MILAN HOW TO GET THERE
TRANSPORTATION AND ACCESSIBILITY
USEFUL INFORMATION ON NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORTATION
ALL THE ACCESS ROUTES TO THE CITY FOR THOSE COMING TO MILAN
Milan is served by 3 airports, both national and international, with direct flights to and from major European and worldwide destinations: Malpensa (MXP), Linate (LIN), and Bergamo Orio al Serio/Il Caravaggio (BGY).
Milan can also be reached by land through a system of railway transport with several stations dedicated to high-speed trains, urban and intercity transport interconnected to the international network. By land, Milan is an important highway hub, a center of traffic in northern Italy, and directly connected to all major Italian cities in various directions, given its strategic and economic importance.
AIRPORTS
The Malpensa (MXP) airport, located about 45 km from Milan, operates on two terminals: T1 and T2, connected to each other by a free shuttle service with a frequency of about 20 minutes. From Terminal 1, flights depart to intercontinental, international and domestic destinations; a wide range of commercial offerings including various shops, restaurants, and services are available for travelers. Terminal 2 is dedicated to low-cost flights.
Malpensa airport can be reached by car, bus or train.
Trenord’s Malpensa Express trains connect the main Milan stations (Milano Centrale, Milano Porta Garibaldi, Milano Cadorna, Milano Bovisa) directly to Terminals 1 and 2 of the airport.
- At Milano Cadorna station, there is a connection with subway lines M1 and M2, with a travel time of about 40 minutes and a frequency of every 30 minutes.
- At Milano Centrale station, there is a connection with subway lines M2 and M3, with a travel time of about 60 minutes and a frequency of every 30 minutes.
- At Milano Porta Garibaldi FS, there is a connection with subway lines M2 and M5, with a travel time of about 50 minutes.
Tickets can be purchased online, directly through the dedicated app, and at ticket offices and automatic vending machines. It is not possible to purchase a ticket on board.
Bus connections from Terminal 1 and 2 to Milano Centrale Railway Station (with connections to subway lines M2 and M3) have a travel time of about 50 minutes. Tickets can be purchased online or directly on the bus.
By car (about 45 km): take SS 336 towards Milan. Near Busto Arsizio, take the A8 motorway towards Milan. Travel time is around 60 minutes. Alternatively, you can rent a car or take a taxi (the fares for trips to and from Milan are fixed).
Milan Linate (LIN) Airport, about 7 km from the city center, is a city airport mainly serving frequent flyers on domestic and intra-EU international routes. It features dedicated facilities and areas for business and shopping.
It is the first airport in Europe where baggage is fully checked with TAC technology, which increases security checks’ effectiveness, reducing wait times. With greater efficiency from a security standpoint, waiting times and the possibility of crowding, as well as contact with surfaces, decrease. Furthermore, on the route to and from Rome Fiumicino, Face Boarding is active, which is a biometric technology based on facial recognition. At security checks and boarding, passengers only need to show their face to the machine, without having to show travel documents.
Getting to or from the airport from the city is possible through various train connections to Stazione Centrale FS, where you can transfer to metro lines M2 and M3. The travel time is about 30 minutes. Alternatively, there is a shuttle bus service offered by two private companies, with tickets available online or directly on board, or through the public transportation service managed by ATM (Azienda Trasporti Milanesi) with runs to the city center (ATM 73, in correspondence with metro lines M1 and M3 Duomo). The travel time is about 60 minutes. The urban ticket can be purchased before boarding at ticket offices, tobacconists, bars, and affiliated businesses. On the buses of this line, it is possible to travel by paying directly with contactless cards adhering to certain circuits.
Car rental, car-sharing, bike-sharing, and taxi services are available.
Orio al Serio (BGY) Airport “Il Caravaggio”, about 50 km from Milan, is an important hub for low-cost flights. To reach Milan from the airport, there are several bus connections to Stazione Centrale FS, connecting to metro lines M2 and M3. Travel time is about 1 hour. Tickets can be purchased online or directly on board.
By car, taking the A4 highway towards Milan. The travel time is approximately 60 minutes. Car rental or taxi services are also available.
The Milan airports are accessible to people with disabilities and reduced mobility as well as providing assistance services for their boarding and disembarkation.
TRAIN
Milan, located at the center of the national and European rail network, can be reached from major Italian cities via high-speed trains such as Trenitalia’s Frecce and ItaloTreno, as well as Intercity trains. It is also a major hub for regional connections.
Main railway stations in Milan:
- Stazione Centrale FS – Duca d’Aosta Square – in correspondence with subway lines M2 and M3, from which most trains to foreign countries also depart. At the Central Station there is a luggage storage, various services and a large shopping area.
- Porta Garibaldi FS Station – S. Freud Square – in correspondence with subway lines M2 and M5.
- Cadorna FN Station – Cadorna Square – in correspondence with subway lines M1 and M2.
- Rogoredo FS Station – Cassinis Street – in correspondence with subway line M3.
Information on schedules and ticket purchase:
The Trenord “S” lines of the Passante Ferroviario are an almost entirely underground infrastructure that runs through the city similar to a subway and connects to the surface public transport service of the metro and tram offered by ATM. All ATM tickets and railway tickets are valid within the urban area of Milan.
BUS
It is possible to reach Milan by bus from the rest of Italy and Europe, thanks to numerous companies that offer medium and long distance itineraries. More information on Lampugnano e San Donato – Official Website – Autostazioni di Milano.
The main terminals are:
Lampugnano – is located at Via Giulio Natta 226 and is connected to the M1 Lampugnano metro line. Located in the north of the city, near the San Siro district, it has 20 parking spaces for arriving/departing buses and a ticket office that includes a waiting room with a bar. Other services are also available. Numerous bus companies arrive at this terminal from major Italian and foreign cities.
San Donato Bus Station is located in Via G. Impastato, in the southern part of Milan. It is a hub and an endpoint for buses departing or arriving in Milan, on both national and international routes, and is served by the M3 San Donato metro line.
CAR / PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION
Milan is one of the main highway junctions that connects it to the rest of Italy and Europe. It can be reached by car from five main highways connected by Milan’s ring road system.
- A4 Torino-Trieste
- A1 Milano-Napoli
- A7 Milano-Genova
- A8 Milano-Varese (Milano-Laghi)
- A9 Lainate-Como
Highways are subject to toll payment, and foreign drivers must always take a ticket when entering the highway. At the exit, there is signage that, already approaching the toll station, allows the driver to identify the lane to enter and the desired payment method, which can be made by cash, credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, Viacard; Telepass service for entry and exit is dedicated only to those entitled. The Milan beltways form a sort of ring around the city and its hinterland for about 180 km. Almost entirely free, only some sections require toll payment.
Attention! From Monday to Friday, from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm, cars entering the center of Milan are subject to the “Area C” payment. Visit the official website of the Municipality of Milan in the Area C section to learn more:
Milan public transport map (Metropolitana)
