Italy for me From Italy with love
Malpensa Airport (MXP, Aeroporto di Milano-Malpensa) is located 33,5 miles (54 km) from Milan Central Station (Milano Centrale). You can reach Milan by bus for 8 EUR or by express train for 13 EUR. A taxi will cost you 95 EUR. Below in this article, you will find more information on every option.
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By bus
Buses run non-stop from Malpensa Airport to Milan city center without stops and are operated by Terravision. The journey takes about 50 minutes, with buses departing every 30-40 minutes.
By train
A special express train (MALPENSA EXPRESS) departs from the first and second terminals of Malpensa Airport to Milan city center every 30 minutes. The journey time is about an hour.
- Ticket prices: 13 EUR for adults, 6.5 EUR for children aged 4 to 14, and free for children under 4. A family ticket (Malpensa Family) for 2 adults and 2 children aged 4 to 17 costs 33 EUR. Bicycle transport costs 3 EUR.
The train stops at Bovisa, Porta Garibaldi, and Milano Centrale stations, and a separate branch will take you to Milano Cadorna station in 37 minutes, near the Sforza Castle (Castello Sforzesco), good shopping, and numerous restaurants.
- You can download the train route from Malpensa Airport in PDF format at this link.
How to save money
If you arrive in Milan and depart from Malpensa Airport, you can save money by purchasing a promo ticket on the official store.trenord.it, if your departure is within 30 days from the same airport.
In this case, an adult ticket will cost you only 20 EUR (saving 6 EUR round trip), and a child ticket will cost 10 EUR.
By taxi
There is a special rate of 95 EUR for a taxi from Malpensa Airport to any location in Milan – the taxi driver shall not charge you more than this amount.
You can download the official tariff regulations of the Municipality of Milan in PDF format.
Malpensa Airport layout and terminals
Malpensa Airport consists of 2 terminals:
- Terminal 1 – for regular flights. It is divided into zones A, B, and C. Zone A is for flights from Italy and other European countries, while B and C are for flights from outside the Schengen area. Terminal 1 has 5 floors ranging from -1 to +3
- Terminal 2 – serves budget flights, mainly EasyJet.com, and charters.
Along with Rome’s Fiumicino it is one of the largest and busiest airports in Italy, with an annual passenger traffic of over 24 million passengers, which is around 65,000 people daily.
Where to get tax-free in Malpensa Airport?
If your shopping in Milan was successful and the total amount of purchases exceeds 155 EUR, you have the right to claim a tax refund. Before your departure, head to the Global Blue office, located in Terminal 1 on the first floor in boarding area A12 or on the second floor in the check-in area (check-in) 12 of the same terminal. The office operates from 6:00 AM to 10:30 PM.
You can also find offices of other companies that provide tax refund services, such as Tax Refund and Planet, in Terminal 1. Forexchange, on the other hand, is located in Terminal 2.
For the most up-to-date information, you can check the official website of the airport www.milanomalpensa-airport.com
How to rent a car at Malpensa Airport?
Upon arrival, you can pick up your pre-booked car and embark on a self-guided journey through the regions of Italy. For example, you can visit Lake Como or Lake Garda, the cities of Turin or Genoa, or even venture into neighboring Switzerland. For instance, the distance from Malpensa to Lugano is only 49,7 miles (80 km), and it takes about an hour to reach.
The cost of renting a car with a manual transmission starts from 18 EUR per day.
A car one class higher with an automatic transmission, like a safe Volvo V40, will cost you only 413 EUR for 10 days.
Online arrivals and departures board
- Official website of Malpensa Airport: www.milanomalpensa-airport.com
On the online arrivals and departures board below, you can track the real-time arrivals and departures of airlines:
Hotels near Malpensa Airport
On the airport premises, you’ll find the modern and comfortable 4-star Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel. The cost of accommodation starts from 155 EUR per day.
Comfortable beds, great breakfast – an excellent option for a layover in Milan.
A more budget-friendly and quite unique alternative is the capsule hotel ZZZleepandGo MXP, which operates in a fully automated mode and costs only 49 EUR per person per day. The capsules are located just a few meters away from the check-in counters, so you’ll have plenty of time to get a good rest. The downside is the shared bathroom facilities.
About a kilometer away from the airport, there are several other hotels. I recommend paying attention to the First Hotel Malpensa – starting from 82 EUR per day, and the Holiday Inn Express from 75 EUR per day.
- Read more about the Best 4-star Hotels in Milan
Which cities in Italy can you travel to from Malpensa Airport?
By public transport from Malpensa, you can reach Bergamo, Genoa, Turin, Lake Como, and even Switzerland.
To Bergamo
The ticket costs 18 EUR, and the travel time is 1 hour 45 minutes. In Bergamo, the bus stop is located at Via Furietti 17 – about 1 kilometer from the train station. You can buy tickets online and check the current schedule on the official website of the carrier www.orioshuttle.com
You can also get to Bergamo from Malpensa by trains or buses with a transfer at Milano Centrale, the central station of Milan. The travel time will be approximately 2.5 hours. Check out the detailed instructions.
To Lake Como
Lake Como (Lago di Como) is one of the largest lakes in Italy. It is surrounded by dozens of towns and kilometers of scenic roads. First, you need to decide on the shore and the city you want to visit, and then plan your route accordingly.
You can reach Como from Malpensa by a rented car, or take public transportation to some cities like Lecco and Varenna.
To Genoa
The fastest and cheapest way to get to Genoa is by taking the Flixbus. The travel time is about 2 hours and 40 minutes, and the ticket costs 15 EUR.
You can also travel to Genoa from Malpensa with a transfer to Milan, where you can catch direct regional and high-speed trains. The total travel time will be around 3 hours.
To Turin
From Malpensa, you can reach Turin by direct bus or trains with a transfer to Milan.
Buses depart from both the first and second terminals at hourly intervals. The ticket price is 22 EUR, and the travel time is 2 hours. The bus arrives at Porta Susa FS station in Turin, from where you can take public transportation to any part of the city.
You can check current prices, schedules, and book tickets on the official website of the carrier www.sadem.it
To Linate Airport
To get to Linate Airport (LIN) from Malpensa, taxi drivers offer a fixed rate of 116 EUR.
You can also reach Linate on a special shuttle that departs from the first and second terminals at 8:30 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 4:00 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. The ticket price is 13 EUR. You can check the current schedule and purchase tickets online on the official website of the carrier www.malpensashuttle.it
To Switzerland
The Swiss border is only 49,7 miles (80 km) away from Malpensa. You can reach the nearest city, Lugano, by direct train from Milan in 1 hour and 8 minutes. The travel time to Geneva by car is 4 hours, and the distance is 198,4 miles (320 km). A Swiss vignette for one year costs around 40 EUR.
List of cities
You can directly travel from the airport to dozens of cities in Italy on Flixbus buses – it’s cheap and comfortable. Check the full list of routes on the webpage.
Direct flights by different airlines
Israel Airlines and Ryanair operate direct flights to Malpensa Airport from Israel, Lithuania, and Poland.
From Israel
Israel Airlines offers daily flights from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv to Milan. Ticket prices start from $130, and the flight duration is 4 hours and 10 minutes. The aircraft used is the Boeing 737-900.
The plane lands at the first terminal of Malpensa Airport at 10:55 a.m., which is very convenient.
From Lithuania
Ryanair operates direct flights from Kaunas (KUN) on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. If you take care of the tickets in advance, you can easily fly for just 23 EUR one way.
If you travel to Milan from other countries, check the official websites of the airlines.
I hope this article was useful for you. I will be glad to advise in case you have any questions.