in my opinion the biggest disadvantage is the lack of knowledge of the territory, which can sometimes result in a loss of time to find the main cities, and make a pleasant trip an incubus!
• Extra expenses with GPS (average price of € 15.00) so you don’t get lost so much;
• Another thing, folks: to drive in Italy, as I have explained several times, is essential to have the International Driving License! If you don’t have it: DO NOT DRIVE, as you will have a lot of problems if you are stopped by the Italian police;
• It is not nice for people who are not safe to ask for information, especially if they do not speak Italian, just as with the train or the bus not knowing the territory, you may end up wasting precious time that could be used for tourist visits.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW!

Remember that to drive in Italy it is MANDATORY to have the International Driving License, the famous IDP (International Driving Permit). The certificate is not issued in Italian, but it is accepted in English! The IDP lasts 180 days (it depends where you live) and is issued by the Traffic Department of your country (if you have the European Driver License, you don’t need to worry about it!).

NOTE: check with your country’s Traffic Department which documents are required and the rates for issuing the IDP.

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Conclusion

How to get from Milan airport to downtown? We certainly saw here that the safest and better way to get from Milan Airport to the Center is with the Transfer. But we also clarify here how to make this transfer in other ways, so feel free to choose the one that best suits your trip planning! 😉

And if you feel insecure, have no time, and need help to organize your trip, don’t hesitate to contact me! I will love to help you make your dream trip to Italy come true. And how can I do that? Keep reading this post until the end and you will understand how we make your life and your trip much easier 🙂

Did my post help you? If so, be sure to post your comment below, but if you still have questions just send me a message I will answer you as soon as possible!