Getting from Milan Malpensa Airport to Milan (and Vice Versa)
· Updated · BootsnAll
Milan has three airports, but if you're flying in from overseas you'll almost certainly land at Malpensa, one of Italy's two big intercontinental gateways along with Rome Fiumicino. Like Fiumicino, it's a long way from town, roughly 50km. So your first job after landing is getting into Milan.
As I've said before, Milan shouldn't necessarily be on every visitor's list, but you may land at Malpensa even if you're not staying. In that case the train to Milano Centrale is still usually your quickest way on, because that's where the high-speed trains to Venice, Florence and Rome leave from.
>> If you need a bed near the airport before an early flight or after a late one, these are the Malpensa Airport hotels closest to the terminals.
Getting from Milan Malpensa Airport to Milan
| Option | Time | Cost in 2026 | Arrives |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malpensa Express | About 40 min to Cadorna; 50 to 57 min to Centrale | About €15 | Cadorna, or Porta Garibaldi and Centrale |
| Airport coach | About 50 min, more in traffic | Usually less than the train | Centrale |
| Taxi | Around an hour, more in traffic | Fixed fare, about €114 | Your door |
What I'd take: the Malpensa Express. It doesn't sit in traffic, it's quick, and the fare is the same to either station. The coach makes sense if you're on a tight budget or you land after the last train. The taxi only adds up for a group of three or four with a lot of luggage.
Taking the train from Malpensa Airport to Milan
The Malpensa Express, run by Trenord, connects both terminals (T1 and T2 each have a station) with central Milan. It runs on two separate routes, and this is the one thing to get right:
- To Milano Cadorna: about 40 minutes, two trains an hour. Cadorna is the handier station for the historic center, with Metro lines M1 and M2 and a short walk to the Castello Sforzesco. Pick this one if you're staying in town.
- To Milano Centrale, via Porta Garibaldi: about 50 to 57 minutes. Centrale is the main station for high-speed and long-distance trains, and Porta Garibaldi is useful for hotels around Porta Nuova and Isola. Pick this one if you're catching a train onward.
No train stops at both Cadorna and Centrale, so check the destination on the departure board before you board. If you get it wrong, it's not the end of the world; you just take the Metro across town.
A one-way ticket costs about €15 in 2026, the same to Cadorna or Centrale. Children aged 4 to 13 pay €7.50, and a return bought online, valid for 30 days, starts from about €25. Buy from the ticket office or the machines at the airport stations, online on the Malpensa Express site, or in the Trenord app. If you buy a paper ticket, validate it in the machine before you get on. First and last train times are on the Trenord site; if your flight lands late at night, check them before you fly.
>> Read more about taking the Malpensa Express into Milan.
Taking the bus from Malpensa Airport to Milan
Three coach companies run between Malpensa and Milano Centrale: Malpensa Shuttle (run by Air Pullman), Terravision and Autostradale. They all end at Centrale, and the trip takes around 50 minutes if the motorway is clear. Buses leave several times an hour for most of the day, and some run earlier and later than the trains, which helps with a very early flight or a very late landing.
Fares vary by company and are usually lower than the train, especially if you book online, so compare them on the operators' sites. The one real downside is traffic: at rush hour on a weekday, the train is much more predictable.
Coaches also run from Malpensa to other cities in the north, which can save you going into Milan at all. Check the airport's own transport pages for the current list.
Taking a taxi from Malpensa Airport to Milan
Because Malpensa is so far out, the taxi is expensive. The Lombardy Region sets a fixed fare between the airport and the city, about €114 in 2026. It's meant to be all-inclusive, so there shouldn't be extras for luggage. Use the official taxi rank outside arrivals, and ignore anyone who approaches you inside the terminal offering a ride.
A cheaper middle ground: take the Malpensa Express to Cadorna or Centrale and get a taxi from the rank there. You skip dragging bags through the Metro and pay a fraction of the airport fare.
Getting around once you're in Milan
Milan's Metro has five lines, and since January 2026 there are no paper tickets. You tap a contactless bank card or phone at the gates (or load rides onto a RicaricaMi card). A single ride is about €2.20 for 90 minutes and a day of travel is about €7.60. If you're flying out of Linate, Milan's city airport, the M4 Metro line goes straight to the terminal.
Now that you're in Milan…
Start with my Milan travel guide, which links to most of what I've written about the city.
Need a place to stay that won't break the bank? Here's a list of budget hotels in Milan.
The Metro is easy once you've read my Milan Metro guide.
Short on time? Here are my top 10 things to do in Milan.
original photos, top to bottom, by: Catching Flies, kikiprinci, darkensiva, Ambrosiana Pictures, redbanshee